Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Win Deer Season XP…Junk!

Contrary to my better judgement, and only because someone gave me the ammo. I decided to try it.

Winchester Deer Season XP 30-06 150 grain:

Broadside 100 pound Alabama doe, shot just behind the shoulder. Entry looked like what you expect from a good exit. Massive hole because it completely exploded/disintegrated on impact. No exit!

Deer fell to ground, kicked, got up and ran 70 yards into the woods. Result, dead deer, but not what I want my bullets to do.

Others will disagree, but for me, I say a big time failure.

I’m glad I handload!

This is the exact reason some of us handload our own. Thanks for the report on that bullet. However, according to Winchester, that bullet is designed for very rapid expansion, and "massive impact". I probably would have been leery of them, even before shooting at a deer.

In a 30-06, I wouldn't run anything less than a 165gr C&C. In a mono metal, a 150 may be your huckleberry, but not a C&C designed for "massive impact" and "rapid expansion". Those sound more like varmint bullets to me.

LMAO when its a bad fugging bullet it doesnt matter whether its factory or handload. They just plain fugg up.



That was a handload, the bullet just plain didn’t work.

Are you sure the bullet didn't hit something before impact?

If asking me, yep positive unless a tree decided to move 20 yards inside a harvested bean field at the shot. 😳. Broadside shoulder hit at 175.

"Entry looked like what you expect from a good exit. Massive hole because it completely exploded/disintegrated on impact. No exit!"

Hunting bud had that happen with Feb Blue Box 150 gr .30-06 a couple of years ago. He was a bit above her and the bullet impacted a rib right where it meets the spine and took out the next rib too, big ugly entrance wound. Doe didn't go anywhere but down though so all was good.

Funny stuff happens sometimes when you pull the trigger.

Positive 100% on a power line.

Maybe they took it a bit too far.

Was something wrong with Power Points? Sounds like some genius in marketing wanted to create some buzz.

Possibly if one shoots up close. Definitely not a shoulder breaker as most cup and cores do with no issues.

A look at the cross section tells a fella exactly what it is, it's up to a hunter to decide whether they would fit his hunting style or not.

They're very rough on deer. I don't shoot factory but 1 look at those 4 or 5 years ago and I knew they would be very fragile. Probably pretty good at 200+ yards.

Cousins boy has killed 2 or 3 with em. All around 100 yards from a 243. Cousin said you see blood pouring out instantly.

One hell of a "hollow point" under that tip.

The silver tips wuz bad ass

Very leery of all the new Winchester bullets here.

If it splashes on something like a deer shoulder, its way too soft for me. Those aint thick by any means.

Sounds like an ELD-M can be expected to do better for people who like a bullet that opens fast and comes loose some.

FIL shot very nice buck a few yrs ago w same bullet won’t to happy

I had similar results (I'm assuming) because I never found the deer. 80 yards with a 130g Win DS XP out of my 270 WSM. Deer reared up on its hind legs at the shot. Almost collapsed when it came down but gathered itself and ran into 70 acres of pine plantation and vanished. No blood, no hair, no nothing. Looked till it got slap dark and I did a grid search the next morning with no luck. So I share your opinion of them.

I'm pretty sure Winchester designed the bullet that way. I think I was listening to a podcast a while back and the Winchester rep stated that the ammo was designed to drop deer quick for high hunter density areas.

Had good luck on 7 deer with that bullet in the .350 Legend so maybe it is caliber dependent.

I found the 150gr .308 to be rather soft/destructive even at 2700fps. Kills well, but exits are iffy.

I used the 150 gr. Sierra Pro-hunters for years until a friend convinced me to go to a 180 gr. bullet for less meat damage. Stayed that way for quite a few years until 1973 when I went to a light weight rifle in .308. Back to the 150 gr. One season was enough so used the same 180 gr. Pro-hunters in the .308. Around 1981 I came into possession of a Ruger M77 RSI cheap because the original owner could not get tight groups. It took a while but finally found something useful with the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core and have used that bullet in the .308 ever since.
I have a custom 30-06 that because of a 1 in 12" (supposedly) twist will not shoot 180 gr. bullets. I tried the 165 gr. Accubond and it tried to act like a match rifle. It took down a nice fat cow elk a few years back. I like that bullet. No love for the 165 gr. Sierra Game King hollow point even though lots of people say it's a good one. I had a decent load with that bullet in a JC Higgins M50 and while on a deer hunt took a shot at a coyote about 200 yards out. When I got to the "yote". I found a basic two piece coyote with various body parts scattered about. For a bullet reputed to be tough enough for big game, the result was disappointing. I restricted use for holes in paper only.
PJ

Who did this supposing?

I'll second that. Still have a few 25 cal. 100 grain silver tips and about 20 30 cal 180 grain silver tips.

Ol" man liked the 30 cal 150 gr. silver tips out of the 06' for deer back when they were offered as a components from W-W....