re: My bullet saved me from the worst shot I've made on a deer in 30 years yesterda

So weird. I'll admit, I don't have to deal with many hunters beyond my own little circle and there are no average shots in that group. Come to think of it, we've never lost a deer amongst the people I'm thinking of. But back when I was a kid we were in a hunting club and there were people that had that 'elk gun' mindset and that along with my dad being team high velocity was what cemented me into hating big heavy slow bullets. I fricking HATE the idea of wounded deer. I've let more of them walk over that fear than I've shot. But yesterday I was in a hurry because the game was coming on and I could go ahead and put my season into chill mode so I took the shot.

fricking deer in LA just don't look up I guess because I was moving up on them with them coming right at me keeping a tree between us and they just never even thought to look up that hill.

Oh I agree completely. I think if you're going to use higher grain bullets on whitetails you need to get the velocity up to get expansion faster so you get more energy transference from one side to the other before it exits. With the lightweight hyper fast bullets that transfer happens much closer to the entry point. Or at least, it starts happening faster. Like I said, I've only stopped two 125 gr bullets in a whitetail in 31 years. A PSP and this one. Both within 2 inches of this spot. I almost feel like this one actually might have failed in my favor and come apart because of a flaw in it because it didn't hit a rib. It just went BOOM. I just can't imagine it not holding together and exiting like every other one that I ever shot. Which is why I think lighter bullets are better on whitetails around here. May not be in Saskatchewan or something, but I'm completely convinced that on the lightweight shite down here, it's perfect.

Damn bobcats got the gut pile last night or I'd go back with a metal detector and see what's in there. I'd like to see it. There are way the frick too many bobcats on Bayou Dorcheat by the way. Saw one Sat morning that looked like a black panther. Now that I think about it, every one I've seen there looked black. They're always on my game cam. And they beat the coyotes to the gut piles if the tracks are any indication.

I have shot a few deer with the ole ballistic tip in 30.06. Turns the insides to mush and I dropped each one in their tracks. From 25 yrds to 150. I do worry of the day that I get a bad shot and no exit wound. I will finish off the box before I buy something else however.

I did hit a doe once in the shoulder. Can't remember if it hit the shoulder first or hit the shoulder from the inside. Either way it turned the shoulder meat to instant hamburger. Waste of a shoulder. I like the way they shoot, and have yet to fail. But like you said, with my luck, the day that big Buck walks out will be the day I wish I had not shot the balistic tips.

I've shot the 130 grain Nosler Ballistic tips outta the .270 win for years, with nothing but good experiences, but I've always been leery of a dead on shoulder shot hitting that ball joint.

For years I carried an shot 2 loads, perhaps at opposite ends of the spectrum, but with great success. The aforementioned 130grain Ballistic tip, for open fields where I'm commonly shooting 200+ yards.

When hunting in the woods where 100+ would be almost unheard of it was 150 gr Nosler Partition. That partition would always expand and always exit. Heck of a bullet.

Last year I switched to that Barnes TTSX in 130. Great ballistic performance, solid bullet construction for pass throughs and they are MONEY in my rifle. Love 'em.

Not surprised at the performance of your 125, seen 'em gelatinize many a chest cavity.

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I've been on more .243 track jobs than anything else.

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I believe you make this up.

I am definitely a believer in ballistic tips. They fragment on entering and create so many wound cavities that the internal bleeding is massive. I shot a buck right up the pooper two years ago and he didn't go more than 10 feet. The internals were destroyed. They still have plenty of energy on impact and will punch through a shoulder as well. I have also dropped a doe that was staring at me about 150 yds out. Shot her straight in the chest same story on the internals. I shoot 130 gr winchester ballistic silver tips out of my .270

Y'all know there's no "shoulder" in the shoulders, right? If you hit a flat bone, you shot too high/forward. If you hit a round bone, you hit too low/forward.

I can't believe I read this whole thread.

150 grain Remington Premier Core-Lokt Ultra bonded for my .30-06.

May be a little overkill, but it knocks the fool out of a deer.

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Last year I switched to that Barnes TTSX in 130.

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My dad had enormous success with this round out of his 300 magnum when nothing else would shoot well. He tried Hornady SSTs, Nosler Ballistics, Swift Sciroccos, and some other lead-tipped bullets, and his rifle never seemed to like any of them. But the minute he changed to the Barnes TTSX, he was printing 1/3MOA groups. Granted, he is handloading so your mileage may vary, but everyone seems to love this round.

That all-copped construction and the way it's designed creates awesome expansion and almost assures an exit wound.

I'm considering working up some loads in 30-06 to see how they perform. I imagine they will perform well.