This is a great thread for @michael458 to give input on.
Not sure if you’ve talked to CEB at all, but I’ve been thinking about trying 130gr on a 300H&H.
I believe if it were me I would look at the 130 Raptor. While I have not used the 130s I know these bullets pretty well. Here for all our .308 caliber requirements we use the 100 Flat Base Raptor, in 300 BLK, 7.62X40, 308 Winchester and even 300 Winchester. I do have one load for the 130 FB Raptors in 300 Winchester, but it has not been used in the field. The 100 FB Raptor has been used extensively in 300 BLK and 308 Winchester on literally 100s of deer, hogs and even black bear, with 100% stellar success. Not long ago a fellow was looking for recommendations for elk and 300 Winchester, I recommended the 130 at that time. I would do so for Zebra and lesser plains game as well. Penetration will not be an issue with the 130s.
Testing here with mostly the 100 FB Raptor they out penetrate all but the 200 Swift A Frames in 300 Winchester, and equal to most all super premium 165-180s, such as Barnes TSX....... I have not tested the 130s simply because I have no personal reason to do so, whatever I might do with .308 caliber can be done with the 100 gr easy and beyond.
Do not make the mistake of trying to compare these type bullets to any conventional expanding bullets, they do not compare, they do not behave the same, and they work far differently to achieve trauma and penetration. You cannot compare a 130-150 gr Raptor to any conventional expanding trauma inflicting bullet of similar or even heavier weight. I have no doubt whatsoever that the 130s will do more in every aspect than 180-200 grain super premium conventional bullets.
Velocity with Raptors means more of everything, more trauma, and deeper penetration, there is NO upper end to this type bullet.
For whatever its worth, I settled on the Maximus because of it's advertised ability to make a larger wound channel the entire length
This is pretty much true for the Copper Maximus to some extent anyway. The way the Maximus works, and most other Copper CNC bullets, they have what we call true "Petals", these petals shear at different depths of penetration as the main bullet penetrates. These petals peel back, break off, and do lots of damage along the main wound channel. While they are devastating, they do come in Second when comparing trauma with a Raptor. Don't get me wrong, I have used this type bullet extensively in the field, and they are extremely effective, far more effective than lesser conventional super premiums in both trauma and penetration, but they ain't Raptors.....
Raptors have blades, not petals. Being brass, those blades shear all at the same moment in penetration, which will be 1.5-2 inches once inside medium or animal tissue, or other aqueous material. At that moment, I can only compare it to a mini explosion of sorts, and for the next 3-5 inches of penetration those blades slice and dice tissues working very close to the center bullet, which continues its straight line penetration similar to a full wadcutter flat nose solid, really more like a broken sharp edge solid. These blades slice their way through tissue, not push, not blunt trauma, they slice. As penetration increases, the blades are working away from center, and after 3-5 inches of penetration the larger caliber blades become secondary slice and dice projectiles, slicing arteries, organs, and all tissue they come in contact with. Smaller calibers, such as .308 and less, the blades cannot get as far from center as the larger caliber blades, such as 416-458 and plus. None the less, they are devastating beyond what you have ever seen before.
The common saying for shooters/hunters that have never used them is "I have never seen anything like that"........ We laugh when we hear it, because that is what we said too..... LOL
Hope that helps you understand how things work......
Michael
