Partitions or CX for Oregon mule deer

[brokfut]

I have drawn a tag for Maleur River unit in eastern Oregon and need to work up a load for the 280 Ackley Improved.
I had about 150 rounds loaded for the 280 Remington and fire formed a bunch of cases for the Ackley.
I have about 1/2 a box of Nosler 140 gr Partitions, 1/2 box of 150 partitions and a new box of Hornady 150 gr CX in addition to 2 new boxes of 140 Barnes TTSX, 145 gr gr Speer Grand Slam and some 154 Hornady BTSP Interlock.
This unit is high desert with shots anywhere from 50 to 500 yards, uphill, downhill, across canyons, high winds oe blowing snow.
Anybody want to offer some insight on best bullet for unpredictable conditions, terrain and 73 year old eyes?
So far the rifle has shot everything I have run thru the pipe with excellent accuracy.
All input is appreciated.

 

[mevertsen]

Whatever shoots best. They will all kill deer at the ranges you talked about.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Well I shot a couple of deer down there with partitions, but that was back when we had nearly a month to hunt in Oregon and Steens Mountain was 4 pt or better.
Good unit with some great potential. A classic hunt, classic cartridge I would go with the partitions.
Good luck.

 

[44hunter45]

I used Grand Slams for decades and loved them. I am moving to Hammer Bullets 100% on all new load development.
I've always thought that country would be an amazing place to hunt. Good Luck!

 

[nhenry]

I’ll echo that you should go with whatever shoots best in your rifle, but the 140gr TTSX is one of my favorite projectiles, full stop. I used it in my first 280 AI almost exclusively.

500 yards is around the max for them and the CX because they require 2,000fps to expand properly (attached are the charts I ran together for them).

 

[44hunter45]

Sometimes you feel like someone will show up on your doorstep asking, "Have you heard about Hammer Bullets?"
But they are that good.

This is another current thread you might find interesting.

Hammer loads for 280AI

Just got several boxes of Hammers for 270 (124 gr) and 280AI (131 gr) to try. I have some CFE 223, 6.5 StaBil, 4350,4895, Blc2, h4831, RL 15 and 22, Varget, Benchmark and a little 760 where should I start? The rifles both shoot 1/2 inch with current handloads with almost any 130 (or 140gr) in...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[buffybr]

Whatever shoots best. They will all kill deer at the ranges you talked about.

^^^^^ This ^^^^^
I'm old school. Prior to 1978 prairie dogs to mule deer, antelope. and elk with my .30-06, the only centerfire rifle that I had. Then in '78 I had my .30-06 rechambered to .30 Gibbs for my elk rifle and I built a .257 Ackley for deer and antelope, and a .22-250 for varmints.

I shot my first deer and first elk with factory cartridges in borrowed rifles, but after them, I put together my .30-06 and started handloading. Every animal that I've shot since then has been with my handloaded cartridges. Back then we didn't have the vast variety of bullets that we now have and simple Hornady and Sierra cup and core bullets from my .30-06 put a deer, antelope, and elk in my freezer just about every year.

With the added velocity of my .30 Gibbs over my .30-06, I switched to Nolser Partitions in that rifle and they put another 20 elk and a couple of Shiras moose in my freezer.

In the 40 some years that I've been hunting with my .257 Ackley, and being a handloader, I've tried a variety of bullets and bullet weights in it, but I keep coming back to, and have killed the most animals with it with 117 grain Sierra GameKing bullets. That includes one shot kills on my 2nd best 6x6 bull elk, a Dall ram, a Mountain caribou, and three Bighorn rams from Montana's Unlimited units.

I''m not totally old school as in 2005 I added a .375 RUM to my rifle battery and in 2010 a .300 Weatherby. With those rifles I've worked up loads with Barnes and Hammer copper bullets, and those are the only bullets that I hunt with in those rifles.

Put the bullet in the right place, and most bullets will quickly kill the animal.

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

Any of the above. Whatever shoots best out of your rifle, don’t over complicate it.

 

[275Rigby]

Even though they aren’t the most aerodynamic, the Partitions are tough to beat and have never let me down. Since your hunt is in Oregon, it might be cool to use a bullet made in Oregon and go with that Nosler Partition.
However, the last couple years I’ve used a Barnes 168gr TTSX in a 300 WSM and have killed 2 elk and 2 deer with it, with shots ranging from 75 - 400 yds. Results have been great, and as an added bonus, there seems to be less bloodshot meat, (which I’d also expect from the CX too, but have not tried them yet). Not sure if anyone else has experienced that or not.
Best of luck.

 

[Don Fischer]

I discovered about 50 yrs ago that Sierra hunting bullet's were not for me, they were much to fragile and made a mess of things even with good shot placement. In the 50+ yrs that followed I discovered that even with those bullet's I could have eliminated the problen with shot placement, didn't try that. So to this day have never hunted with them again. No clue how the newer pro hunters work. But Hornady spire point and Speer Hot cores have worked so well for me I can't see a reason to try something new. But when I had my 6.5x06 put together I planned it around 140gr Nosler partitions thinking with the increase in velocity I could give up some accuracy in favor of tuff. What a surprise, the newer Partition shot great in that rifle! Come elk season I had nothing but some 140gr Hornady's I did breakin with loaded up so took it out elk hunting. Wouldn't ya know it, One shot and one elk! My idea I needed a tuffer bullet were wrong! Now had I hit that elk in the shoulder I have no idea what might have happened but I've never took a shoulder shot in my life! If I can't get the shot just behind the shoulder, I go with a neck shot. If I can't get that shot I simply pass on shooting. Then again I limit my shooting on big game to under 300 yds. That's where I shoot best and I do believe in shot placement these days!

 

[Yetified_Mayhem]

Is 7mm PRC going to make the 280AI die?

I don't handload yet. And I'm ok with scarce ammo. But I don't want to grab the AI if the future is PRC. Recoil is important, but I plan on eventually shooting suppressed. Personally I think the 280AI is the mate folks need, and the PRC is what we just want.. I really like 270. but I want a bit more bullet weight up in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming. Should I just settle with the 7mag and not stress it anymore?

 

[mtmuley]

Is 7mm PRC going to make the 280AI die?

I don't handload yet. And I'm ok with scarce ammo. But I don't want to grab the AI if the future is PRC. Recoil is important, but I plan on eventually shooting suppressed. Personally I think the 280AI is the mate folks need, and the PRC is what we just want.. I really like 270. but I want a bit more bullet weight up in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming. Should I just settle with the 7mag and not stress it anymore?

If you like the .270, get the .270. mtmuley

 

[Yetified_Mayhem]

If you like the .270, get the .270. mtmuley

You're right, and I've read your posts for years. Thx for the reply!
I do love the 270. I even inherited one in pre 64' model 70 from the best man that ever walked this earth. He baked cookies on the ship for the soldiers before he dropped them off to fight on the pacific islands.

On the Oregon Coast most my friends use their 30-06 on Roosevelt . They could careless about new calibers. We don't shooot far in the rain coast.
But I'm in open country now and like to try new things..
270 will be cheaper to shoot.. And it's proven without a doubt.