Which bullets have YOU killed deer with?

Thinking about seasons past and preparing for this season, I started tallying bullets for some reason. There are no right or wrong answers - no best bullet questions. I'm just curious as to what everyone has used in the past. Rifle bullets only...

After evaluating my list, I don't think I've ever killed a deer with a Nosler Partition. I've hunted with them, I just don't remember shooting a deer with one.

My list includes:

Barnes TSX and TTSX
Hornady InterLock, SST and V-Max
Nosler Ballistic Tip and Solid Base
Remington Core-Lokt
Sierra GameKing and Pro-Hunter
Speer Hot-Cor, DeepCurl and TBBC
Swift Scirocco
Winchester Power Points, Ballistic Silver Tip(Nosler) and Fail Safe

I'm sure I left something out?

Which bullets are on your list?

shotgun rifled slugs Rem Win Fed also fed sabot type slugs.
Rem core lokt and bronze point
Sierra game king
Win power point as well as silver tip and combined tech bullets
nosler ballistic tip as well as partitions
Hornaday sst as well as interbond also the interlock sp
Barnes X bullet
speer bt sp

I am sure I have left some out as who knows some of the bullets used in factory ammo. I reload and shoot factory ammo. all bullets I tried worked well on deer never had a deer go very far. my opinion is they all work well as long as you put the bullet where it belongs.

A number of different shotgun slugs
Barnes TTSX
Barnes TSX
Nosler Partition
Remington Corelokt

I am going to try a bunch of different 6mm bullets this year, also hope to try out Nosler ballistic tips out of my saum.

Off the top of my head:
Partitions
Accubonds
Ballistic Tips
Grand Slam (old and new style)
Speer BTSP
hot cor
gameking
Interbond
SST
Interlock
Corelokt
Winchester failsafe
powerpoint
TSX
Spirepoint
XTP
Speer round SP
pure cast
Lots of other generic factory loads when I was younger

What I can remember:

Partition
Accubond
TTSX
Game kings
Ballistic tip
Trophy bonded bear claw (old style)
Core lokt
Swift SI
Power points
Shotgun slugs

I am sure I am missing some.

Dink

IIRC...

Sierra
Speer hot core
Hornady
Nosler Partition
Bitterroots
TBBC
Accubond
NBT
nosler solid base
PowerPoint
Core lok

Think that's it.No doubt more with the Partition and Bitterroots in various calibers than anything else.

Barnes X, TSX, TTSX
Hornady InterLock, XTP
Norma Oryx
Nosler Accubond, Solid Base, Ballistic Tip, Partition
Remington Core-Lokt and Bonded Core-Lokt Ultra
Sierra GameKing
Speer Hot-Cor, Gold Dot
Swift Scirocco
Winchester Power Points
Woodleigh

Whatever bullets were in the old Federal Red Box

Barnes X, TSX
Nosler Accubond, Partition, Ballistic Tip. Solid Base
Swift Scirocco II
Sierra Game King, Pro Hunter
Remington Core-Lokt, Bronze Point
Winchester Power Point, Silver Tip
Berger VLD
Federal Hi-Shok or whatever they are called
Speer Hot-Cor, btsp
Hornady Interbond, Amax, SST
Herters

Geeze!

Hard to remember all of them over fifty odd years.

Old Winchester Silvertips.
Nosler ballistic tip.
Remington CoreLokt
a few different cast bullets
Barnes early's in the copper tubing.
Remington bronze points.
A couple with Federal factory ammo.
A few with factory shotgun slugs
Barnes original Xs, XLCs, TSXs, T-EZ and TTSXs
SGKs
Hornady VMAx, AMax
One brand of premium bonded core I can't remember the name of.
.22lr Federal

I can remember a few with "odd rifles" (7.7 Jap.) and the like that were probably factory ammo of some sort, and I am always ready to try something different, so there were undoubtedly some grabbed off the shelf that I will never remember.

Remington Core-Lokt
Winchester PP
Nosler Accubond
Barnes TSX
Federal Fusions

Partitions
Gamekings
Power Points
Core-lokts
Whatever Federal Blue Box are.

Adding a few after reading the lists...

