Speaking of hunting with "target" bullets..I am surprised that no one is mentioning Lapua Scenars. Too spendy IMO to practice with but is being highly touted on other channels as a do all bullet that is growing in acceptance.
Ron

I know there are some people that swear by them on another forum and post a lot of great animals that have succumbed to the Scenar. Of all the "target bullets", I've heard the most good things about the Amax. They seem to universally praised on the internet as a good hunting bullet. There are many that will argue against a target bullet for any hunting because the box says "target" yet everyday someone will post a story about how their "hunting" bullet failed. My favorite bullet failure is one that fails to exit but kills the animal dead in it's tracks. Personally, If it's dead on the spot, I don't need a blood trail to follow.

Chad, I'm seeing similar comments like yours concerning the "softness" of the Nozzler LRAB's for a viable game bullet, especially at higer MV's and under 200 yard impacts.

In a trade deal for the stash of bullets I did earlier this year in prep for getting deeper into 7mm's, that included heavier than I expected to use bullets in the 7x57 I'd picked up..there are couple box's of 7mm 150gr LRAB's and got to thinking, based on yours (and others) negative comments on using them at 7RMg (28-2900fps ??) MV's ...but what do you think about using them at say 26/2700 MV's for impacts on game at 100 to 300 yards....will those 150gr LRAB's stay together in that scenario? or do they need to be used only for practice bullets on paper?? They must not be selling well, as they are always listed in SPS at a closeout price.

Right now I'm planning on relegating my 7x57 (or a 7-08) to 140gr's as a max weight to keep the MV's as high as possible to be able to shoot flatter MPBR's @ 300 yards w/200 yard Zero's.

Most of the 7mm bullets I picked up in that deal, other than the 2 box's of 150gr LRAB's, are Hrn'dy 154gr IB's and some Speer 160gr SP's, along with 3 box's of Hrn'dy 139gr SST's - that I'm also a little concerned about on game w/MV's highr than 2700 up close - and use the 139gr Hrn'dy SP's as the DoAll everyday game bullet at whatever speeds shoot best.
Your thoughts?
Ron

I've been using the Nosler partition for over 45 years and IMO it is the best hunting bullet ever made. The accubond performs nearly identically IME, and often times it is easier to load for. There's a good reason every bullet maker compares tries to emulate a partition.

My least favorite hunting bullets are the VLDH, SST, and original Barnes X.

Redchevy approves this message.

Darn straight and ill say so myself just so its clear

You know I have read this forum a lot. I have been a member since '04 and read since this forum was here. I cant recall a complaint about the effectiveness/performance of a partition on game, and that is a very small list of bullets I can say that about. If you want to punch paper or shoot steel at 1000 yards you got no business shooting them. If your going hunting... which correct me if I'm wrong, is what this post was about I don't think you could do much better.

I hunt mainly with the Berger VLD. I take no issue with the loss of a little shoulder meat.
My freezer is full at the end of every season. What I want is dead right then and there.
I have had a few run but never more than a few yards. Looking or trailing deer is time better spent cleaning my kill or drinking beer. I have loaded and killed animals and loaded for friends and family using the A-Max and Accubond! Both very deadly as well.
And I agree on the Barnes got to get them over 3k FPS to work well. My boss shoots them in his 300 em and another buddy shoots them in his 243. Very effective in both guns

Hornady SST. I shoot them in 243, 300 BO and 308.

Nosler BT or Hornady SST.

Barnes STX

Guys,

please provide some details about what round and shot placement you use with the particular bullets, when reporting good and bad results.

Some bullets work well with one type of shot placement or size of animal and poorly with others. More detail will make the information more useful for others to analyze and evaluate for their own use.

Out of more than 100 animals in recent years, I have killed more with a 175 Sierra Match King from a 308 than all other bullets added together.

Never lost an animal with that combination, and most, but not all, have dropped where they stood.

