Best deer bullet

[vanguard138]

OK, loaded question I know:-)

I need some opinions on the best deer bullet for a 20" barrel.

Powder?
I have TAC, AR-Comp, and H335 to play with.

Thanks,
Eric

[6.8 KLR]

The best bullet for me has been the Barnes 100 grain TTSX (tipped triple shock) all copper bullet.H335 is a good choice....just my two cents worth....M

[kbarnes12]

The 100gr Barnes TTSX and 30.0gr of H335 is what I use. I do not have a chrony (yet), I am curious what load and what velocity you are getting 6.8 KLR.

[vanguard138]

Thanks.

Wat length barrel and load?

[PA_Allen]

I have used the 100 TTSX with 30 gr H335 for the past 2 hunting seasons. This load gives 2775 to 2800 fps from a 20" barrel. I have take 2 pronghorn, and about a dozen whitetail with this load. It works great. I am using the same bullet this year, but I am using 30 gr of XBR 8208 ( the performance is basically identical)
I have also used the 120 gr NBT with 28 to 29 gr of TAC or RL15 in the past with great success.
Best,
PA

PS
Here is an old thread with some loads

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?51-Some-of-my-best-loads-with-chrono-data

[vanguard138]

Thanks.

I am using my new 20" this year. I have quite a few 120 pro hunters left from last year. I took three with 123 AMAX last year withnmy 18" Grendel but they werenall neck shots out in my tritical field. I hear the AMAX really is not a hunting round but you can put a deer down withnjust about anything with a neck shot. Plus you do not waste meat:-)

I will use a more traditinal hunting round this year. My first hunt is this weekend so I do not have enoughmtime to order the 100 gr TtSX, but will give them a try by November.

[hm2 clark]

The "best" bullet out there for deer may indeed be the 100 gr Barnes. But that dosen't mean that 120gr hunting bullets like the NBT or pro hunter,or SST or Corelok's arn't all great for deer in a Grendel.

[Whelenon]

Checkout the Sticky for projectiles:

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?2349-Updated-Selection-of-Projectiles-for-the-Grendel

Great reference put together by LRRPF52, a comprehensive list of bullets good for the Grendel.

Personally, I'm going to give the Nosler 125 Partition a try, looks like it would be a great deer bullet. Also, the Hornady 129 SST would be good.

[vanguard138]

Had a friend tell me todaynat the range that the partition was more than you needed for a deer. He said he would not hesitate using it on an elk though.

[JASmith]

The 100 gr partition seems a bit light, but the 125 gr might be just right for the Grendel.

An alternative might be the 120 gr Speer HotCor, especially if one wants to do a lot of shooting and accepts a 300-400 yard limit for medium game.

[rickOshay]

The projectile list started by LRRPF52 has been put into a chart and placed on a sticky in the ammo and reloading thread. They are listed by manufacturer and by weight.

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?2923-Grendel-bullet-PDF

Or go directly to the list:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/34132774/Grendel%20Bullet%20Selection.pdf

[LRRPF52]

I haven't heard much feedback on anyone using the Nosler Partitions in the AR15, and wonder about how the exposed soft points will deal with the AR15 feed ramps. They are a great bullet however, since they are sectional.

I put the ones that jumped out at me in red for their weight class performance. Not sure how the Bergers really perform, as many shooters say they need a broadside shot with it to get DRT.

Looking at the list and bullet picture, you can cover down on several right away. I'm basing effective ranges on 1800fps impact velocity/900 ft-lbs of energy, 200yd zero:

100gr Nolser Partition, Flat Base .326 BC 2700fps mv

260yd 2020fps 906 ft-lbs 4.4" drop 8" drift

100gr Hornady Soft Point .358 BC 2700fps mv 280-300yd 897 ft-lbs at 290yds, PBZ at 260yds for 10" vital zone w/200yd zero.

290yds   2010fps    897ft-lbs   -7.5" drop  -9.1" drift

100gr Barnes X (If you have any left. I think they're discontinued because of the success of the TSX and TTSX.)

100gr Barnes TTSX .359 BC Another 290yd load at 2700fps mv with same basic numbers as 100gr Hornady SP, with 899 ft-lbs at 290yds.

290yds    2010fps   899ft-lbs  -7.5" drop   -9.1" drift

120gr Remington Core-Lokt .323 BC, 2500fps mv

260yds  1846fps  908ft-lbs -5.40" drop  -9.05" drift

120gr Swift A-Frame .344 BC, 2500fps mv

280yds  1839fps  901ft-lbs  -7.8"drop  -9.9" drift

120gr Sierra Pro-Hunter .368 BC, 2500fps

300yds  1838fps  900ft-lbs  -10.4" drop -10.6" drift

120gr Barnes TSX .381 BC, 2500fps mv

310yds   1839fps  901ft-lbs  -11.8" -10.9" drift

120gr Speer Hot Cor .433 BC 2500fps mv

350yds   1843fps    905ft-lbs   -18" drop  -12.2" drift

120gr Barnes TTSX .443 BC 2500fps mv

360yds  1840fps  902ft-lbs -19.8" drop  -12.7" drift

120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip .458 BC 2500fps mv

370yds  1844fps  906ft-lbs  -21.6" drop  -12.9" drift

123gr Hornady AMAX .510 BC 2450fps mv

400yds 1819fps   904ft-lbs  -28.5" drop  -13.9" drift

125gr Nosler Partition .449 BC 2420fps mv

340yds  1814fps   913ft-lbs  -17.3" drop   -11.6" drift

129gr Hornady Interlock Spire Point .445 BC 2400fps mv

330yds   1808fps   937ft-lbs   -15.8" drop  -11.1" drift

129gr Hornady Interbond .485 BC 2465fps

400yds  1802fps  930ft-lbs  -28.6" drop  -14.6" drift

129gr Hornady SST .485 BC same as above if you believe they have the same BC. I think the SST's is higher, especially when you compare it to the 123gr AMAX or 130gr Berger, but we'll see.

