Author Topic: Best Bullet for deer (Read 2579 times)

dougk · « **on:** January 16, 2006, 04:37:26 AM »

What is the best bullet for dropping a deer when the shot is placed in the kill zone?

I took a nice doe on saturday (Texas has an extended hunting season for spikes and does). The shot was in the kill zone. The bullet was a 30-06 165 gr softpoint.

The deer ran 10 yards then dropped. I did not have time to recover the bullet, as I was alone and it was getting dark while field dressing the deer.

Given the shot placement I expected the deer to drop on the spot. The bullet did not exit the otherside.

Thanks,
Doug

dukkillr · « **Reply #1 on:** January 16, 2006, 05:14:50 AM »

I've shot 140g .270 failsafes for the last couple of seasons and been very impressed. I've also shot elk and caribou with 180 and 165 300win mag failsafes. I've been very impressed with the damage imparted and have always had huge exit wounds.

toecutter · « **Reply #2 on:** January 16, 2006, 07:21:09 AM »

I'm sure 20 people will provide 20 different answers to this one, but I personally think that 10 yds is perfectly acceptable for a boiler room shot. It all depends on the animal, the alignment of the stars, the tides, and all manner of uknown variables that I don't pretend to understand.
Obviously a .30-06 provides plenty of oomph to cleanly take a whitetail and the lack of an exit means the animal took all of the available energy, so I don't necessarily think that a change in bullets is going to guarantee anything on a heart and lung shot... Now that being said, a shot with a stout bullet through both shoulders might up your chances, but still not a guarantee of a straight drop. If drop on the spot results are what you want, I would recommend a head shot or at least a solid neck shot. My own experience would dictate that you have roughly a 50/50 chance of putting a deer straight down with a good broadside lung shot. Sooo...if you shot 10 deer and the first 5 dropped like stones, and the last 5 ran ten yds, would you feel like you needed to change bullets?? Personally I'd feel pretty satisfied.

This wasn't exactly what you were asking for, so forgive me, I felt a slightly different perspective might be helpful. By the way, congratulations on the deer. :grin:

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 16, 2006, 08:14:49 AM »

There is no magic bullet that will drop every deer in it's tracks. I have placed hundreds of shots in the kill zone and very few drop on the spot. A lot of the drop on the spot shots come from high spine shots and some times kill zone shots. Also a deer are different, some run like the wind when shot some just drop. Failure of a bullet is not measured in how far the deer runs after the shot.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #4 on:** January 16, 2006, 09:44:28 AM »

Remington Corelot.

dougk · « **Reply #5 on:** January 16, 2006, 10:31:16 AM »

Ok here is the story behind the question.

Last year my wife took 2 deer. One droped after she hit the kill zone with 270 Win. using a 130 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip in the kill zone. The other came back a few minutes later and it took 5 steps then dropped after she shot it in the kill zone.

This was her first time out and she was by herself.

Now this year she came in (wearing jeans and a stone colored coat) asking where her gun was so she could go deer get a big buck. She claims she had a 10 point scoped and in her sights for 30 seconds then decided not to shot (she was not sure about the distance which turned out to be 200 yard, it was within 15 minutes to sunset and the deer was in our neighbors range).

Guys I have pride on the line here. ... :eek:

Maybe I should start shooting sabots...

Doug

Ranger J · « **Reply #6 on:** January 17, 2006, 04:12:47 AM »

As someone already said there are no magic bullets. When I lived in Illinois I once fired a 12g at a 90 lb. doe five times at a range of about 35 yards. I had let my son use my regular gun and as I hadnt shot this one in about two years I wasnt sure it was still sighted in. Anyway this doe walks across this opening and I started shooting and the deer keeps walking at the same pace. I went through the three shots in the gun and hand fed two more into the gun before she finally fell. When I got down to look at her there were four holes in her vital areas, the fifth one hit a hickory sprout, and she didnt fall until the last shot broke her shoulder. I was almost ashamed to check her in as she looked like a rabbit that some kid had shot at the range of about ten feet. I often refer to her as that doe on speed.
RJ

elmer · « **Reply #7 on:** January 17, 2006, 07:30:55 AM »

I like 165gr core-lokts for my 30-06. This year I had a younger buck heart shot that ran 50 yards crashing through brush. Using the same round on 150 - 200 lbs they drop on the spot. The difference is I shoot deer in the heart/lung area and on the hogs I shoot just behind and below the ear.

Keep in mind that even if you disintegrate the heart there is still enough oxygen in the blood in the muscles and brain for them to run for a distance. To drop them on the spot is usually going to take a disabling shot. Something that takes out the shoulder or paralyzes them.

I guess a head shot would be more humane, but sometimes we want the head intact. On a doe I think I would go for the head shot and conserve meat.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #8 on:** January 17, 2006, 07:47:03 AM »

Quote from: dougk

Ok here is the story behind the question.

Now this year she came in (wearing jeans and a stone colored coat) asking where her gun was so she could go deer get a big buck. She claims she had a 10 point scoped and in her sights for 30 seconds then decided not to shot (she was not sure about the distance which turned out to be 200 yard, it was within 15 minutes to sunset and the deer was in our neighbors range).

Guys I have pride on the line here. ... :eek:

Maybe I should start shooting sabots...

Doug

I guess I don't understand how this could be a bullet problem especially if she decided not to shoot..........

You sure she's not pulling your leg? Maybe she knows which buttons to push and is just trying to get you excited about deer hunting?

Or, maybe she wants to go DEAR hunting!

