Sheep Bullet Selection

[lonzonoscar]

I will be going on a Dall and Stone Sheep hunt in Aug/Sept 2015. Looking for the best bullet to use in my .300 WSM? I just returned from a Pronghorn hunt in NM and used HSM's 180 grain Berger VLD. Great bullet, but when the bullet expands/explodes it created a large exit hole 5" plus and damaged part of the cape as well as meat. I like the Berger VLD, would a smaller grain bullet be desirable on Sheep or should I be looking to switch to a different bullet brand?

 

[Pdvdh]

Shot and seen a number of dall sheep shot with Nosler Ballistic Tips and Accubonds, from 13 yds out to 850 yds. Mostly with .284 calibers. Of these two, I'd use the Accubond to minimize meat damage. Shooting them while they're positioned broadside, thru the ribs just behind the front shoulder muscles, will minimize both meat and hide damage. The Berger 210VLD doesn't damage the hide upon exit from my .300 Win Mag if poked thru the ribs. If you hit the front shoulder meat, the Berger will damage more meat than a Nosler Accubond. That's been my experience(s).

 

[RHC]

Shoot some heavier class bullets like the 200 gr. AccuBonds or 210 VLDs. Velocity will slow down some and make the bullet perform cleaner on the animal. Good luck.

 

[lonzonoscar]

Since I have been using HSM's bullets in the Berger VLD, I checked their web-site to get the differences between the 185 grain VLD I have been shooting and 210 grain VLD. I think I said 180 in my original post, but I meant 185. At 400 yards the velocity of the 185 is 2,339 and the 210 is 2,214. The energy is 2,248 and 2,285 respectively at that distance. Is that enough difference to reduce damage to the meat and cape?

 

[RHC]

Since I have been using HSM's bullets in the Berger VLD, I checked their web-site to get the differences between the 185 grain VLD I have been shooting and 210 grain VLD. I think I said 180 in my original post, but I meant 185. At 400 yards the velocity of the 185 is 2,339 and the 210 is 2,214. The energy is 2,248 and 2,285 respectively at that distance. Is that enough difference to reduce damage to the meat and cape?

About a 150 fps difference. That 210 is floating right at african game bullet velocity speed, the 185 on the other has just started entering it. The 210 will do less cape damage and have more stopping/dropping power than the 185. Plus at longer ranges will buck the wind better etc etc. When I had a .300 WSM, I started out with the 180s but was finding it to blood shot meat too much. Once I jumped up into the 200 gr- 220 gr class, I had virtually no blood shot meat and more power just by slowing things down a notch and going heavier in bullet weight. That's my suggestion is to go heavier. YMMV

 

[c-ne-elk]

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a new gun

It was several years ago when I shot my Dall but I used a 140g Accubond out of a 270 WSM on my Dall at 445 yds. perfect expansion, exit hole the size of a quarter.

If I were to go today, I would go with one of the 6.5 calibers. 6.5x284 would be a nice one...

 

[BCID]

shot mine this year with a 168 VLD out of a 06 at 103 yards , bullet didnt exit. entry hole smaller than a dime. Like others have already said , slow it down and a vld is great. No ruined cape , and dead right now sheep. Mine didnt take 1 step.

 

[Bughole]

You hit a sheep with anything and its effective. On my first Dall hunt I carried a 270 WSM with 130's. Ideal sheep medicine. Then we had several bear incidents. We were in the NWT. After that hunt I decided that I would carry a rifle with a heavier bullet for safety reasons. You wont have time to switch rounds so you need something that has good ranging abilities and penetration abilities. I set a 3oo wsm and use barnes 168 ttsx. They will range effectively to 600 yds and are perfect if you need to defend y0ourself and camp.. I know bear attacks are rare but if you experience one you will change your mind on peashooters. I also have a 7rum set up for 180 gr bullets but its slightly heavy for sheep terrain. My 300 WSM is super correct for that purpose, built on an ed brown action, have a 23 1/2 inch barrel. I use a swarovski scope set up with their ballistic turret. First pin ar 250,then 350, then 450, and 550 yds. interpolate in between. works wonderful. Good luck.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I have run several bullets on aoudad which are a little bit bigger than the species you are after. I have run ballistic silver tips but they wouldn't hold up to punching through their heavier bone and thicker hide. Next was swift A-frames, no complaints really, meat damage was not excessive in any way and the exit was just big enough to sick my index finger in. However, I wanted a bullet with a bit higher B.C so I switched to Scirocco's which have been working great for me, made several kills a varying distance's one was ~100 or so yard the other at 306. kills were quick and clean damage to meat and hide were minimal imo.

I think a good bonded bullet would be best for you.

Hope this helps

 

[Chandalar]

shot mine this year with a 168 VLD out of a 06 at 103 yards , bullet didnt exit. entry hole smaller than a dime. Like others have already said , slow it down and a vld is great. No ruined cape , and dead right now sheep. Mine didnt take 1 step.

I agree with this as well, I am hunting with a slightly different setup to have the flexibility to hunt for moose, sheep, and bears all at the same time with a bit of reach. I was using 200 grain Barnes LRX in a 300 Norma, 20" barrel and pushing the bullet at 2900-3000fps. Shot the sheep at 380 yards, high angle shot from below at 29deg., bullet went in low in the rib cage and exited out the back. I am not a "full mount" kind of hunter so it wasn't as big a deal that the cape was, admittedly very blood soaked. That said I respect those that are traveling considerable distances at great expense for the opportunity to hunt sheep, and want to take as perfect of a trophy home as possible. All the best, and if in the Fairbanks area please give me a shout.

 

[LRNimrod]

Awesome hunt lined up, good luck amigo. As for bullets I'd use an accubond or gameking (lots of options) for no other reason than barring a broadside shot, a highly frangible bullet on a hard raking shot or front on is risky for deep penetration. My stone sheep guide shared some stories about this very issue, I had barnes ttsx because there were mountain caribou possible too. good luck again, and don't skimp on training....sheep shape is hard to achieve.