15 hunting bullets I recommend! 

The Absolute Hammer Hunters have even less pressure build than the standard Hammers. Now they are coming out with Tipped Absolute Hammer Hunters. Those should be an outstanding product!

I'd say your description of each of these bullets was as good as anyone else could have done. We have lots of great choices available to us these days. For me, the Accubond combines very good accuracy with reasonably high bc along with good expansion as well as penetration. But there are several others that provide all of these qualities. Handloading gives you the ability to choose the perfect bullet for your specific hunting needs and preferences.

If money was no object I would use Nosler Partitions but practicing enough with those is ridiculously expensive. Same for the Accubond line. I have one unopened box of .277 150 grain Nosler Partitions that I’ve been saving for a western states hunt. Actually in the last 50+ years I’ve killed more deer with the common Hornady 150 grain spitzer in my 22” barreled Ruger 77 270 Winchester at around 2800 fps than any other rifle I own. On my central Kansas farm I could have a 400 yard shot across a soybean field but more than likely less than 300 yards. 200 even more likely. I do have a couple of boxes of Barnes factory VOR-TX 270 Winchester with the 130 grain bullet labeled Tipped TSX BT that I took on trade. Claimed velocity is 3060 fps. I assume that is with a 24” barrel. The bullets have a blue polymer tip. I haven’t been able to determine if there is any difference between these bullets labeled “Tipped TSX BT” and those labeled “TTSX”. If I wanted to use them, my rifled liked them and I didn’t use too many getting them sighted in I suppose I could make them last a long time but have no intention paying the price of those things when I can hand load less expensive bullets that I can practice with and will be just as effective at any range I would shoot at which is generally not past 300 yards. Happy hunting boys and girls.

Sierra game king on dear and elk both with the 30-06 and 7 rem mag! This was a very good video, thanks

Great video and some great bullets mentioned. I've used the 180gr TBT the first time this spring and as you've highlighted, it is indeed a tough bullet. Out of a 308 at 20 yards it went through the skull of a black bear and stopped in the neck near the off side hide. It was mostly intact.

In some places, there seems to be a very strong opinion developing about monolithic projectiles vs lead. I think removing all the emotional stuff out of the way for a moment, there is no copper projectile that will perform as well as a lead projectile. I base that assertion in physics. A projectile is like a skyjumper parachute, you want a certain diameter chute to perform maximally with the air molecules around the chute in order to prevent the diver from crashing to the earth. Taking that same open chute and cutting voids around the perimeter, it will allow a lot more air molecules to escape disturbing, and the result will be the diver falls a whole lot faster. Using this little analogy on a different, much denser fluid (tissue, water, fat, etc) and a different parachute (expanding projectile), we would find it most effective to impart the hydraulic shock to the core of the game being hunted. The main advantage of a rifle over an broadhead arrow is hydraulic shock (and range, user accessibility of course). The less the expanded projectile looks like a mushroom "parachute" and more like the blades of a broadhead, the less hydraulic shock it's going to impart to the mass it's moving through. Physics. Copper malleability is very low by comparison, and BHN ratings very high, far above even super hard cast lead. The best it can do is fold some "wings" back from predesigned skived or split tips. Lead by comparison regularly expands to far greater diameters without any gaps in frontal profile, imparting maximum transfer of shock to fluid. That's just terminal performance, not even starting discussion about the challenges of smashing that hard material down barrel bores. Copper monolithic projectiles mainly exist because of rumors spread through conservationist groups about gut piles and predatory bird poisoning, and the unconstitutional laws created by Congress restricting certain states and regions. What's even more troubling is how certain bullet manufacturing companies profiteer off the rumors spread in these claims about lead poisoning, contributing to more unconstitutional restrictions. They preach the end of lead projectile use, about like the auto industry wants to preach about the demise of the combustion engine. It's hyperbole and based in propaganda. Terminal ballistic facts are very absent these sort of discussions as most of the claims about the issue are an impossibility in the realm of physics. Lead doesn't explode, shatter to powder or thousands of bits. There's simply not enough terminal resistance in game to promote this. Rapid expansion can thin out a mushroom profile enough to where the energy remaining will split the section into pieces, but there's no explosion of dust or fragments in meat. Animals are not an AR500 plate or a bucket of water. Bones are not rebar or sheets of ceramic. I have also heard (cannot verify) that predatory birds have feasted on lead paints found on the facilities of rangers in the areas of focus by the media and animal rights groups. That would make much more sense than the sort of toxic effects from a few bits of lead here and there in animal carcasses left, before all the rodents, coyotes, and insects have eaten a lot of it. Reminds me of squirrels chewing wiring in houses due to the insulation being made of soy products. Also one lead isotope isn't the same as another. There has to be an intercellular or tissue absorption to affect animal nervous systems. Bits and pieces of lead just isn't going to absorb like that.

