If you had only one bullet choice for big game?

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by 209x50

The most accurate one! Nothing else matters if you don't hit your spot.

The worst argument for big game bullets that there is.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by 209x50

The most accurate one! Nothing else matters if you don't hit your spot.

I keep hearing this old saw. Realistically, tens of thousands of game animals were shot with bullets and guns that would group no better than 6" at 200 yards, or by guys who could not shoot any tighter than that. 98% of hunters shoot their game at 300 yards or less, probably 90% at 200 or less, so whether a bullet shoots 1/2" at 100 or 1 1/2" at a 100 is really irrelevant to the discussion. Unless you regularly shoot your game at 400 yards and beyond, bullet construction and performance, with "ACCEPTABLE: accuracy is the prime consideration in a hunting bullet.

[trigger7mm]

Hornady Interlok. Been killing critters of all shapes and sizes with them for 45 years.

[BuckCuller]

Barnes TTSX Is my go too.

[AI 6.5]

165 gr Accubond for me in 308 Win. I have taken WTD, Mulies, Elk and Moose. No need to change.

[Echo-Gecko]

Originally Posted by Dean2

I keep hearing this old saw. Realistically, tens of thousands of game animals were shot with bullets and guns that would group no better than 6" at 200 yards, or by guys who could not shoot any tighter than that. 98% of hunters shoot their game at 300 yards or less, probably 90% at 200 or less, so whether a bullet shoots 1/2" at 100 or 1 1/2" at a 100 is really irrelevant to the discussion. Unless you regularly shoot your game at 400 yards and beyond, bullet construction and performance, with "ACCEPTABLE: accuracy is the prime consideration in a hunting bullet.

I 100% agree with this, and although I’m a interlock man myself I think we all fall victim to clever marketing when it comes to bullets.

Between right close and around 300meters, there isn’t a bullet in the world that won’t penetrate enough not to kill a deer, elk or moose.
We really are overthinking it.
Shoot a reasonable caliber, at reasonable ranges with a bullet of a reasonable weight and you’re going to go home with a deer that’s as dead as world peace.

[teledogs]

TTSX works.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Echo-Gecko

I 100% agree with this, and although I’m a interlock man myself I think we all fall victim to clever marketing when it comes to bullets.

Between right close and around 300meters, there isn’t a bullet in the world that won’t penetrate enough not to kill a deer, elk or moose.
We really are overthinking it.
Shoot a reasonable caliber, at reasonable ranges with a bullet of a reasonable weight and you’re going to go home with a deer that’s as dead as world peace.

In general true. The issue is all the guys shooting highly frangible target bullets at 3000 fps plus and shoot game at 50 yards. These bullets often blow up on the hide or fail to penetrate bone. Then there are the target bullets that act like a fmj and pencil right through because the jackets are way too heavy. Both of this situations occur often now because of all the hype about pinpoint accuracy. Guys are trying for that last .2 smaller group. Chuck was right when he said picking the most accurate bullet is the wrong way to choose a big game bullet.

[Thunder/FX]

If I could only have one...
Barnes TSX

[buckman]

Originally Posted by chuck

The worst argument for big game bullets that there is.

The more you post the more sense you make. Accuracy and the right bullet kill the animal.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Echo-Gecko

I 100% agree with this, and although I’m a interlock man myself I think we all fall victim to clever marketing when it comes to bullets.

Perhaps true in some cases, but certainly not all. I base my opinion on 30 or more years of using a particular chunk of lead with great success numerous times. I've gave most of the other quality/high end bullets a shot, but have always gone back to a partition...so far anyways.

[Echo-Gecko]

Perhaps true in some cases, but certainly not all. I base my opinion on 30 or more years of using a particular chunk of lead with great success numerous times. I've gave most of the other quality/high end bullets a shot, but have always gone back to a partition...so far anyways.

No doubt Partitions work, but I’d bet you that 99% of other reasonable hunting bullets work just as well.
That was really my point. Keep everything boringly reasonable (range,caliber,bullet etc.) and they are all about the same as far as results go.

[Wrongside]

It’d be between the Barnes TTSX or LRX.

[huntingfamily]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Perhaps true in some cases, but certainly not all. I base my opinion on 30 or more years of using a particular chunk of lead with great success numerous times. I've gave most of the other quality/high end bullets a shot, but have always gone back to a partition...so far anyways.

I'd agree with this. There are bullets that should be used for shooting paper only instead of game.
When shooting targets you know your distance and there is no need to worry about performance.
When shooting game we should consider the size/toughness of said game as well as the distance expected.
A bullet designed for long range will not typically perform well at short range.
This is why I prefer a bonded, controlled expansion type or a monometal bullet for a broad range of performance.
I have no problem with a bullet passing through an animal for the benefit of a good blood trail.
I also keep my shots under 400 yards so velocities are within my bullet performance guidelines.
To each their own...

[Dubious]

Berger vldh or scorocco’s

[Coiloil37]

Most of my loads are topped with a ttsx so that probably says something. I’ve got a few loaded with accubonds and two levers with the ftx but I would probably vote ttsx if I had to choose one.

[brazeau]

Nosler Partition since 1985

[kingrat]

Originally Posted by TangoKilo

Barnes lrx

X2

[6.5 shooter]

Nosler Partition....mainly for the fact that they are not as picky on the impact velocity, slow they work , fast they work... Hornady cup and core bullets run a very close second or even a straight up tie, for basically the same reasons and to top it off they are 1/2 the price of the Partitions....

BUT limiting your choices to one bullet, or one gun? yes, you can do it...but where is the fun in that.

