Bitterroot and then what

[Europe]

I have had several fellows ask me about bullets and first and foremost, this was something my husband enjoyed. Reloading, restoring, reworking, reinventing the wheel, etc. I enjoyed hunting and exploring .

Without a doubt bullets, in general, are better now and according to my husband they got better, a lot better when Bill started making his Bitterroot bullets. I always thought his packaging of them created a stacking them neatly on a shelf problem, so I would put them in boxes (-:

After Bill's bullets, I know my husband liked, as does my son now, Woodleigh-Northfork-Swift-Nosler and recently he has mentioned the Norma Oryx as being right there with the others.

He likes the bullets Alaska makes, but contacting them is not always easy, but you have to love the way they do business. This was a few years back. I called them, discussed a special run, agreed on a price and time frame and when ask how he wanted to be paid. He said when you get them it will include an invoice, just send me a check. Hand shake business just doesn't exist today, but should.

Anyway, the Rhino' does not impress him but we purchased some for a friend in Virginia and he loves them. We felt the pedals broke off to easy. GSC bullets are interesting and we only tried them once or twice so really dont have enough info to make a fair statement about them. We have used Barnes with no complaints also. I remember he did not like the Triad Triple shock bullets,( I may have the name wrong ) but I believe that fellow also went out tor business or passed away ( sorry forgetting his name, but he made rifles in his calibers and a group of three different bullets )

My son said that he remembers his father liking Woodleigh and Swift a lot depending on the caliber they were being used in. Loved Woodleigh's "solids". My son seems to be a Nosler fan, some Woodleigh in the large caliber's ( 400 and over ) .

If you dont reload, I remember him saying Weatherby makes very good factory ammo, as does Norma.

Occasionally I hear other names, but it is not and actually never was my area of expertise or even interest for that matter.

But, in your humble opinions-----

What is the best bullet Company on the market today ? ( or companies, if you use some for one type of hunting and some for other types of hunting ) --for hunting not target !

What is the best factory loaded ammo on the market today ?---for hunting not target !

 

[ismith]

I am a Woodleigh fan because they make great bullets. Nosler is a very close second as the have made great bullets for a very long time. Woodleighs below.

 

[Don Fischer]

I have never been sold on the idea of a need for any premium bullet's outside of California and I'm never gonna hunt there. I have used Hornady cup and core bullet's in about everything I've ever hunted with except an old 7mm em Mag, I preferred Speer Hot Core's. In close to 50 years, Hornady has never disappointed me with the old Spire Point and the newer interlock. I haven't shopped around for different brand or type bullet's much at all over the years, just get the proper Hornady and everything is good. One inescapable fact is that an animal can only be so dead! I did some years back have a 6.5x06 put together and though I'd set it up for 140gr Nosler Partition's. Shot them very well too. to practice more I substituted 140gr Hornays, they both shot to the same point of impact and both under one inch. Elk season came around and all I had loaded was the 140gr Hornady so used it. One shot, one elk! For whatever reason I never shot the Nosler's again. I have to say those were the nicest Nosler bullet's I ever saw.

I think choosing a brand of bullet has less to do with the bullet and more to do with personal preference. Seem's to me we have a lot of brands now that if a proper bullet is chosen they work!

 

[BuzzH]

Started shooting noslers pretty much exclusively in about 1985. Shot a bunch of partitions and a ton of the old red box solid base bullets.

I have shot lots of other brands, barnes, Hornaday, sierra, speer, Winchester power points, Remington core lokt, blah, blah, blah.

I do wish Nosler would expand their selection of a few bullet types, one in particular would be a 105-108 grain accubond in .243. I think with the 1-8 twist .243 that thing would be pretty damn awesome.

Lots of good bullets out there these days, pretty tough to go wrong.

 

[Europe]

let me jump back in early on my own thread as my time is not my own right now and I may not be back today, or even tomorrow

Don, when my husband set up his man cave so he could reload, and was telling me how much better our ammo would be, I ask him, if the animals we shoot in the future will be "more dead" than the ones I shot in the 1940's with store bought ammo ?

