Bullet Performance Database

[EBaker]

Factory loads or hand loads --- at almost 2900 fps , the factory loads are pretty hot up close

Handloads chronographed at 2900

 

[curt672]

Just dug a Hornaday 178 gr ELDX out of a mule deer I shot -- It seperated badly. I found a chunk of lead and an empty copper jacket in the front shoulder --- not good

 

[Hogpatrol]

Just dug a Hornaday 178 gr ELDX out of a mule deer I shot -- It seperated badly. I found a chunk of lead and an empty copper jacket in the front shoulder --- not good

How far did it go?

 

[Daryl S]

Curt, what calibre, range and muzzle velocity?

 

[SRvet]

Just dug a Hornaday 178 gr ELDX out of a mule deer I shot -- It seperated badly. I found a chunk of lead and an empty copper jacket in the front shoulder --- not good

Are you surprised? Not a bonded core so highly likely to separate.

 

[MS 9x56]

Just dug a Hornaday 178 gr ELDX out of a mule deer I shot -- It seperated badly. I found a chunk of lead and an empty copper jacket in the front shoulder --- not good

Did the deer require a follow up shot?

 

[curt672]

It was a very long shot up in the Hells canyon area of Idaho , 300 win mag using Hornaday factory loads. It was so far that my 300 wby didn't have dope for over 700 yd so I used the Guides helpers gun that did. 5 shots and 3 of them hit the last was in the shoulder that finished him -- another was in the backstrap area and another lower in the front leg. I wouldn't normally shoot at that range but I went with the recommendation of the outfitter and thankfully it worked out. Really surprised at that range the bullet came apart

 

[Daryl S]

Imagine shooting that deer at 100yards with that load. Blowup and a splash wound?

 

[Corylax18]

Just dug a Hornaday 178 gr ELDX out of a mule deer I shot -- It seperated badly. I found a chunk of lead and an empty copper jacket in the front shoulder --- not good

I had the same thing happen to me this year. 145 Grain ELDX from a .270. The first shot was a perfect double lung at 250 yds. That shot passed through and the deer looked hit, but didnt run off, so I hit him again. The 2nd shot hit the backstrap/under side of the spine and exploded. I found the base of the jacket in one piece, but the lead and forward parts of the jacket were in tiny pieces spread through out the meat. I lost about 6" of one back strap from the damage.

I'll keep using them in that particular rifle because it shoots them very well, but only on deer and antelope or smaller sized game.

 

[shootist~]

Curt,
Just for clarity - did it penetrate and stop in the far side shoulder, or fail to penetrate much at all (stopped in near side shoulder)?

 

[dchum]

Imagine shooting that deer at 100yards with that load. Blowup and a splash wound?

That just does not happen.

 

[Gomer]

That just does not happen.

I’ve never seen a deer hide stop a bullet. I just shot a buck at 75 yards with a Nosler Ballistic Tip. The deer was facing me when we both crested the same ridge. I didn’t find any of that bullet, but everything from the sternum to the stomach was destroyed. There was a puncture wound in the stomach, but I didn’t bother digging around for it.

 

[meigsbucks]

That just does not happen.

Many years ago, I used a .300 Wby with a 190gr Hornady SPBT on a mule deer at ~300yds. Perfect performance. The deer dropped to the shot and the bullet exited. Two weeks after returning home, a friend invited me to go with him to a hunting preserve in SE Ohio. The only thing I had ammo loaded for was the .300. I shot an exotic ram at about 20yds. It dropped to the shot, but it looked strange. As I approached, ribs were sticking out and the scapula was exposed. It blew about a 10” entrance hole.

 

[curt672]

Curt,
Just for clarity - did it penetrate and stop in the far side shoulder, or fail to penetrate much at all (stopped in near side shoulder)?

Part of the lead went into the chest -- but not a lot as I also found lead in the shoulder

Curt,
Just for clarity - did it penetrate and stop in the far side shoulder, or fail to penetrate much at all (stopped in near side shoulder)?

a bit od lead did go further into the chest --

 

[MS 9x56]

It was a very long shot up in the Hells canyon area of Idaho , 300 win mag using Hornaday factory loads. It was so far that my 300 wby didn't have dope for over 700 yd so I used the Guides helpers gun that did. 5 shots and 3 of them hit the last was in the shoulder that finished him -- another was in the backstrap area and another lower in the front leg. I wouldn't normally shoot at that range but I went with the recommendation of the outfitter and thankfully it worked out. Really surprised at that range the bullet came apart

I am truly shocked at core separation at that distance. Did the bullet penetrate bone?

