Can I Hunt With A Match Bullet

[hunter399]

Please watch video

Or a least a minute or two.
The only reason I bring this up,I seen some ELD match
In my flavor ,I seen these videos before,but I'm holding out for better bullet that my rifle shoots.
What do you guys think?
Have you passed up eldm match bullets?

[NWShooter]

That guy is a piece of work. Laughing 😂. Doesn’t change the fact that I have shot my share of game with “Match” bullets. He’s good for a laugh when you have nothing better to do. Bless him for trying.

[zwickeyman]

Just curious

IMHO  Why would you hunt with match bullets when there are so many good hunting bullets available. If its price, even a Speer Hot Cor is better then then typical match bullet and is only .31 cents. I understand everyone wanting to stretch their range with high BC bullets

I know a Deer can be killed with a match bullet, they can be killed with a 223 also, they can be killed with a 338 lapua. Point is why

Once again IMHO. I like to kill Deer quickly at 40 yards and 500 yards. I also dont like wasting meat

And I truly dont mean to offend

[Damnimissed]

I mean, Bergers have killed a lot of game...

[fishngamereaper]

My PRC eats and spits match better than X.
Last year I bang flopped a caribou at 150, blacktail at 190, and a whitetail at 390.  Good penetration, no crazy frag, no un expected meat damage. Would not and will not hesitate to continue to hunt with match. All my X will be range ammo.

[h2ofowlr]

Just curious

IMHO  Why would you hunt with match bullets when there are so many good hunting bullets available. If its price, even a Speer Hot Cor is better then then typical match bullet and is only .31 cents. I understand everyone wanting to stretch their range with high BC bullets

I know a Deer can be killed with a match bullet, they can be killed with a 223 also, they can be killed with a 338 lapua. Point is why

Once again IMHO. I like to kill Deer quickly at 40 yards and 500 yards. I also dont like wasting meat

And I truly dont mean to offend

The answer I would give, is that typically your match bullets are dialed in and shoot a very good group.  Your confident in your shots and your range ability and won't require any scope adjustment.  I have used them as well in hunting situations as I am confident in my shot placement and know the animal will drop.

[MeepDog]

Match bullets are just like mechanical broad heads. People shoot them because they fly just like their target loads, but they just aren't designed to break bones. Bullets that are bonded, partitioned, or mono metal are the way to go.

[jasnt]

Opened a can of worms here.  Reason we have so many bullet choices is there are so many different opinions on what they like in a bullet and how that bullet performs for their style of hunting.   The eld-m’s have harvested a lot of game.
Use what works best for you and your hunting and don’t worry about other’s opinions on the matter cause there’s about as many different opinions or ideas of “best” as there are bullet choices

[buckfvr]

There are heart/lung bullets and there's bunker busters.  Match bullets would be heart/lung bullets.  The right type of bullet in the right spot gets mostly good results.  None of them are perfect all the time.

[jrebel]

As it pertains to the hornady eld-x and eld-m bullets….I would shoot the match over the hunting.   Never used the match for hunting, but have used the hunting one and won’t use them ever again.  The performance is way to erratic and unpredictable…..at least on bear and moose.   Maybe on deer they are great…..never taken a deer with them.  Anything larger than deer and I am comfortable saying they are no good.   Lots of reviews on the match taking game with way better results.  The eld-x literally dynamites if it hits bone. 

[Cougartail]

Years ago I read an article on this topic. The main point was match bullets were not tested on game performance but accuracy performance.

He concluded the performance of match bullets was definitely acceptable for most hunting situations outside of dangerous game.

[crabcreekhunter]

There are heart/lung bullets and there's bunker busters.  Match bullets would be heart/lung bullets.  The right type of bullet in the right spot gets mostly good results.  None of them are perfect all the time.

have used 7mm eldx on mulies, elk, and bear with great results from 80 yards to 500 yards on elk.  The old Amax match bullets killed a lot of big game animals.  Know what type of bullet you are using and what type of shot placement is necessary for a humane kill.

[Buckjunkie]

For years I used well constructed bullets for hunting with great success. I was convinced to try Berger and ELDX bullets due to their high coefficients. I was able to easily find loads that shot extremely well. I shot an elk and a deer with Bergers and had bad experiences with both. They died, but not as quick as they would have with well constructed bullets. A friend used my rifle with eldx bullets on a deer in Wyoming. His shot was right behind the shoulder and the deer bucked. I saw a red spot on the off-side when the animal ran off. We never found that deer and only one spot of blood.

I went back to using well constructed bullets.

As for match bullets. Some have thicker jackets and may work well, but I would be hesitant to experiment.

I know you can kill animals by fragging them, but I don’t want to eat lead in my meat…especially if you have young children who’s brains are not fully developed. Lead poisoning isn’t as big a deal for adults, but it can be debilitating for kids.

[buckfvr]

There are heart/lung bullets and there's bunker busters.  Match bullets would be heart/lung bullets.  The right type of bullet in the right spot gets mostly good results.  None of them are perfect all the time.

have used 7mm eldx on mulies, elk, and bear with great results from 80 yards to 500 yards on elk.  The old Amax match bullets killed a lot of big game animals.  Know what type of bullet you are using and what type of shot placement is necessary for a humane kill.

