Copper bullets and whitetail

[Donjuan]

Any new loads you have found that provide fast expansion with copper bullets?

Not looking for extreme penetration on whitetail.

Shooting a 308

 

[brad407210]

As long as you get the tipped Barnes you won't have to worry about expanding out to a couple hundred yards on a whitetail. Even when I hit between the ribs I've still had full expansion in my 30-06's and if any kind of bone is hit you won't have a problem. Expansion issues are usually from the open tipped version.

 

[wannabemountainman]

The only experience I have had with any copper bullet and an animal was a Nosler E-tip in .243 last season. Shot a doe behind the shoulder at about 60yds and it basically penciled through her. Maybe a shoulder shot would have created expansion, but I was not impressed to say the least. I have known several folks to deer hunt with Barnes and get excellent results though.

 

[brad407210]

I never could get E-Tips to shoot well enough to take them hunting, the only animals I've harvested with solid coppers have been Barnes TTSX-BT. So far in 5 different rifles my combo has been mid-weight for caliber slugs, faster burning powders and seat deep to the last ring (usually jumping about 0.100" of lands). The combo doesn't maximize a cartridges velocity, but it's been really consistent for me and plenty accurate for a whitetail.

 

[HuntInWild88]

I've been shooting the LRX this year. Both mule deer I have shot have been bang flop. The first one was 167 yards front sholder/neck shot and the entrance was rather surprising. The doe was shot at 200 broad side. Same results. Looks like great expansion as soon as it it the hide, both did exit though.. I don't think your going to find a copper bullet that won't fully penitrate unless dropping down to a 22cal bullet.. even the white tail I shot with a 243 80gr ttsx exited.
Seeing as your shooting a 308, I would give the 110gr ttsx a good look. When shooting monos the lighter the better when shooting anything less then elk.

 

[mcseal2]

180 E tips started at 2900fps have worked well for me on a few whitetail. They run a little further than those hit with a faster expanding bullet but none went 100 yards. They worked very well on our caribou and moose.

 

[MThuntr]

152 grain Hammer Hunter will work great in your 308. Should put your velocity around 3000fps give or take depending on your powder choice (varget probably top choice), brass, and primer. That'll make short work of just about any animal out there.

 

[ShortMagFan]

Speed kills with copper in my experience. I’d be looking at the 130 TTSX is .308

 

[Donjuan]

Thanks for your inputs. I feed my family a lot of deer and wild game but my wife is worried about lead ingestion

 

[wildwilderness]

Go light for more speed with copper. Hammer bullets makes a “dead blow” bullet that is rapid expansion all copper. They are super accurate bullets as well. I have had good luck with the Hammer Hunters as well

 

[TMA805]

Shot south tx whitetail (free range) at 240 yards. 308 w/150gr Cutting Edge MTH. 2830 fps out of 20" barrel. Slightly quartering away. Saw dirt fly beyond deer right after the shot, at first thinking it was a miss. Turns out it was bullet base through offside shoulder. Standard exit size hole, standard blood trail, nothing crazy. One of the petals put hole in heart. Deer ran 25 yards.

Shot 225lb boar hog broadside at 100 yards through shoulder/shield. Dropped like hit by lightening. Shot another 225lb hog at 40 yards that was quartering towards in neck/shoulder. DRT also. First season using them. Impressed thus far.

 

[wildwilderness]

Other key with mono bullets has been to aim for bone. Breaking the front shoulder/neck puts them down fast and gets great expansion.

In a 308 I would not go over 150grs for deer. Hammer makes a 124gr bullet, Barnes has a 130 and a 110 TTSX that would be great for deer.

 

[406unltd]

Short range and or high velocity. Even pushing either and or both of those will end up with a dead deer providing you do your part. Deer aren’t tricky to put down with a decent rifle.

 

[Fogalo]

This is from the whitetail I shot this year 180 Ttsx from a 3006. Hard quartering away at 200 yards. Found it between the neck and offside shoulder.

 

[.308]

Following for future reference. I have loaded some Barnes TTSX in .308 but was never super happy with how they shot/grouped. Also a major PITA to clean the bore afterwards. I purchased some Accubonds based on recommendations and have made some loads but yet to try anything out.

 

[MThuntr]

Shot 3 whitetails with 143 Hammer Hunters on Saturday. These were smaller deer (yearlings) and the bullet zipped right through them. I shot low on one and it ripped the lower chest cavity open and turned the heart into mush. It actually damaged little meat.

These bullets operate just like a Nosler Partition with the front 1/3 opening up fast shedding copper petals while the base continues on, tumbling, through the animal.

 

[Greenbar]

In reference to the wife being afraid of lead ingestion, I spoke to a retired game warden last year. He said they use a light (similar to a black light) to inspect carcasses of deer that were suspected to be poached. The light makes the lead glow. He said you’d be amazed just how far the lead spray or spatter spreads throughout the meat. I’ve always used lead bullets, but it makes me wonder...

 

[gjs4]

Barnes ttsx stay together coming out of my 257 weatherby and that’s a gun that will
Make bullets go confetti better than
Most


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[furfishngame]

Found this in a bind quarter roast I was cutting up for jerky. This was a finishing shot quartering toward me, almost in the chest but way off to one side. I've been really impressed with the copper since I started using it. Even this deer which was hit way back we were able to trail 1/2 mile in a drizzle with 3 beds. A gun nut friend of mine turned me on to the barnes, this was Federal trophy copper in .308. Happy hunting! furfishngame

 

[ericacymcdonald]

Im loading up the hammer hunter and hammer makes a few that are faster expanding then the hunter line. if you shoot a lot take a look at lehigh. Seems similar to the faster expanding hammers at a better price. No experience though but if they don't preform how you like I know the hammers will https://www.lehighdefense.com/all/3...r-152gr-bullet-excluding-300-blackout-whisper