Looking for a new hunting bullet... Which one!??!

[Western4444]

Okay! Shhhhhhhhhhh!

 

[JAYgs8163]

it!

 

[ddman]

I shoot regularly at 500-1000 yards. I'm an "middle ager" and that used to be long range back in the day.
I personally do not shoot at animals over 400 yards.
I came to the realization of exactly what you said. Not the best bullet for the job.
My bigger problem is that the 168's did not perform well on deer in my 308's either.
Either way I am going away from the ABLR's anyway.
Someone was interested in the bullets and asked me to PM them. I'm going to need to figure out how first.

That was me interested in them. Click on my name and it should say start a conversation that's how you pm.

 

[greenejc]

I have shot up to 450 -500 dont plan on shooting further.

You might consider the Sierra Prohunter or the Speer HotCor bullet in 180 grain or 200 grain. The Sierra Gameking in 200 grain is also a very good alternative to the bullets you've been using. All these bullets will give you a flat trajectory for the distances you will be shooting, high retained energy, low chance of bullet/jacket separation, excellent penetration and very good terminal ballistics on game up to and including elk. For your purposes the 200 grain Speer and the 200 grain Gameking may be best.

 

[greenejc]

Sounds like what my dad would say (in a good way) and the buddy I was with. Thanks for input. I do think sometimes things can get over complicated quickly!

The 180 grain CoreLokt, the Speer 180 and 200 grain HotCor and the Sierra 180 grain ProHunter Spitzer are all hard to beat, and all of them perform well enough for shots out to around 600 yards. I really liked the CoreLokt but they got more expensive than the HotCor, so I went to them and the Prohunter both of which were under selling the CoreLokt at the time. I used to buy CoreLokt 180's by the 500.

 

[COBrad]

At the medium ranges we are talking about any of these bullets will work great…. just put the bullet where it needs to go.

 

[Sockeye66]

After seeing recent performance from the Speer Gold Dots in 6.5 caliber, I'd have to believe that the 168gr .30 cal version would be equally outstanding. Strangely, I've been seeing it on the shelves here in MT and I think that it's overlooked because of the law enforcement label. Might be worth a try, certainly shoots well out of my 300wm over RL23.

 

[A4W22CM]

I ran a 175 Gr Barnes LRX out of my 300 WSM this year. I shot my elk just over 800 yards, and my friend shot the same gun just under 200 yards at another bull and the performance of the bullet was impressive at both distances!

 

[Troutslayer2]

I've shot a lot of game with the ABLR and had great performance at all ranges on elk, deer and 1 antelope. It's a little more sensitive to seating depth. Some of ya'll sound like golfers "caddy hand my my 6.5, the one for medium range shots loaded with the 130 grain pills, oh wait he ran out 100 yds farther, get me the 7MM with the 140 Accubond in the chamber". I feel like the ABLR is a good compromise for deer and elk near and far, high shoulder or vitals.

 

[Jtgraham01]

Killed good white tail Saturday. 175 ABLR from 7 WSM. 150 yards. Shot through front chest bc that was the angle presented. Through left front, clipped one lung, lodged under skin behind furthest right ribs. I need to measure but just by looks there's about 1/2 to 2/3 of weight retained in the projo. But it mushroomed nicely. I'll get my hands on it later and post a more scientific analysis.

Deer ran about 100 yards and fell in a heap. Found without blood bc it pooled inside body cavity. Had some in the last 20 yards. Happy with bullet performance (dead deer) but sure would have been easier with an exit wound. That being said, my angle was tough. I bet that bullet plowed through 20" of meat and the sternum before stopping at the hide.

Pic below- side note, deer had a broadhead lodged in his neck as well. Tough old dude.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Im working up a load for my 270 Weatherby Mag, 26 inch Barrel , using 150 Grn. ABLR . The idea is for them to be used on Whitetails, in Bean fields, between 300 and 400 yards. I think , and hope, the ABLR bullet, which has a High BC, is not too tough for whitetail, at that range. The Muzzle velocity will start at 2900 to 2950 fps and velocity will still be in the 2450 to 2320 FPS range, at that distance . My hope is to get full expansion and maximum Organ Damage from the ABLR , and hopefully no exit hole. From What I'm reading here, it seems reasonable!!!

 

[central iowa couple]

I used the 143 hammer hunter this fall. My wife used it also. 7 rem mag at 3050. Worked in both cases amazingly well. My wife's elk was 320, mine at 270 yds. After this fall......nothing but hammers on game. Super happy. The kool-aid is real. Lol. The bullet petals broke up like advertising said. 1 shot ...3 exit holes. Ran as fast as the elk could for 70 yds....leaking the whole way. Upright for maybe 3 seconds

 

[mnoland30]

Check out the New Zealand outfit: Terminal Ballistics Research. Their knowledge base has information on almost every bullet out there. I have never had a bullet failure with Barnes bullets, but switched to Berger 7mm 168 gr. VLD's because they're more accurate in my gun. I've never had an animal go more than a few feet with the Bergers. I've shot everything from javelina to elk (340 yards). I'm shooting a 7mm WSM at 2850 fps. Even the

 

[dciron]

The BC on these is just fine for 700-800 yards. I shoot them sub MOA at 600 meters just fine all the time.

Thank you JGS…. Any advantages, for the purpose of hunting, to running a Scirocco heavy for caliber? Or is it maybe better to run them a bit light, faster, spin them as fast as you can?