The Best Single Big Game Bullet of All Time

You might be surprised with my choice.

WV mountain buck, NULA Model 20S in 223 Remington.

Anytime hunters get talking, they end up discussing and even arguing about the best bullet for big game. I’m not sure a single bullet design deserves that distinction because the caliber, cartridge, game, and range to target vary so wildly. What might be the best deer bullet for the 243 Winchester at 150 yards, might not be the best choice for a 300 Winchester Magnum at 50 yards. Hunters today are lucky they have so many options to choose from, and you can choose a bullet for a very specific application. In a general sense, there are bullets I prefer. For example, I think it is hard to go wrong with the Nosler AccuBond in most cartridges for most big game animals. However, an AccuBond is not my choice for the best big game bullet of all time — one bullet, in one specific weight, and in one caliber.

What I’m talking about here is not a brand or style of bullet you might use in various cartridges of different calibers. This is about a single bullet of one weight, caliber, and style, that I think is the pinnacle of big game bullet creation. It’s a bullet that performs well beyond its weight, and that is capable of transforming a cartridge that’s not often thought of as suitable for big game, into one that you can rely upon. I’m sure not many will agree with my choice, partly because of the caliber of this bullet, but also partly because very few folks have extensive experience with it.