130gr Sierra HPBT Game King .355 BC 2500fps mv

310yds  1796fps  931ft-lbs  -12.1" drop    -11.9" drift

130gr Barnes TSX BT .365 BC 2460fps mv

300yds  1800fps   935ft-lbs  -10.8" drop     -11" drift

130gr Nosler Accubond .488 BC 2460fps mv

400yds   1802fps   937ft-lbs  -28.7" drop  -14.6" drift

130gr Berger Match VLD Hunting .552 BC 2460fps mv

450yds  1805fps  940ft-lbs  -40.1" drop  -16.3" drift

130gr Swift Scirocco .571 BC 2460fps mv

470yds  1799fps   934ft-lbs  -45.4" drop  -17.2" drift

140gr Swift A Frame .401 BC 2300fps mv

250yds  1809fps  1017ft-lbs   -4.8" drop    -7.4" drift

140gr Woodleigh PP SN .444 BC 2300fps mv

280yds  1804fps  1011ft-lbs  -8.6" drop   -8.4" drift

140gr Speer DeepCurl SP .462 BC 2315fps mv

300yds  1803fps  1011ft-lbs  -11.5" drop  -9.2" drift

140gr Hornady Interlock SP .465 BC 2315fps mv

300yds 1806fps 1014ft-lbs  -11.5" drop   -9.1" drift

140gr Nosler Partition .490 BC 2315fps mv

320yds   1800fps   1008ft-lbs -14.7" drop  -9.8" drift

140gr Sierra SBT GameKing .495 BC 2315fps mv

320yds  1805fps  1013ft-lbs -14.7" drop  -9.7" drift

140gr Speer Hot Cor .498 BC 2315fps mv

320yds  1808fps  1016ft-lbs  -14.7" drop    -9.7" drift

140gr Nosler Accubond .509 BC 2315fps mv

330yds   1804fps  1011ft-lbs  -16.4"  -10.1" drift

140gr Hornady SST .520 BC 2315fps mv

340yds  1800fps   1007ft-lbs  -18.25" drop   -10.5" drift

140gr Berger Match VLD Hunting .612 BC 2315fps mv

400yds   1800fps  1007ft-lbs    -30.7" drop   -12.3" drift

[stokesrj]

You can think about this several ways. I think of it in terms of destroying vital organs, not energy, not minimum velocity to upset the bullet, but in hitting that vital organ after traveling the required distance in air and in tissue.

The 6.5 Grendel is wonderfully forgiving of bullet construction in that it doesn't require a heavily consturcted bullet to withstand the high velocity impact and resulting shallow penetration of higher velocity calibers. It does really well with conventional construction, cup and core bullets. It seems to do best with bullets in the 120-130 grain weight class.

So, in my thinking job one is to hit the animal on a line that will penetrate to the vital organs providing the bullet perofms as required to do so. This means it has to pentrate on a straight line, though hide muscle and possibly bone. A wide range of bullets will do so provided they are sufficiently accutate from you gun. By this I mean 2 MOA or better out to 250 yards or 1.5 MOA out to 400 yards.

In my experience, the 129 grain Hornady SST is one of the best bullets out there, it is accurate, and holds together well at Grendel velocities, so does the 120 grain Sierra Pro Hunter.

I don't really think the premium Nosler Partion, Barns TSSX, Hornady GMX, Scirocco, and similar bullets are required for the Grendel, and certainly not of use on Whitetail deer. This is just my thoughts on the subject.

Bob

[LRRPF52]

I was interested to hear you cover down on this, as I can't think of too many people with the amount of experience you have taking game with 6.5mm projos. I can see how the conventional cup and core Soft Point bullets would work better than premium bullets that might have been intended to open at faster velocities.

I think most of these bullets would do well on game past the 1800fps/900fpe arbitrary threshold.

[JASmith]

...In my experience, the 129 grain Hornady SST is one of the best bullets out there, it is accurate, and holds together well at Grendel velocities, so does the 120 grain Sierra Pro Hunter.

I don't really think the premium Nosler Partion, Barns TSSX, Hornady GMX, Scirocco, and similar bullets are required for the Grendel, and certainly not of use on Whitetail deer. This is just my thoughts on the subject.

Bob

Would this suggest that the 120 gr Pro Hunter with a price of $25.49 at Midway, would be a good choice if one wants to use a single bullet for plinking, varmints, and medium game?

Similarly, have you or others had experience with the 120 grain Speer Hot-Cor in the Grendel?