Bullet weight

I would rather be heavier than too light.

I believe that with all guns you should shoot the largest bullet and caliber (within good taste - A Barrett 50 Cal for a Cottontail does cross the line) that you can handle and shoot accurately.

I shoot the Barnes T-EZ 290 grain for deer, and if I ever want to try ML elk I don't have to find another bullet/powder combo to hunt them.

I have used the barnes TEZ 250 grain without any issue of knock down power. Last year it was with 100 grains of pyrodex, this year it will 110 grain of BH 209.

thanks guys. So out of curiosity, what is your "comfort" range with those loads?

If it shoots accurately its a fine deer and elk (assuming the bullet construction is adequate) load.

I rarely shoot past 125 yards... most of my shots are sub 100 yards.


-DallanC

I agree with DallanC. Even if the load will travel further, it is hard to accurately sight further than that for me without magnification.

I've shot a handful of different bullets over the last several years, but right now I shoot 300gr Hornady XTP-MAG and I've been quite pleased with it. By my calculations velocity is 1839fps with 1.5" groups at 100 yards and sub-4" groups at 200 yards.

I'm capable well beyond 200 yards, but I'm comfortable shooting at deer out to about 150 yards and at elk a little beyond that just because they are a bigger target.

XTPs are fantastic in almost any weight, I use the 300 for elk and its never let me down. If you back off your powder a little your groups should tighten up. I'm in the 1840fps with 240grn xtps (for deer) and they cloverleaf, I up my charge slightly for 300s but it still holds the same cloverleaf groups.

1.5" is still plenty good enough though for big game, alot of centerfire rifles are above that.

-DallanC

DallanC said:

XTPs are fantastic in almost any weight, I use the 300 for elk and its never let me down. If you back off your powder a little your groups should tighten up. I'm in the 1840fps with 240grn xtps (for deer) and they cloverleaf, I up my charge slightly for 300s but it still holds the same cloverleaf groups.

1.5" is still plenty good enough though for big game, alot of centerfire rifles are above that.

-DallanC

Click to expand...

Are you shooting .44 mag or .45 cal?

The biggest bullet your gun likes... that's my opinion... I prefer the Hornady Great Plains in 425gr, but my gun likes the 405gr power belts, so that's what I shoot. It's a lot easier to find them when they drop in their tracks.

I like the 430 grain maxi ball out of my .54. The last deer that I hit with one had a hole that you could almost see all the way through him. Even elk don't do much arguing about it, you hit them in the kill zone and they don't go very far.

.429" XTPs in both 240 and 300gr, using Hornady green Sabots. Rumor is Remington designed their 700ML around the 240grn bullet and 100grns Pyrodex... whether thats true or not I dunno (I've heard it from multiple sources), I just know its super accurate with that load and I have no desire to try anything else.


-DallanC