Lead and monolith bullets

[Miletic]

Certainly. If you want wound photos, look for my posts in the Bullet Performance thread or I can email you more.

fyi - the material in the bullet cavity on the left is bone that was strongly embedded into the bullet.

Thank you. I have a lot of photo wounds from lead grains. I don't have a lot of Monoliths, that's why I asked you for pictures of the bullets. Thanks again

 

[Flbt]

On our forum here, I see a constant presentation of monolithic bullets and their testing. Since I highly appreciate the hunters how write here, I am interested in how many of you prefer to use lead bullets and how many monolithic bull. I would like to use your opinion and make a comparison for different continents. The size and type of game is not important, but if you still make a difference, it would be desirable to state it.
Thank s

I like lead bullets.
The only experience I have had with the solid copper was with a 223 and the barns x
And the 6.5geendal with the tipped version.
I was not impressed with either.
The 223 was small for deer to start with. And I got the barns because everything I had read it made the 223 ok for deer and left blood trails.
It did not in my experience but that was limited to only 3 deer.
When I got the 6.5g all I could find was wolf fmg and the barns tipped ammo.
Again small sample 2 deer. I was not impressed with the damage done.
When I was able to get some federal fusion the 6.5g for me seamed to do alot better a lot more damage but again a small sample 3 deer

 

[Hyde Hunter]

Sierra Game clasic good soft point.
I looked at your hunting offer. You have an interesting offer for hunters

I have only shot one animal spike animal with a 250gr .338 Win Mag at about 90 yards and the bullet only weighed 67 gr when recovered and no bone hit. Have never shot a Sierra bullet again, except varmints.

 

[Tex .416]

Thank you. I have a lot of photo wounds from lead grains. I don't have a lot of Monoliths, that's why I asked you for pictures of the bullets. Thanks

.308 Win 130 grain Barnes TTSX low behind shoulder to the heart

Same day, same bullet, same shot placement, different deer.

Entrance wound on a javelina with the .308 130 TTSX. These bullets expand rapidly and the entrance wounds can be larger than the exit wounds.

Exit wound from a 300 grain TSX from a .45-70 at 100 yards, so relatively low velocity.

I have quite a few, how many would you like?

 

[Muskox]

This is just my experience over the past 3 years July 2024-November 2026. I have 8 driven hunts and a fallow deer hunt in Gylaj in Hungary in the next 3 months. Hopefully another 10-20 animals are on the hunt.

5 Red Deer, 4 stags and a hind. All shot with monometal bullets from RWS Hit. Kind of a like a Barnes Tipped X Bullet. Cartridges were 308, 30-06 and 10,3x68. The 2 shot with the 10,3x68 were shot in the heart and ran 40-60 meters. The rest were shot through the shoulders or spine and were dead with 20 meters.

1 wild boar shot through the lungs too high and ran 150 meters, killed by the dog handler. Was not able to move, but wasn't dead.

4 fallow deer. 1 with the 308 Winchester, 2 with the 8x57 and 1 with the 10,3x68 RWS, all with RWS Hit bullets. 3 were shoulder shots, down at the shot, 2 were dead when I got there. 1 was a heart/lung pocket shot ran 100 yards.

2 chamois. Both with a 30-06 RWS Hit. One lung shot laying down, ran 40 meters. One shoulder shot dead in 20 meters.

6 roe deer. 2 RWS HIT heart/lung shot ran 30-60 meters with 8x57. 1 same cartridge combination shot through the shoulders dead on the spot. 3 with 6.5 Creedmoor Hornady ELD-X. Shoulder shot dropped in tracks.

18 animals in 3 years, not a ton. Mostly with the RWS Hit.

Cartridge did not matter, bullet placement mattered on 18 animals.

Tough bullet in the shoulders.

Soft bullet in the heart lungs was ok, but not as dramatic.

Bad shots mean tracking.

Nothing else really matters.

I am convinced a 223, 243 or 6.5 Creedmoor with an accurate rifle and a good bullet in the spine, lungs or heart will kill anything that walks.

 

[fourfive8]

Perusing older threads and saw this. Thanks for posting! Excellent pic of a fluoroscope/xray image of what looks like a deer (sans legs) shot with a cup and core bullet. I can’t believe no response from the audience. People either don’t know what the photo shows or prefer to ignore it hoping it will go away and “whistle” through the graveyard if they do know, For those who don’t know what that shows… that cloud of little white dots and odd shaped blotches appear to be particles of lead or pieces of jacket. Certainly “food” for thought. No pun intended. Enjoy the venison

 

[Miletic]

.308 Win 130 grain Barnes TTSX low behind shoulder to the heart

View attachment 806937

Same day, same bullet, same shot placement, different deer.
View attachment 806938


Entrance wound on a javelina with the .308 130 TTSX. These bullets expand rapidly and the entrance wounds can be larger than the exit wounds.

View attachment 806940


Exit wound from a 300 grain TSX from a .45-70 at 100 yards, so relatively low velocity.

View attachment 806942

I have quite a few, how many would you like?

Excelent pict. Thanks a lot.

 

[Tex .416]

You're welcome.

 

[ldmay375]

On our forum here, I see a constant presentation of monolithic bullets and their testing. Since I highly appreciate the hunters how write here, I am interested in how many of you prefer to use lead bullets and how many monolithic bull. I would like to use your opinion and make a comparison for different continents. The size and type of game is not important, but if you still make a difference, it would be desirable to state it.
Thank s

I have used the monolithic, conventionally expanding copper bullets for several years.

Specifically the Barnes TSX and TTSX on moose:
338 Winchester - 225 gr TSX
375 Ruger - 270 TSX
416 Ruger - 350 gr TSX and TTSX

338 Winchester 225 TSX, one coyote approximately 60 yards
416 Ruger 350 TTSX, one wolf ~93 yards

I have been happy with the results. The shots have been from less than 25 yards to ~185 yards. I have never yet had a reason to question lack of bullet expansion or performance. My personal minimum impact velocity preference is ~2000 fps. I am usually more concerned with close range bullet performance / integrity than distance.

This next year, I hope to have the opportunity to try the .416 Cutting Edge Bullets 325 grain Maximus bullet. A non-conventional petal shearing type bullet.

 

[45-70guy]

It’s interesting how every forum has its own personality. Here, heavy-for-caliber TSX/A-Frames is universally recommended. Other places would recommend 77gr TMKs for everything up to rhino.

If it were a spectrum, some sort of bullet-tism, I’d be light-for-caliber monos and heavy-for-caliber jacketed lead. I like to push monos as fast as possible. I’m not afraid to use 130gr TTSX from a 300 Win Mag. They are devastating on elk, so I’m sure they would do just fine on plains game. Or, 200gr Accubonds or Partitions.

I like heavy bullets for everything but just got some 130’s for my 16” 308 compact that I want to push as fast as possible to see how it performs.

 

[MS 9x56]

The Barnes TTSX is my go to first choice for deer, pigs, and our exotics here in Texas. The TTSX is all I use anymore in every hunting rifle. Very consistent terminal performance, the best of any bullet I have used. The key to success is drop down to a lighter weight and pick up the velocity. Out of hundreds of animals, I have only recovered three bullets. They look like magazine ads. Two of the three are below. The other has jumped off the shelf and run away somewhere.

Below is a video of a large buck facing almost straight towards the gun, just a slight bit of quartering angle at most. The bullet went in the front and was recovered from the off side rear leg, so about four to five feet of penetration. That was a .308 Win with the 130 TTSX @ 3100 fps MV.

View attachment 806834

The one item I am most concerned about that is never discussed by Barnes fans is how much meat damage that high velocity causes. I am a meat eater who eats all the game I shoot. I tried the monolithic bullets and was Not happy with the amount of meat loss due to bloodshot, jellified meat. I will stick with my lead core bullets.

 

[MS 9x56]

.308 Win 130 grain Barnes TTSX low behind shoulder to the heart

View attachment 806937

Same day, same bullet, same shot placement, different deer.
View attachment 806938


Entrance wound on a javelina with the .308 130 TTSX. These bullets expand rapidly and the entrance wounds can be larger than the exit wounds.

View attachment 806940


Exit wound from a 300 grain TSX from a .45-70 at 100 yards, so relatively low velocity.

View attachment 806942

I have quite a few, how many would you like?

This is exactly why I don’t use light weight high speed bullets of any composition.

 

[MS 9x56]

Heavey for caliber leadcore bullets have worked for me for 60 years and I have have never bit down on a single piece of lead fragments in any of my game meat. I have cut fragments out of wound channels.

 

[MS 9x56]

I am not on a crusade against mono bullets , if you are a fan and satisfied with their performance go forth and enjoy. Each hunter must make their own choices. Good luck to all.

 

[Mark458]

I am not on a crusade against mono bullets , if you are a fan and satisfied with their performance go forth and enjoy. Each hunter must make their own choices. Good luck to all.

I do like the TSX bullets on buffalo. I feel that they penetrate better and more reliably than leadcore bullets. I do however prefer leadcore bullets for plains game. Norma Oryx 230 grain in my 338 win mag has put many animals in the salt.

 

[Sanglier14]

I always use RWS Uni classic on driven hunts in Europe out of my R93 and TMR out off my 9,3x74R. Very good results but i think regarding the upcoming ban on lead i switch to RWS HIT ammo.