Had a few make it 30 - 50 yards, but not too often.

It tends to tumble through causing significant damage, but benefits from placement through dense muscle and bone, essentially, the forward third of the deer.

Most of the time, shot placement is to the CNS, but occasionally may need some odd placement depending on the angle and situation.

It is not a particularly good choice for those who prefer heart, lung, or neck shot placement.

For the vast majority, I limit shots to close, inside of 250 yards.

However, a handful have been 250 - 500 yards and for those, shot placement was to the high shoulder.

The longest shot was an Axis walking at 472 yards when I put the LRF down. Shot to the high shoulder and he dropped where he stood.

Next favorite is the Barnes TTSX, and the one that I use most often in most rifles, Tipped Triple Shock, specifically the TTSX version only.

Not a fan of the X or TSX, as they do not open consistently. The TTSX has provided more consistent results.*

* the only animal I have ever lost was with a 260 120 TTSX. Shot a doe facing me head on at 125 - 150 yards. Shot placement was to the low neck, which should have put the bullet just below the spine or lower.

Her rear legs crumbled under her and she went down hard where she stood. Two other men were watching. We walked up to where she should have been, and she had vanished. There was a pool of blood, but then no deer and not a drop anywhere else. We looked for an hour and could not find the deer or even a drop of blood. It was unreal. After that, I dropped down to the 100 gr TTSX and upped the velocity to over 3100 fps. That bullet zaps them like a lazer beam. Longest shot has been 212 and it dropped like a rock. For the TTSX, go with a lighter than usual bullet and push it as fast as will maintain accuracy. Impact speed needs to be at least 2100 fps or greater, more is better.

Have used the TTSX with good results in 243 (80 gr), 260 (100 preferred, 120 works too), 308 (130 and 150), and 300 Win Mag (165).

Partitions are very good too, with most any rifle. Have used them in 243 (100), 260 (100), and 270 (130).

Most everything else seems to work fine too for deer.

Accubonds really have not provided good results on deer for me. They just punch through without much expansion, trauma or anything else. It makes a hole through and through, so the deer do not go far, but never had a DRT with it. They are too heavy of construction for 308 Win velocities on deer, at least in my very limited use of them and I avoid them.

Might have to try the Ballistic Tips again though, they are supposed to have heavier construction now and definitely cause massive damage, but they usually do not exit with 308 velocities.

You might be surprised about the exit. I used 150 NBTs @2850 muzzle for the last two years. Killed a mule deer, mature boar, 2 whitetails, and javelina. All but one of the whitetails were on the shoulders and they all exited. None took a step except the javelina which went about 10 yards. All shots were under 150 yards.

It has been years since I used the BT’s. Been hearing they are much improved. I’ll give them a try again.

Thanks for the feedback Scott.

Very good and interesting thread.

With BTs, slowing them down should enhance penetration and promote exits. MORE velocity causes more rapid and complete expansion which tends to limit penetration.

My favorites to date have to be SSTs and Accubonds. I shoot 129 SSTs out of a 6.5 creedmoor and they are deadly accurate with deadly results. Every animal shot with those bullets have been DRT with complete pass thru (shooting right behind the shoulder or even high shoulder). I shoot accubonds out of my 7-08 and 30-06. Again, very accurate and fantastic energy on game. Most have been DRT with a few only taking a couple of steps. Accubonds have provided great pass thru and blood.

Here is a little clip of the 130 grain NAB in action. This aoudad was estimated at 300 lbs. This is out of a 270 WSM at 370 yards. You can skip to 1:02 for a slow motion look at placement and performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FbMbf34a40&feature=youtu.be

That is an awesome Aoudad, ckat! Did I see the tape measure correctly at 35"? Nice shot BTW.

He was "officially" 34.75x35.75". Thanks, I was blessed to get him. The Accubond did very well. I was impressed!

Nosler BT,accubond,hornady sst, and Sierra game kings.