Bullet Selection

[dvrod18]

If I get my upper in time I will be hunting with it this season. I have questions about what bullet to use, and yes I have read all or most of the threads concerning which bullet to use for deer sized game.

I see alot of people are using the 123 AMAX for deer/hogs, I was wondering what shots are being taken with this bullet to take down deer (ours are 150-200lbs max). Will the AMAX penetrate/pass through on a broadside (lung/heart) shot? Or do you have to shoot for head/spine.

I have also read on this site and others about the 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip. Some say it will explode on impact, while others rave about its performance. Not sure what to believe.

I have always hunted with .30-06, Remington 7mm Magnum, or my .450 Bushmaster, so power/penetration was never an issue.

Shots where I hunt should be less than 150 yards.

I do not handload and have two places locally I can buy the AMAX.

Feel free to tell what factory loaded cartridges you like and why.

Descriptions of your harvests (deer/hogs or similar) with yardage/bullet and shot placment along with the results would be helpful.

[donthiturhead]

I've shot deer and lots of hogs with the 120 NBT and the 129 SST. Both work very well, no explosion on anything and hogs are a lot tougher than deer. The 129 SST seems to work the best with big hogs. Very rare to have to put another round in them with either. I've never used the 123 AMAX.

[ferch]

I was just wondering the same thing. This will be my first time hunting in over 10 years and I only own AR style rifles so it's either the Grendel or the .223. I'm thinking it's obvious the grendel is the better choice for me, but the only bullets I have are "match" bullets like the AMAX, Sierra Match King, or Lapua Scenar (all 123gr).
The whitetails here in MN are not huge (usually), but I definitely don't want to be making the animal suffer if I mess up the shot. I did some research on the topic last night and it seemed 50% of people said the AMAX (along with the SMK and Scenar) is fine for hunting, and the other 50% said you are a horrible, unethical person if you use a match bullet for hunting.

[Variable]

FWIW: I've killed a number of deer with the 120 Nosler BT, and it has always worked really well for me. It is a very accurate bullet to boot. The BT's have a rep for blowing up at high velocities. When you use them at Grendel velocities this doesn't happen. All of my heart/lung shots have been pass throughs with excellent damage.

I have only killed one deer with the 123 Amax (using the factory load). It performed just fine on a broadside heart/lung shot with exit. It was only a sample of one, but from the damage I saw I wouldn't have any qualms about using it again. I likely will be using it this year again.

[JohnOD]

When they were first released as a game bullet the Ballistic Tips did earn a reputation for being soft and "over fragmenting" if thats even a word. Nosler has continued to refine the design making adjustments to jacket thickness and core hardness over the years. Today the B-Tips are a solid performer on deer sized game... especially the 120 grain offering at the sedate velocities the Grendel generates. They are easy to load for as many Grendel shooters get outstanding accuracy from them. If you like to shoot for bone or aim for the south end on a buck headed north there are better choices out there such as the Barnes TTSX or most any bonded core bullet. For Western hunting where the shots can tend to run long if anything a slightly softer bullet is preferred.

[JASmith]

There are several threads here suggesting that the A-MAX does well for deer, goats, and hogs both in close and 'way out there'.

Look them over and decide whether you need to go further...

[calshipbuilder]

from my 18 inch barrel, the factory Hornady 123 had pass through on a decent sized antelope at 450 through the boiler room (double lung shot) and 525 yards through both shoulders.

[Lead Chucker]

I usually hunt with a 280 rem. This year I want to kill one with my grendel, I have both the 123 amax and 120gn BT. I may load up some of both and shoot one with each. I need some deer jerky!

[dvrod18]

from my 18 inch barrel, the factory Hornady 123 had pass through on a decent sized antelope at 450 through the boiler room (double lung shot) and 525 yards through both shoulders.

How big was the antelope?

[Smoke]

I have shot many deer with 120 Nosler BT's loaded with 30 grns of Win 748 ..
Shots from 200 to 437 Yds and none have failed to hit the ground ... most DRT
1 texas heart shot.. Approx 165 yds .. Bullet recovered in hide under neck

Have no issues with 120 Bt's in a grendel

[7WSM]

With Hornady releasing the new 123 grn SST, that's going to be a big hitter for the crowd looking for a hunting bullet. Hopefully they have factory loads available for us who don't handload.

[budiceale]

i just killed my first deer with my grendel bolt gun yesterday. i used the factory loads with 120 BT's. it did a great job. shattered a shoulder and passed down the ribcage breaking 4 or 5 ribs and ended up way back in the guts between the back legs. the deer ran about 20 yards and died. total penetration about 3 feet. after plowing through all that bone and flesh it did shed the core and i recovered a mushroomed jacket. i satisfied and will load these bullets after i use all the factory stuff i have.