How to choose ammunition

[Guest Swan_Dive]

Hey guys, I am new to hunting this year and have done as much research as I can but I just wanted to see what you thought on what ammunition to buy. Looking for name brand and bullet type that you find is reliable and effective. I am going out for deer this fall with a 30-06 so just wondering what your thoughts are.

Thanks

Jeremy

[Bottom Bouncer 22]

I would recommend Federal 165 grain Nosler Partition. It comes out of the barrel at 2800 feet per sec. Moose or Deer. Good luck

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

Partitions are about as reliable as they come

[brookiebuster 117]

For big game you really cant beat any round that has a controlled expansion with high weight retention. Partitions are great, another round you should check out are Barnes tsx. Some of the best big game rounds around. They're a little pricey but they knock em' dead.

[AB 98]

For deer, with a 30-06 a 160 grain bullet will do just fine. Start with several manufacturer's rounds that you think will do the job and get out to the range with several paper targets and your cleaning kit. Shoot the targets at 25 and 100 yds and select the bullet that gives you the most consistent group. Fancy bullets won't help bring down any animal unless they are on target, and finding the one that lands where you want it every time is what counts. iceman

[ghart 55]

150-160 grain - pick a brand you can afford.

Lobbing $5 bullets can get expensive if a simple lead core $1 bullet will do the same job. Shooting off a box or two to get used to the gun isn't a problem with $1/bullet.

A consistent shot placement is worth a lot more than the bullet when deer hunting. A 30-06 with any bullet on target is going to bring a deer down. To much power = shoot through and more meat damage.

Higher grains will give a bigger kick usually (physics).

If you are looking at longer shots (100yds or farther) maybe go with something a little more expensive but again - shoot it accurately and consistantly.

Personally I use the Remington core-lokt 150gr - I have 180gr for moose to provide a little more punch. And for around $1/ shot I ain't going poor target shooting.

When shifting grain sizes you will likely need to re-sight the scope. (2" difference in my gun at 100 yds between 150gr and 180gr - still kill shot tho)

[gsambray 172]

I use Horaday 155 grain and shoot a 7mm mag. best round for groupings in my gun. not too expensive either around $40 a box. I do find they have a bit more kick to them and seem louder but that could be my gun and maybe not another.

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

be sure to sight it in like 2.5 inches high at 100 from a solid rest, this is called point blank sighting in, google it.

way easier than sighting in flat at 100 and using Kentucky windage to compensate

[Guest Wes]

As others have stated, I bought a few boxes when I bought my .270. Core Lokt, Partitions, and a Balistic Silver tip.

I ended up going with the 130 grn. Balistic silver tip.

I do have a 30.06 as well but I don't have much shoulder time with it. I am unsure if the caliber will be different with different brands. Maybe the Partitions are better for a 30.06 than the BST. You'll just need to find that out for yourself I suppose.

http://www.winchester.com/products/rifle-ammunition/Advanced/Ballistic-Silvertip/Pages/SBST270.aspx

From my reading , then, The Balistic Silver tip shot straighter for longer. They are a tad pricey but I only use 2 bullets every year to fill me freezer so I don't worry too much about price.

Ensuring the animal drops quickly is more important that a few extra dollars.

Also stated above, the more grains the more waste so that is why I went with the 130 grn. I am not always a perfect shot so I needed to account for that.

Having said that, A well placed shot with a 220 grn will also produce little to no waste. So that argument is a non-argument if you are a crack shot IMO.

Wes

[Guest Swan_Dive]

Thank you guys, I appreciate all the advice...pretty excited to start this new adventure, so much to learn!

Jeremy

[Guest PEte A]

Might be worth a read of the information on the following webpage http://www.dnr.state...lead/index.html. It's interested that the meat of many animals shot with lead based bullets wouldn't even be able to be sold in stores due to the levels of lead. If this is of concern (it is for me with a young family), monolithic bullets (all copper) are a great alternative. I shoot Barnes TSX's, but there are quite a few other brands available. Their performance is great.

[dano 8]

I guess my family has been lucky we have lived this long from eating animals shot with cup and core bullets.

Definetly not going to switch bullets because of some over exaggerated study.

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

I guess my family has been lucky we have lived this long from eating animals shot with cup and core bullets.

Definetly not going to switch bullets because of some over exaggerated study.

at moderate like .308 or thirty-ought-six velocities on perfect broadside shots cup and core game is just a dead as any new super bullet, sure they do more more damage but dead is dead...cant be deader.

the moment you get into a belted magnum, start shooting smaller weight bullets for flatter trajectory, or try to anchor a moose with a shoulder shot, you will need a better constructed bullet to deal with the the added stresses after impact

with the hundreds if not thousands on average invested in accommodations gas guns atv's clothing, optics radios, etc

paying 50 instead of 25 for a box of bullets is cheap insurance on the off chance you hit a shoulder, spine leg tree branch etc.... or you need to drop an animal where it stands

ive taken a deer at 20 yds with a cup and core bullet with a 7 mag , no exit wound!!! bullet separated .yet at 250yds that same bullet will sail right through a moose in one piece due to lower impact velocity .

where as a premium such as partitions will perform perfect from a blazing 3200 fps to 2400 fps 1/4 mile out

As others have stated, I bought a few boxes when I bought my .270. Core Lokt, Partitions, and a Balistic Silver tip.

I ended up going with the 130 grn. Balistic silver tip.

I do have a 30.06 as well but I don't have much shoulder time with it. I am unsure if the caliber will be different with different brands. Maybe the Partitions are better for a 30.06 than the BST. You'll just need to find that out for yourself I suppose.

http://www.wincheste...es/SBST270.aspx

From my reading , then, The Balistic Silver tip shot straighter for longer. They are a tad pricey but I only use 2 bullets every year to fill me freezer so I don't worry too much about price.

Ensuring the animal drops quickly is more important that a few extra dollars.

Also stated above, the more grains the more waste so that is why I went with the 130 grn. I am not always a perfect shot so I needed to account for that.

Having said that, A well placed shot with a 220 grn will also produce little to no waste. So that argument is a non-argument if you are a crack shot IMO.

Wes

and not to start an argument but silver tips are not an all around bullet , they provide violent expansion for quick kills on medium game and depending on caliber not enough adequate penetration on some game to leave an immediate exit wound blood trail. yes the will do more damage than a barnes or partition on small deer , but they do have a less than stellar reputation on our larger species. and they can ruin a lot of meat .

I personally don't like Barnes bullets as i hand load , copper weighing less than lead means a longer bullet and less room for powder, some of my rifles already have slightly compressed loads,

now im ranting

either way shot placement is paramount over construction as no bullet can correct for bad placement, so practice with a cheap box of then make a decision as to which brand you will hunt with .

just be sure to practice standing after sighting in from a rest

[Guest PEte A]

Certainly nothing wrong with choosing to shoot lead-based bullets. There is no doubt they kill animals dead. I hand load 7mm-08, 30-06 and 7mm rem mag with TSX bullets with absolutely no issues with space for powder, but realize that could be an issue depending on what caliber and powder you might be shooting.

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

ya mostly the smaller cases have issues with capacity , my 338 fed does and the 30-30 .

off the top of my head i would think the 30-06 would too with barnes 180's, but 165's should be fine. but i may be wrong, i haven't played much with 06 loads

[dano 8]

Longer bullets don't take up too much powder space. They will take up some but whether it affects velocity is the real question. Just re-read an article in one of my gun mags. Very interesting.