What kind of bullet?

Shootester · 12-21-2007, 12:47 AM

I've been trying to find out about this and have not find out an answer. What type of bullet is best for hunting varmint? I herd FMJ is not good for hunting so what should I use instead?

Mooseman684 · 12-21-2007, 12:50 AM

Either Soft point or Hollow point bullets...

Shootester · 12-21-2007, 01:06 AM

Thx Moose!

toolman · 12-21-2007, 02:11 AM

Ballistic-Tips works well also.

irish murphy · 12-21-2007, 03:06 AM

What are you using?rifle and calibre?

NesikaChad · 12-21-2007, 04:29 AM

22-6mm caliber:

Barnes makes a nasty one

Nosler "B" tips are great

Hornady Vmax

Berger MEF's are just SICK and demented!

Pink "misties" all day with any of these so long as you stoke up the loads.

30 cal: (Not your typical varmint load, but these two work good)

110 Grain Sierra hollow points in a 308 will ventilate a prairie dog quite well.

There is also a Sierra 30 cal hollow point pistol bullet that is just incredible when loaded in 308. I think they are 90 grainers, but I can't remember. Only tried it once. They peter out quick so use them up close, no further than about 200 yards. It's pretty much a flying trashcan.

BIG BOOMERS:

125 grain nosler ballistic tips are flaming death when shot out of cannons like the 300-338 Lapua Magnum, 300 Remington Ultras, and the 300-378 Weatherby.

I have a 300-338 with a 34" barrel and I get over 4400fps with these.

If you can't hit the dog, then get out the "crew served bolt guns" and blow his mound off the map!

Farmer · 12-21-2007, 07:10 AM

Shootester,

Benchresters use hollowpoints and they tell me the hollow fills with air and makes its own perfect point therefore not relying on a machine to make the imperfect point. So it should fly truer. Not my explanation, this was from an old benchrester with about 40 years on the bench.

So when i went varmenting, bunnies, used .223 with 52gn hollow points.

But have also used 40gn balistic silvertips with great sucess

billy · 12-21-2007, 07:49 AM

farmer,
competition rnds. are hollow points so it must be true.

samuel · 12-21-2007, 08:47 AM

Farmer is correct on the hollowpoint.Where it varies is some handgun auto-loaders(few)wont load them and some rifles with slow twist bbl,s wont stabilise the bullet which is longer than the same weight in a softpoint.I dont really know why but most polimer tip hp,s are extremely accurate. sam.

rdale501 · 12-21-2007, 12:18 PM

I just read about the hallow points building air cushions at the tip. It is an interesting concept. When you think about it, the speed of the bullet is going to cause the hallow tip to collect air. As soon as it is full it will form this cushion they are talking about. I see why this would work, but why wouldn't a pointed ballistic tip work as well. Is there an advantage to having the air tip over the synthetic one? Also it looks to me like the hallow tip is going to move the weight destribution,of the bullet, to the rear . Any Advantages or dis-advantages to this?

irish murphy · 12-21-2007, 04:46 PM

My balistic tip loads shoot half inch groups no problems from either my 222 or 22/250.One thing i will say,hollow points are very accurate also.But there might be to different grades.Match and hunting.The match grade bullets will fly better but dont open up the same as a hunting projectile.I have used some australian made projectiles called Taipans in my 303.They are the most accurate bullet for any of my 303.They are match grade.I shot a pig with this bullet and it pencilled straight through.Just like a FMJ.If it was a hunting grade bullet it would have made a huge exit wound.The pig did die but it didnt have the desired affect.So watch the type you use.Varmint grade projectiles will be right.

Shootester · 12-21-2007, 09:17 PM

Thx for the explination irish.

lefty o · 12-21-2007, 09:38 PM

are you hunting, or looking to collect pelts to sell. for pelt collecting, i'd go with a heavy for caliber bullet put through the critters ears- no pelt damage. for recreationa hunting, any rapidly expanding bullet, be it sp, hp, or ballistic tipped.

sunray · 12-28-2007, 11:01 PM

"...I herd..." Cattle or sheep?
There is no best bullet for any game. There will be a best bullet weight for your rifle though. Which one depends on the cartridge and the rifling twist your rifle barrel has. A fast twist in most calibres will stabalize heavy bullets better than a slow twist. You need to know what the twist is to help determine what bullet weight will shoot best out of your rifle. After that, it really doesn't matter what bullet you use on varmints. If it's legal where you are, hunting varmints with your deer rifle is fabulous off season practice.
Hunting with military ball FMJ's is illegal in most places. However, commercial FMJ's aren't the same thing. The jackets are thinner and are made for hide hunting. Coyotes and fox in winter have luxurious thick fur. Commercial FMJ's don't blow big holes in said hides. The same bullet(Speer 90 grain FMJ's out of my .243) make puncture wounds in a ground hog with no exit hole. Said ground hog(they're a wram weather creature only. They're one of the few animals that actually hibernate) is deader than the proverbial door knob.

12-21-2007, 12:47 AM	#1
Shootester Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 218	What kind of bullet? I've been trying to find out about this and have not find out an answer. What type of bullet is best for hunting varmint? I herd FMJ is not good for hunting so what should I use instead?

