Favorite 30 cal. hunting bullet?

[TZaun]

A friend of mine asked me to load up some rounds for his 300 WSM. He will be using it on antelope, white-tail, mule deer, and elk. What is everybody's experiences with hunting bullets in this caliber? I've got a certain bullet in mind but certainly not stuck on it. I want to hear your experiences and see if I can be persuaded. Thanks and Merry Christmas!!

 

[JRS]

With the assortment of animals listed, the Accubond has worked well for me.

 

[Rustystud]

150-180 grain controlled expansion bullet allows hunting mice to moose. Nosler Accubond, Nosler Partitions, Swift Sciroccos, Swift A-frames, and maybe the best Barnes Tipped Triple Shocks.
Nat Lambeth

 

[TZaun]

I've yet to try the Accubonds. Do you guys find them easy to get to shoot?

 

[rickiesrevenge]

I haven't had a problem getting accubonds to shoot in my guns. I've also shot a lot of partitions at game. Either one would work fine.

Aaron

 

[JRS]

I've yet to try the Accubonds. Do you guys find them easy to get to shoot?

Extremely easy

 

[CJ6]

Not really needed for deer/antelope, but I use Swift A-Frames, Scirroccos/Woodleigh weld-core/ Nosler PTs (depending on which gun I use) for Elk/bear, The Hornady SST's and Nosler BT's work great on everything else.

 

[msalm]

I used the 168gr TTSX in my 300 WSM and it worked very well on several elk out to one at 600 yards. I did punch the shoulder with that one, and also got excellent penetration on a raking shot on a big bull at 100 yards. Broke rear left leg and angled forward into chest and was inside right shoulder. With the lighter weight you keep the velocity up there where expansion on more 'medium' game is still very good also.

Accuracy was about 3/4 MOA and was very consistent.

 

[CaptainMal]

I would use what I use - 165 SST's from Hornady. For me they are inexpensive, accurate as all heck and punch through after expanding on most all the animals you hope to use something on. Even for elk, I think they would work but my only elk experience was with another caliber.

 

[abishai]

The 180 SSTs worked well in that caliber

 

[Jason Boersma]

I've shot Lapua 185 Scenars for years and they work great on game from 100 to 350yds, haven't had the chance to shoot one any farther but the deer don't walk away.

 

[JCardenas]

I haven't had a problem getting accubonds to shoot in my guns. I've also shot a lot of partitions at game. Either one would work fine.

Aaron

Ditto with the accubond, I have had good luck getting them to shot. And by shoot I mean 1 moa to .5 moa. Plenty good for the critters you mentioned. I use the 200g for elk? Plus the accubonds can be bought as factory seconds and they do just fine, it's all I use.

 

[FatBoy]

We have had excellent results with the 165gr Nosler BT in both .308win and 30-06. All the talk about them blowing up, etc. Is hype. I have yet to recover one. None of the five or six whitetail have gone further than 100 yards, most are dead in just a step or two. Last weekend the gent I hunt with had a snap shoot situation and the 165 passed through the side of a 6" tree before it punched in behind the 3rd rib and then excited the front shoulder. Dead in 50 yards.

I also use these in .243win (95gr) and have had excellent results on whitetail, coyote and a bobcat.

The 308 stealth shoots 3/4" five shot groups (about .1moa over 175SMKs) and the 95s shoot .5 MOA or better with an old m788 hunter.

I am kicking around the idea of trying Berger hunting VLDs, but it's hard to switch from a bullet that has been such a good performer.

 

[DR1586]

165gr Sierra HPBT Game King. Very accurate, excellent expansion on game from whitetail to elk. My brother in law killed a nice elk with a 300 wsm using this bullet. It expended nicely and put the animal down on the first shot. I use it in my 30-06 and it is he'll on white tails.

 

[SS427]

With that caliber it isn't going to matter what bullet you use on the antelope and deer. Even on elk a cheap lead tip bullet will work with reasonable distances, although I would be inclined to use an Accubond on elk.

Designer bullets in that caliber for those animals are intended to bag hunters and money. If he has the money to spend, try them all and use the one that shoots the best.

 

[TZaun]

Has anybody had any trouble with the Accubonds not opening up correctly and just penciling through? If you would hit a deer in the rib cage but miss the ribs, would it just smoke right through and not even open?

 

[Medium rare]

I have been using the 208 amax on south texas whitetails. They work great. I shot the only elk I've taken with a 300 WSM with 165 tsx. I shot him then twice more while running away. He would have been done on the first shot but I was excited and had tracked a cow for my buddy for over a mile in the snow. Didn't want him to go far. The bullets were all recovered under the skin and fully expanded on the off side. Good luck on your search for the perfect bullet. Let us know what you pick.

 

[Medium rare]

I had a gold star kid shoot a nice 8ptr with 270 and accubonds. The deer ran but we found it a short distance from where he shot it. While cleaning the deer it appeared to be as you described. Through and through both rib cages and not much damage. But this is anecdotal at best and based on the accubond reputation I wouldn't hesitate to use them. I prefer a faster expanding bullet on whitetails but I think the accubond is a great choice for an all around bullet.

 

[dkhunt14]

I like the Berger hunting VLD bullets. They have been good to me. All my deer have been one shot kills. I also have seen they shoot a lot better in my guns, I have shot them out to 1000 yards in my WSM's and have shot many 10 shot 4 to 5 inch groups. Matt

 

[TZaun]

I have been using the 208 amax on south texas whitetails. They work great. I shot the only elk I've taken with a 300 WSM with 165 tsx. I shot him then twice more while running away. He would have been done on the first shot but I was excited and had tracked a cow for my buddy for over a mile in the snow. Didn't want him to go far. The bullets were all recovered under the skin and fully expanded on the off side. Good luck on your search for the perfect bullet. Let us know what you pick.

I know what you mean about shooting him again and again, not wanting him to get away. I've only gone elk hunting once and the bull I shot was standing broadside at 310 yards. I was shooting 180 gr. Partitions in my 300 Ultra Mag, shot him 3 times in the lungs, and he never flinched on any of the shots. I was doubting myself if I was even hitting him. I could hear the "smack" each time but when he didn't move on any of them I was really wondering. He eventually turned and ran with the other elk as I was chambering the fourth round and went over the ridge he was standing on. When I got up to where he was standing, there he was, dead about 20 yards away. I found all 3 bullets just under the hide on the opposite side. Nice little mushroom on all. I was surprised that none of them exited.