which 30 caliber bullet?

[Ksmirk]

"I wonder if it would be a pelt saver on a coyote or would it be a pelt destroyer?"

Dude it's a 30 caliber bullet with a velocity of around 2900fps from a 308 my guess and experience says oh yeah yote fur is gone! I shot the old style 155 from my 1-14 twist right up there in the 2900 somethings and those bullets even thought everyone says they won't expand OMG yes they expand VIOLENTLY Trick is your probably shooting a 1-10 twist factory barrel which from my 1-14 twist barrel will up your RPM's and cause this bullet to really come apart when something is hit and cute furry critters would scatter into parts when hit with my slower RPM 1-14 twis barrel just think about when you hit something with more RPM's on the bullet.

I'm going to come out and say it, if a 1K bullet is what your after then a 175SMK or 178 A-Max is going to be a real good choice and they will drop deer just as good as any of the so called hunting bullets. If you want a hunting round for out to 400 yards the Sierra GameKing is going to be very difficult to beat! hard enough to beat that I'd almost bet money on it. I don't see you finding a hunting bullet that's good out to 1K unless it's a Berger VLD or Lapua Scenar or you could get on the Wildcat bullets website but your going to PAY for these.

I shoot the 175 SMK in my 308 and I also hunt with this rifle from time to time and have yet to see a deer move from the point of impact of the bullet from 35 yards out to 497 yards. When I want to go callin' and possible skin a yote I take my 17 Remington with 27.5gr Hammett bullets, they leave an ice pick sized hole and that's it. I hate to say it but I don't see you getting double duty from your rifle or at least if you would like to save a pelt.

I've heard a mess of folks talk about pressure signs and while I could be wrong these bullets are made to shoot from 1-13 or 1-14 twist barrels pretty sure trying them from a 1-10 could be the reason your getting pressure signs so soon. Later,

Kirk

 

[dugby]

I've heard a mess of folks talk about pressure signs and while I could be wrong these bullets are made to shoot from 1-13 or 1-14 twist barrels pretty sure trying them from a 1-10 could be the reason your getting pressure signs so soon. Later,

Kirk

You may have a point there. It was the 1-10 rifle I tried it in. Never had that happen to me before. I was getting those indications at 1 1/2 grains below max. I attributed it to the seating depth difference between the old 155 in my book and the new Palma. (Part #2155 vs 2156) I needed these loads COL at 2.8.

Always a good idea to work the charge up.

I will load some today for the 1-12 and see if it makes a difference at where I see the pressure signs.

 

[338Shooter]

155gr lapua scenars for paper and yotes. Probably Nosler Accubond or Partitions for deer.

 

[MoBoost]

I see couple of people advise A-Max on deer - Hornady specifically advises against using those on game.

I would recommend 165gn Hornady SST for all around bullet.

 

[Ksmirk]

The Highway Patrol recommeds you drive the speed limit also hehe

Just goofin' with ya but I HAD too! Later,

Kirk

 

[MoBoost]

The Highway Patrol recommeds you drive the speed limit also hehe

Just goofin' with ya but I HAD too! Later,

Kirk

As long as you don't mind paying tickets and tracking game for hours - it's your choice

 

[Ksmirk]

Sir I have shot many deer with the SMK and A-Max bullets and have had 2 go more than 50 yards, I must just be lucky. How many deer have fallen to Berger VLD bullets? I don't want to start an argument but I know what I have done and no matter what Hornady or Sierra say about thier bullets this is a recommendation, am I better than them with this statement? no I'm not but just like you said they are not recommended for a game bullet I just stated I have had good luck with them, it's a simple opinion issue we have ourselves in here and I'm sure you know what they say about opinions

Oh I just have to ask, have you ever shot game with a SMK or A-Max personally? Later,

Kirk

 

[MoBoost]

Oh I just have to ask, have you ever shot game with a SMK or A-Max personally? Later,

Kirk

No I haven't shot game with match bullets; I haven't eaten spaghetti with knife and I don't use 1-wood on the green. I don't think it's a matter of opinion - it's a matter of intended purpose.

 

[dugby]

I had one experience about 25 years ago where I shot a deer broadside with a Hornady 87 gr BTHP out of a 243 at about 130 yards. The bullet did not go through the shoulder blade. Took 2 more shots to put it down.
Haven't hunted deer with a 243 since. Sometimes we get burned, and whether justified or not, we look elsewhere.

Having said that I went deer hunting the other day with 30 cal 175 gr SMK. I have more confidence in the larger diameter.

Terminal ballistics can be approached from more that one perpective.
Barnes and Berger seem to have very different yet successful approaches towards terminal performance.

 

[Ksmirk]

Don't get upset! it sounds that way so forgive me if I'm wrong. Here's my reason I shoot SMK's and A-Max bullets, there are not any hunting bullets that will give me the degree of accuarcy at the ranges I shoot plain and simple. People say I am unethical for shooting game at the distances I do but ya know what I've NEVER lost a game animal with a rifle! lost one with a bow many years ago and still beat myself up time to time about that.

I've never tried to eat spaghetti with a knife either, never used a mashy club on the green but I have used a putter from the tee box

My inteneded porpose as a hunter is to dispatch the game I'm hunting in the most ethical way I can which happens to be a well placed shot and to do that I have stepped outside the box to make that happen! might not be the intened reason behind the bullet manufactures for me to use this bullet in this way but all I can say about that is it works very well and I can't argue with the cold hard facts.

I can see quickly this could become a pissin' contest and let's just say that's not what I'm after. Later,

Kirk