12-21-2007, 12:50 AM	#2
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 10,567 Images: 2	Either Soft point or Hollow point bullets... __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

12-21-2007, 02:11 AM	#4
toolman Mr. Fixit Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: abilene,tx Posts: 5,864 Blog Entries: 24	Ballistic-Tips works well also. __________________ cosmoline is an aphrodisiac!

12-21-2007, 04:29 AM	#6
NesikaChad Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Black Hills South Dakota Posts: 48	22-6mm caliber: Barnes makes a nasty one Nosler "B" tips are great Hornady Vmax Berger MEF's are just SICK and demented! Pink "misties" all day with any of these so long as you stoke up the loads. 30 cal: (Not your typical varmint load, but these two work good) 110 Grain Sierra hollow points in a 308 will ventilate a prairie dog quite well. There is also a Sierra 30 cal hollow point pistol bullet that is just incredible when loaded in 308. I think they are 90 grainers, but I can't remember. Only tried it once. They peter out quick so use them up close, no further than about 200 yards. It's pretty much a flying trashcan. BIG BOOMERS: 125 grain nosler ballistic tips are flaming death when shot out of cannons like the 300-338 Lapua Magnum, 300 Remington Ultras, and the 300-378 Weatherby. I have a 300-338 with a 34" barrel and I get over 4400fps with these. If you can't hit the dog, then get out the "crew served bolt guns" and blow his mound off the map! Last edited by NesikaChad; 12-21-2007 at 04:32 AM.

12-21-2007, 07:10 AM	#7
Farmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Limbri NSW Au Posts: 322	Shootester, Benchresters use hollowpoints and they tell me the hollow fills with air and makes its own perfect point therefore not relying on a machine to make the imperfect point. So it should fly truer. Not my explanation, this was from an old benchrester with about 40 years on the bench. So when i went varmenting, bunnies, used .223 with 52gn hollow points. But have also used 40gn balistic silvertips with great sucess __________________ Cheers, Rob I'm into gun control - I always use both hands!!!!!!!

12-21-2007, 01:06 AM	#3
Shootester Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 218	Thx Moose!

12-21-2007, 03:06 AM	#5
irish murphy Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canberra,Australia Posts: 1,028 Blog Entries: 5	What are you using?rifle and calibre?

12-21-2007, 07:49 AM	#8
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 14,347 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 154	farmer, competition rnds. are hollow points so it must be true. __________________ "I would never die for my beliefs because what if I'm wrong?"- Bertrand Russell

12-21-2007, 08:47 AM	#9
samuel Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,237	Farmer is correct on the hollowpoint.Where it varies is some handgun auto-loaders(few)wont load them and some rifles with slow twist bbl,s wont stabilise the bullet which is longer than the same weight in a softpoint.I dont really know why but most polimer tip hp,s are extremely accurate. sam.

12-21-2007, 12:18 PM	#10
rdale501 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: oregon Posts: 420	I just read about the hallow points building air cushions at the tip. It is an interesting concept. When you think about it, the speed of the bullet is going to cause the hallow tip to collect air. As soon as it is full it will form this cushion they are talking about. I see why this would work, but why wouldn't a pointed ballistic tip work as well. Is there an advantage to having the air tip over the synthetic one? Also it looks to me like the hallow tip is going to move the weight destribution,of the bullet, to the rear . Any Advantages or dis-advantages to this?

12-21-2007, 04:46 PM	#11
irish murphy Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canberra,Australia Posts: 1,028 Blog Entries: 5	My balistic tip loads shoot half inch groups no problems from either my 222 or 22/250.One thing i will say,hollow points are very accurate also.But there might be to different grades.Match and hunting.The match grade bullets will fly better but dont open up the same as a hunting projectile.I have used some australian made projectiles called Taipans in my 303.They are the most accurate bullet for any of my 303.They are match grade.I shot a pig with this bullet and it pencilled straight through.Just like a FMJ.If it was a hunting grade bullet it would have made a huge exit wound.The pig did die but it didnt have the desired affect.So watch the type you use.Varmint grade projectiles will be right.

12-21-2007, 09:17 PM	#12
Shootester Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 218	Thx for the explination irish.

12-21-2007, 09:38 PM	#13
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 5,110	are you hunting, or looking to collect pelts to sell. for pelt collecting, i'd go with a heavy for caliber bullet put through the critters ears- no pelt damage. for recreationa hunting, any rapidly expanding bullet, be it sp, hp, or ballistic tipped.

12-28-2007, 11:01 PM	#14
sunray Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 98	"...I herd..." Cattle or sheep? There is no best bullet for any game. There will be a best bullet weight for your rifle though. Which one depends on the cartridge and the rifling twist your rifle barrel has. A fast twist in most calibres will stabalize heavy bullets better than a slow twist. You need to know what the twist is to help determine what bullet weight will shoot best out of your rifle. After that, it really doesn't matter what bullet you use on varmints. If it's legal where you are, hunting varmints with your deer rifle is fabulous off season practice. Hunting with military ball FMJ's is illegal in most places. However, commercial FMJ's aren't the same thing. The jackets are thinner and are made for hide hunting. Coyotes and fox in winter have luxurious thick fur. Commercial FMJ's don't blow big holes in said hides. The same bullet(Speer 90 grain FMJ's out of my .243) make puncture wounds in a ground hog with no exit hole. Said ground hog(they're a wram weather creature only. They're one of the few animals that actually hibernate) is deader than the proverbial door knob.