Federal Tactical Speer TNT HP???

[patroldog]

I was thinking of getting a couple boxes of Federals new ammo using 130gn Speer TNT Hollow Points in .308W, for use on goats and pigs. Any hunters out there that can offer any suggestions for this type of bullet on medium sized game?

[Brad Y]

TNT's are a varmint bullet from what i can attest to. They have pretty fragile jackets. You cant shoot the 50gr ones in a 22-250 or 220 swift as they will just turn to dust. I would be going for a soft nose bullet for a little more penetration. Or at least a medium game rated hollowpoint if you can find one.

[chris.tyne]

Funny this should come up as a friend has not long ago aquired a ruger in .308 and has been using the tactical ammo with the 130gn tnt's and on the couple of goats,pig's that he has hit so far they have been the bomb kills them very well indeed.




Regards Chris.

[Brad Y]

Not saying it wont do it mate, as 17gr vmax from a 17HMR kills pigs too. Its a varmint bullet too.

Im just recommending a bit more "accepted" (and i say that loosely as we all have different takes on it) bullet for small to medium sized game.

[chris.tyne]

Brad I agree that there are better projectiles thats for sure but 130grn's of 30cal is well just that,the pigs that were hit in the boiler room were left like half filled hot water bottles.
I would imagine that for a texas heart shot they would be marginal,I have been told that the 150gn Hornady SST projectiles are crap,they are all I use in the 06 now and they strike like the hammer of thor,have also used the 110 vmaxes in the 06 and they shouldn't work either I spose but the dozens of pigs they have accounted for cant complain.




Regards Chris.

[Brad Y]

yeh mate i use 55gr nosler BT's on anything i come across around here. Im a little wary of shooting them at larger things though, with a 10 twist barrel they explode on impact and penetrate bugger all.

Ive killed heaps of pigs with vmax and nosler BT's.

Ive ran the ballistics of the 30-06 and 110gr vmax a few times and it has me drooling for a sheer splat factor varmint gun for inside 400m. The 270 shooting 110gr vmax is similarly impressive too.