Good 150 grn 30-06 Deer bullet?

[MikeStaten]

Looking for an accurate 150 grain bullet for deer for my '06. Have used Nosler ballistic tips and they've been great but I'm also considering the Sierra Pro-hunters and the speer hot cor (significantly cheaper than the noslers). These any good?

Thanks,
Mike

[alaska2go]

Speer & Sierra

I have wacked alot of critters w/ the 2 brands of bullets.....

[pinehavensredrocket]

Looking for an accurate 150 grain bullet for deer for my '06. Have used Nosler ballistic tips and they've been great but I'm also considering the Sierra Pro-hunters and the speer hot cor (significantly cheaper than the noslers). These any good?

Thanks,
Mike

you might try remington corelocts.....they are accurate, cheap, and deadly!

jh

[BrownBear]

you might try remington corelocts.....they are accurate, cheap, and deadly!

jh

Agreed. Among the non-Noslers, this is my order of preference based on limiting meat distruction: Remington Corelokt, Speer Hot Core, Hornady, and then Sierra. I really like Sierras for accuracy and they're fine performers on meat a longer range, but you'll be sorry inside 50 yards at typical 06 velocities. If I'm counting on shots in close cover I go to the 180 RN in any of the first three brands while dropping velocities down to around 2200-2300fps, much like the 30-40 Krag to limit meat distruction. Frankly I haven't tried Sierras in that role, but I bet with the velocity drop they'd be just fine too.

[MikeStaten]

I kind of just assumed the core-lokts would be inferior as far as accuracy goes. Are they generally as accurate as the others? Being that I hunt in NY and 99% of shots are within 75 yds I think I'll stay away from the Sierra's. Guess I've got it rounded down to the core lokts, ballistic tips and speers. Any further suggestions?

[TomM]

Interlock

150 Hornady Interlock would be my pick over 52 grains of IMR 4064, followed by the Hot-Cor's. Hornady ime run neck and neck with sierras for accuracy, but the hornady holds up a lot better. The hot-cor's also hold up good, but can be a little fussy in some rifles.

[BrownBear]

I kind of just assumed the core-lokts would be inferior as far as accuracy goes. Are they generally as accurate as the others? Being that I hunt in NY and 99% of shots are within 75 yds I think I'll stay away from the Sierra's. Guess I've got it rounded down to the core lokts, ballistic tips and speers. Any further suggestions?

I've had some guns that really liked the Coreloks and some the didn't just about like every other make of bullet out there. I'd check all three for accuracy in your gun, then go with the on that works best. There's very little difference between them for terminal performance-- all good till you get up to magnum velocities and short range shooting. For your kind of -75 yard shooting I devote more time to finding the most accurate moderate velocity loads. My target in the 06 class of cartridges is anywhere between 2200 and 2600 fps, whether it is a reduction in powder charge or increase in bullet weight that gets me there. All the "cup and core" bullets such as we're discussing perform really well in that range without coming apart and without excess meat loss. If I'm loading hot with any cartridge and pushing bullets 2800 fps+ I'm going with Nosler partitions. They hold together real well if you have to shoot up close, yet they expand really well even at very long range. Kind of a "crossover" or multi-purpose bullet for me. But scratch the long range shooting, and I don't need the super velocities or high dollar bullets.

[Ozarks]

One not to use...

Just FYI, for your close range work I would not use 150 Gr Hornady SST. I have shot two deer with -06 w/the 150 gr SST and a lot of meat damage inside 100 yards. I don't recall the load, but they were very accurate, but seemed to open much quicker than Nosler BT's and the regular Hornady Interlock.

[OldRgr]

Use the corelokts or the hornady interbond. Others will not penatrate as well and you will lose more meat-- IMO. J.

[PRDATR]

Mike,

I personally do not like or have seen good results with plastic tipped bullets on deer sized game. Too much meat damage. I don't understand why some hunters turn their nose up on the Cor loks for deer. The price is right and accuracy can be as good as it gets for factory ammo. My son uses them for practice and hunting on all but the biggest game with excellent results at reasonable ranges. Biggest game to date was a Cow Elk with 180 gr CL at under 50 yards.

[300S&W]

Best 150's I used for minimum meat damage in 30yrs were the 150gr Nosler Solid Base bullets but they were discontinued 2X. Luckily I got a,hopefully,lifetime supply. The Speer 150gr flat base use to perform similarly. Maybe it still does?