Federal Fusion
Winchester Slvertip
Original Barnes X

lots of the same as all above, plus No excuses MZ bullets and PR Bullets MZ bullets.

Hornady XTP
Hornady SP
Parker Ballistic Extreme
Lehigh
Barnes X
Barnes TSX
Remington Core-Lokt
Winchester Silver Tip
Winchester XP3
Nosler Ballistic Tip
Nosler Partition
Nosler Accubond
Berger VLD

Hornady SST, Interlokt, Interbond
Nosler partition, accubond, ballistic tip, ballistic silvertip
Federal Fusion
Rem Corelokt
Barnes X
Winchester Power Point

Remington SP (pre Core-Lokt)
Rem. Core-Lokt
Rem. Bronze Point
Winchester Silvertip
Winchester PP
Hornady Spire Point
Hornady Interlock
Nosler Partition (machine turned jacket)
Nosler Partition
Nosler Solid Base
Nosler Ballistic Tip
Speer Spitzer (pre Hot-Cor)
Speer Hot-Cor
Peters Soft Point
Peters full metal jacket
Sierra SP (pre Game King and Prohunter)
Sierra Game King
Sierra Prohunter
Barnes TTSX

Many of what has been mentioned and:

Various cast lead bullets from Leveractions.

My list includes:

Remington core-lockt
Hornady Interlock
Winchester Power point
Hornady XPT (revolver/muzzle loader)
Federal SP (blue box, 30-30)
Nosler Partition
Nosler Ballistic tip
Federal Fusion

Jury is still out on what I like the best.. I will say no complaints with the Nosler Partition, but I may try the 165gr BT this year in my -06.

Originally Posted by FishinHank

I am going to try a bunch of different 6mm bullets this year, also hope to try out Nosler ballistic tips out of my saum.

i'd be interested to know how the NBT's work out for you. i've read a few postive reviews on the 6mm NBT's in 95g

cor lokts. (over 40)
accubonds
NBT
NPT
TTSX
powerpoints.

including bow kills, this year i should hit the mythical 100 number... with 6 book bucks thrown in there, hand full of low 120s and a metric ton of does.

Corelokts

That's it, never thought about using anything else. My rifle only wants to shoot them anyhow

TTSX

This season I plan on using a 372 grain carbon fiber one..

Ballistic tip
Berger
Sierra
Federal fusion
Silvertip

Hornady Interlocks, by far the majority, easily my favorite deer bullet
Speer Hot Core, several
Ballistic Tip
Honady InterBond, 2 or 3
Sierra Pro-Hunter, long ago
TSX, 243
Cast lead, 311041 quite a few, 257420 one

Rifle

Ballistic Tip
Partition
Core-Lokt
Power Point
Game King
Interlock
TTSX

Muzzleloader

Maxi-Hunter
Power Belt
Winchester Platinum
Expander
Scorpion PT Gold

Inter-locks
Nosler Partition
Remington core lock
Brown Bear

MZ
Hornady round ball .530

Well over the last 50 years or so, I killed them with Core-Lokt, Interlock, Pre Interlock Speer Sierra TBBC Partitions What ever the bullet was in Norma loads 156 gr 6.5 mm Wood Shaft Arrows Shotgun Slugs of one type or another, 45cal Lead Ball. Federal Fusion, Blue Box Federals Winchester Power Points Swift A Frame. That about all I can remember with out going and looking in my hunting Journal. Been keeping one since 1964- I write a little better now, more detailed . About the only good thing we have going for us these days is the fact that deer in most places are plentiful in most cases. Can't say for the gun laws thou, CCW not with standing. GCA '68 has to go.

Barnes X
PMC PSP
Hornady Interlock
Browning PSP
Nosler Partition
Winchester Silvertip
Winchester Power Point
Sierra Pro-Hunter
Sierra Gameking
Remington Core-Lokt
Remington Extended Range PSP
Sako PSP
Speer Hot-Core
DWM PSP
Prvi Partizan PSP
Lapua SP
Woodleigh Weldcore
Federal Hi-Shok
Hawk SP
Hornady XTP
Speer Gold Dot
S&B SP
Imperial SP

Roundball
Nosler Combined Technology

.284"
140 Barnes TTSX, 150 TTSX (7 Rem Mag)
.308
125gr Barnes X (.30-06)
130gr Barnes XLC (.30-06)
150gr Barnes XLC, TSX, TTSX (.30-06 and .300 Win Mag)

I've also dispatched a number of them with a .223 and .40 S&W that were "pre wounded" by vehicles, caught in fences, etc. but I don't think that counts.

