Justin asked:
For deer hunting I currently use the Remington Core Lokt 130gr. This isn’t about brand though. We hunt with anywhere from between 5-20 guys at camp (depending on the day). On most watches and drives, if the deer you hit (good or bad shot) goes more than 50 yards in some cases (over all hill or across a ridge) the next guy will shoot too. Thats how everyone works at camp and thats how they are. I don’t like this. I want my first deer to be mine, not one that 4 guys shot. Would it make a big difference to switch to a 150gr bullet? With the little extra weight make the difference in dropping the deer?
KINSEY
For deer hunting I currently use the Remington Core Lokt 130gr. This isn’t about brand though. We hunt with anywhere from between 5-20 guys at camp (depending on the day). On most watches and drives, if the deer you hit (good or bad shot) goes more than 50 yards in some cases (over all hill or across a ridge) the next guy will shoot too. Thats how everyone works at camp and thats how they are. I don’t like this. I want my first deer to be mine, not one that 4 guys shot. Would it make a big difference to switch to a 150gr bullet? With the little extra weight make the difference in dropping the deer?
KINSEY
JOLIE
no real diff
ELWYN
No, the heavier bullet will penetrate better on sharply angled shots, but that’s all. Placement is everything, and even what looks like a perfect heart shot can let the deer run a bit. Do everything you can with the bullet you have, and it’s largely up to luck from there.
LYNDSEY
nope you just gotta get better at moving kills. you wouldn’t catch me driving with that many people. i’d go still stalk first.
THERESE
Take your time place the shot, I use 150′s but I don’t believe there is an appreciable difference between 130 -150 I’ve seen deer hit with a .300 H & H who took off running a ways before keeling over. If you don’t place the shot you won’t get an instant kill. Remember aim for the point, not the deer.
BERNARD
You have my sympathies, that isn’t what most of us would call ethical hunting and is illegal in all the western states. It is your tag, you are the only one legally able to fill it—that might be the law in your state too. There should be no such thing as a ‘BAD SHOT” on a deer. You owe it to the deer and yourself to place a shot that will cleanly kill the animal or make it’s recovery certain, so chest or shoulder shots are best. If you can’t make an humane shot on the deer then the shooter has no right to take the shot.
As for the use of 150s, yes they provide more energy to transfer to the deer if they expand properly and you place a good shot, but never expect a deer to drop to the shot, it is going to keep going normally, at least a few yards. And the difference between the 130 and 150 isn’t that much. If you can hit where you aim then don’t worry.
Check your state laws on “party” hunts compared to individual tag ownership. You might have to re-assess who you hunt with simply because your ethics are different too. I know I took my 11 year old out last season and I would never allow him to partake in anything but his own experience. I was right by his side all the time so he wasn’t unsupervised, but we never did get a shot. We are blessed with a lot of public land out here too, and I know the hunting pressures in places like Wisconsin and Michigan, and similar places is severe.
KENYON
For deer, 130 grain is a great bullet coming from a 270. win cause of all the power
WALLACE
break bones stop the deer.
DARRYL
YOU HAVE ONLY THREE SPOTS TO HIT IF YOU WANT TO DROP A DEER IN IT’S TRACKS HEAD,NECK,OR BREAK IT’S BACK. THE 130GRN, vs 150 MAKES NO DIFFERENCE