best bullet for deer

[ihuntbuck]

ok i went out shooting today shot both the 250gr. shockwave and the 240gr. xtp both shot a 2 inch group out of my omega at 160 yards i used 90gr.of t-7 loose and a t-7 primer behind both. does anyone have any feedback on what these two bullets willdo to a deer? is there any other bullet that i should try before the season???

[sabotloader]

ihuntbuck

OK, you asked but you need to know that i am totally biased....

The best bullet out to 175 yards is the Nolser Partition HP.451 -260 grain, powered by 100 to 110 grains of T7-2f loose powder in an MMP HPH-24 sabot. (1850/1900 ft./sec 2000 ft. lbs. of energy @ the muzzle)

My second choice is a Spreer Gold Dot Bonded Bullet .452 - 250 grain Colt, with the same powder load and same sabot....

The real up and comer for me, is the Hornady 10mm (40 cal) 200 grain XTP, pushed by 110 grains T7-2f in an MMP HPH-40/50 Blue sabot.

All of these shoot excellently from my Omega.

And the two bullets you have mentioned are also good. The 240 xtp has probablaly killed more deer from an ML than any other bullet. And of corse the 250 grain SM is areodynamically superior to all the mentioned bullets, but IMO it does not perform at close ranges as well as any of the afore mentioned bullets....

I have always used Nosler they are just climbing out of my price range...

Good luck....

[skeeter 7MM]

Both will work fine for deer but personally unless I expect to shoot past 150 yards I use the XTP, been an excellentperformer and cheaper to boot. Longer range I have opted for the polymer tipped bullets and been pleased as well.

[gleason.chapman]

ORIGINAL: ihuntbuck

ok i went out shooting today shot both the 250gr. shockwave and the 240gr. xtp both shot a 2 inch group out of my omega at 160 yards i used 90gr.of t-7 loose and a t-7 primer behind both. does anyone have any feedback on what these two bullets willdo to a deer? is there any other bullet that i should try before the season???

The downside to the ShockWave is they don't expand on shots < 100 yards, they tend to shoot thru a deer, with little or no expansion. Several people on this forum shoot for the shoulder blade of the deer to help the expansion. I am thinking of using them myself, since my gun shot like this with them:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/TC_Shockwave_300g_2007_06_02_AA5744_44g_FederalPri mer_default%20sabot.jpg

The XTP is an excellent bullet, for < 150 yard shooting they are great, again at close shots (< 50)they tend to loose their jackets reducing their weight, reducing their penetration.

I do recommend Nosler Partitions as does SabotLoader, expect I shoot 300g, since they go thru and leave perfect mushrooms. I have shot the Gold Dot and they are also excellent, in fact they shoot the same as the XTPs, so I practice with XTPs and shoot Noslers or Gold dots in a TC Omega, Knight Disc and a TC .50 Cal FlintLock in the inlines I use 100g of 3F 777 loose. In the FL I use 70 to 80g of Black Powder, Goes, 3F.

Oh, I as biased as SabotLoader is, only more so.

Chap Gleason

[falcon]

The downside to the ShockWave is they don't expand on shots < 100 yards, they tend to shoot thru a deer, with little or no expansion."

This is not my experience at all. Have shot several deer and lots of hogs with the 250 grain SST at ranges from 25 to nearly 200 yards. Every one expanded. Including this one from a hog at 175yards. The powder was 90 grains of JSG. Retained weight is 167 grains.

[DUMB BASS]

I shot a deer with the XTP last year at about 50 yards. Recovered the bullet, and it preformed well in my book.

[sjsfire]

ORIGINAL: ihuntbuck

ok i went out shooting today shot both the 250gr. shockwave and the 240gr. xtp both shot a 2 inch group out of my omega at 160 yards i used 90gr.of t-7 loose and a t-7 primer behind both. does anyone have any feedback on what these two bullets willdo to a deer? is there any other bullet that i should try before the season???

You might want to try the Knight Red Hots in 250gr. Same thing as a Barnes MZ Expander. I've yet to hear a bad comment on them from anyone on this board and they group out of my CVA excellent.

[lemoyne]

They are both excellant bullets at the right velocity,the Shock wave works best at a starting velocity of 2000 fps or better,they work fine with a decent load, the XTP is a good bullet works well for me up to about 1650 or 1700 fps over that it will break up awfull fast. If you are doing any experimenting you might try the 50/40- 200gr Shock Wave they are superb both as a flat shooter and have done an excellant job on boar and deer for me; The Gold Dot is I believe the best all round bullet and reasonable priced to boot they are very accurate and very reliable for consistant expansion. Lee