Hi guys. Ever since the bullet companies started making "premium" bullets it was my opinion that these bullets aren't needed for antelope/deer sized animals.They have their place for sure. On heavy boned or thick skinned critters. Most of my handloads are based on Hornday's originalinterlock bullet. This year I took a nice black bear with a 300 gr HP out of my .45-70. This bullet went through the right shoulder angled through the chest, coming out mid-section on the left side and virtually destroying everything in between. He ran about 30 yds before piling up.
The second bullet, a 139 grainer out of my 7mm-08 took a whitetail in his bed, entering the body about 8" behind the left shoulder angling thru the chest and lodging just under the skin just behind the opposite shoulder. He never got out of his bed.This bullet, after a thorough cleaning weighed in at 104 grains and mushroomed perfectly. (that's 75% weight retention).
Now, I use Nosler ballistic tips in my .270 and Sierra Game Kings in my 300 WM, but other than that, my opinion still stands. "Premium" bullets aint needed for deer.
Now if I ever get a chance to go for moose, big bear or some dangerous african game, I'm not gonna waste my hard earned cash on them "premium" bullets.
What do you guys think?