As long as people are posting pictures of recovered bullets, here are a few of mine, recovered from animals, dirt, steel and water jugs.

A side note, over the years I've frequently been ridiculed for choosing premium bullets over standard cup-and-core construction because of their added expense. Often the people doing the ridiculing are sucking down crappy coffee while smoking a cancer stick. One was virtually addicted to soft and energy drinks and more than one has been borderline (or more) alcoholic. While I have an occasional glass of wine or a beer, I don't drink coffee, soft or energy drinks and I don't smoke. Nor do I chase other women or spend time in bars. My preference for premium bullets costs me far less than those addictions and habits. If you are one who is thinking about criticizing me for my choices and do any of these things, your criticism falls on deaf ears.

For that matter, if you shoot factory ammo my handloads with premium bullets often cost no more and often less than whatever ammo is on sale at your local Wally World. Be happy with what you shoot but once again any criticism of my choices will fall on deaf ears.


Every North Fork bullet I've recovered has looked like these, with the exception of the one I recovered from 200-yard steel (see below). Left to right:
30-06, 165 grain @ 2800fps, recovered from dirt
(500 yards, 145.0 grains retained weight)

.30-06, 165 grain @ 2800fps, recovered from second cow elk after breaking front leg and near and far ribs
(~25 yards, 133.2 grains retained weight)

7mm 140 grain @ 3200fps, recovered from buck mule deer after penetrating from right ham to sternum
(~150 yards, 131.2 grains retained weight)

[Linked Image]

Left to right again:
Hornady 162g InterLock (elk),less than 49% weight retention, hit just one rib of spike bull, broadside, about 110 yards
Speer 160g Grand Slam (elk), same presentation and range as InterLock above, destroyed both shoulders of 5x5 bull elk, over 70% weight retention
North Fork 165g (elk), Broke front leg and near and far rib
North Fork 350g (elk), obliterated sections of the near leg and rib, shattered a far rib
North Fork 180g (200 yard steel) Note that every other bullet I tried against that steel disintegrated. The Barnes X bullets made beautiful copper plated craters. The North Forks consistently made a crater and were caught inside it. This was the only one I could remove.

[Linked Image]


This photo speaks for itself. Note that due to an uncorrected copy/paste error made when creating the photo, the Sierra bullet is listed as an XTP. Obviously it is not. It is a GameKing. Hornady SST anyone?
[Linked Image]



From left to right:
4 jugs == Sierra 200g FP .375" @ 2390fps, 81% weight retention (left group of five, front row center) (Marlin 375, .375 Win)
6 jugs == Speer 300g Uni-Cor .458" @ 2247fps, 59.6% to 72.5% weight retention, 68.8% average (remainder of left group) (Marlin 1895, .45-70)
8 jugs == Speer 350g FP .458" @ 2147fps, 87.6% weight retention (Marlin 1895, .45-70)
6 jugs == North Fork 350g .458" @ 2189fps, 97.4% weight retention (Marlin 1895, .45-70)
9 jugs == Cast Performance 460g WFNGC .458" @ 1812fps, 76.5% weight retention (Marlin 1895, .45-70)
5 jugs == Hornady 220g FP .375" @2230fps, 65.7% weight retention (Marlin 375, .375 Win)
7 jugs == Barnes 180g MRX .308" @ 3100fps, 93.4% weight retention (Ruger MKII, .300 Win Mag)

[Linked Image]





Last edited by Coyote_Hunter; 10/12/15. Reason: Add missing photo

Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!

No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.

A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.