Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    User
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Philippolis
    Posts
    4,733

    Default The Effect Of Shot Placement On Bullet Performance.

    There is a photo of a Nosler Accubond bullet that hit the scapula of an eland at link below. The Nosler Accubond are considered by many to be an excellent hunting bullet. And it is. Mostly.

    https://www.gunsite.co.za/forums/showthread.php?65032-Bullet-performance-data-base/page78


    There is a question about using the Hornady SST on blue wildebeest on another thread. I did not want to hijack that thread and there are really good advice from various contributors there.

    I do not consider to be the SST to be a good hunting bullet, it is much too fragile. I had two complete bullet failures on blesbuck with angled frontal shots (7x57 with 154gr SST) and another hunter on the reserve had the same experience with the same bullet fired from a 7x57AI. This does not mean that you can't hunt effectively with SST bullets. I have killed a few dozen antelope and pigs with it without any problems, apart from the two mentioned above.

    I do not consider the Hornady A-max to be a good hunting bullet either, yet I have killed several hundred game animals up to eland with the 140gr 6.5mm bullet in both the 6.5x55 and the 6.5 Creedmoor. I had a complete bullet failure on a wildebeest with this bullet. Again on a frontal angled shot.

    Lead core bullets in general does not perform well when hitting thick bone. Even bonded bullets like Accubond in the link above. Angled frontal shots that hit the heavy shoulder joint place incredible strain on a bullet. There is a reason that the hunters of yore used non-expanding FMJ bullets on buffalo and the larger antelope, the expanding bullets of that era was simply not strong enough. The Hornady SST is very similar in terminal performance to those old expanding bullets.

    The best shot for your average meat hunter is a broadside shot in the lower half of the body, in line with the rear of the front leg on a broadside animal. It does not damage a lot of meat and the bullet meet very little resistance. Fragile bullets like the SST performs well for this shot, even on the larger antelope.

    The problem is that in real life hunting situations only a small percentage of animals are going to be standing fully broadside or quartering away. Many are going to be facing you at various angles. If you have the self discipline to turn down all but the perfect shots, virtually any expanding bullet will work and work well. Few hunters have this self discipline.

    A second problem is that not all of our shots are perfect. Hunters pull shots. Animals move at that moment when your trigger finger has already taken the final decision. It is these situations and in the aftermath of these situations, when you are going to have to take any available shot on a wounded animal, that premium hunting bullets, the expanding monolithics or the really good lead core bullets like the Swift A-Frame and Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, suddenly becomes worth what you paid for them.

  2. #2
    User
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Pretoria
    Posts
    1,389

    Default Re: The Effect Of Shot Placement On Bullet Performance.

    Thanks for underlining this.

  3. #3
    Banned
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Port Elizabeth
    Age
    55
    Posts
    11,588

    Default Re: The Effect Of Shot Placement On Bullet Performance.

    TStone stated : "suddenly becomes worth what you paid for them."

    This is likely the final word on the subject, it should be.

  4. #4
    User
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Right next to the pot that needs stirring.
    Age
    45
    Posts
    2,157

    Default Re: The Effect Of Shot Placement On Bullet Performance.

    TStone, all you have said here is very true.

    I once found the remains of a SST from a Kudu cow, broadside shot, but solid hit on a rib, made 2 wound channels. The bullet broke in 2 pieces on impact right where the groove on the SST’s are. From te tip you only a few bits were recovered. The rear part luckily penetrated both lungs.

  5. #5
    User
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    BFN Freestate
    Age
    45
    Posts
    12,151

    Default Re: The Effect Of Shot Placement On Bullet Performance.

    It is my opinion that premium bullets cannot really compensate for poor shot placement, and that a person whom cannot even properly hit a standing animal have very little chance of putting down a wounded animal on the trot.

    Maybe hitting big bone when not planned, sure, I agree, but in hunting experience is worth more than equipment.

  6. #6
    User
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Philippolis
    Posts
    4,733

    Default Re: The Effect Of Shot Placement On Bullet Performance.

    Premium bullets might not compensate for poor shot placement but they certainly give you a lot more options as far as proper shot placement is concerned. I regularly take angling shots on large animals, with premium bullets, that I would never attempt with cup and core bullets. The average hunter probably never need to take these shots. Until he has to kill a wounded animal standing, or running, at an angle.

    No one can argue the importance of experience and the knowledge of anatomy.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •