Favorite factory loads for deer

[Dogfish]

I know that many folks out there handload. I have only loaded about 2.5 million or so rounds since I turned 23, (had a commercial loading business), but lots of folks out there don't have the time or patience it takes to develop a good pet load (money shouldn't be a factor 'cause you will save money in the long run). Let me know what factory loads have worked for you.

My favorites are as follows:

PMC Eldorado with Barnes-X copper solid hollow points, 150 grain for my .308, .30-06, and .300 Win Mag rifles. I am lucky that this was the best round for each rifle because the bullets perform so well. I shot a wounded deer for my friend with my .300 after his rifle jammed (we were about 60 yards apart). I hit the deer in the spine, then a few ribs, and one shoulder before that round finally came to rest under the hide. The retained weight of the bullet was 148.2 grains from a 150 grain bullet, and it was in a perfect 4 leaf mushroom shape.

For my little Ruger .44 mag carbine, it prefers Hornady Custom ammo with 300 grain XTP's. I have only shot one deer, and two coyotes with this rifle, so I have yet to recover a bullet. For some reason, none of these animals were not stout enough to stop the bullet.

My .54 T/C just loves the Hornady Great plains bullet in the 425 grain weight. I know it isn't a factory load, but it is a factory bullet.

Shoot straight.

Andy

[Zen Leecher aka Bill W]

Factory load... what's a factory load? Only ones I get to shoot are steel shot during duck season. Last year I only got to carry them as shooting was minimal.

Deer rifles, varmint rifles and target rifles.... haven't shot factory loads since I bought a .22 Hornet and shot factory ammo to get empties to start reloading.

Even though I've reloaded since the mid 60's I still haven't figured out if it's because I like to tailor the loads to the rifle and game, or if it's because I'm cheap.

[Bait O' Eggs]

My browning A bolt 300 mag does not have a BOSS on it (bought before BOSS came around). It has shot OK, but never great. I am usually shooting into dirt slides at longer distances and have never really bench rest shot it, or paper shot it until a couple years ago. I have been handloading since I was 12. I was never particular on what brand of bullet I used. I would buy a box of 180 grain boat tail bullets, and some IMR 4831 powder. Use the chart and load them up.

A friend took me out to a range for some more precise shooting ,and I could not believe it was me that was dropping the bullets all over the paper. I was shooting about a 5 inch group at 100 yards. My buddy made some snide comments and then proceeded to shoot a 5 inch group with the same gun. I dont remember what bullets I had loaded last, probably what ever was on sale. I was using 73 grains of IMR 4831.

We loaded up at least 20 loads using varying powder and bullet brands. I was really surprised at the different group sizes. Some would be close to 6 inches and some closer to 3 inches, but it was always a consistant group size for each load. I was not happy at all with a 3 inch group and was about to dump the rifle and get another one when we started to play with the amount of bullet length. We seated some bullets deeper and some out longer. This really affected the groupings also. Finally I found out that when I had a fairly long cartrige length and a speer bullet and 74 grains of powder I could shoot a 1 inch group at 100 yards consistantly. We found this length by leaving the bullet seated shallow, and we would chamber the bullet and look for rifling marks on the bullet. We kept seating the bullets deeper until we were just shy of touching the rifleings. By minumizing the distance the bullet had to travel to get into the barrel really affected the group sizes.

The problem now was the bullet was too long to be put in the clip. I had about a 1/16th inch lenth problem or less. I could load them as singles thru the top of the gun. I took the clip to a gunsmith who modified my clip so they would fit.

I am really happy with how the gun shoots now and it took a lot of time and effort to find "the" load that shot best in the gun, but it was worth it. Having confidence in your gun goes a long way in the field.

I will do this process for each gun I buy in the future.

[fish forever]

i'm one of those that doesnt have the time or patience to handload. Work during the week, and want to spend the weekends fishing or hunting not loading.

Have tried about 15 different factory cartridges in my Rem M700 30-06. Most will shoot between 1 and 2 inch, 5shot groups. Best group i have been able to get in this gun is from a 150 grain, remington pointed soft points which consistently come in at 1 inch or less -> mostly due to the shooter. Ironically, the Rem PSPs are the cheapest most common load i could find.

[Fish Hunter]

BOE, I had the same cartridge length dilemma when trying different bullets for my A-bolt .338 , good tip on the magazine mod. My rifle also likes the bullets closer to the rifleing. I did find a deer/antelope/practice round for the .338, using Nosler 180 gr. ballistic tips and 4831 right from the Nosler book. It worked best when the cartridges were at the max length for my magazine. I swear the 1st 3 shots of this combo were touching like a cloverleaf at 100 yrds. Usually groups about an inch. Unfortunatly this combo only groups this well when I use Federal premium brass. Tried cheaper Winchester bulk brass and the group size increased to 1.25 to 1.5" [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
I have yet to kill anything with it yet. Seems to shoot flat. I won't use it on Elk that bullet isn't tough enough for that. But when my wife is using the .308, and we finally [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] draw those OR antelope tags I'll have something other than 250gr lead to throw.

