Choosing a Bullet...

[Rich M]

I reload and shoot Sierra Game King or Speer flat base soft point 150s out of my 30-06 at about 2900 fps for southeastern whitetails (FL, GA, SC) out to about 200-250 yards (furthest was 260 yds).

Want to make 2 hunts in WY - antelope 2017 and mule deer in 2019. Both will be DIY but not mountain hunts. Figure to work up a load for both since I need to do some more shooting and hope to stretch myself out to 400 yards.

What should I use?

Antelope, mule deer, whitetails. 0-400 yards.

Stick with what I've been using or make a change?

Polymer or lead tip? flat base or boat tail? 150 or 165 gr?

I'm waffling between Game King BT, Accubond, and Nosler Partition.

Thanks.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I've used Sierra Bullets for 60 years. I currently use 150gr Game King BTs in my 30-06, used them since they started making them in bts. Sounds like you current load will do fine for both deer and antelope. You need to shoot them out to 400 yards to get a good feel for the ballistics. I don't think you need partitions for deer or antelope for sure. The more range time you get the more comfortable you will be shooting at the longer distances. If you can shoot when its windy do it, because the wind blows a lot in Wyoming.
My reloads for my 30-06 and just over 3,000 fps, so I think your current load is right in the ballpark. If it groups well, I wouldn't change a thing.

Good luck

 

[6mm Remington]

I've used Sierra Bullets for 60 years. I currently use 150gr Game King BTs in my 30-06, used them since they started making them in bts. Sounds like you current load will do fine for both deer and antelope. You need to shoot them out to 400 yards to get a good feel for the ballistics. I don't think you need partitions for deer or antelope for sure. The more range time you get the more comfortable you will be shooting at the longer distances. If you can shoot when its windy do it, because the wind blows a lot in Wyoming.
My reloads for my 30-06 and just over 3,000 fps, so I think your current load is right in the ballpark. If it groups well, I wouldn't change a thing.

Good luck

What CC said. They will work just fine.

 

[fackelberry]

Yep, What the other 2 have said. Your load will work fine here in Wyoming. Deer and Antelope aren't hard to kill. No need to spend any extra money on new bullets and burning more powder and primers. Just practice out to the distance you feel confident. I might suggest you change your sight in distance a little. Most guys i see from back east sight in at 100 yards. I would go with 200 yard zero at minimum and maybe 300 like i do on all my rifles here in WY. You can pretty much hold dead on out to about 350 with that zero. Your rifle will shoot a shade flatter at this elevation compared to sea level, not much maybe an inch or 2 but it helps. Just my eperiences out here. You will be just fine.

 

[Tim McCoy]

The only reason to change your current load is just because you want to or possibly to try a different higher BC bullet for a little better performance in the wind. Myself, I'd be very happy using the 150's on deer/antelope to 400 ish.

 

[Rich M]

Thanks, guys.

I was under the impression that flat based bullets were good to 300 and then went to pot ballistically. So, not to worry about it? Sounds like a decent plan in my book.

Also - if it shoots a little flatter up there in the thin air, sounds good too. (planning to hunt around 4,000-4,500 feet)

 

[fackelberry]

Flat based bullets do stabilize faster than a boattail, thats why alot of benchrest bullets for shorter range are flatbased. But out to your effective range, you, me and 90% of the people out there couldn't tell the difference in flatbased accuracy over boattail accuracy, specially in a hunting rifle set-up. Yep, forget about that part, shoot what you are confident in and practice to you effective range. Your set up is fine. And i also live at 4800 feet and it will take an inch or 2 off of your trajectory from sea level. You will have a blast!

 

[Rich M]

Thanks for that!

One less thing to worry about.

Back in January I loaded up 250 Speer 150 gr flat points - got my target ammo!

 

[JimP]

As the others said the only reason to change what you have now is if you really wanted to go to something different.

I have killed 90% of my mule deer and quite a few elk with 150 grain Sierra Game King bullets. I started using them back in the 1970's and had no problems with them. I just changed because I decided to go with premium type bullets but the animals were just as dead with the standard ones.