[Nyksta]

Accubond

[209x50]

Originally Posted by Dean2

In general true. The issue is all the guys shooting highly frangible target bullets at 3000 fps plus and shoot game at 50 yards. These bullets often blow up on the hide or fail to penetrate bone. Then there are the target bullets that act like a fmj and pencil right through because the jackets are way too heavy. Both of this situations occur often now because of all the hype about pinpoint accuracy. Guys are trying for that last .2 smaller group. Chuck was right when he said picking the most accurate bullet is the wrong way to choose a big game bullet.

I've shot more than one or two critters in my life with just about every cartridge and bullet made. You are right that the vast majority of animals are killed close rather than far and my experience has been the same as the average. I have never witnessed a bullet "blow up on the hide". I cannot imagine how bullet proof animals are in your neck of the woods. We were playing around with a couple guns yesterday. One was a 17 hornet shooting a 20 grain VMax at 3600 feet per second. At 20 yards my buddy missed his shot hitting the 2" tubing that the target stand is made out of. 3/16" wall on the tubing. The bullet penetrated both thickness of steel tubing. Around here that VMax bullet, a bullet designed to blowup would penetrate the hide on any animal.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by 209x50

I've shot more than one or two critters in my life with just about every cartridge and bullet made. You are right that the vast majority of animals are killed close rather than far and my experience has been the same as the average. I have never witnessed a bullet "blow up on the hide". I cannot imagine how bullet proof animals are in your neck of the woods. We were playing around with a couple guns yesterday. One was a 17 hornet shooting a 20 grain VMax at 3600 feet per second. At 20 yards my buddy missed his shot hitting the 2" tubing that the target stand is made out of. 3/16" wall on the tubing. The bullet penetrated both thickness of steel tubing. Around here that VMax bullet, a bullet designed to blowup would penetrate the hide on any animal.

Well, I have personally seen bullets splash on the hide of animals. I have seen it a lot on coyotes, large red wound but no penetration past the shoulder bone. I have seen it on a couple of Moose, again large surface wound but not deep, one time they were killed by the follow up shot from the other gun in the party and the other the second shot penetrated enough to do the job. The second example is one I shot myself when I was about 17 with a 7 Rem Mag at 50 yards using a 162 Hornady Match hollow point, that had worked great on many deer previously. Great accuracy, dead right there deer but the bullet did expand violently on those deer and rarely passed through. I also have seen the pencil through from too heavy a jacket on a few bears. Made for long and less than fun tracking jobs. Shoot what you want but given all the great game bullets I really don't see shooting target bullets at live game.

[huntingfamily]

I've seen it also Dean2. I shot a large mule deer buck right on the shoulder broadside at about 75 yards.
Rifle was a 300 win mag and bullet was a nosler 165 grain ballistic tip.
He ended up going into the thick bush. I went in looking for him and he actually charged me, head down and all. I poked him a couple more times and he died.
When field dressing him we discovered the first bullet did not penetrate his shoulder. Although the shoulder was messed up, it was not a lethal shot...

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by 209x50

I've shot more than one or two critters in my life with just about every cartridge and bullet made. You are right that the vast majority of animals are killed close rather than far and my experience has been the same as the average. I have never witnessed a bullet "blow up on the hide". I cannot imagine how bullet proof animals are in your neck of the woods. We were playing around with a couple guns yesterday. One was a 17 hornet shooting a 20 grain VMax at 3600 feet per second. At 20 yards my buddy missed his shot hitting the 2" tubing that the target stand is made out of. 3/16" wall on the tubing. The bullet penetrated both thickness of steel tubing. Around here that VMax bullet, a bullet designed to blowup would penetrate the hide on any animal.

Bullets penetrating steel is not any sort of test of their integrity on big game. Not even close. Throw that same bullet at the shoulder of a 700lb bull elk and see what happens.

Light, small, and fast bullets are great for making holes in steel.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by 209x50

I've shot more than one or two critters in my life with just about every cartridge and bullet made. You are right that the vast majority of animals are killed close rather than far and my experience has been the same as the average. I have never witnessed a bullet "blow up on the hide". I cannot imagine how bullet proof animals are in your neck of the woods. We were playing around with a couple guns yesterday. One was a 17 hornet shooting a 20 grain VMax at 3600 feet per second. At 20 yards my buddy missed his shot hitting the 2" tubing that the target stand is made out of. 3/16" wall on the tubing. The bullet penetrated both thickness of steel tubing. Around here that VMax bullet, a bullet designed to blowup would penetrate the hide on any animal.

You're advocating the use of varmint bullets on big game? Yikes.
Personally I won't even use a larger bore ballistic tip after my first and only experience with them on big game.
For the extra few cents, premium hunting ammo is a worthy investment

[honda610]

If I had to pick 1 probably Hornady Btsp. I have seen them hold together on moose at almost point blank range. They are reasonably priced easily available and just plain work. Pretty easy to work up a load for em as well. From .243win ,7mm Rem,300win to 308 win.

[marky_mark]

338 rum with 250 gr accubonds
From the biggest bears to antelope
1 and done

[catnthehat]

I have had excellent performance from Seirras, Hornadys, C.I.l.'s, Barnes, Speers and Normas over the years .
If I had to choose just one for hunting it would likely vd the Barnes just because of the no lead thing .
Cat

[BigJon]

Originally Posted by 209x50

I've shot more than one or two critters in my life with just about every cartridge and bullet made.

That seems like a pretty ambitious statement.

[209x50]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

You're advocating the use of varmint bullets on big game? Yikes.
Personally I won't even use a larger bore ballistic tip after my first and only experience with them on big game.
For the extra few cents, premium hunting ammo is a worthy investment

Nice try. I never said no such thing. Go back and read it again, only slower this time. Why not go all out and say I was advocating the use of the 17 Hornet on big game? LOL