   Know your bullets

[NWShooter]

The 7mm 180gr ELD-M @ 3275 is devastating on game.

[zwickeyman]

The 7mm 180gr ELD-M @ 3275 is devastating on game.

That is freakin cookin

[jeffro]

Shot a cow elk with my .308 using Federal match 160s, I believe, about 10 yrs ago.
Good solid high shoulder shot from 50-60 yds
Found her about a mile away with 2 other guys finishing up gutting process
Started reloading. Haven’t used anything but nosler partitions since for hunting
2 years after the cow episode got a nice spike, died where he stood, never even twitched
Last year that I elk hunted, 6yrs ago,  got a nice bull, flipped him clean over
Use expanding bullets, avoid fragmenting stuff
 

[huntnnw]

Match bullets are just like mechanical broad heads. People shoot them because they fly just like their target loads, but they just aren't designed to break bones. Bullets that are bonded, partitioned, or mono metal are the way to go.

says the elk as it punches thru shoulder blade and spine...

[MHWASH]

Here’s my take, if you shoot a lot and know where to place your bullet, use what you want.  If you only shoot a box or two a year, use a bullet designed for hunting, because your not as likely to hit exactly where your aiming.

[Karl Blanchard]

I think everyone should stop using Berger bullets!!!! Like immediately!!!! Specifically the 185gr, 215gr and 230gr 30 cal, the 195gr, 180gr and 168gr 7mm, and 140gr hunting vld, 140gr hybrid, and the 156gr eol in 6.5mm! If you get tempted to buy them resist the urge





Then pm me a link and I'll scoop them all 

[Igor]

I'm just not sure why anyone would use a bullet designed for target shooting to kill big game, rather than a bullet designed specifically for big game.  Hunting bullets are designed to mushroom, penetrate, and retain maximum weight.......target bullets are not.  Just my 2¢.

[Karl Blanchard]

Short answer...because they kill in spectacular fashion.  Ive been a part of hundreds and hundreds of big game kills. I'd say pushing better than half of those have been bergers. Ive never seen a failure from 10 yards to numbers I won't mention.  Shoot heavy for caliber and keep them under 3100fps and they just flat out work. I refuse to use anything else.

Vast majority of "failures" we read about online end up being unrecovered animals so blaming the bullet is dishonest. To say otherwise is also being dishonest.  Ironically the few bullet failures Ive witnessed (recovered animals) have been "hunting" bullets. Barnes and eldx. Give me a heavy for caliber berger and I'll kill anything from any angle. I'll put it behind the shoulder, in the shoulder, in the neck, etc. They work. They flat out work.

Lots of fluff in the hunting space. Marketing hype and sales gimmicks have us thinking their is only one way to skin a cat. Its just simply not true and I've personally witnessed it hundreds of times.

One thing I will say about bergers is you do have to check tips when initially loading. There is some sort of media that can gunk some of them up. Its leftover from the manufacturing process. Simple little twist with a tiny drill bit or sewing pan and they are good to go.

Shokt what you want. Don't worry about anyone else 

[Karl Blanchard]

Carpsniper testifying the opposite in 3...2...1...

[Igor]

Short answer...because they kill in spectacular fashion. 

Yeah, well........a .450 Rigby will kill a 200 lb. mule deer in "spectacular fashion", too.  Doesn't mean it's the right tool for the job.

Just shoot what you want. Don't worry about anyone else.

[b23]

Basically there's two different theory's to hunting bullet design.  The one where a bullet has that classic mushroom and retains as much weight as possible aiding it in deeper penetration.  The other is the bullet penetrates in to the cavity then intentionally comes apart in an attempt to create as much blood less as possible as quickly as possible.

When bullet design is talked about we always hear of the bang flop kills.  IMO, if you get a bang flop instant kill on a animal it had way more to do with where that bullet hit than it does with the type of bullet it is.

I used to not be that big a fan of Berger bullets on game animals.  I was raised around the theory that if you dug a bullet out of a dead animal and it didn't have that perfect mushroom look it was an epic bullet failure.  Then I started using more and more Berger bullets and even though they never had that perfect mushroom look to them not only were they consistently shooting better than what I'd previously used but they had no problem putting animals down equally as well or better.

[Karl Blanchard]

Short answer...because they kill in spectacular fashion. 

Yeah, well........a .450 Rigby will kill a 200 lb. mule deer in "spectacular fashion", too.  Doesn't mean it's the right tool for the job.

Just shoot what you want. Don't worry about anyone else.

if it kills the deer then it sounds like it was exactly the right tool for the job  so do we now have to shoot only bullets with the proper title of "hunting" in their description but also only certain calibers that aren't "too big"?

[Mudman]

IMOP it is all about location/placement of the shot so accuracy and judgement/skill should be first on list and then a ammo/firearm that does this job as best ya can.   .22 will drop most animals if it is in right spot.  So best accurate choice available.  Best bullet ya can afford that shoots good in the largest caliber you shoot is great.

