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Do we go a little overboard on the need for premium bullets in non-magnum calibers?? Especially for deer sized game?


The old way of go heavy grain bullets for larger game seemed to work just fine, as long as the caliber was appropriate.

What say you?

How did we get to work without cars? Africa without planes? Ask silly questions without computers?

Heavy for caliber was typically because anything less sucked and you wanted at least a chunk of something to make it out the other side.

Never seen a problem with using something that works when everything is wrong, over something that only works when everything is right.

YMMV

We have become spoiled to having things 'near' perfection. In hunting I want something that I can count on working every time.
It's available, so why not?


ps: that's why I have diff rifles for diff circumstances.

How you do it is your business, leave me to mine own.

I don't worry about it. I shoot a 30/06 with 180 grains "Power Point" Winchester factory ammo. I'm good for anything in the lower 48. And probably AK too.

I never used a premium bullet on deer size game. I normally don't even go heavy for caliber. Actually I never used a premium bullet on Moose size game either. Only thing I ever had Nosler Partitions loaded for was my 257 Weatherby mag and when I took it out west I lent it out to one of the party and used my 270 anyways.

I use GameKings in my 308, they kill just as well as the TTSX bullets I use in other calibers.

Mike, a serious ? here.

Why did your hunting pard NEED to borrow a rifle.?

I find both ideas work.

Partitions, TBBC's and monometals all seem to blodshoot deer less than cup and core bullets.

That said, for many years I used 180 Cor-Lokts on blacktails to reduce the bloodshot from my '06. Some 150 grain Bronze Ponts convinced me to make the change.

Neither bullet type kills as quickly as lighter for caliber cup and core bullets. But who likes to clean out blood shot meat?

PA hunter. All he had was a 35 Remington and he wanted to go Pronghorn hunting.

Very Good Reason... Good on ya.

I can't imagine ONLY having a 35 Rem or 30-30, My mind does NOT go there.

people think better bullets make them a better hunter

Well, this’ll piss a few folks off. However, for the most part on deer at least, when I’ve decided to pull the trigger, it’s because I want thatparticular deer’s set of antlers. I really don’t care what angle the deer gives me, I just want to have enough bullet to get to the vitals, even if that means an entry through the rear quarters.

You are not a WORSE hunter for using BETTER bullets.

Better bullets are more reliable.

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I know it doesn't Jerry. But in our woods you really don't need anything more. My Grandpa liked to say "a 30-30 is all you need. If you use a 30-06 you'll just hit a tree". It was his way of saying the 30-30 has all the range one can use in our woods.

jwall I did not mean to criticize .just trying to say some people try to buy stuff to make them better. I read a lot of your post an enjoy your imput my bad

44

? Maybe ? I read more into your comment than I should have? sorry, therefore.





Thanks for your response. ATST (at the same time) I'm sure you know we have TOO many self appointed critics. Guess I'm .........


Jerry

Its hard to answer because "premium bullets" covers quite a range of terminal behavior. Some are perfect for a wide range of velocities and game. Some are quite violent and the "eat to the bullet hole" guys are going to hate them. Some are so hard that buffalo is about the right game size, and yet those have fans for deer. With variations like that, who gets to decide what premium even means? I'd say that some, but not most take whatever premium means to them seriously. They are few by percentage, but quite vocal. I'm no different; I will tell anyone my thoughts on bullets and solidly back the idea that some "premium" bullets are harder than optimum for most of the game most of the time.

It doesn't seem like it on a guncentric message board; but most hunters aren't even handloaders never mind died-in-the-wool gun/bullet/cartridge nuts. They are just millions of guys who buy their ordinary, cheap, simple factory loads in what seems like the appropriate weight and go hunting without a great deal of fuss. The ammunition makers have done quite a good job of producing ammo that makes most of the people happy most of the time by giving them what they need. Face it, most game isn't very big, or very tough or very far away. The farther you stray from ordinary, the more you should question what is so darn special about what you're doing. Chances are, nothing at all.

Good post.