When I started reloading about all you could get were Speer and Winchester silver tip so those +
Nosler BT
Hornady
Sierra
TSX
45 & 50 round ball
58 minie ball

With or without the aid of a rifle?

Kind of hard to remember all of them back through the years and I didn't always take great notes in years gone by.

Nosler Solid Base
Nosler Ballistic Tip (love those things for deer sized game)
Nosler Partition

Remington CL

Sierra GameKing

Speer Hot Core

Barnes TSX

Berger VLD

Hornady "Great Plains" lead hollow point (muzzle loader)

Am hooked on Nosler Ballistic Tips anymore, usually from the .25-06 too.

Guy

Also some with factory 55 gr Federal soft point .223 ammo, as well as Federal handgun ammo in .44 mag & .45 ACP.

.223 60 partition

264 win mag 125 nosler partition

270
factory 130 core locs

130 accubond
140 accubond
180 barnes original
170 gn speer
130 nbt
140 hndy btsp

7/08
120 nbt
160 accubond

280

120 nbt

7saum

160 accubond
168 berger vld
120 nbt
140 nosler partition

.308
180 accubond

300 rum

150 accubond
200 accubond
208 hndy a max

.30.30
170 Winchester factory
170 hndy FP
125 nbt

.44 lever action
250 gn winchester factory partitions

.357 mag s&W mdl 19

158 federal factory FP
180 rem sjhp over max blue dot

Mostly use the .308 Win and 7STW now days.

30-06

Remington Core-Lokt

.308 Win

Sierra Game King
Swift Scirocco

7STW

Nosler Solid Base
Sierra Game King

6.8 SPC

Barnes TSX

Remington CL
Winchester power point SP and HP
Hornady interlock
Speer hotcore
Nosler ballistic tip
Various swaged round balls
Remington 45 cal HP pistol bullet via sabot

Kinda like shooting rabbits, most anything kills them, even bows. Weird question.

Barnes :-)

Partitons
BT's
Hotcore
Interlock

Will be addng TTSX's to the list this year from my 7x57.
It's a pretty short list, but I don't discount reliability.

Gonna miss some, but WTH?

170gr Silvertips, 32 Special
170gr Core Lokts, same
170gr Hornady FP, same (reloads)

200gr Speer HP, 444 Marlin (reloads)
200gr XTP, same as above

8x57 M98, 2 rifles

170gr Core Lokt
150gr Sierra,(all reloads from this point)
150gr Speer Hot Core
125gr Hornady

30-06 (3 rifles, all reloads)

150gr Speer Hot Core,
165gr Speer Hot Core
165gr Nosler Btip

180gr WW SP, 38-40

200gr Core Lokt, 35 Rem, Marlin carbine

200gr XTP, 44 mag M629 S&W (reload)

25-06 (3 rifles, all reloads)

100gr Sierra,
117gr Sierra
120gr Sierra HPBT
100gr Nosler Btip

60gr Nosler Partition, 22-250 (reload)

.308 125 NBT (NEVER AGAIN) (30-06)
.308 165 TBBC HE Federal load (30-06)
.277 140 Accubond (.270 wsm)
.277 130 Soft point, federal factory load (.270 Win)
.257 115 VLD (257 wby)
.257 100 TTSX (257 wby)

.243 Win
100gr. CL, Power Point, Hornady Interlock, Sierra, Barnes X

7 Wby Mag
140 gr sierra

30/30
170gr CL

30/06
150gr CL

300 Win Mag
165gr BT, Interlock
180gr BT, Interlock, CL, Federal

375 H&H
270 gr PP

Sierras (GameKings and Pro Hunters)
Hornady Interlocks
Core Lokts
Partitions
Ballistic Tips
Accubonds

Sierra 1360's from a 22-250 in the back of the ear works just fine.

