Hunting & Fishing Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

[Bradu]

As the title says, which bullet are you guys using on deer? I used my 6.8 with 120 grain Hornady SST's this year for deer season and was not impressed by them. I only recovered one bullet this year and all that was left was the jacket, the other bullets were just shrapnel. I would find slivers of the jacket throughout the deer when field dressing them. The doe I shot yesterday was a 60 yards to into the boiler room, it shattered three ribs where the bullet entered but that was pretty much the only damage I seen. It barely slowed her down so I shot her in the head to put her down. I understand the bullet not going through a decent buck at 190 yards but I would have thought at 60 yards the bullet would go through a little doe.

 

[ceylonc]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

To took a nice 9-point buck in Alabama with a 110gr Sierra Pro Hunter loading from Silver State Armory. I used their "Combat" load, which is a little hotter than their standard loads. The shot wasn't far, maybe 75yds, and the buck ran about 50yds. He was "running dead", as the bullet broke a rib, destroyed the heart & lungs, and was residing just under the hide on the opposing side of the animal. Cut the bullet out & you could use it in a marketing ad for Sierra showing "perfect" mushroom expansion. I'd highly recommend this load for deer, hogs, etc. also produces sub MOA groups at 100yds, which is my zero (pretty consistent .8-.9" groups, my setup is for the woods/brush, not long range).

Hope this helps & best of luck.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

Can you go to 130 gr bullets? Hornady makes the 130 gn Interbond with the same BC as the 130 SST, but holds together on heavy game.

A bit more expensive but I use SSTs for practice and IBs for hunting. Loaded the same way, they shoot the same point of impact, and same velocity as my SSTs in my 270 Win.

 

[Bradu]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I will grab a couple boxes of the SSA with that bullet and try them out next year. As far as the 130 interbond, I don't reload and I can't find anyone that makes the 6.8 with that bullet so I'm shit out of luck. I did find Remington makes a core-lokt bullet in the 6.8 so I might try them since a lot of people I know hunt with them and have good success.

 

[bschneiderheinze]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I used hornady 120 sst and they worked very well this year. Nothing ran more than 30 yards. Last year I was using nosler 115 and had the one doe I shot run off and could not find her

 

[bribri]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

120 sst was my favorite as well, they worked on whitetail out to 400 yards.

 

[FAL1123]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I'm going to use the 140 berger from SSA this season, if I ever see a good buck.

 

[pwc001]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I have had great luck with the Barnes 85gr TAC-X FB, it is the same as the Triple Shock. I would not have a problem using their heavier bullets, that is just what I use for hogs, and would work fine on deer.

 

[pwc001]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

SSA loads Barnes bullets, they are out of the 85gr, but have the 110gr.

http://www.ssarmory.com/6.8_spc_ammo-110_Barnes_TSX_Tactical_Load.aspx

 

[F224]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I have shot several out of a bolt gun with 110gr V-max factory loads, making 2600fps in my gun. All have exited and left a silver dollar sized hole, the furthest one has run has been ten yards.

It is a deer killing machine. Normally I like heavy for caliber bullets, but these are perfect for hogs and deer in the 6.8spc.

 

[Chopperguy]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

110 Sierra Pro Hunter SSA loads.

Shot them from both my AR and CZ 527 bolt rifle.

Never needed the Tac loads to do the job and the standard loads were actually more accurate.

Tried the Barnes 110 TSX (?) loads but they acted just like a FMJ when penetrating deer at both 47 yards and 135 yards. Very small entrance and exit, little iternal damage and long stalk with bullets placed properly. Never again for me.

 

[hlee]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

Don't expect intact bullets with the polymer tipped bullets unless they are the barnes TTSX or bonded core bullets like the Swift Scirroco or Nosler Accubond. The nosler accutip, winchester ballistic tip and the like are for thin skinned game because they rapidly expand (and often fragment). Heck, even the much revered nosler partition generally separates into at least 2 pieces. Are you shooting factory ammunition or reloading? I ask because 140 gr barnes TSX bullets have been nothing but extremely deadly medicine out of my 270 win (same bullet diameter). I've never recovered a bullet as I have only ever had pass throughs (including 2 two-fers in the last 2 years on pigs). And, while the exit wounds are generally unimpressive (maybe 2x entrance diameter), the damage revealed when the animal is skinned is nothing less than awe inspiring. On the first pig I shot, you could see the X cut by the bullet in the skin of the exit wound as it went through. But, that shoulder was unsalvageable for table fare. My longest track to date has been 60 yards.

 

[346ci]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

Here are some that are known to work well: 85 and 95gr TSX, the 100 and 110gr Accubonds, the 120gr SSTs.

I've used the 110gr ProHunter's on deer, wasn't a good shot on my end but did the job. I now have several deer loads ready to test with the 110gr Accubond.

 

[JSTARSZ]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I like the Barnes 95G TTSX for deer hunting. They mushroom every time and I can load them up to around 2800fps. They are also very accurate as would normally get 3/4 to 1 MOA at a 100 yards out of them.

 

[ccoker]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I run 110 Accubonds or 95 TTSX for deer
Hogs, I prefer the 95 TTSX at 2850 FPS out of a 16" barrel

I have killed quite a number of deer and hogs with the 6.8 over the last 5 years.

If you have a SPC II chamber and 1 in 11 twist Wilson Combat loads the 95 TTSX to it's potential.

I have killed only one deer with the 110 AB, a buck at about 250, complete pass through on a shoulder shot, made it about 30 yards.

The 95g TTSX is THE bullet for the 6.8 though.
It will expand on soft tissue out past 300 yards and yet will hold up on a big pig shoulder shot at 30 yards..

a few kills with the 95 TTSX

Buck at 250

 

[Handloader]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

<span style="text-decoration: line-through">120 SST for me (when not in OHIO)</span>
Whoops, OP does not like these

 

[Bradu]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I am thinking I will try the 110 prohunter, the Barnes 95ttsx and the Berger 140. I will order some of each to see how the Noveske likes them and go from there.

 

[overkill375]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I have used the 110 pro hunters on loads of deer several antelope and 4 elk. Kelp them under 300 yards and the expand pretty good out of a 16 inch barrel. I want to try some of these "better" bullets but I am cheap.

 

[dk17hmr]

Re: Which 6.8 bullet for deer hunting

I really like the Hornady 110gr BTHP. It shoots like a match bullet in my 18" and hits like a hunting bullet. I have used 110gr V-max in the passed on deer but dont suggest it, they tend to come apart. I have used 110gr Pro Hunters on antelope with really good results. 110gr Accubonds shoot well in my Ruger 77 and I wouldnt feel bad about using it on an elk at closer range.