Are Hollow Points Good for Hunting?

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Hollow point bullets are perhaps the most popular and effective choice for deer and other big game hunting.  While hollow points are excellent bullets for hunting, it does depend on the quarry.

Since 1984, Powder Valley, the leader in ammo reloading supply, has been offering sportsmen and those interested in self-defense the best prices on ammunition, including rifle primers, powders, and other essential supplies for reloaders.

Hollow Point Bullets

With their hollowed-out tip, hollow point bullets expand quickly upon impact. When it hits soft tissue, the pressure in its tip makes the soft lead core immediately expand outward. The bullet is specifically designed so that it slows as it moves through the animal. These bullets usually stop within the body. Because they rarely pass right through, more energy is released within the target. This concussion results in a great deal of internal damage.

Due to this rapid expansion, hollow points aren’t suitable for small game. They simply destroy too much tissue on smaller animals for meat purposes. However, if the object isn’t game, but simply eradicating nuisance animals such as groundhogs on the farm or ranch, hollow point bullets can serve this purpose.

For small game hunting, soft point bullets are a better choice.

Hollow Point Bullets for Deer Hunting

Because hollow point bullets create a large wound channel immediately upon impact, they stop deer quickly with one shot. Because these bullets expand so much, thin-skinned prey such as deer will have large sections of their vital organs taken out at once.

In most cases, the deer bleeds out before traveling more than 30 yards away. The kill is quick and humane, with minimal suffering.

While hollow point bullets are fine for quarry shot at close range, they are not as efficient for long-range targets.

Hollow Point Bullets for Feral Hogs

When it comes to hunting wild pigs, hollow point bullets are not necessarily the top choice. That’s because the hide of these animals is incredibly tough, and the bullet may not penetrate deeply enough to hit the vital organs. No hunter wants to create a shallow wound channel that does not prove fatal right away.

The same holds true for other game with tough hides, such as elk and moose.

Hollow Point Boat Tail Bullets

For accuracy at long-range, hollow point boat tail bullets are generally preferred to normal hollow point bullets because of their tapered end. The design can make a considerable difference in performance.

In addition to hunting, this is a good bullet for target shooting.

Choose Powder Valley for Your Hollow Point Bullets

Powder Valley carries Berger bullets in hollow point boat tail and dozens of other types and sizes, ranging from 172 diameter varmint bullets to large .338 rounds ideal for hunting and match shooting. Berger ensures its bullets are manufactured from the highest quality copper and lead available. By eliminating impurities, Berger can manufacture bullets that perform consistently, shot after shot.

Reload your rounds with bullets you can trust from top-tier manufacturers like Berger, Barnes, Hornady, and more. Stock up with Powder Valley, your one-stop online ammo megastore.