Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Winchester power points

In some instances, I use 180 gr Nosler partitions in a 30-378 stepping out at an initial 3,385 fps. Targets have been caribou, moose, and elk. Never had a pass through yet and often there's no visible damage to the off side of the body cavity. Not found a slug either.

No animals have complained though.

Guess you’ll have to go back to, “I never think to take pics”. That was comedy gold.




https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/19061133/1

They deserve not to be blown away too yet here we are

Somewhere on the internet is a picture of collected fired bullets ( I think they were 180 grain .30 caliber) from controlled firing at different MV (fps), simulating bullet performance at various distances ( ie 100, 200, 300 yards). Bullets were all the well-known makers, including the Winchester Power Point ( again, I think it was the 180 grain .308).. All were fired in the same material ( don't remember if it was ballistic gelatin or not, but in my view it was a consistent and reliable material for catching bullets).

The picture was like a big bullet board of all the mushroomed bullets. At closer range (ie 100 yards?), thethe bullets showed more expansion ( even some with jacket separation). Bullets from increasing "longer distances mimiced by slower MV) had less bullet expansion. No surprise with that info.

One of my takeaways from studying the bullet board, was how well the Winchester Power Points performed. No jacket separations. Excellent expansion at various velocities ("distances"). If the Power Points weren't the "best", they were a close second. Bottom line, in those testing criteria, the Power Points were a textbook succes at all velocities. They expanded fully at "close distance ( highest velocity), and still had excellent expansion at lowest tested velocity ( "furthest distance", maybe simulating 300?, 400? 500? yards.

Relating this this to the OP's observation that bullet pass through did not occur on his deer, perhaps the rapid and full expansion of the Power Points ( without jacket failure) decelerated enough ("dumped a lot of energy in the deer's body), to not be able to punch an exit hole. This would be consistent with the OP's comment that the Power Powers "hammered" the deer. To me, it seems like textbook bullet performance, just like what was observed from that bullet board.

This may be a case. If you WANT and exit hole on a deer, you may need to reduce the MV by 100-200 fps, so the bullet wouldn't be so fully expanded. A smaller frontal diameter will decelerate less, and likely penetrate deeper. Case in point, there is a good video online of a guy shooting a 300 Win Mag and a 30-30 into a bunch of lined up water-filled 1 gallon plastic jugs. Fired from close range (25? 50? yards), the full velocity (2800-2900 fps?)180(?) grain Win Mag factory load gave spectacular jug explosion, and maybe penetrated 5-6 jugs. The slower (2200 fps?) 170 grain 30-30 bullet had no where near the explosive effect on the water jugs ( but still good), but the penetration was much more by 2-3 more jugs. Granted different bullets and design, and 10 grain difference in weight), but likely the slower MV 30-30 bullet had less frontal diameter, with less deceleration ( "braking" forces) to create more penetration.

So, maybe loading down a little slower will give more penetration and produce an exit wound.

Just spitballing.

Very cool pictures my friend. I love that BSA rifle of yours too. You better hang on to that one! They don't make them like that anymore. I'd take it over a pre 64 model 70, and I love the model 70's.

As for the 180gr Winchester power points, maybe they don't make those like they used to either??? Just a thunk? I know the ones I shot into the target, from my 30-06 fwt and H&R 340 were slightly different looking than the newer ones I bought a few years ago. Sadly, I have not even loaded up any of those newer Power Points either. I'm hoping they shoot the same as the old ones!!!

If the OP is experiencing bullet failure, or non pass throughs with that newer bullet, maybe Winchester changed the design??? I see this is an older thread, but it is not uncommon for bullet manufactures to change stuff, sometimes not for the better too!!! Hornady is guilty of doing this with their interlocks especially. FN around with the ogive location and bullet shape.

With that being said, the newer 180gr (30 cal) Power Points look like they have a slightly skinnier nose profile than the older ones. If I still have some of the older ones loaded up, I may pull one, and post a picture of the old one vs. the new one. I will tell you, though, as you already know, the old ones shot damn well and worked great on deer and elk sized critters. Which is apparent in your pictures and from my own experience. Even if the stupid fu cks like that SLM (meth attic POS) doesn't get it.

Pretty interesting. I don't believe the bullet you choose is all that important on most animals. What is is how the user uses what he has. Little old Indian woman in Canada has the #2 world record Grizzly Bear and killed it with a 22 short! For myself that wouldn't work but does go to show what happens when you can use what you have! Oh yea, from what I'd read, she did it on purpose!

Bella Twin used a single shot 22 rifle with Longs. One shot kill then a number of insurance shots. Not on purpose. Her and a granddaughter were walking on a brushy trail when she saw the bear coming. Ducking into the brush to let him pass, as he got alongside them, he winded them. As he looked towards her granddaughter, the shot that keeps the internet buzzing was taken.

What's a meth attic?

I wish I had computer skills because there is an interesting photo of a 308 Winchester that is loaded with 180 grain power point bullet, and it had been "sectioned" basically cut in half lengthwise. You can see the construction of the PowerPoint bullet. Very heavy jacket with a thicker section at the cannelure. Very similia to Remington's Cor-Lok produced prior to the 1970's. The photo is on the International Ammunition Collecters forum.

I thought the idea was for a bullet to expend all of its energy within the deer's body. It's about hydrostatic shock which disrupts the nervous system producing quick kills, with pass throughs that's not happening. The pass through produces two wounds for increased blood loss and hemorrhagic demise. I've taken whitetails both ways successfully, it's something I don't lose any sleep over.