Growing up all I had access to was Winchester Remington and federal blue box … they all did the job. Now that I’m older I’ve been reloading Barnes and gold dot 168 grain bullets. I enjoy your videos thanks ☺️

Great overview. The beginning discussion on speeds/velocity and how that impacts the performance is very on point.

Nice review! You should tag this video with the one you did on cup&core vs mono vs bonded

I've used them all and my go to bullets are the Swift A Frame for large heavy game. The Nosler Accubond or the Accubond LR if I know I will have long shots on large game. If I am deer hunting then I use the Hornady, Sierra game kings, Berger, Speer and Barnes.

🕵️‍♂️ Oh, and Let's Not Forget the Woodleigh Weldcore Bullets (Now That the Factory Has Been Rebuilt)! 🥳

My all around bullet for my '06 is the 165 Accubond. My 280 Remington do all bullet is the 160 GameKing. It's interesting to note that BC doesn't start showing an advantage with same weight same velocity bullets until you get passed around 300 yards.

Favorite bullet, partition, out of .257 wby mag, 2nd is a tie between accubond and barnes ttsx or lrx Those 3 or 4 are my got to Great video, cheers from Canada 🇨🇦

sierra Game King , N- BT Hunting bullet are may absolut fav's and have taken Tons of game from pronghorn to Bison.

Nosler partition quality is a plus, cost is a big negative. Speer line is great bang for your buck. Was Speer Hotcor now Impact 172 in 30-06. Waiting patently for one in .338 for the Win Mag.🤞🙏

Good info. Pretty much goes right in line with your history of videos, obviously. But do believe the Hammer is designed to exit the off side after losing the tip. For me, that’s the best of both worlds. I’d rather have larger satellite pieces of copper that help kill then lead that kill. Over all good video

I've used a lot of cup and core bullets and they performed fine if you run a heavy bullet at slow speed. However, the higher BC more secant profiles don't group well in the semiautomatic rifles that I prefer. I've finally quit being cheap about hunting bullets and switched to Barnes TTSX and Nosler ABLR, couldn't be more happy with their performance. ✌

180 grain Federal Fusion in 30-06 has a .497 BC. Thats pretty good. It keeps 1403 ft/lbs/1874 fps @500 yards

Tryed the eld-x 110 gr in my 25-06 core separation bullet didn’t stay together penetration was horrible . Went to the accubond way better bullets stay together no blow ups pricey but it’s worth it.

Hammer bullets still penetrate very effectively and typically exit. The petal shedding disruption also doesn’t cause much meat damage. However, they’re bc numbers are just total fiction and it’s frustrating that they don’t just give accurate numbers like cutting edge, Barnes, and Hornady. I still think you should check out badlands precision. Very high bc bullets that perform similarly on game to a ttsx or cx, except they hold onto their speed for much longer.

Never had any major accuracy success with any Nosler big game bullets. Nosler's varmint bullets are another story. Most accuracy success overall has been with Hammer and Hornady bullets. Good luck and stay safe!!! 😉😉😉

Favorites, cup and core, speer deep shock, speer hot core, nosler solid base, bonded, swift a frame, nosler accubond, speer impact, mono, winchester fail safe, barnes ttsx, nosler e tip, great video, im glad you put in there about velocity based, not all bullets are created equal, bonded are a good example, softer bonded bullets expand more, penetrate less, the round nose woodleighs are a great example, turn almost into marbles, have recovered the 250 roundnose from deer from my 340, have heard the same with bigger calibers too, north forks penetrate the most, expand the least, remington bronze points were the original berger exploding bullets, the 130 270, 150 30 cal always came apart, shed the core, wont say that for the 30 cal 180 though, theres not many bad bullets in this day and age, honorable mention to the barnes originals, speer grandslam, dual core, and norma vulcan, i enjoyed the video, keep them coming

Hornady ballistic tip i think 40 yrs ago, Remington core locks, winchester failsafe. All my bullets went straight through . Longest shot 300 yds white tail Longest shot moose 169 yds

Great content and discussion. Cup and core still has its place. They've improved greatly in the past several years. The price of the bonded bullets is alarming, but no question you get what you pay for. Copper is here to stay. Future lead-free regulations will keep it going. As for my favorite? The one that shoots best, with a slight nod to the Accubond, Scirocco, and TTSX.

Speer grand slams or impact bullets

Honorable mention is the norma evostrike which is made from tin instead of copper

The Winchester copper impact in 30 yd.Six is a sledgehammer on whitetail

Ramshot are some of the best around. You should watch some of the videos on H1000 vs magnum. They might surprise you. Over the last couple of years I have been on a mission to find powders that most won’t use because they’re not the top brands. Which I appreciate leaves more for me. I have loaded from 28 nosler - 22 creedmoor. Most of the powders don’t have the load data. Always work up. Thanks.

