Bullet suggestion

[Nealm66]

My brother bought one of those super light   Tika rifles in 300 wsm. He had a muzzle break installed and a trigger job done ( it felt really stiff ) . He still wasn’t grouping very well so I told him to hang tough and I would help him work up a load. It has a 1-11 twist. I picked up some lead tipped 165 Sierra sbt thinking lesser recoil and a good match for the twist. A friend of mine said the lead tipped bullets out of his 300wsm caused too much damage. Should I bag the lead tips and go with something else? This gun will be used in Montana for mule deer in the Libby area

[grizzly340]

Velocity causes damage. A tipped bullet will open even faster. Bullet placement thru the lungs should limmit meat loss. Or you could use A bonded bullet or partition type that hold together better.
I load all the bullets for my deer camp
 And switched from 150 gr
 Balistic tip to 165 gr. Accubonds in are 30-06's
Because of that very problem. And I slowed them down. I had A meat processor call me because of bruseing meat where the bullet went thru hit the skin and went back in. Frontal shot that turned the whole side of the deer purple.

[Nealm66]

So you think the 165 accubonds would be a better choice? I had a friend tell me the sirrocos I loaded for his 270 wsm worked very well. I just couldn’t locate any.

[HuskyMusky]

150gr Barnes TTSX!

would help reduce kick that lighter bullet....also that 1:11 prefers the lighter bullets although it should be fine to stabilized anything int he 150-180 grains....

that 150 tsx....will stay together even on elk etc.., that would be my go to lightweight magnum elk rifle/bullet!

good luck.

[grizzly340]

Yes the Accubond won't blow up. It will hold together better. The sirrocos are A better made version of the accubond with a all copper jacket. But in my rifles don't shoot as well as accubonds.

[Nealm66]

Thank you, I won’t mess with the sierras then

[zonie]

I don't know why someone would say not to use lead tipped bullets with out knowing what the particulars are.  I agree with the 165/168's in that caliber you could also use a 130 Barnes TTSX, or any of the better 150 & 180's  although you might be crowding the case capacity with the 180's depending upon seating depth and what the gun's will allow.  Right now with component shortages as they are I would buy what you can find and if you can find more than one box of bullets or pound of powder It might be well worth just buying them, if it doesn't work I have no doubt you could sell the components locally probably that day.  Any way velocities aside,  meat damage is caused by shot placement  for the most part, there are bullets made to come apart  i.e. Berger. and any of your lighter jacketed cup and core bullets in a very high velocity caliber at closer impact ranges.  This is what I do for our main hunting rifles I gear everything for Elk and if we hunt Deer with that rifle if it's good enough for Elk it's good enough for Deer that way I don't have to mess around with multiple bullets and loads, one gun does it all.  Most of our core hunting rifles are geared for long range in excess of 600 yds +,  so that means high B/C bonded bullets or mono's and sometime whatever the most accurate is. You shoot a big enough bullet I don't care what the jacket is made out of or bonded that  heavy lead core is going to do it's work,  all lead core alloys are not the same hardness.   I would actually look for some Federal bonded tipped bullets  very good design taken after the trophy bonded bear claws (tbbc).  We have had good luck with Barnes TTSX-BT , TSX,  Nosler Accubonds and (Partitions  for closer ranges) Swift Scirocco very good bullets, and half a dozen other non- bonded bullets that work pretty darn well.   To  recommend one bullet in all situations is really hard to do,  good bullets are good bullets the problem is your rifle might not like them,   accuracy for sure is the most important imo,  bullet construction is important,  so is  bullet weight and impact ranges,  and what animals you are going for, along with confidence in your rifle and shooting ability.   I wouldn't put too much emphasis nit picking one bullet over the other for the most part.  I do find when load testing a finicky rifle choice of bullets and testing several different brands and styles can be key to acceptable accuracy.  Factory loaded ammo might be an option you never know.

[oldchet]

I own two Tikka rifles and they both love the pure copper jacketed Scirocco 2 bullets and now that i am required to use lead free they both like the Barnes TSX best. I do not have a 300 WSM.

[Nealm66]

Much appreciate the feedback. It will only be used for mule deer I suspect. He will use his weatherby for elk. I’ll keep my ey open for a better bullet. Not to say shot placement wouldn’t be the best fix but If there’s a better alternative I will be patient and wait for some to come available

[buffybr]

I've used lead tipped Sierra Spitzer bullets from my .257 Ackley for over 40 years as my primary hunting bullet for deer, antelope, and sheep.  With proper bullet placement just behind the animal's shoulder, meat loss is minimal.

On one trip to South Africa I shot 160 grain Accubonds from my 7 mm Rem mag.  One of my PH's, who also shot a 7 mm RM, was continually amazed at the large wound cavity that those bullets made in the animals that I shot.

Velocity causes damage. A tipped bullet will open even faster. Bullet placement thru the lungs should limmit meat loss...
... I had A meat processor call me because of bruseing meat where the bullet went thru hit the skin and went back in. Frontal shot that turned the whole side of the deer purple.

I agree 100% with your first comment.

I lost a good portion of one shoulder of an elk when I took a frontal shot with a 168 grain Barnes TTSX bullet from my .300 Weatherby.  The bullet hit the upper leg bone just at the shoulder blade socket.  It made a huge wound cavity in the shoulder meat, caused almost half of the shoulder to be bloodshot, went through one lung and the stomach, and the bullet stopped in the opposite ham.

I've never seen a bullet hit the skin and go back into the animal.  I've shot a lot of animals, especially elk with Partitions, where I've found the bullet just under the skin on the opposite side of the animal.  I think what happens there is the Partition sheds it's front half leaving a wide, flat partition that doesn't have enough remaining energy to penetrate the skin.   

[catskinner]

I picked up a Tikka T3 lite in 300WSM  in a gun trade a few years back, and one of the bullets that it shot well was the 165 gr SPBT sierra's. I sold it, before anyone used it on anything, but honestly, I would have no trouble using that bullet for mule deer. Like someone already posted the 150 gr TTSX would be another good bullet to try in the 300 WSM.

Rob

[ifuonlynu]

Only thing that causes damage to game is the shooter. So
Many try to blame bullets that have been working for many many decades.

[eford]

The friend is mostly wrong about the soft lead tip bullets causing too much meat damage. Of course there can be bruising of the meat. There can also be a pass-through with the bullet touching no bones and making the lungs mush. In other words, shot placement rocks.
It is possible a lead core, 165 grain bullet has the accuracy he is comfortable with. Ten years ago with my 300 Wby I had 165gn Interlocks that I thought were the answer untilI tried 180gn Interlocks and got even smaller groups. The animal won’t go far with a well placed shot, except down.