Making a bullet change

For the last few years, on deer, pigs, and coyotes, I've been using the Nosler 100 gr BT in my 260. It worked fine and is super accurate, but the hogs seem to be getting bigger and bigger and that bullet just isn't punching through. Shot a whopper of a boar Monday evening but didn't find a drop of blood. Found the hog the next morning. He only made it about 40 yards, but no blood trail. So, time for a change. I will switch to one of the following: 100 gr Partition, 120 gr Partition, 120 gr BT, or 130 gr Accubond.

I like the velocity, 3000 fps, with the 100 gr Partition. I like the violent impact of the Ballistic Tip, which I may not get with the Partition. I like the idea of the Accubond, but the 130 gr bullet can't be pushed as fast as I'd like in my short barreled rifle.

Your opinions are welcome.

Berger vld

100g Partition will kill anything you want. If they have the AB closer to 100g, I'd go with that. I'm a big fan of the Nosler ABs.

You have some good ones picked out IMO. The 125 partition or 130 Accubond would be where I would start. The 100 partition will give you the speed though.

There are some looking for more speed and even lighter bullets and cutting down the Hornady GMX to 80 grains running them in 6.5 Grendel for about 2900 from that little round in ARs. One of those at 3200 or more would be interesting.

Keep loading your pet round. Why are you shooting hogs, not on the run, anywhere other than between the ear and eye? And all points in between?

My opinion is quite being so hung up on velocity, it aint everything. Yes it is important, but it is never my top priority. For performance on impact I look at construction, weight, and BC. A 130 gr. is a light bullet for a .260 or 6.5 Creedmoor in my operation, I run 140's.

So of your choices, pick a 130 or 140 gr bullet, work up the most consistent shooting load, and let it be as fast as it's going to be.

You have a Mil scope, overcoming gravity is almost an afterthought.

The other side of this that ain't being talked about is a big hog usually has enough fat around to self seal a wound, and blood tracking pigs can be tough no matter what billet you use. Shoot for cns to drop then there and don't worry about the bullet. Other way to work it is shoot for the shoulder and cripple the hog so it can't go far and finish it with a second shot.

I would go heavier in either partition or AB - whichever performs better in your rifle.

Fouzman, I know that you know that you can't always pick your ideal shot. That big boar came out of the trees at about 125 yards at the extreme edge of darkness. He was a black moving blob that I could see and pick out which end was the front. I put the crosshairs behind the eye as best I could and squeezed. He was obviously hit, but spun and left the scene. Finally found him in the thicket the next day. With a good blood trail, I probably would have found him. Would've been more important to find the hog if it had been a sow. The rascal weighed well over 200 pounds, but not more than 250.

Anyway, I want a through and through on the big pigs. Since I have a supply of the 120 gr Ballistic Tips, I probably will try them out for a while. Sure wish they made a 100 or 110 gr Accubond in 6.5.

The hog was 54 inches from the tip of the nose to the base of his tail, just for info.

The ballistic tips work well for thin skinned animals but you might have some issues on bigger hogs with thick fat pads....an interlock or partition might give you better penetration than the bt and get the bullet through and through....

Or maybe I'll try that 130 gr Accubond.

I've shot, I think, 8 hogs recently. Two were at a slow trot. Three were in high gear and flying. Three were standing still. All the running pigs dropped on the spot, and were most likely the most poorly placed shots. Seems odd.

And I admit that had not considered the fat issue that Texas Buckeye mentioned. It's a good point. Blood trailing hogs never has been that easy or productive.

I'll stop by Cabelas in Waco tomorrow and see what they have on the shelf.

Corelocked or interlocked.

Isn't it funny. Might not need to change a thing. In reality, the bullet you shot worked perfectly, he was dead within 40 yards. But we do always want a little more don't we

Hogs are tough suckers period. Because of that, their predictability at the shot is way less than deer. Both as to what the bullet will do and what they will do.

The easy answer of "shoot them behind the ear" has always been interesting to me. I am obviously not the sharpshooter so many are - especially since many times my hogs are on the move, in poor light, etc., etc. Just like yours seem to be.

Well, I did get two of the hogs right here in the yard, with the 223 and those tiny 40 gr Ballistic Tips. I shot them up around the eye/ear region. Put them down like a rock.

Yep, the big hog only went 40 yards, but it was a tough 40 in the thicket and no sooner did I shoot than it was darker than the inside of a cow. I never seem to get those shots early on a nice bright day. Heck, the hog was so covered up with mud, maybe that's what stopped the bullet. He was a nasty mean looking warrior hog. If I thought he was not the biggest on this place, I'd hunt with the 270.