[Karl Blanchard]

Most "hunting" branded bullets are nothing more than a basic cup and core design. We argue about the nuances between an sst, ballic tip, or any variance manufacturer "X", but they are all essentially the same. Its a whole lot of marketing fluff. Like mudman said, hit em in the right spot and it makes a lot less difference.

[fishngamereaper]

Shot placement is top priority in my world.
If I have a match bullet that carries equal to or more velocity and energy than an X bullet, consistently group's .5-.7 better at 100....its going to be my go to round, especially when real world experience backs it up.

"Hunting" rounds are for guys that can't shoot ...


Kidding

[Okanagan]

Of course you may hunt game with match bullets.  Use what you want.  Generally it is wiser to use tools designed for the task.  A man can build a house with a tack hammer but framing hammers exist for a reason.

Lots of anecdotes about bullets, especially on deer, which are pretty easy to kill with purt near any bullet.  Rather than base a bullet choice on a best performance, consider its worst performance, because that’s all we can count on. It will not always perform at its best.  Our mileage does vary.

The single most significant comment in this thread is from buckfvr who said, “None of them (bullets) are perfect all the time.”  If we choose a bullet based on one or a few stories of excellent performance on game, can we count on it to perform that well always?   

I look for a bullet that is the most consistent in performing well.  IME Swift Aframe is the most boringly consistent game bullet of any of the bullets I’ve used or done postmortems on.  At its worst it has been excellent: expanding, retaining weight, penetrating deeply in a straight line.   For comparison, Nosler Partition is very good but has not been as consistent IME, and once in awhile does not do as much damage, expand nor retain weight etc.

For years I used a Sierra boattail that was wonderfully accurate, but as I examined wounds on animals killed with it, a nagging concern grew on me because it was so inconsistent in damage and penetration.  But it was SO accurate I loved it… till one day I shot a 6 point bull elk with it at an angle where I needed its best performance and it gave me its poorest.  Went to a less accurate Nosler Partiton and never used the other bullet again.

Last week my son shot a 125 lb. tom cougar nearly broadside at 20 yards with a 145 (?) grain Barnes long range bullet in 7mm magnum.  The bullet did not exit. It destroyed the near side shoulder, and that whole side and insides were bloodshot jelly. That is not typical of Barnes stories I have heard, nor Barnes wounds examined but it happened.  Killed the critter of course, bullet lodged in belly muscle side wall just behind the last rib on the off side.   

You asked.  I’d say pick a bullet that will get the job done on its worst day.

 

[Mtnwalker]

Killed my buck last year at 28 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed my bull last year at 60 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed the elk before that at 735 yds with a match bullet. Did great. I could continue but you get the point. That's why I shoot them...

[b23]

One thing we all can agree on, we have lots of options and that's a good thing, I think. 

[hunter399]

Killed my buck last year at 28 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed my bull last year at 60 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed the elk before that at 735 yds with a match bullet. Did great. I could continue but you get the point. That's why I shoot them...

Eld-m
Matchking
Berger
What kind of match bullet.
We want to know what works and what doesn't.
If it works for you then spill the beans.

[Damnimissed]

Short answer...because they kill in spectacular fashion. 

Yeah, well........a .450 Rigby will kill a 200 lb. mule deer in "spectacular fashion", too.  Doesn't mean it's the right tool for the job.

Just shoot what you want. Don't worry about anyone else.

I doubt a 450 Rigby would kill a 200lb muley in spectacular fashion lol. It would just punch through.

[h20hunter]

Killed my buck last year at 28 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed my bull last year at 60 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed the elk before that at 735 yds with a match bullet. Did great. I could continue but you get the point. That's why I shoot them...

Eld-m
Matchking
Berger
What kind of match bullet.
We want to know what works and what doesn't.
If it works for you then spill the beans.

I've shot berger from 115s in a 25 06 to 180s in my 7mm mag....all died dang near instantly.  I've seen the eldx kill elk and buff where they stood. Know your gun, ammo, put it in the right place and good things happen.

[Mtnwalker]

Killed my buck last year at 28 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed my bull last year at 60 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed the elk before that at 735 yds with a match bullet. Did great. I could continue but you get the point. That's why I shoot them...

Eld-m
Matchking
Berger
What kind of match bullet.
We want to know what works and what doesn't.
If it works for you then spill the beans.

  The 3 mentioned would be a 130 Berger, a 162 eld-m and a 168 Berger, in that order

[hunter399]

Killed my buck last year at 28 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed my bull last year at 60 yds with a match bullet. Did great. Killed the elk before that at 735 yds with a match bullet. Did great. I could continue but you get the point. That's why I shoot them...

Eld-m
Matchking
Berger
What kind of match bullet.
We want to know what works and what doesn't.
If it works for you then spill the beans.

  The 3 mentioned would be a 130 Berger, a 162 eld-m and a 168 Berger, in that order

Heck ya ,I was just curious.