My favorite hunting bullet is Sierra gameking. I rarely have a shot over 150 yards so not concerned with high BC

Not sure why, but you neglected to mention Speer Hot Core and Grand Slam cup and core bullets. I think they are the most underrated bullets out there. Far superior to Hornady bullets and much cheaper than Nosler bullets.

😃 Both North Fork (Originally From Wyoming - Sheridan, If I'm Not Mistaken) and The Bitterroot Bonded Bullets (Originally From Lewiston, Idaho - Though He Was Also Originally a Montana Boy) Started in the Mid 1960's and Were The Inspiration for Swift A-Frame's Bullets! A Company in Sweden Bought Them Out and I Can't Wait to Get My Hands on Some Of Them Again - An Excellent and Proven Elk Bullet! 🤑

I recently heard an experienced elk hunter say Partitions don’t exit. I was surprised!

Partitions, ballistic tips, accubonds, and accubonds long range are not cup and core bullets. Look at a cross section and try and figure out how to make a cup into those shapes. They are impact extruded from solid copper stock vice the strip/sheet metal that cup and cores are made from. Huge difference in weight retention, length of bullet, and properties of the copper. Yes they are jacketed bullets, like cup and core but use a completely different manufacturing method.

Bergers have been my choice in my longer range rigs. Absolute lightning strikes on deer. The damage is scary, advise stay away from heavy bone and shoulder hits, which i generally dont do. Insides most always turn to jelly

Sierra bullets in general are my go to bullets, as they seem to perform the best for me.

🕵️‍♂️ Mason Leather Did Some Testing Of The North Fork and Federal Fusion Bullets Out of His 270 and 30-06 and I Would Recommend That You Watch Those Tests! 🤑

🕵️‍♂️ And, If You Aren't a Reloader, Their is Real Value in Picking a Cartridge With Lots of Ammunition Options! 😯 But, Even If You Are a Reloader, It Was Still Important When I Couldn't Find Primers to Buy! 🤑

😎 I Have Always Had Good Luck With Nosler Bullets! However, The Partitions - in Particular - Are Becoming Way Overpriced and The Bonded Bullets Are Just Better Choices! I Am Having Excellent Luck With the Nosler ABLR's Shooting Out of My Rifles, But Not Everyone is Reportedly Having That Same Experience? I Couldn't Be Happier With the Immediately Accuracy of These Bullets and They Penetrate Much Better Than I Expected! 😯

Anyone tried the new tipped Federal Fusion?

I been saying the say about the Partition. But I couldn’t imagine what an updated Partition would even cost. Way way too expensive. I stopped buying Partitions. I’d go with a 225 grain eldM in an 06 over a Partition now. Nosler can suck it…..

Perty much use Hammer bullets for all my hunting now they seem to shoot damn near same hole, accurate in every rifle i load them for, and they have killed every animal I have shot with them. I really like the Terminal Accent bullets also but seem impossible to find.

I didn’t know the A Frame was bonded

I bought some of ABLR Accubonds in 150 grain to try in my 280 AI that I built I was thinking if I get good accuracy it might be a good big game bullet for what I want to hunt

Cutting Edge and Badlands Precision are both better options than hammers.

💪 Elk Are The Standard For Measurement Of Testing Bullets For Toughness! I Have Found That The Swift A-Frame's Not Only Pass That Test, But Also Have Given Me Some of My Best Accuracy Groups (Especially in My Magnums, With Their Flat Based Design and Stabalize Quicker, Because The Bullet is Shorter)! However, Curiously, The Nosler Partitions Have The Same Basic Design - But, Have Not Given Me The Same Consistency in Accuracy and I'm Not Sure As To Why? 🤔 Any Thoughts on This? 🤯

I know you have been loading the 308 with the 130 TTSX. My 5’ tall wife just got drawn for a moose tag. Her rifle is a 308 xbolt micro Midas. I saw yours were crimped in the second groove putting oal at 308 max of 2.810”. I did the same thing and loaded 49 gr of TAC. Barnes data has oal shorter for the TTSX and the box Vortx ammo with it crimped in the first groove. I’m hoping for around 3200 fps. From your experience with loading this setup, would you pick the 130 for Moose. I assume the recoil is similar to a box of 150 lead. I have some 168 ttsx but they are very long bullets and it looks like from the data you lose a lot of velocity with the 168. What’s your thoughts? My favorite hunting bullet is a 220 round nose 30-06. Definitely not loading that in 308.

Personally i have like 3 if not 2 LOL

What do you think of nosler ballistic tip I believe it's bonded?

Cup and core will not drop a deer!!!! They run off!!