SJAdventures

With hunting whitetail is there really enough benefit of a 300gr bullet over a 250gr bullet? I shot some 300gr Scorpion PT Gold with a black cr sabot and 120gr of BH and at 100yds it really stacked them on top of each other but that bullet and load just beat the fire out of me and honestly just was not that much fun to shoot at the range. I am not recoil shy and was able to still shoot moa with that load but it kicks considerably more than my 300wm or my Rem 700 saum did. I realize when shooting at a deer I would never feel the recoil but since the 250 gr Barnes TMZ with 110gr of BH shoots so good (sub moa) out of my gun is there a need for me to shoot the bigger bullet for whitetail hunting? I feel pretty confident that a 250gr bullet on 110gr of BH has plenty of knockdown left out to 200yds.

jaybez101099

No i wouldn't worry it seems more than a few use a 45cal on here(185gr-200gr). It's more about shot placement than size of projectile.

lemoyne

Dead is dead, I have used 250 gr bullets on deer, boar and black bear and taken them down with out a problem. The foot pounds of energy that go into the hill behind the deer do not bring it down better or faster.
Good bullets make more difference than extra bullet weight beyond whats needed.

builder459

At longer ranges 175-225 i believe the 300 gr is a better choice, with it's better BC and energy carried down range.if your shots are under those distances, then the .250 is the ticket.. Ray

nchawkeye

I have to use 300 grainers because I shoot Hornady XTPs and we all know they come to pieces on these tough deer we have here in NC...

Breechplug

I have never used anything heavier than the 240gr XTP's, shots from 0-200yds no problem. And as far as them (Tough) Deer in NC, our Deer are even Tougher and Bigger here in NY and the XTP's still put em down.
As long as you have enough Powder backing your Bullet and your shots are where they should be then you'll be just fine with the 250gr Bullett.
(BP)

sabotloader

SJAdventures

As someone has already mentioned... Range is one of the key factors in my mind. The heavier projectile tends to extend the range a bit, but more importantly as the range goes up so do the external factors that can move your bullet. These external factors are probably the least thought of factors when it come to shooting the longer ranges while hunting. The lighter the bullet and quicker it looses velocity the more effect these external factors are going to have on the flight of the bullet.

Probably one of the biggest reason that some of the ML hunters think we are nuts shooting these light weight bullets vs. their 400+ grain freight trains. These big conicals are effected much less by the external factors.

SJAdventures

I figured as much with the down range energy benefits of the bigger bullets but just wondered if that was even an issue out to only 200yds and with whitetail? I would definitely go with a minimum 300gr bullet if hunting elk to the larger bears.

sabotloader

I would have no problem with a 250 grain bullet out to 200 in most circumstances, hunting whitetail. @ 175 yards I feel it is automatic.

I did hunt with a 45 Knight this fall using a Lehigh 40-200 grain and I did harvest a deer @ 190+ yards with it. Worked very well... with plenty of internal damage to the animal.