Between the wife and I:

Before I started reloading:
7.62x39 Rem factory 123 gr sp
308 win 150 gr Rem factory sp
7mm wsm 140 gr Win Supreme CT

Rollin' our own (since 2005):
7wsm - 140 gr AB and 150 gr TSX
308 win - 150 gr Horn SP
284 win - 140 gr TTSX, 150 gr NBT, 120 gr NBT
7-08 and 7-08ai - 140 gr AB, 120 gr NBT, and 120 gr TTSX

Faves are both 120 gr 7mm bullets - the Nosler BT and the Barnes TTSX.

A few come to mind...

22-250 Rem
55gr core lok
55gr win pp
50gr sierra sp
55gr sierra sp
55gr sierra bt

.243 win
100 fed
100gr core lok
100gr noz partition
100gr noz solid base

25-06 Rem
rem cl 100
rem cl 120
win pos exp pt 100
win 100 pp

.270 win
130 core lok
130 fed
130 horn il sp
130 horn il bt
130 sierra gk
130 sierra ph
130 win pp
130 speer grand slam

280 rem
140 cl

7rem mag
150 cl
150 pp
150 fed

308 win
150 horn il
150 nbt
150 fed
150 cl
165 sierra 165 bt

30-06
150 old style silver tip
150 cl
150 pp
150 fed
150 sierra

300 win mag
150 cl
150 pp
150 fed
180 sierra

30-30
150 old style silver tip
150 cl
150 pp

Game king
Sst
Interlock
Core lokt
Nosler solid base
Partition
Ballistic tip
BAllistic silver tip
Fail safe
Power point
Accubond
Berger vld
Hot cor
X bullets
Ttsx
Fusion
Pro hunter
Hornady flex tip
Matchking

30 cal. 150 gr. Core Lokt PSP
30 cal. 165 gr. Sierra Game King BTSP
30 cal. 180 gr. Core Lokt RN
12 Ga. Remington Foster style Rifled Slug
.50 cal. Hornandy patched round ball

I've only ever used conventional bullets for deer, mostly Interlocks and similar. Deer are not hard to kill so they all died with no complaints.

I'm gonna try some TSX in my 22/250.

Just the rimfire bullets I've killed deer with would make a pretty long list. Add in centerfire rifle and handgun, muzzleloader and shotgun slugs and well, I ain't got all day.

Used on deer: Corelokt's, Interlocks Boattail and Flat Base, Hot Cores, Power Points,Hi-Shocks, Sierra Boattails and Flat Base, Partitions, TBBC [old style],Herters, and whatever Dominion was loading in their ammo.

Winchester Foster Slugs, Remington Foster Slugs,

Killed my first deer with a 110gr soft point in a M1 Carbine. Since them I've mostly used Speer 150gr BTSP or Remington 150gr Coreloks.(No, not in my Carbine. It's my house gun now.)

64 gr powerpoint, hornady interlock (many), nosler accubond, nosler ballistic tip, nosler partition, core lokt, power point,

I got several hundred of those 64 grain powerpoints, I bought before the recent unpleasantness. For the deer I shoot the 22 centerfires work better than the 30-06's I used to use.

Out of my T/C Omega .50 cal muzzleloader I have taken deer with Hornady SST 300 gr., Dead Center 300 gr and Barnes TMZ 290 gr.

Hornady SST and interlocks.

Rem Core-Locts.

Win PP.

Sierra SPBT.

Fed blue box (Speer?).

Core-Lokt
Old Federal something or other
Interlock
Grand Slam
Partition
Ballistic Silver Tip
TBBC
X
TSX
NAP Thunderheads

Interlock
Hotcor
Gameking
Nosler solid base
Partition
Grand slam
Maxiball
Maxihunter

Barnes Triple Shocks
Nosler Ballistic Tips
Nosler Partitions
Nosler Accubonds
Hornady Interlocks
Sierra SPBT Gamekings
Sierra Pro Hunters
Sierra HPBT Gamekings
Speer BTSPs
Winchester Power Points

Ones with a lead core.

