What we have learned and know is still true.

[Adoons]

I could have posted under the "Bullet Performance" thread, but to derail that valuable info is not decent.

Last week I had a cow (cattle) to put out of misery due to a complete prolapse of the uterus. When these events occur I like to use different rifles or bullets to test results. I used my 6,5x55 Swede with a factory loaded 156 gr Sellier and Bellot SP. The angle of the shot was so that the entrance was a bit to the right (left side of cows forehead) and the bullet was recovered behind the right ear. Distance to impact was 30 strides.

What dit I find? The rear 10 mm of the copper jacket and then some "grounded to sand" mixture of lead and copper. Penetration about 200 mm. Spectacular bullet failure in "hunting" terms. Or was it bullet abuse?

In any case. What we have learned and know is really still true. A non bonded copper and lead bullet from a fast shooting calibre at realtively close distance and hitting bone cannot be relied on to perform. Should a hunter hit a large shoulder bone of for instance Kudu bulls, Gembuck, Zebra etc with this combnation and at this distace I am covinced that the chance of a perfect shot but a wounded animal is really good.

I can again understand why some older geeration farm owners don't want hunters to hunt the larger antelope in Bush conditions were shots can be close to use the small and fast calibres. (.243, .270, 25-06 etc). Yes, I know, a decent bullet will make any of them suitable. But they have seen too many bullet failures and wounded animals due to this.

When hunting with the 6.5 it is done with 140 gr Federal Fusions and I am in the process of loading some Peregrine VRG4.

Maybe I can just convince just one "cup and core is fine for hunting" believer to rather change to a better bullet or slower calibre.

I have dug out a few 240 gr .44 Cal Hornady XTP out of cattle heads. XTP are supposed to be soft. But they are found with about 80 % weight retention and on direct frontal shots penetrate into the neck .

Close combined with Soft and fast..... Still not a hunting combination.

[TStone]

Lead core expanding bullets, even bonded lead core expanding bullets, does not do well against thick bone unless they have a mechanism that prevents over expansion (SBC, Swift A-Frame, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw and Rhino Solid Shank).

That does not mean that lead core bullets cannot be used for hunting but it does mean that you need to place your shots carefully to avoid thick bone and, as Adoons pointed out, avoid high impact velocities.

[264WinMag]

Thanx Adoons for posting and glad that I have read this.

My 7x64 is really giving me issues in finding a load that works and I was considering using SB 174gr factory ammo for our bushveld hunt this year. I am reconsidering that thought and will work harder to find a load for the 150gr TTSX.


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[DaavG]

I am reconsidering that thought and will work harder to find a load for the 150gr TTSX.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SBC make a 160gr 7mm bonded bullet which I'm about to do load development in my 7x57, just an alternative

[Heath Robinson]

SBC make a 160gr 7mm bonded bullet which I'm about to do load development in my 7x57, just an alternative

My experience with Rhino Solid Shank indicate that you will probably be extremely pleased with their performance.

[Messor]

Some people go to hardware stores and ask for drill bits, they get asked if they want normal or masonry bits and they go “huh”.
Tools are made for specific jobs, use them outside of the intended design purpose and failure lies with the user.

That said, no hammer works when the wielder cannot hit straight.
I am reminded of a post T-stone did about a father and son duo hunting with him using only Sierra Matchking bullets.

[DaavG]

My experience with Rhino Solid Shank indicate that you will probably be extremely pleased with their performance.

The reviews on the SBC bullets are very pleasing and it seems accuracy too, so very excited!

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[264WinMag]

SBC make a 160gr 7mm bonded bullet which I'm about to do load development in my 7x57, just an alternative

Please let me know how it goes.

[ady]

My experience with Rhino Solid Shank indicate that you will probably be extremely pleased with their performance.

There was a time where i was shooting a lot of cattle with head shots as they were destined for the abattoir. Rhino Solid Shank bullets out the 308 did the job perfectly every time.

[Adoons]

I just want to add. The cow was dead on her feat after the shot. From experience I knew if the shot placement is true it will be an instant killing shot. i did not took a chance by using what I did. Next time I will use Federal Fusion and also try to angle the shot the same as this one. I bet there will not be a bullet to recover as it should exit.

The worst bullet performance I have seen with all the cattle I have shot was with .223 FMJ. It just seems that even if the CNS is hit that death is not instant. The bullet did what it is supposed to do by holding together and punch a hole, but it is not killing as quickly with comparitive shot placement and expanding bullets even in the CNS. Not always, but sometimes and not by a defining amount of time. WIth FMJ they just seem of feel as they are dropping a bit slower. Messors drill bits come to mind.

With all the cattle I have shot, and it is more than I can remember, I only once had a failure to kill instantly. The only option available was a .22 (long story why....). The placement was perfect, the angle not perfectly perpendicular and the bullet just ran under the skin against the bone for about 100 mm, so did not penetrate. When using a .22 it is worth making sure the elevation of the forehead and rifle is correct to have a almost perpendicular shot. But a .22 is in any case a bad idea. No matter how many thousand cattle who evers grandpa shot with his .22 - Again the drill bits.

My favourite to use: .44 Mag lever gun with Hornady XTP. Big bullets make big holes and forgive slight errors in placement.