whitetail bullet

[schuylkill Co]

I have been shooting shockwaves and have been having trouble getting them to expand on deer. They punch right through with the same size entry and exit hole. Blood trails have been non existent. I am looking for something that will expand on deer.

Can you make a recommendation?

 

[Engineering101]

Nosler Ballistic Tips
Sierra Game Kings

Both are pretty soft. I looks like the new Accubond Long Range bullets may also fall into this category. I used a 100 grain Game King in my 6mm Rem for 20 or so deer. It usually would stop on the opposite rib with nice expansion. Now I'm pretty much a Barnes TTSX or LRX user for ranges inside 500 yards.

 

[schuylkill Co]

I should have given more information. I am shooting a 50cal Bonecollector with 2 white hots and 250 grain shock waves. They group well but do not seem to want to open up.

 

[daddy o]

Barnes TMZ or TEZ depending on size of barrel. Or Barnes MZ Expanders if shots no more than 100yds. I used to shoot the shockwaves and took a couple deer with them but they went down in sight so no need to blood track and was good thing because there was no blood. Also lost a deer because of them. Found dead 2 days later. Was well placed shot but exit was same size as entrance and there was little to no blood around exit. I switched to Barnes 2 years ago. Unfortunately I have not harvested a deer with one yet. But I have recovered bullets shot through waterfilled jugs into wet phone books and recovered bullets always look like the pictures you see of expanded Barnes bullets. That and I have never read anything bad about the bullets I mentioned. They cost a little more but if you hunt in area like I do and may only get a shot once a year why not use the best.

 

[ENCORE]

daddy o posted your best option.

Most T/C rifles will shoot the TMZ excellent and you have the choice of the 250gr or the 290gr. If the barrel is tight and they're hard to load, then the T-EZ will load easier. These are premium bullets that perform consistently 100% of the time.

I'd also suggest, that if you can find Blackhorn 209, use that with 110grs volume. T/C's just love that propellant.

 

[FrontierGander]

low cost - deadly on deer & elk

260-300gr harvester scorpion PT Gold gun)

 

[HighKnob]

Can't argue with what Encore says and shows. I shot Hornady 240 xtp and have had great performance from them. Not sure they'd be much of a long range bullet, just a flat nose pistol bullet, but inside 150 they get the job done.

 

[ENCORE]

I'm fortunate that don't hunt a small plot and have to anchor a deer on the spot, which in most cases wastes considerable meat.

This doe was shot at 191yds with a Barnes 250gr TMZ through the boiler room, my preferred location. As with any bullet shot placement is critical but, a premium bullet is always better.

 

[pooldoc]

There are 2 versions of the Shockwave avaiable. You may be shooting the "bonded" version which is designed to give deeper penertration on larger game ie elk, moose etc. I use the regular version 300 gr version which which is sold with the EZ load sabot which does expand well . The Hornady SST is the same bullet. I don't believe they offer the bonded version.

 

[pooldoc]

Should have noted that the regular Shock Wave has a yellow tip and the bonded version has a blue tip.

 

[clark270]

Pretty sure bonded and regular are sold both in EZ glide sabots. I think I almost bought the bonded by mistake. What would you use bonded for anyways moose at close range? Water buffalo?

 

[pooldoc]

Whitetails in our part of S Texas generally don't have near the body weight you find in states like Illinois, Iowa, Kansas etc. so I would use the bonded version on deer that size or mule deer, elk, moose etc or more likely use a Barnes MZ or TMZ 290 gr. The last Canadian moose I killed was well over 1100 lbs on the hoof so I wouldn't rely on the SST in any version or size to take care of an animal that big and tough.

 

[clark270]

What Wisconsin doesn't have big deer? I still wouldn't use a bonded bullet on any whitetail. I should of video taped myself trying to load my bow buck on a deer carrier by myself. It took awhile I was full of blood trying to lift it up and a still have a scar from a tine poking into my leg. I now have a slide made for it. Oh and does are no problem.

 

[pooldoc]

No disrespect intended. In fact, much of the deer herd in my home state of Georgia has its roots in a trade worked out in the early 60's when GA live trapped Eastern Wild Turkey and traded them to Wisconsin for Whitetails, which were released in a number of counties in Ga. The size and quality of Ga's present herd has its roots in those early stockings. I was President of the GA Sportsmans Federation at that time and I'll never forget watching those magnificant animals exit the trailers and hitting the woods of their new home. Every county that received those deer were closed to hunting for 5 years. First hunting year hunting results were amazing. QDMA now shows Ga as number 5 in the number of whitetails harvested in the last few years.