150 grain v 165 v 180

[pass-thru]

I did some range work with my .30-06 and 300 win mag today. Changed the zero from 100 to 200 yards....which should give less drop at 300 yards. Not sure how smart this was because now they are 2-3" high at 100 yards. And I'm more likely to take a 100 yard shot than a 300 yard shot.

I'm using 180 grain bullets on both rifles. I admittedly have limited knowledge on the pro's and cons of 180 gr v 150 gr...but the ballistic charts did not seem to indicate much difference in drop within the first 300 yards, so I figured more knockdown power was the better choice. Am I missing something from the equation?

 

[Tiny]

IMO Nope.

I do prefer 150gr bullets for my hunting as I don't really see a need in the others,the 165 is compromise dual use,while the 180 will just about do it all. All things being equal or close to it the 165 and 180 will fly better at range due there higher BC numbers.

I don't care for one being that high at 100,as I will take shots that many won't still pass a good number up waiting for a better opening.I would suggest you try a 1" high at 100 and shoot to see what happens at 200 with your set up.

 

[Thunderroost]

not sure how you are calculating "knockdown power"....but i read a long time ago that energy expended after the bullet exits the deer is wasted. when i read that it suddenly became clear to me why i had to track so many deer that I shot with 180 gr, and a friend was dropping them in their tracks with 150gr. I switched to 150gr, and now the blood trails are a lot shorter!

most 180gr bullets are too stoutly contructed to do a lot of expanding in a whitetail...just my experience

 

[Kimberman]

I like 165s out of my 30 cals.(2 308s and a 30-06) They seem "just right" to me.

 

[Hogbear]

Gotta agree with Thunderroost on this. I've shot some pretty big AZ mule deer with 150 gr Nosler solid base and they went less than 20 yds. I've shot small Alabama deer with 168's and 180's and had them run 80-100 yds. I stick mostly with my .243 for southeastern deer these days, but like 150's when I use my .30-06.

 

[Model70Man]

I prefer the 165's out of my 308 cal rifles.

 

[megalomaniac]

It's probably not so much the construction of the bullet difference between the two as the impact velocity. The 150's will impact at a much higher velocity, therefore they expand more violently, and one is less likely to get a passthrough (depending on construction and impact velocity)

Once you get past 700 yards or so, the higher BC of the 180 will result in higher velocities at that distance... but of course, the impact velocities of both will be sig lower

 

[CPerkins]

I like the 150gr for an -06 and a 165gr in a 300. The 180 seem to expand to slowly to transfer that energy. I shoot the 168gr. berger in my 300 now and it is unbelievable. Certainly not my meat gun though.

 

[Bertman]

I shoot 130 out of my 300 and 7 mag.

 

[knightrider]

i shoot 55 grain out of 223[ha ha ha ha] but seriously i like the 150 better for our little deer,but any of them will work