Bullet Performance

[375Fox]

That bullet definitely did its job but didn’t function as designed. My concern would be on a bull elephant. Your results are interesting because that’s one of the bullets with a better reputation.

 

[375Fox]

A couple of questions. First, why shoot it again if it's already dead? Maybe I'm just old school. Guess my PH is too. He never had me do that. Second buff did get a second round although it was almost certainly standing dead. The other question: why shoot it from 60 yards when it's down? The skull on the ground would be a relatively small target at that range. Presumably death bellow was done with? I'm also presuming that shot was off the sticks? I guess you were not concerned about wrecking the trophy? I have seen a buffalo euro skull with a hole in it but that one was out of necessity. Usually finishing shots, even when not really needed, are taken close range after approaching from buff's backside. You must have shot that one head on for the bullet to find its way into the spine.

I don't shoot solids (not necessary) so am no judge of the quality of this bullet after impact. Not sure if that design bullet would even feed properly in my 404. I am sure I'll never need to find out.

What you are describing is Less old school and more inexperience. Most of my PHs in dangerous game areas have the scars to show. Maybe you’ve never heard the phrase it’s the dead ones that kill you?

I’m not impressed with this video at all, but here is an example of a presumed dead buffalo that isn’t getting up. Obviously in South Africa on a ranch. A PH in a dangerous game concession area might be a full day away from medical care and a country away from proper medical care. There is no reason to take chances. Bullets are cheap especially the final 1 bullet.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@Hunter-Habib
At what point do we say the bullet failed if the result was a dead animal be it rabbit or elephant or anything in betwixt
Bob

My answer to that question is always the same. In my opinion a bullet failure is defined by whether or not the bullet performed as expected, regardless of the outcome of the animal.

The animal may live on, but due to poor bullet placement by the hunter. The bullet may have performed exactly the way it's designed to do, but is a poor choice for the hunt conducted.

An example of the latter. You should a 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip out of a .300 Weatherby into the front of full grown bull elk at less than 100 yards. Due to the speed, the frangibility of that bullet, the low weight bullet and the fact you hit him up front, there's a high chance of that bullet blowing up before doing much if any damage to the vitals.

I don't count that a bullet failure but a failure on the hunters part to select a proper bullet. I love the Nosler BT btw, but when used in the proper circumstances.

As for the solid that started this thread. I'd like to know more about the distance traveled from head to where it was found in the spine, but assuming it was appreciable, the performance of this particular bullet seems fine. But again, I'd like to know how far it traveled inside the bull.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

What you are describing is Less old school and more inexperience. Most of my PHs in dangerous game areas have the scars to show. Maybe you’ve never heard the phrase it’s the dead ones that kill you?

I’m not impressed with this video at all, but here is an example of a presumed dead buffalo that isn’t getting up. Obviously in South Africa on a ranch. A PH in a dangerous game concession area might be a full day away from medical care and a country away from proper medical care. There is no reason to take chances. Bullets are cheap especially the final 1 bullet.

Wow, that's one of those videos that leads to lots of questions that likely will never be answered.