The ethics of proper bullet choice

[Deleted member 16014]

I don’t know how many elk, deer, bears, and antelope myself, @Carl and those borrowing our guns have killed with 139 scenars but it’s a lot. + a mountain goat. 35-40? Probably more. There are slipperier .264 projectiles out there but I’ve not seen another one that balances penetration and destruction so sweetly.
Word has it they even work on home raised beef.

 

[woods89]

I don’t know how many elk, deer, bears, and antelope myself, @Carl and those borrowing our guns have killed with 139 scenars but it’s a lot. + a mountain goat. 35-40? Probably more. There are slipperier .264 projectiles out there but I’ve not seen another one that balances penetration and destruction so sweetly.
Word has it they even work on home raised beef.

I think you've used the 147 ELD-M as well, right? Sounds like you prefer the Scenars?

I've been using 156 Bergers in my Creedmoor, but it feels like I have to lean on them pretty hard with RL 16. I've been considering dropping back to a 140 gr bullet, or possibly even just shooting the 130 TMK for everything. Seems like a lot of guys really like Scenars.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I think you've used the 147 ELD-M as well, right? Sounds like you prefer the Scenars?

I've been using 156 Bergers in my Creedmoor, but it feels like I have to lean on them pretty hard with RL 16. I've been considering dropping back to a 140 gr bullet, or possibly even just shooting the 130 TMK for everything. Seems like a lot of guys really like Scenars.

I have. The scenar is a tougher bullet, for a hunting bullet I prefer it to the 147.

 

[TheTone]

I don’t know how many elk, deer, bears, and antelope myself, @Carl and those borrowing our guns have killed with 139 scenars but it’s a lot. + a mountain goat. 35-40? Probably more. There are slipperier .264 projectiles out there but I’ve not seen another one that balances penetration and destruction so sweetly.
Word has it they even work on home raised beef.

Got any good load data for them out of a264 win mag? I’ve done far too little tinkering with mine

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Got any good load data for them out of a264 win mag? I’ve done far too little tinkering with mine

You’d be welcome to it but I don’t. Have loaded in small-mid size stuff only…260, 260ai, 6.5x47L, and 6.5C. They’ve been really easy to get to shoot in everything though, bet you won’t have any trouble.

 

[geetar]

What if the bullet comes from a modified Savage M99, home drilled for scope mounts?

Sounds like a tomteriffic choice to me.

 

[Bambistew]

Don't let anyone convince you that a Stinger is better than a solid for head shots on deer.

 

[Addicting]

Don't let anyone convince you that a Stinger is better than a solid for head shots on deer.

Never mind

 

[Hem]

Never seem to get past my boattails.

 

[Big Sky Guy]

143 grain eldx from 6.5 creedmoor. Full separation from jacket. Recovered the jacket and also somehow found the red tip.

 

[D_Walt]

I’ve killed, and witnessed the killing of, a significant number whitetails & hogs, and a handful of mule deer, elk and pronghorn. My experience has been that double lung shots kill 100% of the time, be it Barnes, Berger partition, scenars, ELD-X’s or corelokts; be they from a .223 or .338. Blood trails are another matter. Where I mostly hunt in South Texas the brush is incredibly thick, thorny and often damn near impenetrable. Good bloodtrails are critical down here. Good blood trails in my experience come from full penetration through the lungs or heart, and shot placement. High lung shots kill, but often leave little to no blood trail - be it with a .223 or big magnum. Low lungs or heart with full penetration and you will have a heavy blood trail almost every time. But, weird stuff happens when shooting live animals and no two shots are alike, so anecdotal evidence is all most of us have to draw conclusions from and base our confidence or disappointment in a certain bullet. My conclusion is the most accurate bullet from each rifle is what I go with. Some shoot Barnes, some Berger’s, one ballistic tips. Shoot straight, hit the lungs, get to skinning. Now, for all those unethical morons that shoot different broadheads than I do…

 

[TheJason]

I hear a .270 will bounce off of a hog.

 

[D_Walt]

I hear a .270 will bounce off of a hog.

I will say, in my experience big, nasty mature boar hogs can be damn hard to find if you shoot them to far forward - the bastards don’t bleed much when shot through their thick shielded shoulders.

 

[TheJason]

I will say, in my experience big, nasty mature boar hogs can be damn hard to find if you shoot them to far forward - the bastards don’t bleed much when shot through their thick shielded shoulders.

That’s because you only think the bullet went in. It’s like dragon scales, bullet just vaporizes.

 

[D_Walt]

That’s because you only think the bullet went in. It’s like dragon scales, bullet just vaporizes.

Now that you mention it, they are practically invincible. Maybe a perfect match for Liver King in a cage fight.

 

[TheJason]

Now that you mention it, they are practically invincible. Maybe a perfect match for Liver King in a cage fight.

YES!!!

 

[MTLabrador]

I haven’t hunted with match bullets myself, but on the faster expanding side of things I’ve used SSTs, ELD-X, and NBTs with good results. I’ve also used a bunch of Accubonds and TTSX and a few Hammers. They all worked well, I like the coppers and Accubonds for my purposes.

I have been really tempted to get a 6.5 Creed or .308 set up to dial and shoot a shitload of Scenars through it for steel and hunting. I don’t know anyone who puts more thought into gear than @SnowyMountaineer and he vouches for them…

 

[LuketheDog]

That’s because you only think the bullet went in. It’s like dragon scales, bullet just vaporizes.

So, true story...We were out hunting pigs on my buddy Ben's place in high school and he decided to try killing one with his Christmas gift .357mag. He sneaks in like a charging rhino on a bedding spot we knew in a big willow thicket, pigs go exploding out of there in every direction, and he gets one shot off. I see a big boar come hobbling out my side and kill it with my .270, and then Ben comes charging out all upset that I shot his pig so we go over to have a look. The .270 did what they do best (entry and exits in the front shoulders, but that's irrelevant because he said it's only good enough for deer), while the .357 slug was right in the middle of the back ham with less than 4" of penetration, basically a flesh wound. Those pigs are magical man...

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I haven’t hunted with match bullets myself, but on the faster expanding side of things I’ve used SSTs, ELD-X, and NBTs with good results. I’ve also used a bunch of Accubonds and TTSX and a few Hammers. They all worked well, I like the coppers and Accubonds for my purposes.

I have been really tempted to get a 6.5 Creed or .308 set up to dial and shoot a shitload of Scenars through it for steel and hunting. I don’t know anyone who puts more thought into gear than @SnowyMountaineer and he vouches for them…

I’d take Pat Sinclair’s 155 and 139 endorsement over mine, but he can keep his blue jeans and sweatshirts for backpacking. I’m not tough enough for that.

 

[Carl]

I don’t know how many elk, deer, bears, and antelope myself, @Carl and those borrowing our guns have killed with 139 scenars but it’s a lot. + a mountain goat. 35-40? Probably more. There are slipperier .264 projectiles out there but I’ve not seen another one that balances penetration and destruction so sweetly.
Word has it they even work on home raised beef.

Like Snowy mentioned, we've used 139 Scenars on game enough to be pretty confident in the results, and the results are good.

However, I'll be loading some ELD-M 147's in my 6.5 PRC for use in the future, unless I stumble upon a decent stash of 156 Bergers. The focus of that rifle tips me towards their superior BC's, and I expect either will perform like I'd want on game. I've been wrong before, but I do have one bull and two bucks under the belt with 147's, no complaints.