I dont remember his answer,( he probably ignored me ) but I do know he enjoyed reloading and testing and if the animals did die quicker because of his reloading with premium bullets, I was o.k. with that. Plus I did subscribe to his reasoning that when we were paying to hunt an animal in Alaska, Canada, etc and if we wounded him and never recovered him, we still payed for him. O.K. the small different in the cost to us to use premium bullets suddenly made more sense to me. It definitely made more sense to me when we went on our first Africa hunt. Both the "losing of an animal" point and/or "the possible loss of my, or his life" , suddenly I was willing to take every advantage available to me. LOL

I do feel, excluding the Weatherby factory loaded bullets, that reloading does give one a bit more than you get with factory loaded bullets, but that may not be true today either, not 100% sure without asking around. hopefully I will know more after reading the responses from you fellows

 

[noharleyyet]

Since coming down with the reloading bug's symptomatic minutiae retentiveness I've gravitated to premiums. Hammers (thanks to mtmuley), Barnes, Noslers, Scenars, and Bergers. Add CDS dial criteria to the mix and you'll pretty much be be married to your per rifle rocket science. Very happy with the 92 Hammer Hunter on Texas pork thus far. Testing some 196's 30 cal Hunters soon. The other bullets mentioned are all go fast'rs & hit small, all game proven....especially the 28 cal 180 gr Scenars.

Hardly use factory unless I need a particular headstamp fireformed.

 

[Europe]

Mtmuley and Noharleyyet

thank you. I read everything I could and have notified my son. I "think" they might be like some of the bullets made by GSC. This was also the thinking of another manufacturer in South Africa ( not Rhino Bullets ) but I am forgetting their name . (mushroom/weight retention vs pedal loss )

Harley or muley --do they make a good solid as well ? I hope to have more internet time later and will look again at their web page. My Son is taking my grandson and great grandson ( being so old that you have a GREAT grandson old enough to hunt is both good and bad LOL ) to Africa next fall and they will use their Dad's, Grandfather, great grandfather's double ( 450/400 ) .

We always loaded a soft for the first shot and a solid for the second when hunting Cape buffalo and that is their intent as well. However since the double is regulated for Woodleighs, I doubt they would attempt to change bullets. But I am still curious, as they will also have a 416 Rigby with them, and of course they could load a soft/solid in that one. My great grandson is gong to use his great grandfathers 7 x 57 and will be allowed to hunt two PG . One rifle, hunting Africa, for 4 generations makes me smile, but at my age I am easy to entertain (-;

I do not feel taking this thread off course is a problem since it came to a stand still and since it is my thread LOL

 

[Panda Bear]

another woodleigh user, at least for the 348 and 275, however I use store bought ammo for the 30-06 and my husband buys loaded ammos for his weatherby. I put in an order for some loaded Norma Oryx for the 30-06, but have not received them.

April are you and harley and muley talking about those Hammer bullets ? Our grandfather mentioned them and I think he was going to look at their 30-06 offering. He also likes to play with different bullets and loads for his 9.3 x 62 so maybe that is what is thinking about. He shoots more stumps than he does animals

 

[noharleyyet]

google hammer custom bullets...

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Like Buzz said, there are a LOT of good options. Me, I'm a monolithic guy. Have been for 20 years and I doubt I'll ever go with anything else. Hammers cost a little more than Barnes, but they are pretty impressive in terms of 1) ease of loading, 2) consistency, and 3) terminal performance.

Wannebe prostaffer aka groupie…...

Edited, thanks the heads up Ken.

 

[Panda Bear]

google hammer custom bullets...

Interesting. We use the 250 ( woodleigh ) and it looks like they make a 162. was unable to find a picture but I assume it is a flat nose. Anyway, will tell grandfather about them and he can check it out. Thanks a lot.

 

[mtmuley]

Panda, call Steve tomorrow. I know they are just rolling home from over a week in the Breaks. mtmuley

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

I run norma oryx in my 275 Rigby, incredible perfomance.

Run barnes ttsx through my other rifles and love them too.

Currently have some RWS UNIclassic factory for my 9.3x62. The two deer I've taken with them have dropped where they stood.

 

[midwesthunter]

I have been using badland precision bulldozers in my 6.5 and have had great success. They have been a favorite

 

[Panda Bear]

April, spoke to my grandfather and he said the name you were looking for was A-Square. A company in Wyoming now sell those rifle caliber's and their ammo ( Broadsword )

He said something about a Sharps 25-45 at the same address, but I can't read my notes this morning.

mtmuley, he will try to call them today but if not soon and thanks again----wonder who or if they have a distributor for their product up here, guess we will find out.