Sierra Game King
Nosler Partition
RWS H-Mantle (not widely used in the USA, but extremely effective)
Swift A-Frame
Woodleigh FMJ (elephant)

.30-06 = 180gr Nosler Partition and whatever 180gr and 150gr are in the old Federal Blue box.

.30-30 = 150gr Woodleigh Weldcore

.450 M = 325gr Hornady Nerf bullet and 350gr Interlock

130gr Nosler Ballistic Tips in a 270 winchester

405gr Hardcast Beartooth Bullet 45/70 Marlin

165gr Sierra GameKing both in the 308 Winchester and 30-06

165gr speer grand slam in the 308 Winchester.

Least favorite would be the ballistic tips, but this was in the early 90s and they are reported to be better built bullets now.

The 405gr hardcast out of my 45/70 was the most impressive

The 165gr Sierra GameKing has time and time again shot accurately out of multiple rifles and given top notch field performance from multiple angles, distances and media encountered.

This fall I hope to test out the following on white tail deer:

150gr TSX out of my 30-30

165 Hornady interlok in a 30-06

180gr partition in the same 30-06

Nosler Partition

Sierra Pro-Hunter

Nosler Solid Base

Remington Core-Lokt

Mostly used Nosler Partitions.

You mean you've actually killed deer???

Jealous here.....

Ingwe,you're gonna shoot a .270 Win in hell for that..

.243 95 Nosler part. (.243 Win, .240 Wby)
.243 105 Speer Hotcore (.240 Wby)
.257 115 Nosler Partition (.25/06)
.284 160 Nosler Accubond (7 Rem Mag)
.308 130 Barnes T/shock (.30/06)
.308 150 Nosler Partition (.308 Win)
.308 150 Speer Hotcore (.308 Win)
.308 180 Nosler Ballistic Tip (30/06)
.308 180 Nosler Accubond (30/06)
.338 225 Hornady Interlock (.338 Mag reduced load)
.358 225 Sierra BTSP (.350 Rem Mag, .35 Whelen)
.358 225 Nosler Partition (.350 Rem Mag, .35 Whelen)
.375 225 Hornady Interlock (38/55)
.375 255 Barnes Original (38/55)
.454 Lyman 454612(?) 300 gr. RN (.45 TC Hawken)
.50 cal Lyman Maxiball (.50 Rem ML)

I believe I got 'em all. Multiple deer with many of them.

Silvertips
Corelokts
Power points
Hi-Shoks
Interlocks
Ballistic Tips
Barnes X, XLC, TSX, and TTSX's.......also Barnes banded solids in my doubles.
Partitions
Grand Slams
A-Frames
A-Max

Gunner

Here's the ones that come to mind. I'm sure there's some I'm forgetting.

.243 Barnes 85gr TSX
.243 Nosler 95gr Bal Tip
.243 Speer 100gr BTSP
.243 Speer 105gr Hotcore Spitzer
.243 Unknown 100gr PSP in .243 S&W factory ammo

.257 Barnes 75gr X
.257 Barnes 80gr TTSX
.257 Berger 115gr VLD
.257 Hornady 100gr Interlock

.264 Berger 130gr VLD
.264 Hornady 129gr Interlock
.264 Nosler 120gr Bal Tip
.264 Nosler 130gr Accubond

.277 130gr Hornady Interlock
.277 Hornady 140gr BTSP Interlock
.277 Nosler 150gr Bal Tip
.277 Sierra 130gr GK
.277 Speer 130gr Grand Slam

7mm Hornady 139gr Interlock
7mm Sierra 140gr GK

.308 Berger 155gr VLD
.308 Hornady 165gr Interlock
.308 Hornady 165gr SST
.308 Remington 150gr Corelokt
.308 Sierra 150gr GK
.308 Sierra 165gr Game King
.308 Sierra 175gr MK

I don't know why, but the most dramatic killers for me were anything out of my .270. I have no explanation as to why I don't currently own one. Berger VLDs have been very quick killers for me as well.