 

[Rule 303]

That just does not happen.

Yes it does, if hit bone. Shot a small pig years ago, when Nosler reintroduced their Solid base projectiles with the plastic tip. Distance about 70 mts, 130 grain from a 270 head shot, pig dropped, this while spotlighting. By the time we walked over to where the pig dropped it was not there. Found it the next day, thanks to the hawks and crows, about 2Km away. Dead with a massive surface head wound. Bullet blew up on impact. Those early polymer tipped solid base where excellent for shooting paper.

 

[Daryl S]

That just does not happen.

Exactly that happened to Roy Weatherby on a cape buffalo. He had the picture on his catalogue in the 1970's, front page, with himself and the PH standing behind the buff. He was pointing at the "gouge" made by the 87gr. Hornady bullet, on the hip and exclaiming inside that hydrostatic shock had killed the buff. The truth was on the cover, the .470 SxS the PH used, was leaning against the shoulder. @ snake of 2 entrance holes were on the shoulder, on which the blood if any, had been wiped off.
Had a splash wound on a coyote, shot with the .17AH and 20gr. Vmax.@ 3,925fps.100yds. of so, hit on the shoulder, the hide was ripped off, but no penetration. Took off in high gear, second shot stopped him.

 

[Tex .416]

Imagine shooting that deer at 100yards with that load. Blowup and a splash wound?

That just does not happen.

I have seen it happen twice. The first time was helping a hunter in a group using a .25-06 with Hornady Ballistic Tips. He wounded several animals in a row that were lost. The employer for the group was paying for the wounded animals, but asked me to go help this man. I watched him shoot a pig in the neck that stunned it for a few seconds. I followed up with a .308 and 130 Barnes TTSX, which put it down. Where he hit looked like someone took an ice cream scoop of flesh out, but no further penetration. That incident gave me a real disdain for the .25-06 and Ballistic Tips ever since. He used my rifle after that with solid results. He bought a .308 and did fine for the years that group hunted together. The bullet choice was 100% of the cause his poor results. I am told Hornady has toughened those .25 cal bullets in recent years.

The other time I was using a 7 WSM with a Berger 168. Placement was to the high shoulder. The bullet shattered on the scapula without anything penetrating through. The impact stunned him for sure, which allowed time for a followup up fatal shot. That was the last time I used Bergers. To this day that result still surprises me, but it did happen.

At this point in my hunting journey, Barnes TTSX’s are my go to choice. TSX’s were inconsistent on deer, but the TTSX has been very consistent in terminal effects, even with suboptimal placement from the kids on occasion. There has been only one long tracking job out of hundreds of animals including the young hunters. A 12 year old nephew shot a buck in rear half, but fortunately hit the liver. The blood trail started after about fifty yards and Stevie Wonder could have followed it. We found the buck very dead after he ran about 150 yards from the point of the shot.

 

[curt672]

I am truly shocked at core separation at that distance. Did the bullet penetrate bone?

as I hit the deer 3 times I am making an assumption that this bullet is the one that hit him in the shoulder as the lead fragment and the Jacket were both in that shoulder with a hole in the shoulder blade

 

[Velo Dog]

Fellow Bullet Diggers,

Extra velocity calls for extra tough bullets.
Also, when using lead core bullets, I personally prefer flat base ones.

It is because the jackets / envelopes of boat tail ones seem to loose their grip of the core quite easily plus, flat base bullets have usually (usually) proven more accurate than boat tail ones for me personally anyway.
I have seen this jacket and core separation often enough to suspect it is a semi-predictable event with boat tail lead core hunting bullets, especially when impacting animals at high velocity.

I definitely prefer old fashioned, jacketed lead core bullets for my hunting rifles, just not boat tail ones.
While I’m on a rant here, I also do not care for hollow pointed designs either, not even if they have a little plastic thingy stuffed into the hole in the nose either.

Cheers,
Velo Fudd.