Chuck White · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2006, 04:13:06 AM »

Duplicate post

Chuck White · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2006, 04:22:00 AM »

Duplicate post

Chuck White · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2006, 04:24:07 AM »

My choice for bullets would be as follows:

243 Win/6mm Rem ------ 100 grain Hornady SP

270 Win ------------------- 130 grain Hornady SP

7mm-08 Rem ------------- 139 grain Hornady SP
7mm Rem Mag ----------- 154 grain Hornady SP

308 Win ------------------- 150 grain Hornady SP
30-06 ---------------------- 150 grain Hornady SP

There is no magic to it!
If you hit through the ribs, the deer can go for a while!
Spine hit, the deer will drop!

Don Fischer · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2006, 11:26:09 AM »

There's a great article on killing power in one of P.O.Ackley's mannual's. One problem I have here is you never say where the kill zone is. I would assume and it seem's everyone has that your talking about the lung area. Actually the preformance your getting sounds pretty darn good!!!

nm22250 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2006, 02:26:01 PM »

I have dropped deer, antelope, and barbary sheep at distances up to 350 yards and there has never been the need to "track" the animal. I have taken all of them with a 175 gr. Sierra SBT with 59.5 gr of IMR 4350 in my 7mm Rem Mag. I guess im pretty partial of that load due to its success in my rifle.

rg

massenrg · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2006, 02:13:35 PM »

How long was the shot?

dougk · « **Reply #15 on:** January 21, 2006, 02:05:43 AM »

the shot was 100 yards. I had been practicing my trigger pull. looks like the practice payed off.

MikeyB · « **Reply #16 on:** January 21, 2006, 03:02:48 AM »

My favorite is the Sierra Game King.

MikeyB

Daks · « **Reply #17 on:** January 21, 2006, 04:01:14 AM »

The only deer I've consistently seen drop "on the spot" are the ones my Dad takes with his .450 Marlin. I think he uses 350 grain Hornadys or some such.

I use a .30-06 with 180 gr. Corelokts and I guess I've never seen one not go SOME distance. Usually it isn't far - under 20 yards. I figure I can track a deer for 60 ft., so I don't worry about it. :lol:

buckmaster_kp · « **Reply #18 on:** January 21, 2006, 04:41:22 AM »

I've dropped deer right in their tracks with a lung shot from a bow.....and then had some run 50-70 yards after rocking thim through the chest with a 168 gr. supreme silvertip. Some whitetails just never seem to wanna give up. If you hit them right, sure sometimes they run, but it's a "dead deer walking."

killdeer · « **Reply #19 on:** January 22, 2006, 04:00:54 PM »

dougk,
I see your point. Don't worry, just keep your wife hunting and she will soon find deer don't usually drop with a solid hit in the heart lung area.
In other words "bang flops" are exceptions, not the rule.
Just keep plugging them in the boiler room, it is the high percentage shot.

KD

McLernon · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2006, 05:49:23 PM »

Nosler Partitions work well. I'f you hit a bone the back section stays together for pentration. The soft tip expands easily and broad side lung shots rarely exit transferring maximum energy. One thing though, the tips are so soft that they are easily damaged.

McLernon

poncaguy · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2006, 04:40:29 AM »

Remington Core-Lokt 130's out of my 270's have been deadly over the years with the lung-heart shot. Just collasped in their tracks.

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 13, 2006, 09:19:27 AM »

for a 30-06 180gr. remington core lokt for a 308 remington 150gr. core lokt with pspive also used a 22-250 for close range deer they do best with remington 55gr. power lokt these loads have taken several deer for me they may do good for u

kenscot · « **Reply #23 on:** February 16, 2006, 01:51:20 PM »

Any bullet made by Nosler has worked for me

JD338 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 04, 2006, 07:31:32 PM »

doug,

The Nosler BT is an excllent deer bullet. As for shot placement, try putting your bullet about 2" above center line between the top of the back and bottom of the chest tight behind the front leg. The bullet will go through the lungs most likely hitting a rib going in and/or out just under the spine. The result is the deer dropping at the shot and never getting up. Meat damage is minimul.

JD338

NYH1 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 14, 2006, 07:22:15 PM »

I've shot four deer. All were within 75 yards. Two with my 308 Win. using Remington's 150 PSP Core-Lokt. One was a bang-flop, one ran 45 yards or so. One with my 280 Rem. using Remington's 140 PSP Core-Lokt it was also a bang-flop. One with my 35 Rem. that one didn't run but it did need a finisher. All four of then were hit in the boiler room. Sometimes they run and sometimes they don't. Don't sweat it! :grin:

Cheesehead · « **Reply #26 on:** March 20, 2006, 05:22:03 PM »

My A-Bolt in 7mm rem mag with handloads at near max powder topped with Hornady 120 grain HP. I know this sound extreme but I had bad luck with 140 grain rem not expanding and losing a nice buck to the neighbor. Got many bang/flops with 120 HPs.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #27 on:** March 20, 2006, 07:07:01 PM »

Quote

Given the shot placement I expected the deer to drop on the spot. The bullet did not exit the otherside.

Every animal will react different..some will drop..others won't..I've blown the entire top of the heart and bottom of the lungs out a buck before with a 130 grain Hornady light mag at 85 yards.and he still ran 300 yards out into a muddy cut corn stubble field..others have dropped within a few feet of being hit..and others have just collasped..all hit perfectly in the kill zone...It all depends on the deer....My last deer dropped and slid down the hill to me at the shot...didn't go no place except down...

Mac

High Brass · « **Reply #28 on:** March 24, 2006, 06:20:31 AM »

If all of your deer only ran 10 yards and dropped then I'd consider myself a lucky man. This is unless your deer is 9 yards away from a cliff

grousehunter · « **Reply #29 on:** March 25, 2006, 04:08:04 PM »

I can remember a few, 1 shot (7mm) straight on shot, straight down at 65 yds, (270) 1,1 shot 30yds, ran 200 yds-died in creek, another straight down,(3006) then another that went prob. 300 yds! all shots were heart or lung!