 

[Rich M]

Figured to try some of the fancy bullets for my dad - he asked me to try some poly tipped bullets. I did get 50 Accubonds and will load those up for him.

I was just fiddling around with a ballistics calculator and it says that if I used a 150 gr spire point, flat base, BC of about .389 (Speer Hot Core or Nosler Partition BC) zeroed at 300, the highest it would go would be about 5 inches at 175 yards and would have an 11 inch drop at 400. Dead hold range would be about 350. OF COURSE this has to be verified in the field.

Changing the elevation from 0 to 4500 feet reduced the trajectory by roughly an inch. That's pretty cool. Similar differences in using a 165 vs a 150 - about an inch diff at ranges.

The elevation never entered my mind - what I get for living at sea level. Originally had figured on a 200-250 zero (have a 200 zero right now) but will up that to 300 and get the old girl dialed in.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Flat base vs boattail.....the boattail group better in my rifle, that's the only reason I use them.

 

[fackelberry]

Yep Rich, i messed with a bunch of elevation scenarios on a computer a few years back for the load i was shooting. The elevation will affect your bullet more from sea level to 5000ft, than it will if you sighted in at 5000ft and then went hunting at 10,000ft. I shoot boattails also for 90% of my hunting, just what i started reloading with as a kid and they are easier to start into a case when seating the bullet. Plus they "look" cooler! haha. If you do sight in at 300, just practice shooting at that range and to 400. I used to guide hunters on a friends ranch for about 15 years and i had some sight in at 300. Most said they couldn't see past 100 yards where they hunted so that's how they were sighted in. It was hard for them to hold dead on an animal at 300 when i told them too, they just thought it looked WAY out there and they wanted to hold high. After dropping a few in the first shot, they were believers in the longer sight-in zero i had them make. I ALWAYS carry a rangefinder though. Big open country out here!

 

[Rich M]

Had not thought about elevation - where I hunt is often 5-10 ft above sea level here in the Sunshine State. Visibility is often less than 50 yards but I also head up to GA and hunt where I can see a little further.

WY is going to be quite a bit different.

Based on some similar advice, my first purchase was a Leupold 1200 rangefinder. Neat little gadget.

 

[fackelberry]

Can't go wrong with a rangefinder. It will be fun for you and you will try to get back as soon as you can! Guaranteed!

 

[Rich M]

Sounds good to me.

 

[mcseal2]

If you do go with a 300yd zero just be sure to check your max mid-range rise of the bullet. Check it and make sure you can remember it, if you are used to a shorter zero and less mid-range rise it might come pack to haunt you. I've seen it happen when people zero their rifle and it's 4" high at 150-175yds. With a hurried shot and rushed trigger pull it can help send a bullet high, and that extra couple inches of rise can come back to bite you. It works great for people that are used to it, but can be a problem for people who re-zero their rifle higher just for a trip out west. I've seen more critters missed high than low for sure.

I loaned my 6mm to a friend for a coyote tournament we did last fall, he forgot his rifle at his house. I had the 6mm for open grass areas and AR for more timbered places, plus the shotgun for thick stuff. I told him I was shooting a handloaded 70gr Ballistic tip over Superformance powder at 3725fps and not to hold high or low, just dead on to 350yds. He was so used to his 243 with a heavier slower bullet that he missed 9 shots at a group of coyotes I called in to 250yds with pup distress. The place we were calling was near a lake and gun range so the yotes were used to shooting and just kept milling around. They finally looped around toward me and I got a couple with the AR. His mind told him he should be 4" low at that range, and he just couldn't make the adjustment to hold dead on.

Something to consider if you are used to a load and zero.

 

[RLJ]

I think I would zero it more at 250 maximum, maybe even 225. At 250, max of 3.3 high at 150, and 4 low at 300. I wouldn't feel great about 5.5 high at any point on deer and antelope, and I think that most of your shots can be within 300 anyway with some stalking, which is the fun part for me. Good luck.