Advice on correct bullet weight for deer!

steyrprohunter

Ok guys Im just wondering if anyone has an opinion on using 85gn ballistic/v-max on deer from a .25-06? getting lovely groups and the ft/pounds is only slightly down on the 120gn loads.But they apparently explode on imact as they're technically a varmint round. Dont like the idea of the round breaking up on impact especially on shoulder shots.
Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks

Tackleberrywho

steyrprohunter wrote: »

Ok guys Im just wondering if anyone has an opinion on using 85gn ballistic/v-max on deer from a .25-06? getting lovely groups and the ft/pounds is only slightly down on the 120gn loads.But they apparently explode on imact as they're technically a varmint round. Dont like the idea of the round breaking up on impact especially on shoulder shots.
Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks

Head/neck shots Problem Solved:D

85 grains from a .25-06 will drop a deer

I can never understand why guys in Ireland use over 150 grain rounds on our deer.

Ballistic tipped rounds use all there energy on the Target. Any soft nose I have used just exit almost whole

DR6.5

i use 85 grain and 100 grain nosler ballistic tips in my 25-06, the 85 grain are a neck and head shooting round, the damage is unatural for head and neck shooting, the 100 grain are a great round is well, great for neck shooting and if you want they are suitable for chesting.

definately wouldnt use the 85 grain for chesting they will more than likely blow up on the shoulder and you wont get an exit hole, also a lot of meat damage, i found them super for the hinds and calfs.


dr6.5

FISMA

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

I can never understand why guys in Ireland use over 150 grain rounds on our deer.

I use 180gr. I have learnt through practice that my 700 shoots this better than 150's, 165, ... Will have to try the 220 some day.

It is not a matter of price either as they are all pretty much close.

The lighter masses concern me.

Fair enough, a neck shot is a kill shot. However, what is the wind going to do to that mass bullet? What about those of us that lack the shooting prowesss of the TackleberryWho's and Poulo's out there? It is nice to have a little extra mass for the kinetic energy kill.

In my experience, they either drop in their tracks, or I missed - there's no in between. I have never had a runner in Ireland.

To the OP, determine what mass bullet groups best with your rifle. Are there costs to be considered? What's the Kinetic Energies of the rounds? I would go with a mass/grouping consideration.

steyrprohunter

Ok lads Ill take all that into thought and thanks. DR6.5- where are you getting 100 gn nosler ballistic tips and how much?

ballistic

FISMA wrote: »

I use 180gr. I have learnt through practice that my 700 shoots this better than 150's, 165, ... Will have to try the 220 some day.

It is not a matter of price either as they are all pretty much close.

The lighter masses concern me.

Fair enough, a neck shot is a kill shot. However, what is the wind going to do to that mass bullet? What about those of us that lack the shooting prowesss of the TackleberryWho's and Poulo's out there? It is nice to have a little extra mass for the kinetic energy kill.

In my experience, they either drop in their tracks, or I missed - there's no in between. I have never had a runner in Ireland.

To the OP, determine what mass bullet groups best with your rifle. Are there costs to be considered? What's the Kinetic Energies of the rounds? I would go with a mass/grouping consideration.

I agree. In an ideal world we would all head and neck shoot and the lighter varmint bullets are the best for this. In an ideal world we would not miss or blow the jaw off an animal an see it run away to die of starvation. But we dont live in an ideal world and you have to make the most of your limited chances. So if you head and neck shoot 100% of the time it means you are a super shot or you wound animals sometimes or you pass up on shots because they are not suitable. A heavy bullet will chest or neck an animal. You are correct to use the heavier bullet.

It wasn't me!

steyrprohunter wrote: »

Ok lads Ill take all that into thought and thanks. DR6.5- where are you getting 100 gn nosler ballistic tips and how much?

John Lambert in Camolin stocks them. €45 a box last time I bought them.

Tackleberrywho

FISMA wrote: »

I use 180gr. I have learnt through practice that my 700 shoots this better than 150's, 165, ... Will have to try the 220 some day.

It is not a matter of price either as they are all pretty much close.

The lighter masses concern me.

Fair enough, a neck shot is a kill shot. However, what is the wind going to do to that mass bullet? What about those of us that lack the shooting prowesss of the TackleberryWho's and Poulo's out there? It is nice to have a little extra mass for the kinetic energy kill.

In my experience, they either drop in their tracks, or I missed - there's no in between. I have never had a runner in Ireland.

To the OP, determine what mass bullet groups best with your rifle. Are there costs to be considered? What's the Kinetic Energies of the rounds? I would go with a mass/grouping consideration.

85grains at 200 yards or less will not drift out of the ball park.

I'd prefer point/shoot and allow for wind drift than hold over.
Hornady don't even make 220 grain rounds for .30-06:eek:


Saying that 90 grain is the lowest they make for .25-06







For many years in Ireland most deer were shot with much lighter calibres
.25-06 @200 yards has more power than the min muzzle requirement here. I would not worry what type bullet with that much power. Hydrostatic shock will have done it's job.
In regards meat damage..............
Only shoot shoulder if no better shots are available.
Take your time
A good stalker will be not noticed by the herd so pick your deer and wait for the right moment to let fly.

