The Age old velocity vs heavier bullet for solids on thick skinned game- Nice video illustration.

[Nhoro]

Hi All,

Came across a video that tackles this old battleground. Give it a look and lets see if it sparks some discussion. If you search Youtube for Thesylvanshadow, he posted a practical video called Energy vs momentum Part 2. He uses a pcp airgun to explore velocity vs bullet mass with regards to penetration. It is an interesting concept because the airgun penetration was workable (5-10 inches) and he was able to adjust velocity and take some measurements.

So which do you pick for penetration -heavier bullet or higher velocity ?

 

[MacMillan]

Soy de la vieja escuela africana. Puntas pesadas a baja velocidad. No hay animal en la tierra que no caiga.

Google Translate:
I'm from the old African school. Heavy tips at low speed. There is no animal on earth that does not fall.

 

[Red Leg]

Let's see - A century and a quarter of accumulated field experience with post black powder ammunition, or the findings of someone shooting an airgun into wet newspaper, gelatin or whatever ....... ....... on YouTube.

 

[MacMillan]

I'm from the old African school. Heavy tips at low speed. There is no animal on earth that does not fall.
Jua ... I'd like to see him use compressed air against an elephant charging head-on. His headstone will read: "He died for being stupid."

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Up to a point, increasing velocity will increase penetration. After a point, it will decrease penetration. When that transition occurs depends on the specifics of the projectile and the target. Extrapolate at your own risk.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Bullet design and construction are probably most important. But I would like both weight and design in my corner.

 

[mark-hunter]

heavy bullet. My vote.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Heavy bonded or monolithic bullets traveling at a modest velocity. That’s my philosophy. For example, I would rather load 600 Gr bullets in a .505 Gibbs to a velocity of 2150 fps... Rather than load 525 Gr bullets in the same caliber to a velocity of 2300 fps.

 

[IvW]

Heavy for caliber bullets .30 SD as an absolute minimum. Monolithic brass solid with a meplat at a velocity of absolute min 2150 to max 2400 fps with 2300 fps being the sweet spot....
In 500 Jeff with a 570gr solid of above configuration I have shot through a rhino from right front between shoulder and neck and the bullet exited on the left rear leg.....
A rhino is a lot harder in body than an elephant.....
On side brain shots elephant this bullet exits same on close frontal brain shots...

 

[IvW]

When you start using bullets of .313 and up in SD penetration is finominal....

 

[IvW]

Velocity and SD.....what about bullet design especially the front?

 

[mark-hunter]

Same theory as taylors knock out value. Forget about expansion and construction. This topic refers to solids, it has origintated on you tube test with pcp rifle, monometal pellets, hmmm

 

[IvW]

Reputation of 6.5mm, 7x57mm, 9.3x62/74R, 450/400NE etc is based on SD not velocity....
Only reason a 458 WM survives is due to the SD of the bullet certainly not velocity.....

 

[mark-hunter]

And in addition to above, all of them fit medium action. (and rimmed cartridges for break action).
This is equally strong factor of historical survival of above, and most important factor for 458 win.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Go Big or go home for GD bullets

 

[BeeMaa]

I'm with @Wyatt Smith on this one...bullet construction, as well as sectional density are critical to performance on thick skinned game.

 

[Nhoro]

Let's see - A century and a quarter of accumulated field experience with post black powder ammunition, or the findings of someone shooting an airgun into wet newspaper, gelatin or whatever ....... ....... on YouTube.

Did you watch the video. I am a bit confused as to how the kid with an airgun disproved your 125 years of experience with black powder !

 

[Red Leg]

Did you watch the video. I am a bit confused as to how the kid with an airgun disproved your 125 years of experience with black powder !

I’m confused you didn’t understand what I wrote. Perhaps you should read it again.

 

[Nhoro]

I’m confused you didn’t understand what I wrote. Perhaps you should read it again.

Sorry, poor attempt at a joke. I was implying that you would have to be ancient to have accumulated 125 years of experience.

I also think that the kids and his airgun agreed with science and the entire history of firearms including black powder and nitro based powders

1/ Increasing weight of projectile increases penetration in a more linear fashion.
2/ Increasing Velocity increases penetration but is more like the law of decreasing returns. Each incremental increase in velocity results in a smaller increase in penetration.

 

[IvW]

Only ibitially after a certain vel9city about 2400 and higher penetration actually starts decreasing.....in a proper DG caliber no idea in a pellet gun.....which is not relevant anyway....

Research super cavitation.....