311041 velocity for white tail deer

[Andy]

I think I tend to make my questions too long and/or complicated so I'll keep this one simple. Is 2000fps a reasonable muzzle velocity for the lyman 311041 (~170gr flat nose .311 bullet) bullet for taking white tail deer out to 150 yards? Alloy would be coww+2% tin, air cooled.

Thanks,
Andy

[richhodg66]

Yes, though I've never shot a deer at 150 yards, inside 100 (often much inside of 100) I have used that bullet a little slower than that and it kills quite well.

[tdoyka]

yes it can.

i use a 165gr ranch dog in my 30-40 krag and it does around 1800fps. flat out kills deer.

[shoot-n-lead]

It will do the job at 1800...with no problem.

[Hickory]

1800-1850 fps will kill deer very well, and will damage some meat. 2000 fps may kill deer better with more meat damage.

[Wolfer]

My soft alloy( 50/50) at 1700/1800 performs very well. My longest shot has been around 60 yds. I would feel very comfortable at 150 yds and 2000 fps. As a matter of fact I would feel very comfortable with my load at 150 yds.

[MT Chambers]

That boolit is great on deer, I'd push it to where you get best accuracy, lower vel. may cause you to question bullet drop at 150 yds.

[jhalcott]

I use it at about 2100fps. I have taken white tails at over 150 yards a couple times.. Many crop raiding does fell to this bullets.

[jcren]

Sounds like a 30-30 to me. I use the RD165 in a 30-06 downloaded to 1600ish for a reduced load for the girls. Only shot 1 at 60 yards so far but she didn't go 10 feet.

[quilbilly]

IMHO a terminal velocity of 1350 fps at 150 yards should do just fine from my terminal ballistics tests especially if you are using a relatively soft alloy. Eat right up to the hole.

[blikseme300]

I've taken a number of white tails using the plain base 311041 chronied at 1550fps from a Marlin 336. Through and through on broadside shots with a good but short blood trail. My alloy is 50/50 WW & Pb + 2% tin. Sized at .311 & lubed with Carnauba Red. Longest shot was measured at 115 yards but I would not hesitate to take a shot at 150.

[9.3X62AL]

A few years ago I dusted a coyote off DRT at 115 yards with Lyman #311041 cast as a BruceB Softpoint. It punched a 1/2" hole going in the back of the left ribcage, and exited with a 1-1/2" hole in the right front/"shoulder". Starting speed was 1800 FPS. He wasn't obviously torn up much, exit was a typical gunshot wound exit with stellate aspect. I would hunt deer with these loads to 150 yards with considerable confidence.

[Andy]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate hearing all of your personal experiences. I'll see where I get best accuracy in the 1800-2100 range and use that for my hunting this year.

Rifle is a savage 99 in .308, it's my first 99 and I can't wait to hunt with it.