Bullet failure

Shadowrider · Nov 20, 2017

First off that case is one fat bastard!

Now then, it sounds like you got perfect performance to me. Total penetration stopping under the skin on the opposite side? That's 100% energy dump man! But Speer #14 doesn't show anything over 3116 FPS in the max load column for that bullet. You are pushing it too hard. Go to a bonded of solid copper. What was the range on that guy anyway?

dennishoddy · Nov 20, 2017

Shadowrider said:
What was the range on that guy anyway?

60 yds.....barely had time to slow down.
I get the theory of dumping all of its energy into the animal, but it doesn't cause a pass through with the potential of a blood trail. The angle was high, with what could have been an exit wound dumping blood on the off side. Instead, it ran and had no chance to fill up on the high entrance hole that was big enough to drop a golf ball into telling me that it expanded instantly.

Dave70968 · Nov 21, 2017

Hard to go wrong with a (T)TSX. My go-to load in .45-70 for hogs.

tRidiot · Nov 21, 2017

dennishoddy said:
60 yds.....barely had time to slow down.
I get the theory of dumping all of its energy into the animal, but it doesn't cause a pass through with the potential of a blood trail. The angle was high, with what could have been an exit wound dumping blood on the off side. Instead, it ran and had no chance to fill up on the high entrance hole that was big enough to drop a golf ball into telling me that it expanded instantly.

I get this... the blood trail is immensely important, although in your case it obviously wasn't necessary. I think with "man-stopping" rounds for self defense, I'd prefer big, slow and heavy that will penetrate just enough, expand enough to dump ALL its kinetic energy and yet not overpenetrate and exit at ALL.

But with hunting game, that blood trail is important. So yeah I guess I see what you're saying...

magna19 · Nov 21, 2017

The 60 yds. and 3500 MV was most of the problem with over bullet expansion. Had the same kind of results with a hopped up 240 Wby Mag back in the 80's. Shots under 100 yds. always expanded to 40-70% retained weight. Just think if you would have shot broadside through the lungs with a complete pass through without bullet recovery. It would have looked like the perfect bullet performance and probably used it again. Always try to use a bullet that will anchor a 270 lb. bruiser once in a lifetime buck at a quartering shoulder shot. JMO

swampratt · Nov 21, 2017

You ever shoot at a target (Not paper) and the debris comes back towards the shooter.
Water bottle or tree or small critter . Pee in the toilet and it splashes back at you.

You hit ribs and the ribs want to exit the hole this is what makes the hole larger.. not always the bullet expanding instantly.

My 30-30 with 150gr or 170 gr soft point was the worst performing gun/bullet I ever had.
People praise the ****** 30-30. I kind of hate it. Mine is very accurate but always penciled through on broad side shot.
Never a blood trail. But I do not need a blood trail if I hit a vital the animal will expire soon enough, finding it is easy.

My 50 cal muzzleloader with 295gr power belt frags more than that bullet you showed.. never exited on a broad side shot.
.308 165 game king HPBT broad side shot no exit. lots of frag at 2800fps.
Want exit and blood trail try the heavy A-Max. I quit using the 178 gr in my .308 because it would rip both shoulders off not anything to eat on those shoulders.
Hit the neck with 178 or the 295gr in .50 cal and just about take the head smooth off.
I like the bullet to fragment and care less if weight is retained as long as the animal expires quickly.

One reason I do not like using the 30-30. Maybe I need 125gr bullets in it.

deerwhacker444 · Nov 21, 2017

swampratt said:
One reason I do not like using the 30-30. Maybe I need 125gr bullets in it.

Load up some of these. I've got some loaded up but haven't had a chance to put one thru a deer yet. They were recommended by a guy who uses them back East on deer with excellent results.

beastep · Nov 22, 2017

I guess Im the only person not impressed with Barnes. I loaded some for a 223 last year and the difference in weight from bullet to bullet and bullet length was worse than anything Ive ever weighed.

dennishoddy · Nov 23, 2017

beastep said:
I guess Im the only person not impressed with Barnes. I loaded some for a 223 last year and the difference in weight from bullet to bullet and bullet length was worse than anything Ive ever weighed.

Fair enough. I've not gone there. I will though when loading up the next lot of reloads.

beastep · Nov 24, 2017

dennishoddy said:
Fair enough. I've not gone there. I will though when loading up the next lot of reloads.

I may have just got a bad box but it was horrible. I was excited because I never loaded any barnes before and I noticed there was a length difference before I even measured them. So I started weighing them and they were terrible. Like a couple of grains difference in a .224 70gr bullet. But if your gun shoots them good it dont even matter.

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