Bullet Performance Database

[Rule 303]

. What cartridge are you shooting?

A fat fingered typing one. Should be 2550fps.

Now how do I edit the original post to correct the typo?

 

[Pheroze]

A fat fingered typing one. Should be 2550fps.

Now how do I edit the original post to correct the typo?

That's the great thing about these online forums - faux pas, typos and plain stupidity is there for all eternity. Long after our civilization has turned to dust, some intergalactic race will pass their time laughing at a lot of the stuff I posted here. So, don't sweat it

I was quite impressed by your recoil tolerance! Lol

 

[Rule 303]

That's the great thing about these online forums - faux pas, typos and plain stupidity is there for all eternity. Long after our civilization has turned to dust, some intergalactic race will pass their time laughing at a lot of the stuff I posted here. So, don't sweat it

I was quite impressed by your recoil tolerance! Lol

..................................Why am I laughing it's true

 

[sandman0921]

A fat fingered typing one. Should be 2550fps.

I figured that was the case. Still 2550 fps with a 400 grain bullet is nothing to sneeze at........416 Weatherby or stiff load in a 416 Rigby? Either way, that's a whole lot of "oomph" at both ends....

 

[Rule 303]

I figured that was the case. Still 2550 fps with a 400 grain bullet is nothing to sneeze at........416 Weatherby or stiff load in a 416 Rigby? Either way, that's a whole lot of "oomph" at both ends....

Not a stiff load and not mild either in my 416 Rigby. Same powder charge that moves a 410grain Woodleigh at 2450 fps, and both have the same point of impact out to 100mts. I have not grouped them beyond this distance. Seems to work well on rabbit, pigs, camels, buff and elephant.

 

[JMM]

Cull Hunt in May 2017
Rifle: 30-06

Shot 61 wildebeest/gemsbok and cataloged bullet performance.

15 with 180 grain Swift Scirocco. All pass thrus from most angles and the highest degree of terminal shock. Had several drop in their tracks.

17 with 180 grain Swift A-frame. All pass thrus with a little bit longer death runs.

10 with 200 grain Nosler Partition. All pass thrus except one frontal shot, found shank in rear ham. About 5' of penetration.

10 with 200 grain Norma Oryx. All pass thrus and great performance.

2 with 180 grain Sierra Pro Hunter. Exit on broadside lung shot, no exit on quartering shoulder shot. Nothing made it farther than 50 yards.

2 with 180 grain Speer Hot Cor. No exits and all wildes died within 50-100 yards. Found cup/core separations in each.

3 with 240 grain Woodleigh soft point. 1 in shoulders and no exit. 1 frontal and found in rear ham. 1 broadside and exited.

2 with 168 grain Barnes TTSX. 1 in shoulders and no exit. 1 quartering in shoulder, lodged in stomach and ran 1 mile.

 

[Paul Homsy]

JMM, this is a great report on bullet performance. Thank you.

Just curious, you mention the penetration but not the performance of the 200 gr. partition with reference to terminal schock.

Never used a Swift Scirocco but your results are very impressive.

Surprised about the Barnes' performance, I have a friend who swears by them.

Paul

 

[JMM]

The 200 grain Partition performed well. 10 one shot kills which is about all anyone can ask for in a bullet. Did it perform better than the others? Not in my opinion. I shot them close, far, broadside, facing, quartering, etc... All died within 100 yards of the shot. I did not notice or log that the terminal performance was above that of the Swifts, Norma or Woodleigh. It appeared to me that the shearing of the front portion of the Partition did not have any more noticeable impact on the demise of the wildes. The rear shank exited in everyone of them except one. Based strictly on my observation, the expansion combined with penetration and retained weight had the most visible impact. Would I use them again? Absolutely and with confidence.

 

[Paul Homsy]

Thank you so much for your very comprehensive and informative reply.
I've used them with success, at long range on large and medium bodied elk in a 300 Win.Mag with great results. They dropped or took just a few short steps before collapsing.
Conversely on a smallish wild boar of 175 lbs from 200 yards shooting a 30-06, (chronographed at over 2700 fps), I hit a behind the rib quartering away shot that went in 26-27 inches, recovered with approximately 65% or a bit more weight retention, but the boar ran a wide semi circle a good 25 to 30 yards before dropping. I've never used any of the other ones but will try the Scirocco after reading about their stellar performance in your post. I've shot Russian boars twice the size of that one, real tuskers with very thick side plates, with a handgun using a revolver mid range Silhouette load; a 220 gr Sierra flat point at 1450 fps, in a 44 magnum with much faster results. One in particular I shot twice, the second shot for insurance, both bullets passed through on the heavy shoulders. Was curious to hear about your experience.
Thanks again.

 

[CTDolan]

With regard to popularity, it appears as though Nosler and their Partition is losing out to Swift and their A-Frame!

 

[Paul Homsy]

I agree with you. I've used partitions since 1982 but they have lost popularity. Incidentally, around 1989/1990 I had a long conversation with John Nosler when they just brought back their 300 partition in .375. I bought ten boxes and still have quite a few. I suggested to John to also manufacture a mid weight bullet, his reply was that many others, Winchester, Remington already made 270 grains bullets. I suggested a 260 grains bullet and calculated the sectional density over the phone. He agreed and within a relatively short time, they became available. Although it isn't a popular bullet in Africa it has become quite popular in North America.

