Looking at deer hunting on what may be a larger midwest whitetail deer with a Bolt action 6mm arc. Been testing bullets and maybe 4 bullets are standing out to me. would like others to weigh in as well if you would.

Shots may fall anywhere from near point blank to 300 yards. bullet choices that I have managed to acquire range from 100 gr Hornady Spire point BT , 103 grain ELDX & 80 gr GMX. In the Speer line up we have the 95 gr Gold dot 100 gr Hot core & 100 gr grand slam. Then we have the Berger 108 GR Elite hunter For the higher BC for less wind drift & drop along with retained velocity at distance.

Then we have the 100 gr Nosler partition.

I prefer to work with bullets that expand well though retain a high percentage of their overall weight. with this in mind what would recommend & why?

Pretty much all of them would be good. I have loaded but not taken any game with the 103 ELDX or the Berger 105 (the 95 yes). For the ranges you described and where 90% of deer are shot the VLD bullets are unneeded although they kill fast due to fragmentation if put in the right spot. The Berger's especially can ruin a lot of meat as they sometimes 100% fragment and violently. The ELDX are soft too.


All the others are excellent general purpose deer bullets and should do fine. I like the 80 grain Barnes and I shoot a lot of the Hornaday IB bullets with great success both terminal performance and accuracy. I have not shot many of the Speers. The grand slam is a single core bullet and similar to a Core lokt which is not a bad thing.

The Gold dot is a softer electro-bonded bullet which again is a good thing. If really big hogs might be about I would go with the Barnes, if not then whichever shot best and was the cheapest would get the nod. The Nosler is never a bad choice especially for big corn and sorghum fed deer. It almost always shoots well if not with exactly target grade accuracy and is easy to get to shoot.

Well thought out reply & thus far my experience concurs. Gold dot was the big surprise for me in terms of both accuracy & retained weight.

Can never go wrong with a 100 gr Nosler partition

What do you consider "high" percentage?

Of the ones listed only the GMX is going to retain what I would consider high percentage. Several listed will only retain 60-70%, Partition included but for me I would be using the listed Partition or the Interlock.

Partition preferred for breaking shoulders or breaking shoulders and getting to the spine with a high forward shoulder shot.

All that chatter about ruining meat doesn't matter to me. In fact the right high forward shot doesn't bloodshot as much meat as some think.

You lose maybe 5-8# of good trimmed up meat from the shoulders, no silver skin for me. Chickens and dogs gotta eat too.

Even "large" Midwest whitetails are a relatively small animal, maybe 300# on the largest bucks out there.

We have killed a few in the 250# range and I didn't see that they required any more to kill than any other deer. My largest bodied buck was killed with a 22-250 & the 60 grain Partition, through the blades and a short dash.

Been shooting bigger and faster Bergers for many years on many animals and never ruined a lot of meat. For my 6/45 I am starting out with 95 grain VLD and Classic Hunters. If I felt I could get 2500 fps with the 108 Elite, I could see trying those. If I get a chance at a big KS buck in Dec, I'll be using either the 6/45 with a 95 or a 6.5-284 with a 156 EOL.

I’ve got a 6 ARC in an 18” upper. Probably similar to your 6x45 Kurt. Haven’t sorted a bullet for it yet. Looking forward to seeing what it does with the 95’s.

I've killed a dozen or so deer with the 103 ELD-X at speeds around 3k (6 Creedmoor). And I've put a couple in the shoulders with satisfactory results (dropped where they stood) but it does make a wee mess of things in doing so. A little less gas in the tank (6 ARC - probably around 2750ish) would seem to be ideal for that bullet.

I'd likely tinker with the 80 GMX too - especially at the distances mentioned.

+1 ... I personally prefer a 95gr NPT in a .243. However, have used 85gr, 95gr, and 100gr NPT on KY Whitetails. Mostly broadside shots. Have yet to catch one. Only one of the last 20 +/- WT's that I have shot with a 95gr Partition has required a finisher. Most are DRT.

Never thought of trying the 103..

300 yards and under, I wouldn’t worry too much about BC. For those ranges and deer in that velocity range, any decent bullet should do just fine. I’d pick one that was decently accurate with good availability.

Don’t overlook the 95 grain NBT, they have worked flawlessly for me in those ranges.

Holston beat me to it - 95 Ballistic Tip.

Or the old 105 AMax if you can locate any of them. I know Cinch keeps killing a pile of critters with that bullet.

80 Barnes, 95 ballistic tip, 100 partition. You can’t go wrong with any of those.

Personally Id consider 70% plus a high retention weight & yes the GMX does that very well. Gold dot maybe doing a bit over 70 % and these two have worked their way to the top of my list.

Unless you're going to be hunting during gale force windstorms, that would be my own suggestion. But still, availability might be the real determining factor at this point in time.

my node with 4350 in the 243 was 2880 or so with the 108's eld. they are spectacular killers. lots of penetration, lots of damage.

shot a few critters with the 103 from a 6br this fall. i won't be using them anymore. bullet upset from less then 2000fps hasn't been great. that's a 2800fps launch

if the data i've seen from 77gr tmk is indicative of what smaller caliber TMK does.. i'd lay into a pile of 95gr tmk.

i can't find any so it's 90gr eld-x for 0-350

and 108's as an all rounder.

I`d like to find the 95gn. TMK so I could get a pile. They shoot damned well out of my gas gun.

reading what you actually asked for and not just blathering

the 103 will definitely retain weight from the 6arc

Re-read what Holston wrote

My suggestion is either the 90 gr or 100 gr Speer hot core.

1. It's only a deer, not an elk.

2. There is only an inch or so difference in bullet drop when comparing a high bc bullet to a normal hunting bullet at 300 yards.