This is why I don't worry so Much about recovering hogs when I shoot at them on the run...never get good
Placement and don't know what the bullet will do. I just pour as much lead into them and hope they expire at some point if the don't drop. Depredation of hogs is a different philosophy than taking meat from hogs though, so everyone has a different thought on that...

I'd go to the Partition in a heavier weight, 130-140.

There are those who will only spend time looking for an animal if they find blood. I am not one of them. IMO, if you haven't spent at least 30 minutes, you haven't looked at all. Some would even say an hour.

130 accubond if it were me.

Don't know how short your barrel is, but you'll probably have at least 2600 fps at the muzzle....which is plenty.

The optimum performance velocity for that bullet is as low as 1800 fps (for reliable expansion) which would have you 'good to go' out to about 400 yards. WAY beyond where I shoot hogs. Most of mine (and I expect yours) are at the 100 yd. mark or less.

Whatever you choose, best of luck and keep slaying those hogs!

Flint

Big hogs have nine lives, lol.

I have had numerous big boars walk off with a well placed shot to the shoulder with my 270 shooting 130 grain NBT.

This why I changed equipment to a AR10(Wilson Combat). Shooting the 308 178 gr. Amax. Killed a couple buses already pushing 300 lbs. and they are DRT.

They are really getting to be a problem, we just can't keep up with their reproduction.

Another vote for the 120 NPT or 130 Accubond.

My vote is Accubonds. I use 110 grain bonds in my .257 Roberts. Pass thru every time.

I run Barnes 120gr TTSX out of my 260 and it always blast through hogs well over 200 pounds at considerable distance.. The options you mentioned are good, but since no one has brought Barnes, just throwing it out there..

I can vouch for that 308. Pitchfork shot a big boar that I shot a few weeks prior 3 times with 223 and the boar just ran off like it was nothing. The 308 dropped him DRT.

Can't speak for others but I'd certainly like to try the ELD-X

I say go with the 100 grain partition if you want. It will keep the same velocity and trajectory your accustomed too. If they don't provide the results you are looking for then you can always step up a little more.

Since my wife got on my case about all the bullets I already have, I think the immediate plan is to just move up to the 120 gr BT's, since I have a big sack of em. Then I think I'll go to the 100 gr Partition, for the reasons that redchevy mentioned. If that bullet doesn't do all of what I want, I'll go to the 130 gr Accubond and work up loads in warmer weather. I'll use R17, since I have some of that already.

In the meantime, I need to look up info on the Lapua Scenar. Is that 108 grainer a hunting bullet or a target bullet? The weight is just about right for what I want to do.

I shot a pretty good size sow yesterday afternoon at about 150 yards with my .308 running 168 grain TSX. Placed a what I felt like was a pretty good shot just behind the ear. She flopped like struck by the hand of God. I bolted my rifle and kept watching her for what felt like a long time (maybe 30 seconds) she never twitched. Took the scope off of her and I'll be danged if she didn't jump and run. Bled like heck for 75 yards or so then slowed to a few drops then disappeared. Not too sad but I'd like to have her to eat!

Made me scratch my head though. Obviously didn't place it as well as I thought. Should have put it through her chest and she probably wouldn't have made it far.

100 gr Barnes TTSX. This is the second season I have used it and am very impressed. So far all animals have dropped where they stand with it, except one buck shot in the lungs that went about 15 feet. 3050 - 3075 fps is easily attained in my 22" MRC with H414. H4350 is the powder if you can find it. I couldn't find H4350 initially, so worked up the H414 and have been happy with the load. Lapua brass, F210, and should be 44 - 45 grains of H414. Later worked up a load of 41 - 42 of H4350 with Lapua brass and F210, which is a bit slower, but still touching 3000 fps.

The accuracy is better than the 100 gr Partition, which I also have used. Punch deer in the shoulders. The Barnes does not destroy much meat and the DRT results are consistently impressive.

Works well on coyotes as well. 212 yards, DRT.



Cull buck with the 260 and 100 Barnes TTSX.



Exit wound under the offside shoulder on the buck above.

Maybe I should try that bullet. I've stayed away from Barnes bullets so far, though I have no real reason to do so. Last couple of days I've been reloading (pistol and 223), and I took a look at the bullets I have already. I have mucho supply of 120 gr BT's, so I need to run through some of them before I buy more bullets.

Jeffbird, are you seeing excess copper fouling using the Barnes? Do you have to clean more frequently when shooting them? If so, how many rounds between cleanings?

Fouling depends on the barrel. In the Montana Rifle Company and Remington 700 barrels, the fouling from the Barnes is not much different than Sierras and less than Noslers. In my Accuracy International barrel, the Barnes create way too much fouling, so I do not use them in that rifle. The Barnes Copper Solvent cleans the barrels up quickly.