John

.22 bullets: 60gr partition, 64gr win power point, 70gr speer semi pointed. .243 bullets: 100gr rem coreloc, 95gr nosler BT. 6.5 bullets: 120gr nosler BT. 7mm bullets: 120gr, 140gr nosler BT, 160gr sierra HPBT GK, 139gr hornady SP. .30 bullets: 125gr, 150gr, 165gr, nosler BT, 180gr Etip, 150gr rem coreloc, 165gr accubond. May have missed a few.

Remington core-lokt
Remington Accutip
Swift Scirocco II
Federal trophy bonded bear claw
Federal Trophy Tip
Nosler Partitions
Nosler Accubonds
Nosler Ballistic tip
Barnes TTSX

Nosler Solid bases
Nosler Partition
TSX
TTSX
Hornady Spire points

As Hondo said the 270 has given me the most dramatic kills. I still own one.

.224 = 55gr Rem Power Lokt and 60gr Partitions.
.24 = 95gr CT, 100gr Interlock, 100gr Speer BT.
.27 = 130gr Interlock,130gr Silvertip (original),130gr Sierra,150gr Interlock,150gr Hot Core.
.30 = 150gr Interlock,150gr Speer Hot Core,150gr Sierra,150gr Bronze Point, 150gr Silvertip, 170gr Power Point, 165gr Interlock Boat tail,165gr Ballistic Tip, 165 gr Partition, 180gr Core Lokt,180gr Interlokt,180gr Partition,180gr Speer Hot Core,180gr Hornady RN,200gr Sierra and 200gr AccuBond.
.338 = 200gr Speer Hot Core,225gr Interlok,250gr Hornady RN.

Rem Core Lokt
Nosler Partition
Nosler Accubond
Hornady Interlock SP

I found a supply of older 200 grain Winchester SuperX Silvertips for my 358 Win. I will be trying these this fall.

Nosler Partitions, Remington Core-Lokts, rifle slugs and buckshot.

I just realized the question was specifically about deer, which shortens my list a little. Here's the corrected list.

John

.243 Barnes 85gr TSX
.243 Nosler 95gr Bal Tip
.243 Speer 100gr BTSP
.243 Speer 105gr Hotcore Spitzer
.243 Unknown 100gr PSP in .243 S&W factory ammo

.257 Barnes 75gr X Pigs only
.257 Barnes 80gr TTSX
.257 Berger 115gr VLD Pigs only
.257 Hornady 100gr Interlock

.264 Berger 130gr VLD
.264 Hornady 129gr Interlock
.264 Nosler 120gr Bal Tip
.264 Nosler 130gr Accubond

.277 130gr Hornady Interlock
.277 Hornady 140gr BTSP Interlock
.277 Nosler 150gr Bal Tip
.277 Sierra 130gr GK
.277 Speer 130gr Grand Slam

7mm Hornady 139gr Interlock
7mm Sierra 140gr GK

.308 Berger 155gr VLD
.308 Hornady 165gr Interlock Pigs only
.308 Hornady 165gr SST Pigs only
.308 Remington 150gr Corelokt
.308 Sierra 150gr GK
.308 Sierra 165gr Game King
.308 Sierra 175gr MK Pigs only

.224 55gr. Remington PSP
.224 55gr. Hornady V-Max
.224 55gr. Nosler CT BST

.243 95gr. Nosler CT BST
.243 100gr. Winchester PP

.257 115gr Nosler CT BST

.277 130gr. Winchester PP

.22lr. CCI
.243 105VLD
.264 WM 140 PP
7mag. 150 CTBT
7mag 140 TSX
7-08 140 NAB
.308 168 CTBT
.308 168 SMK
7WSM 168 VLD
300RUM 190VLD

.224 - 60 gr Nosler Partition

6mm - 90 gr Nosler BT
6mm - 95 gr Nosler CT Ballistic Silvertip
6mm - 85 gr Barnes TSX
6mm - 100 gr Wincheser PP

7mm - 140 gr Nosler CT Ballistic Silvertip
7mm - 120 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
7mm - 160 gr Nosler Partition
7mm - 150 gr Core-Lokt
7mm - 150 gr Nosler CT Ballistic Silvertip
7mm - 165 gr Sierra BTSP Gameking

.308 - 170 gr Win Silvertip

.358 - 225 gr Sierra BTSP Gameking

1 oz lead slug