3. The Speer hot cores usually go for $20 per 100. Stock up while you can.

https://www.scheels.com/p/nosler-ballistic-tip-hunting-bullet/3034-24090.html

Living here in South Dakota gale force winds are not exactly un-common. Worked up loads with a number of bullets for last fall. When deer season rolled around there were 2 cup & core bullets that I was able to acquire that were shining brightly for hunting purposes in my bolt action 6mm ARC. I initially opted for the 95 gr gold tip that I picked up as pulled bullet. still shooting MOA and testing proved the best mushroom characteristics I have seen yet from a cup & core bullet.

2nd morning of season was very windy. Had one of the nicest tallest racked Whitetail deer enter the public hunting parcel I was hunting. Deer managed to bed in a area I could not approach without risking being busted so I pulled out & let the brute bed down until evening.

Went home for Lunch & opted to switch loads to a flatter shooting heavier 108 grain Elite Hunter. That evening the opportunity presented itself at a smidge over 250 yards. I was fortunate of acquire an outstanding rest while proper up in a small tree. Went for a high shoulder shot on a moderate quartering away shot. Ended up catching the lower bit of the spine between the front shoulders. Buck was down and out right there.

That shot with the 108 grain Elite hunter caused the deer to expire right now. I fear that if I would have hit the lungs for example the expansion may have been very minimal, potentially may have resulted in a lost deer.

Was fortunate to draw a tag for the same unit for this fall & am strongly considering a all copper bullet. 90 grain CX if it is ever available is up for consideration along with the nosler E-tip. 3rd choice might be the 80 grain CX. Running the numbers It is surprising to recognize the amount of benefit in the higher BC of the 10 grain heavier bullet, provided the barrel is twisted fast enough.

Currently experimenting with the 90 grain E-tip as the 90 grain CX has been unavailable.


Who knows, I may end up using either of my last years favorites or a heavy copper bullet this fall. Don't emagin Ill get an opportunity to top last years deer though. That 4x4 buck grossed 160"

I use the 108 ELD’s in my 6 ARC at 2700. No 160” bucks but it’s a nice combo that should dig deep and also open well at distance.

This is an interesting read, cause I`m getting the feeling the 6 ARC may be marginal for shots at deer over 150 yrds. In my mind, way to many questions on bullet performance. For me, the OP sealed the deal with his experience on the 160 buck, thinking a shot landing a bit lower many have caused a lost animal.
Fearing that posibility, personally, I would go to a bit more cartridge. That question will live in his head, why chance it?

YMMV

Paul, I guess I’d run the numbers of a 243 with a 95 BT started at 2950 compared to the 108 ELD started at 2700 from the ARC. Not saying the ARC is a beast but no one usually claims a 243 Win with a 95 is any less than a 300 yard deer killer.

243 - 95 BT 2950 start

300 yards 2250 FPS / 1068 ENERGY

6 ARC - 108 ELD 2700 start

300 yards 2220 FPS / 1182 ENERGY

And the ARC only gets better from there on out.

I have seen 1/2 dozen or so WT does taken out to 400yds with 108s and 103s from Hornady.

Works fine.

Sorry guys, don`t think I mentioned a .243, or anything else, as the bit more cartridge.

I had a .243 at one time, didn`t kill anything larger than rockchucks with it, and I currently have the 6ARC in a gas gun.


Not to put words in his mouth, but the OP seems very genuine in his concern to KILL what he is hunting, big deer in this case. If I had that concern with the cartridge in question, I would go larger.

As I also mentioned, YMMV.

If a lower impact point would have resulted in lost venison. IMHO the bullet choice not the caliber choice along with shot placement would be seen as the root cause of the non-resulting loss. The accuracy of the 108 grain Elite Hunter proved very worthy. The lacking expansion & wound channel would be seen as a potential weakness based on after the shot observation.

The cartridge the bullet was launched from in this case I see as a positive as opposed to a negative. We always will do well to focus most on shot placement. The ARC & the Elite hunter together did work exceptionally well in the case mentioned due to shot placment.

You seem well satisfied and confident with the 6 ARC. But I still get the feeling it`s not yet 100% as far as bullets go, in particular up to the yardages you may expect to shoot. And yes, totally agree in shot placement. All goes well as long as everything goes well, but there are no guarantees there. In that case, Personally, I`ve found bigger worked better than smaller. Just me, but I want no doubt in my mind that everything will go well, if I do my job.

As mentioned, I`ve got a gas gun in this chambering, and would like to hunt with it, so this thread is of interest.

Thanks

So far in my ARC, Black and Match factory shoot well under an inch. I loaded 29.5 grains of leverevolution under 105's, and shoot under an inch too. At 2.220, my reloads are a touch tighter, but not not enough to matter.
I tried the 29.5 load under 103gr eldx's, set at factory length, and they suck. Went farther from the lands, and I'm at about 1.5 - 2 inch groups. Next stop Varget.
I have 90gr bt's over Varget that shoot great, but are slow. I can't get 95gr bt's to shoot well with leverevolution to save my life.
I have 90gr Speer hot cor's, a favorite in my .243, and 2 boxes of 90gr Barnes originals to try.
Powder availability is slowing progress....
Leverevolution only seems to work with the heavies for me.
I want to try cfe, but I'm not paying over 50 bucks a pound for powder again...

Son killed a nice 8pt. using factory 108gr ELD-M

Son with 8pt. 6mm ARC

I get what you mean now. I was thinking you just meant a bigger cases 243..

Hey..no problem.

I look at my rifles as tools, and try to use the right one for the job. A famous gun writed once said he was highly " skepticle" of the term "overkill". I always keep that in mind.