I'm very impressed by what I read about the Scirocco.

 

[CTDolan]

It looks as though Nosler has dropped the .458 diameter, 500-grain Partition from their line (at least it has become impossible to find, most websites listing the product as "discontinued"). I really liked that bullet...

 

[Paul Homsy]

This is a caliber I've shot in friends' rifles, I never owned one but just checked in my latest manual and their online database which is very up to date. They still make it. They've shipped to me in the past but that was quite a long time ago. They're in Bend, Oregon. I wouldn't hesitate to call them and if you can't buy them locally, I'm almost certain they'll ship directly to you. They have very good customer service.

When they had their first run of 300 grains partitions in .375 after not manufacturing them for several years, I bought directly from them before they were in the stores.

 

[Paul Homsy]

CT, if they have actually discontinued it, which I doubt because it still shows on their online reloading database, they may very well make a few on request provided you buy 5 or 10 boxes. I would definitely inquire.

 

[Art Lambart II]

With regard to popularity, it appears as though Nosler and their Partition is losing out to Swift and their A-Frame!

The NP was the first commercially available premium bullet and is still an outstanding bullet and the benchmark for all of the other premium bullets. I most cases the NP retains about 65% of its weight where as the A-Frame retains 96% plus. Personally I use the 250 grain NP in my 35 Whelen and have no complaints, even after losing its front section I still have 165 grains remaining for straight line penetration. IMHO the NP is outstanding for PG but if you plan on hunting DG use the A-Frame.

 

[CTDolan]

CT, if they have actually discontinued it, which I doubt because it still shows on their online reloading database, they may very well make a few on request provided you buy 5 or 10 boxes. I would definitely inquire.

Will do. Thank you!

 

[Paul Homsy]

The NP was the first commercially available premium bullet and is still an outstanding bullet and the benchmark for all of the other premium bullets. I most cases the NP retains about 65% of its weight where as the A-Frame retains 96% plus. Personally I use the 250 grain NP in my 35 Whelen and have no complaints, even after losing its front section I still have 165 grains remaining for straight line penetration. IMHO the NP is outstanding for PG but if you plan on hunting DG use the A-Frame.

Art, I agree.

The difference in weight retention between the two is substantial.

The NP was definitely the benchmark for all the others that followed. I like them, they're accurate and do their job. I also agree that for PG they're fine but there is better nowadays for DG. The A-Frame seems very popular. A friend of mine loves Barnes, he's used them all over the world including Africa. I tested them over a chronograph but haven't hunted with them. Pressure, speed and accuracy were all good. My concern is that I've read they can pencil right through...and I've only read positive articles and posts about the A-Frame. Thank you for bringing them up for DG.

 

[CDorroh]

Caliber: 45/70
Type of bullet: Woodleigh Weldcore
Bullet speed: 1800 FPS MV
Distance of shot: ~ 30 yards
Original weight: 405 g
Recovered weight: 395.5 g (97.7% retention)
Species: wild boar
Shot placement: entered the south end of a north-bound boar, recovered in the neck.

 

[Rule 303]

If anyone so desires, please feel free to use or modify the attached form.

Just got around to downloading this form. Thanks for that. Will save my memory banks

Love the way the Woodliegh's perform. Not an A Frame but they have taken all sorts of game from around the world.

 

[MAdcox]

Cull Hunt in May 2017
Rifle: 30-06

Shot 61 wildebeest/gemsbok and cataloged bullet performance.

15 with 180 grain Swift Scirocco. All pass thrus from most angles and the highest degree of terminal shock. Had several drop in their tracks.

17 with 180 grain Swift A-frame. All pass thrus with a little bit longer death runs.

10 with 200 grain Nosler Partition. All pass thrus except one frontal shot, found shank in rear ham. About 5' of penetration.

10 with 200 grain Norma Oryx. All pass thrus and great performance.

2 with 180 grain Sierra Pro Hunter. Exit on broadside lung shot, no exit on quartering shoulder shot. Nothing made it farther than 50 yards.

2 with 180 grain Speer Hot Cor. No exits and all wildes died within 50-100 yards. Found cup/core separations in each.

3 with 240 grain Woodleigh soft point. 1 in shoulders and no exit. 1 frontal and found in rear ham. 1 broadside and exited.

2 with 168 grain Barnes TTSX. 1 in shoulders and no exit. 1 quartering in shoulder, lodged in stomach and ran 1 mile.

I'm very curious about the Barnes performance. I have been a X bullet fanatic since it came out. I handload it in all of my rifles, especially 223, 243, 270, 300wsm. It always gives the best accuracy of all the hunting bullets I've tried. I have also taken lots of game in NA with it. Whitetail, coyotes, and pigs mostly. But there have been 7 elk taken with my 270 and 140gr X bullets. All clean kills, but no bullets recovered.
I just returned from my 1st trip to Africa, where I used my 300wsm on plains game. I loaded 165gr ttsx. I recovered the bullet from my Blue Wildebeest ( point of the shoulder- quartering to shot) It looked like the picture on the box. The next day I shot a wonderful Kudu bull with almost the same shot presentation at 70 yards. He went 20 yards and died after the shot. But we recovered that bullet as well and it hadn't done much of anything. Might as well have had a full metal jacket.
Anyone else seen this with ttsx?