Spend the summer shooting vermin and come Sept you will not worry about ammo.
117grain data as the 90 grain data is not listed.......

Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
MUZZLE 100 200 300 400 500
3110/2512 2861/2127 2626/1792 2403/1500 2191/1246 1989/102


It still retains more power than a .243 at 200 so energy is not an issue

meathshooter1

nosler do a 220 grain in 30/.308 cal,the biggest grain Ive shot out of my .308 was 180 used for red stags but changed to 150gr flatter shooter,have shot fallow with 55 grain .243 broadside with no issues

ballistic

meathshooter1 wrote: »

nosler do a 220 grain in 30/.308 cal,the biggest grain Ive shot out of my .308 was 180 used for red stags but changed to 150gr flatter shooter,have shot fallow with 55 grain .243 broadside with no issues

Try the 55's on a sikka stags chest:)

meathshooter1

ballistic wrote: »

Try the 55's on a sikka stags chest:)

have shot sika with 150gr heart/lung and still have them run 100yrds.personally I prefer heavy gr (150)than lighter but it is possible to do the job sometimes with lighter.80% of my shots now would be broadside and the rest neck.shot one years ago in the chest and it ruined the carcass bullet went all the way to the loin,burst the stomach and intestines mess

ballistic

meathshooter1 wrote: »

have shot sika with 150gr heart/lung and still have them run 100yrds.personally I prefer heavy gr (150)than lighter but it is possible to do the job sometimes with lighter.80% of my shots now would be broadside and the rest neck.shot one years ago in the chest and it ruined the carcass bullet went all the way to the loin,burst the stomach and intestines mess

I agree. Deer will run no matter what the weight. I think everyone acknowledges that they on average will not run as far with a heavy bullet. I shot deer with 80 grain softpoints and 85 grain game kings and 130 grainers and weight matters.

kieran1141

i use 243 95gr hornady sst's, but my mate has a 25.06 for 15 year and us116gr sst's deadly accurate, seen him shoot deer in the neck at close to 200 yards even heart and lung shot they dont go very far and no meat damage, his gun is a remmie bdl mabey the sst's just suite that gun.

Tackleberrywho

kieran1141 wrote: »

i use 243 95gr hornady sst's, but my mate has a 25.06 for 15 year and us116gr sst's deadly accurate, seen him shoot deer in the neck at close to 200 yards even heart and lung shot they dont go very far and no meat damage, his gun is a remmie bdl mabey the sst's just suite that gun.

Hornady ammo, in my experience is serious for knock down.
I only shoot Fallow though, The way guys on here talk these sika must be true Aliens that can run 100 yards after a .25-06 hitting them.

Kieran We will have to bring out a video camera in Sept and record a a .243 dropping a deer with SST's for the unbelievers.

How did we manage years ago when half these calibres were not readily available?

kieran1141

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Hornady ammo, in my experience is serious for knock down.
I only shoot Fallow though, The way guys on here talk these sika must be true Aliens that can run 100 yards after a .25-06 hitting them.

Kieran We will have to bring out a video camera in Sept and record a a .243 dropping a deer with SST's for the unbelievers.

How did we manage years ago when half these calibres were not readily available?

o my god tack ive never seen a deer run more than 10 yards after a 25.06 and sst's, and as for any deer within 200 yards with a 243 and sst's 1 ran abut 40 yards the rest about 3 or 4 steps, seen my mate shoot about 20 animals this year with 25.06 116gr sst's he will fire sst's flat out to 300+ yards and think nothing of it, most accurate ammo ive ever seen for stalking, he will tell me before i go down exactly where the animal is hit and will be within a 1in or 2, mabey they realy suite our remmingtons or summit. dont know about sika but if you hit a red or fallow its good night.... will have to get out the camara...

Tackleberrywho

Hornady SuperFormance SST's are awesome

kieran1141

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Hornady SuperFormance SST's are awesome

was talking to a guy the day i picked up 6 boxes of sst's and he told me that the superformance are even more accurate, iam so happy with sst's whatever i hit tack dose'nt even know what hit them, i will not be changing dont try and fix something thats not broken if you know what i mean, we set both guns 243 and 25.06 at 150 yards and 1in heigh, head and neck shot to about 150 and after that heart and lung. hornady is deadly ammo.

zeissman

Lads
The SSTs are a tougher bullet than the Vmax and are good for head, neck, or chest shots

kieran1141

zeissman wrote: »

Lads
The SSTs are a tougher bullet than the Vmax and are good for head, neck, or chest shots

was using remington 100gr core-lockt soft point but were doing too much damage if you hit a rib they were spliting and causing a lot meat damage, dont have this with sst's .

Half-cocked

meathshooter1 wrote: »

nosler do a 220 grain in 30/.308 cal,the biggest grain Ive shot out of my .308 was 180 used for red stags but changed to 150gr flatter shooter,have shot fallow with 55 grain .243 broadside with no issues

Just wondering, 55gr in .22-250 is no longer allowed, 60gr minimum. Have NPWS imposed a blanket ban on 55gr regardless of calibre, or are we still OK with 55gr in larger than the .22-250?