[Fish Hunter]

Oh.. factory loads....Oh yea..
Like the Hornady light magnums in 150 gr. for the .308 , good groups, no bullet problems on the last 3 deer.
I've heard a few shakey stories about the green and yellow boxed Remington core-locked not firing when you need them most.

[Dogfish]

I have a pet load for my .300 using 200 grain Match Kings that will consistantly group in the 1/2" territory. It takes a lot of work to produce a round like that, but those bullets won't hold up too well on deer. I was lucky to find one lot of those Eldorados that worked very well out of the same .300. A great bullet, no muss, no fuss, and they group between an inch and 1.5 inches. I have yet to need better accuracy than that from a hunting rifle. I bought 6 boxes at $15.00 a box. It would take me an hour or more to load two boxes of those Match Kings. Time is precious when you have kids. Andy

[Firedog]

When I did shoot factory loads in my .280 I shot 140 grain core lokts. That was mainly just to get brass to handload though [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Used to be a lot harder to find .280 brass and beside it was fun to go out and shoot a couple boxes for practice.

[bigamehunter]

Federal Prenium's Vital-Shok by far!

[hunt2much]

Weatherby; 257 wby mag 100 gr. Barnes TSX!!!

[jokester]

Federal Vital-Shok 165gr. Nosler Partitions for my .06

-jokester

[Dan360]

For my 30-06: Federal Premium 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, Federal Premium 180gr Nosler Partition and Accubond, Federal Gold Medal 168gr Match.

For my 7x57: Federal Premium 140gr Nosler Partition

For my 270: Federal Premium 140gr Nosler Accubond or Federal Premium 130gr Sierra GameKing

These are all factory loads that I can use in a pinch. Some of them shoot less than 1 inch, but most are around 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches.

[Blackbeardown]

Many years ago when I shot a .270 I slayed many a deer with Remington 130 grain Bronze Points.

Wow...talk about put them right down.

[Switch]

Tried quite a few different factory loads out of my 270 and it seems to group the best with the cheap everyday remington core lokt 150 grains. I thought I would try some of the premium ammo but it didnt like it.

[young_gun]

i have bad dreams about core-lokts......

My last rifle deer hunts ive just stuck with my .300 win 180Gr Barnes MRX, but before that i used to shoot 270 win 130gr ttsx. Great results with both.

[shedfreak]

hornady out of all my guns

I have seen a deer or two go down with the silver tips and they were very impressive.

[WSU]

I shoot 200 grain sierra gamekings in my .300. Groups at around an inch, probably a little more on average.

My wife's .270 shoots 130 grain tsx's at around an inch, or a little under.

Both loads are federal premium. Both are deadly on critters from deer to elk to bear.

[ehunter]

I am hand loader now but for many many years I used green box rem in the 150 grain version for my old 06 and killed lots of deer with no problems. The only mis fire I have had was using Wincherster in the mid 70's cost a me a huge buck.

Now since I reload I get great accuracy under a inch with my 270 60 gr H4831SC 130 partition. Form my 06 getting really good accuracy with the 165 partition in a 58 grain pill of H4350.

[bigamehunter]

Originally Posted by ehunter

The only mis fire I have had was using Wincherster in the mid 70's cost a me a huge buck.

Ouch!

[larry the jeep guy]

Its nice that someone posts about factory ammo and you have to read through 50 post about handloading befor you get to the true responses. Lets keep to the subject at hand which is factory loads!!

[bigamehunter]

Originally Posted by larry the jeep guy

Its nice that someone posts about factory ammo and you have to read through 50 post about handloading befor you get to the true responses. Lets keep to the subject at hand which is factory loads!!

[ehunter]

I was young and dumb and in that one box I had three shells misfire. I picked up the shell reloaded into my gun and tried to fire it again as that old black tail buck stood there at 60 yards. All three shells were in that mag. Go figure.

Originally Posted by bigamehunter

Ouch!

[bigamehunter]

Originally Posted by ehunter

I was young and dumb and in that one box I had three shells misfire. I picked up the shell reloaded into my gun and tried to fire it again as that old black tail buck stood there at 60 yards. All three shells were in that mag. Go figure.

I can't believe it!

[Legend21]

I've always used the Rem Core-Lokt PSP's, and love them! Used both the 150's, 180's, and even tried the Managed Recoils one time, without issue. I've heard all the horror stories, etc, but I couldn't be more pleased. Shot hundreds and hundreds of these guys and had one misfire in 10yrs. Killed several deer and elk with them, as well as 2ltr bottles, milk jugs, old televisions, they work just dandy.

[Firedog]

Originally Posted by larry the jeep guy

Its nice that someone posts about factory ammo and you have to read through 50 post about handloading befor you get to the true responses. Lets keep to the subject at hand which is factory loads!!

Heck your also reading a 9 year old thread!

[larry the jeep guy]

it shouldnt matter

[bigamehunter]

Originally Posted by larry the jeep guy

it shouldnt matter