Aussie-hunter-jd, Looking forward to the Norma product. Mine will be for the 30-06. Actually wanted it for the 275 H & H but they dont load that one. Maybe I should trade it for the 275 Rigby

If Hammer can make a heavier 348 that might be worth a look

 

[Durango Mike]

Mtmuley and Noharleyyet

thank you. I read everything I could and have notified my son. I "think" they might be like some of the bullets made by GSC. This was also the thinking of another manufacturer in South Africa ( not Rhino Bullets ) but I am forgetting their name . (mushroom/weight retention vs pedal loss )

Harley or muley --do they make a good solid as well ? I hope to have more internet time later and will look again at their web page. My Son is taking my grandson and great grandson ( being so old that you have a GREAT grandson old enough to hunt is both good and bad LOL ) to Africa next fall and they will use their Dad's, Grandfather, great grandfather's double ( 450/400 ) .

We always loaded a soft for the first shot and a solid for the second when hunting Cape buffalo and that is their intent as well. However since the double is regulated for Woodleighs, I doubt they would attempt to change bullets. But I am still curious, as they will also have a 416 Rigby with them, and of course they could load a soft/solid in that one. My great grandson is gong to use his great grandfathers 7 x 57 and will be allowed to hunt two PG . One rifle, hunting Africa, for 4 generations makes me smile, but at my age I am easy to entertain (-;

I do not feel taking this thread off course is a problem since it came to a stand still and since it is my thread LOL

I have killed a number of Buff with the 416 Remington, 2350 FPS and 400 gr Barnes at ranges from 20 to 50 yards and was super impressed, so much so that I went from a solid as #2 to using just the Barnes. The further advantage is they did a super job on Eland, Sable at longer ranges. One buff took the 400 gr Barnes through both shoulders and a solid would not have done more damage. The 2 I recovered had lost the petals, but retained about 65% weight.

 

[std7mag]

I have used, and still use the Nosler Ballistic Tips for hunting. They have always performed well for me.
And if you price them per 100, they are definitely priced as a "premium" bullet.
But i don't shoot them exclusively.
I've also used the Berger VLD-H, and will continue to use them.
And i've found they perform exactly as advertised. Penetrate 1-3 inches and come apart. Massive internal damage!

For range work i shoot a lot of Hornady, Sierra, Berger.
And now that i reload i'm hunting with Sierra, Berger and Nosler.

I've tried some Cutting Edge MTH bullets to do load development, and will be trying them this year for hunting.
They penetrate 1-3 inches, then the petals (4-6 depending on bullet line) break off, and the jagged edged base continues on.
I also plan on using the Nosler ABLR this year for bear season.

I've witnessed more than one person with the traditional cup & core bullet putting multiple shots (5-6) in the chest of a deer before it finally expired.
I've also helped track multiple deer for extended ranges that had good shot placement from a Barnes bullet.

 

[Europe]

In response to several inquires, If you are interested in Hammer Bullets you should contact them or mtmuley on this forum. We have not used them. We did use GSC Bullets when they were in S. Africa and before his daughters took over the company. One of the twins has opened a plant in the states now. We had no problems with them when we used them but that was twenty years ago.

From everything I have heard the fellow from Hammer is much like the fellow from Alaska Bullet works, very nice and very easy to work with. Several here on the forum are using Hammer products and like them. It is my understanding that he is a nice fellow and enjoys talking about both bullets and hunting. I would call him.

Also: other questions asked---- Bitteroot is no longer in business. Bill passed away. I would say Nosler, Northfork, and Swift would be similar. ( and also the Norma Oryx ) .. The Double you have bought should tell you the bullet to use. If your having one built and want to use Hammer bullets you need to coordinate with Hammer and the Rifle manufacturer ( basically getting the bullet you want to shoot in the rifle to the manufacturer of said rifle so it can be regulated with that bullet) I can see no reason to buy Rhino bullets. They do not perform IMHO any better, or even as well, as several that can be purchased in the States, including Hammer.

Gentlemen Mtmuley not only can, but will, answer any and all your questions much better than I.

 

[Marc Steigers]

Bill Steigers was my grandpa. Glad to hear his legacy is still alive.