Can we really tell? Bullet weight

[Scott Tschirhart]

I was at Academy Sports and Outdoors today to pick up some Hoppe’s No. 9.

Ever since the last ammo shortage I make it a point to survey the ammo shelves to see what is available.

In .308 my favored Remington 150 gr CorrLockt was there in abundance and right next to it was the 180 gr version. I’ve always favored the 150s but I really don’t think I have a reason.

In the .30-30, I always buy 170 gr bullets over 150s…..again, I don’t have a good reason.

Surely these preferences have a source but I don’t know what 20 or 30 grains difference would possibly make over the distances I shoot.

Anybody else have preferences that they really can’t explain?

[JimT]

Yes I do!
They involve not only ammo choices, but women, cars, reading material, whiskey, church, Bible versions..... I could go on. Most, when examined closely, I could not seriously explain.

[Safestuffer]

Ive used a few cartridges in a few bullet weights on deer, and they all died on the spot or within 10 yards, I rhibk I might have "tracked" one 20 yards once.

The only difference i saw was the faster the bullet the bigger the mess so I tend to use heavier for caliber bullets

Our PNW blacktail are pretty small though.

[Griff]

It might be that I'm recoil sensitive, but I prefer lighter weight bullets in most cartridges. Excepting the .30-30, I rarely run them at full velocity. In it, It feels like it would make up for any errors in distance estimations.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Not a lot of difference.

https://youtu.be/bkFsEyf2UM0?si=dPo61vP9lFV92dyc

[samsi]

I also prefer the 170 in 30-30 (I've always felt that they're a bit more accurate) and 150's in 308, but 165's in the '06.

Humans are fickle creatures.

[mickbr]

More than once I found lighter bullets worked well on game where a gun magazine said it wouldnt.Things seem to tend to heavier and tougher bullets these days but I'm still happy with regular expansion and weight.

[geobru]

In my 308, I usually use 150 grain bullets for deer and 180 for elk. That came within 1/8" of costing me a nice whitetail buck. He was walking broadside at 55 yards and my rifle was sighted in for the 180 grain bullets, and that morning I grabbed 150s. At 55 yards, he difference in the POI was somewhere around 3". I aimed at the top of the neck and the bullet skimmed the top of the skull and removed a silver dollar sized piece of the skull plate that exposed the brain and killed the animal instantly. The weird thing about it was the brain appeared to be unscathed. Since that experience, I quit hunting elk and my rifle is sighted in for the bullet that I am using. Lesson learned!

[Blaine]

For 30wcf the first ammo I ever bought was 170s and they were very accurate in my Marlins and Winchesters. I didn't see any reason to change a good thing. I have 150gr for my .308 and have 180s for my 30-06. Same reasoning.

[t.r.]

I've toppled many animals with 170 grain ammo. This 6 X 6 was downed with my 30-30 at a distance of about 80 yards or so. TR

red stag 1.jpg

red stag 2.jpg

[Echo154]

I’m kinda in the frame of mind to use heavy for caliber bullets, kinda like if you gonna drive into a building do you want a Corvette or a bus!

[LeverGunner]

I generally use heavier bullets when given the option. I don't have a logical reason as to why.

The only deer I shot with a 30-06 so far was with 150 grain bullets, intended for deer. I chose that because the 180 grain bullets are for more thick skinned game. So, I do choose based on intended purpose.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Of course either would work on deer here in South Texas. I used a 150 gr in the .308 today and the deer went all of 6 feet. Pulped his lungs, broke his spine and went sailing off beyond him.

[Lastmohecken]

It kind of depends on the caliber. In my 45/70's, I have used the 300 grain hollow points for 30 years, but I just hunt deer and hogs, with the occasional coyote or armadillo. But if I hunted out west where likelihood of bumping into a big bear, then I would go to some hard cast loads with probably 400 gr weights, like some of the Buffalo Bores. But the 300's shoot flatter and open up good on deer.

270 win, I have always used 130 grain bullets because that's what the 270 built it reputation on, back in the day. I would go to 150's if I was to go on an elk hunt with the 270, but for deer, I just don't see the advantage.

308 Win, I probably ought to shoot lighter bullets, but my old BLR loves 180gr bullets and so I have used them in every 308 I have ever owned. Although, I recently purchased an older Ruger M77 tang safety ultra-light and I think maybe I will go with 150 grain bullets in it or at least start out that way. However, my 308's like heavy bullets, my Browning BAR semi-auto 308 doesn't shoot 150's as good as 180's.
At any rate, whatever caliber I use, if I find a good bullet weight that is accurate and kills game good, I usually just stay with it.

[Paladin]

Depends on the target, but heavier for anything bigger than a white tail 150+ gr. 30 Cal. Moose and brown bear .350 bonded or heavier Hard Cast in .45 Cal. I believe it does help on the big ones.

This moose was at 130 yards hit with a 45-70 Grizzly Hard cast bear load and walked 10 yards before it lay down.

P9121177 (2).JPG

After it went through 4.5 feet of moose.

Grizzly 420 Plus P.jpg

[BYork]

In my limited experience i think it comes down to this
Heavier bullet = more momentum, better penetration, less drop at distance, but slower velocity and more recoil.
Lighter bullet = higher velocity, flatter trajectory, less recoil, but less penetration and more wind drift.

[marlinman93]

For decades I've preferred the Speer 130 gr. flat points for .30-30 loads. It started when my nephew began deer hunting and his dad gave him his old Marlin 336 in .30-30 to hunt with. Since our area out West is lots of long shots in open terrain he was whining about not being able to shoot as far or as flat as our bolt action rifles in bigger cartridges. So I made up a box of .30-30's with the Speer 130's that moved out the barrel at 2600 fps and shot nice tight groups using H335. He shot a number of mule deer with the .30-30 and stopped complaining about taking longer shots. A couple were taken at 250 yds. or more with one shot kills.
After that I loaded nothing else for any .30-30 rifles I owned and other than heavier 150-170 grain cast bullets for plinking, I only load the Speer 130's for hunting here.