Target bullet for hunting?

[wonderman4]

Using a match bullet outside of its design is solely in the lap of the person doing it. That said, I don't use target bullets for shooting game animals. There are too many bullets made for hunting that work well.

What I do does not affect what somebody else does....at least in my choices of bullets.

 

[Upsidedownjack]

Shot more than My share of Elk with both the 270 Win, and the 300 Win Mag. 150 Nosler Ballistic tip in the 270, andThe 180 Ballistic tip in the 300wm. Both have Drop the Elk in place! Just behind the Shoulder, lungs Heart. From lest than 100 yds out to about 800! But, placement is the Killing factore! 22lr will kill!

 

[LongBomber]

All bullets, target or hunting, will give inconsistent results on game. Shooting and killing animals is not a static thing. No two hits are precisely the same, no two animals will to live is the same.
The same bullet put into 50 animals will give you 50 different results. One falls over with a marginal hit, next one runs for a mile with the lungs entirely liquified.
I have used and continue to use both on game, they each have applications where they work.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I've shot a load of whitetails with match bullets, mostly the 162gr Hornady A-Max. On or behind the should they dropped quickly.
Anything larger than deer and I use a conventional hunting bullet of one flavor or another. I was completely sold on Accubonds for their accuracy and terminal performance but lately I've been taking game with the Hammer Hunters.
There is certainly no shortage of quality reloading components to choose from today.

 

[Tommo64]

Been discussed many times here & everywhere else.

Im in the camp that thinks use a projectile for what its designed for.

While target projectiles will definitely kill its even more about precise shoot placement as they wont expand in the same way(or at all!) like a game projectile will.

I think the attraction is the cheapness of the compared to standard game projectiles, they are up to 50% less in cost!

I am with you on this. And I would add that in addition to the cost factor, many LR hunters are drawn to the high BCs of match bullets for obvious reasons. Pretty much any bullet, with good shot placement, will kill an animal. It's just that some do it more efficiently than others.

 

[wonderman4]

All bullets, target or hunting, will give inconsistent results on game. Shooting and killing animals is not a static thing. No two hits are precisely the same, no two animals will to live is the same.
The same bullet put into 50 animals will give you 50 different results. One falls over with a marginal hit, next one runs for a mile with the lungs entirely liquified.
I have used and continue to use both on game, they each have applications where they work.

I don't think so. Using my Dad as an example, he hunted all his life. He is 90 yr old now and finally gave it up due to physical limitations maybe 10 yrs ago.

BUT, from 1976 until he stopped hunting, every deer he shot was a one shot kill and dropped where they were hit. I use this time frame because that is when I started documenting our kills.

So, your assumption that all kills are different is just not true. Maybe for you it is, but not where I live.

 

[bigngreen]

I've been hunting with target bullets for years ( including Berger's, yes they're rebranded target bullets).
Recently I've seen some really poor results on elk and won't be using any non bonded bullets anymore.

One guy I was hunting with last season shot a bull at 800 yards in the shoulder with a 300 Berger EH and it literally blew up impact, he tracked the bull 2 miles the next day!

I shot my bull three times at 700 yards last year with Berger 215's, one exploded on the ribs, one pencilled through, and 15 minutes later I was lucky enough to get a third shot in him that put him down.

My buddy shot his bull at 700 yards in the shoulder with a 225 ELDM, and it was a disaster!
Here's a pic, the shoulder hit by the 300 EH looked the same.

If you use these bullets hope to God you get your cross canyon wind call perfect and don't hit anywhere near the shoulder..
View attachment 168120

Your the most unlucky person I've seen!

Ive watched multiple elk take a shoulder hit from Barnes and Accubond and not have a bullet make it into the vitals. For us swapping to a Berger or similar bullet put an end to shooting game.twice or three times.
Personally I think everyone has to find the bullet that works best for them and their rifle and how they shoot, personally there would be no way I would go back to bonded or high weight retention bullets.

 

[LongBomber]

Did he hunt anything other than deer? Ie moose, elk, bear?

I don't think so. Using my Dad as an example, he hunted all his life. He is 90 yr old now and finally gave it up due to physical limitations maybe 10 yrs ago.

BUT, from 1976 until he stopped hunting, every deer he shot was a one shot kill and dropped where they were hit. I use this time frame because that is when I started documenting our kills.

So, your assumption that all kills are different is just not true. Maybe for you it is, but not where I live.