Whitetail bullet

[levers4life]

I shot a big axis doe behind the shoulder at about 50 yards with the 140gr eld-x, it came apart violently and sent some bullet jacket back through the guts (a mess), she ran about 75 yards and dropped but the bullet had fragmented into tiny pieces and went everywhere inside.

Shot an antelope with the same load out of the same rifle at 560 yards and it did the job like a magic trick. Great bullet just better suited for longer ranges in my opinion.

 

[memtb]

Never shoulder, heart/boiler room

We hunt from blinds 90% of the deer are standing still or walking slowly.

If those type of hits are a guarantee…..then the ELD X is your "happy place"! Likely no exit…….lungs jello! memtb

 

[Gary in MD]

Definitely overthinking it but bullet threads can be interesting

 

[choprzrul]

I've used the 85gr Hammer Hunter in my 20" Savage 6.5CM at 3400 fps on a deer. Outstanding performance!

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Eld-m. I doubt you'll find a better whitetail bullet.

 

[martyj]

140 ballistic tip seem to work well

 

[rtfletcher]

I have used both 120 Sierra's and 129 Hornady sst's in my 6.5x55 and both have worked wonderfully. I've shot several deer from 20 yds to 100 yds, which is about as far as I can see from any of my stands on the hunting club. Both bullets have turned innards to jelly and I have never recovered one.

 

[cajun]

Nosler ballistic tip. Hornady sst.

 

[memtb]

I have used both 120 Sierra's and 129 Hornady sst's in my 6.5x55 and both have worked wonderfully. I've shot several deer from 20 yds to 100 yds, which is about as far as I can see from any of my stands on the hunting club. Both bullets have turned innards to jelly and I have never recovered one.

Does that mean …..you got an exit, or the bullet completely "came from untogether"?

Oh and, Welcome from North Central Wyoming! memtb

 

[QuietTexan]

15 FEET to about 120 YARDS

Nosler Partition. It's old, ugly, heavy, and stays together pretty much no matter what.

I agree with the "anything will work" because yes, anything should hold together well enough to punch holes. But the Partition with the separated rear slug has always been my go-to for close range. I just ordered another 100 85gn 6mm partitions for my 243 Win today to shoot pigs with.

I'm not really in the "explosive" bullet group, they can work really well just not my preference. That said I do use the SST from a 30-06 - exploding in a deer will lay it down sideways in a huge hurry.

 

[rtfletcher]

They left golf ball sized exits. Keep in mind our deer are not overly large here.

 

[Mercracing]

I'll maybe clarify I am hoping to find a bullet that will expand, not explode with a heart/lung shot from 10 feet to 120 yards.

 

[memtb]

I'll maybe clarify I am hoping to find a bullet that will expand, not explode with a heart/lung shot from 10 feet to 120 yards.

Prior to the mono's…..my answer would have been the Nosler Partition! Now, my answer would be a Barnes TTSX or LRX, or one of the Hammer Bullets! memtb

 

[asd9055]

For those distances on whitetail I often used Remington core lokt or winchester powerpoint. Didn't even bother handloading. Never had one walk away.