Hunting Washington Forum
Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: jackelope on October 01, 2007, 05:15:38 PM
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good bullet for deer-elk-type-animals?
i'm a factory ammo shooter and my gun likes the federal vital shocks with 165 barnes triple shock bullets, but i haven't shot an animal with them yet...good choice?
i'm also shooting the hornady light mag 165 btsp's well too, same boat...haven't drew blood with either of them.
any input on one or the other or doesn't matter?
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I just shot my bear on Friday with a Federal Premium Vital Shock, 165 grain, 300 WSM. It did the job, no questions asked. Exit wound was about 4 inches or more (exited the front left shoulder, arm pit area). It did not appear to shatter inside the animal from what I could tell. Broke a few ribs on the way in, ruptured the heart, animal dropped within 30 feet or so.
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Shot two animals with old style Barnes X. Both DRT.
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I don't have any firsthand experience with the barnes triple shock, but have heard a lot of people with a lot of good things to say about them!!
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Jackelope,
I've shot the Hornady Light Mag ammo in my 280. My gun shot it real well but I didn't particularly care for the bullet performance. Shoulder shot a caribou at about 200 yards and the bullet literally disintegrated. If they offer it in the newer Interbond (IB) bullet it may be better. I've heard they're pretty good... never used em though.
I've been using Barnes TSX for 3 years now and love them. Great construction, good accuracy, and awesome penetration and wound channels. Between a friend and I we've killed several animals and had absolute flawless performance. One account was an elk shot through both shoulders w/ 180 grn. My buddy recovered the bullet, ran it through the dishwasher, and weighed it.... something like 176 grns.
I've heard accounts of the older Barnes bullets not expanding properly. I think they've got that figured out with the softer copper alloys and the way they create the mushroom petals.
I'm sold on the TSX.
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jackelope, if they shoot good out of your rifle, you won't need anything else, no matter what species you're hunting. Great choice.
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thanks for all the info, guys...i'm gonna roll with the barnes bullets and i'm sure it'll all work out great.
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I'm using 140 grain Barnes out of my 270 for elk in Oregon in a couple weeks. (reloads)