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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,390
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,390 |
The 120gr NBT factory ammo is excellent and fairly widely available. It's shot great for me in lots of different rifles and it penetrates well. Killed everything from whitetail to pigs to caribou with it.
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,877
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,877 |
120 BT are some bad bitches,
HMM-161, HMM-364 Semper Fi Brothers
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,743
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,743 |
For the average deer, it simply does not matter much. However, if you want to eat up to the bullet hole mono's are your friend.
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,286 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,286 Likes: 2 |
I have been loading some 145 grain Speer Soft Point Boat Tails. Bullet resembles a Sierra Fame King. The Tikka T3 loves them. Performance on N.C. whitetails has been excellent.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 986
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 986 |
I should have clarified, im looking for factory ammo. Im currently leaning toward try to the 120gr TTSX and the 139 gr SST to see which shoots the best. I was leaning 140gr but have heard great things about the barnes TTSX as well. Reloading! It"s fun! I think it would be really hard to beat Hornady"s American Whitetail ammo with the 139 gr. Interlock bullet for deer. Assuming, of course, that it shoots well in your rifle, and it shoots pretty well in many rifles. The Hornady 139 gr. SSTs should work well on deer at 7mm-08 velocities, too. I don't think you really need an exotic bullet for deer unless you are taking "Texas heart shots," in which case a monometal bullet like the Hornady CX or Barnes to penetrate the length of the animal may be indicated.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,246
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,246 |
For the average deer, it simply does not matter much. However, if you want to eat up to the bullet hole mono's are your friend. Yep. Plain American Whitetail 139 Interlocks are great, as are Fusions. The 120ttsx is a winner if you want a mono. I had rifles shooting all three loads last season.
Now with even more aplomb
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,167
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,167 |
I was rather happy using Federal 140 gr Fusion, Federal 150 gr Blue Box, 140 gr Winchester Power Points, and Remington 140 gr Core-Lokts when I used factory ammo. I'm currently loading 139 gr Hornady Interlocks and they should work just as well in factory loads.
Somewhere I have some Federal or Remington (maybe both) premium loads using 140 gr Nosler Partitions. They killed deer and black bears well though I wouldn't buy them, nor other "premium" bullets for deer today due to price. There are far less expensive options that work just well. I picked the above ammo up at a store that was closing and was able to buy them for far less than the cost to reload. These and the Remington, Federal, and Interlock hand loads all shoot close enough to the same place to be interchangeable.
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,809 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,809 Likes: 3 |
I load 90+% of my rifle ammo, .223 making up almost all of the exceptions. If dependent on factory, the only reason I’d pay for premium would be to get monos, maybe bonded, and both for reduced meat damage. C&C can be pretty messy unless you can pick your shots, and since about half of my deer get processed commercially, that matters. Those folks aren't as fussy as I am about what goes in the burger.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,246
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,246 |
It seems to me that cup/cores of medium weight and medium velocity from rounds like the 6.5CM/7mm08/308 don't shoot up too terribly much meat, as impact velocities generally aren't a huge stress on the bullets. This is not something I can always say for larger-cased rounds when shooting similar bullets.
Now with even more aplomb
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,927 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,927 Likes: 1 |
Per your original post the 139 SST will be fine.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 1,304
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 1,304 |
The stuff in the green box has worked for decades for killing them deerz.
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,228
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,228 |
My Kimber Montana and Classic both shoot the Barnes VOR-TX 120 TTSX and Hornady American Whitetail 139 Interlock ammo very well. I reload and get a little more juice out of each, but I'd have no hesitation about using the factory stuff on a hunt if I had nothing loaded. I'd use the 120TTSX or 139 Interlock on anything up to Canada moose.
Last edited by eaglemountainman; 02/23/24.
My heart's in the mountains, my heart is not here. My heart's in the mountains, chasing the deer.
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 373
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 373 |
120 ballistic tips or 140 Accubond.
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Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 241
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 241 |
Not that they are necessary for deer, but I use 139 gr. Hornady CX projectiles in my 7mm-08 in factory Superformance ammo. They shoot accurately in my rifle. Between my son and me, we have taken 10 deer with this combination with excellent results. I have only recovered one bullet, and that was on a frontal shot. With that shot on a decent 8 pt. whitetail, the bullet hit at the junction of the throat and the brisket. It traveled 3/4 the length of the deer and ended up in a perfect mushroom. I would not hesitate for one second to use this combination in elk at reasonable ranges.
Last edited by HCDH66; 02/23/24.
If ifs and buts were like candy and nuts, it would be Christmas every day.
“The .30-06 is never a mistake.” - Col. Townsend Whelan
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Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 61
Campfire Greenhorn
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OP
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 61 |
I ordered several different loads to try and see what the gun like. 120gr TTSX, SST 139, and a few other.
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,472
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,472 |
I been using 140 nosler bt’s for the 7 years I been using my 7mm08. I never have been compelled to change. I’m in the east with shots from 50-200 yards with most at 150. If I ever got in a pinch I wouldn't be afraid of about any descent hunting bullet that shot well out of my rifle.
Life can be rough on us dreamers.
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Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 49
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 49 |
Take a look at the Federal fusion 140.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,899 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,899 Likes: 1 |
For 7mm it's 150 Interlock, 150 Accubond or Ballistic Tip.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country." Robert E. Lee
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Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 320
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 320 |
I have always personally had good results with the Winchester 140gr ballistic silver tip (same as nosler bullet) and the Hornady 139gr sst and Fusion 139gr are not far behind.
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Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1,776
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1,776 |
You're in the sweet spot of deer cartridges in that the 7mm08 is plenty for any deer but not hard on bullets. This is an open door. Try a box of Hornady Whitetail, Fed Blue box and Remington Corelocts. Let your rifle decide.
Last edited by OGB; 03/01/24.
Bore size is no substitute for shot placement and Power is no substitute for bullet performance. 458WIN
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