Bullet performance data base

**TStone** · 01-04-2019, 14:34

A 180gr Barnes TTSX recovered from a large blue wildebeest. Barnes Vortex factory load out of a Howa .300 win mag. Wildebeest was shot at 220m , angling towards shot. Entry on point of shoulder, breaking the heavy bone. Bullet recovered under skin, behind opposite rib cage. Retained weight 117gr (65%). This is one of the few Barnes bullets I have recovered that have lost all of its petals. Terminal performance was good, wildebeest went down within 50m.

**MyLani** · 01-04-2019, 14:37

Originally Posted by TStone

A 180gr Barnes TTSX recovered from a large blue wildebeest. Barnes Vortex factory load out of a Howa .300 win mag. Wildebeest was shot at 220m , angling towards shot. Entry on point of shoulder, breaking the heavy bone. Bullet recovered under skin, behind opposite rib cage. Retained weight 117gr (65%). This is one of the few Barnes bullets I have recovered that have lost all of its petals. Terminal performance was good, wildebeest went down within 50m.

That surprises me.
I pulled 2 x 250gr TTSX bullets from a 375 out of a Buffalo 2 weeks ago. Both were flawless. Pity I didn't take photos and weigh them

**TStone** · 01-04-2019, 15:32

Originally Posted by MyLani

That surprises me.
I pulled 2 x 250gr TTSX bullets from a 375 out of a Buffalo 2 weeks ago. Both were flawless. Pity I didn't take photos and weigh them

Did they hit thick bone?

**MyLani** · 01-04-2019, 16:37

First shot was at 60m, quartering on. Hit slightly high on shoulder and recovered behind opposite shoulder.
Second shot was 80m, 1" left of the base of the tail which pulled up his handbrake. Can't say where it was recovered as it fell out while skinning

**TStone** · 01-04-2019, 17:45

Thanks, I've been wondering about 250gr monolithics on buffalo. Sounds as if they work ok.

**MyLani** · 01-04-2019, 18:03

Worked very well. I wouldn't be phased if a client used them again. However, a 300gr Swift A Frame or Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is still tops

**Messor** · 01-04-2019, 20:33

So the 250gr monolithics seem to work fine in 375.
But..........lets say...........338, they would magically not work anymore?

**TStone** · 01-04-2019, 20:49

Originally Posted by Messor

So the 250gr monolithics seem to work fine in 375.
But..........lets say...........338, they would magically not work anymore?

According to traditional wisdom, you need a sd of .3 for hunting buffalo and bigger stuff. This theory is flawed as far as expanding bullets are concerned. However, for many years 286gr for 9.3mm and 300gr for .375 used to be the minimum bullet weight for buffalo. Expanding monolithics changed the rules somewhat. I've been interested in the performance of 250gr monolithics in 9.3mm and .375 H&H, I'm pretty sure of the answer but there does not seem to be a lot of real world results.

As for the .338, 250gr will get you back to the magical, theoretical, bc of .30 so it will be fine, theoretically. Shot placement and bullet construction have a lot more influence than theory. I have killed a very pissed off buffalo cow with a 180gr monolithic from a .300 win mag. I would really not like to replicate the experience though.

**jdpretorius** · 26-04-2019, 20:15

150 gr Pro-Amm in 308 cal @ 2660 fps MV. BWB heart shot broadside at 100 yrd, cought some ribs - retention wasn't bad at 124 gr. Bullet was recovered under the skin on the opposite shoulder. The BWB only managed 20m before expiring. Attachment 30302

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