Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Huge .264 Bullet Test with lots of pics

Oops! I guest that didn't work. Here you go guys, I re-did the whole thing just for you .

There it is!!

The line up:



- The impact velocity was made to duplicate modern 6.5X55 loads at 100 yds.
- Expansion was measured at the widest part of the bullet. Take a look at the pictures when comparing the expansion of different bullets, sometime a sliver of lead or copper at an odd angle can give deceptive results.
- Test rifle: Winchester Model 70 Featherweight 6.5X55 Swed
- Test media: Wet newspaper....lots of wet newspaper!!
- Disclaimer: I know wet newspaper does not give identical result to flesh and bones, blah, blah, blah....

Speer 90gr TNT
Average Penetration (inches): 10.17
Average Weight Retained (grain): 28.3
Average Weight Retained (%): 31
Average Expansion (inches): 0.549



Hornady 95gr V-MAX
Average Penetration (inches): 6.25
Average Weight Retained (grain): 34.1
Average Weight Retained (%): 36
Average Expansion (inches): 0.470



Barnes 100gr X
Average Penetration (inches): 16.67
Average Weight Retained (grain): 83
Average Weight Retained (%): 83
Average Expansion (inches): 0.423

[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p3cc4a5bfe410615c14b5980a76dbdda4/e91a24e8.jpg[/img]

Nosler 120gr Ballistic Tip
Average Penetration (inches): 10.30
Average Weight Retained (grain): 74.4
Average Weight Retained (%): 62
Average Expansion (inches): 0.643
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p79ee860549a2f5ce66e20c712542c676/e91a2390.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pa049a5abfc49b0dc7567484ae765a1df/e91a225e.jpg[/img]

Barnes 120gr X
Average Penetration (inches): 14.42
Average Weight Retained (grain): 114.5
Average Weight Retained (%): 95
Average Expansion (inches): 0.586
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pcee3fbbf29e54dea0b87529a00096a8f/e91a2159.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p6d9ef32cb3fa7dce08f263c324bd7b76/e91a2038.jpg[/img]

Barnes 120gr TSX
Average Penetration (inches): 13.67
Average Weight Retained (grain): 120.1
Average Weight Retained (%): 100
Average Expansion (inches): 0.592
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pee7003dd2fd702460a4070a20b88cfe8/e91a1f79.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pc37c5445dc1bb3e39cecb6fece93a855/e91a1e1a.jpg[/img]

Alberta Wildcat 120gr HP
Average Penetration (inches): 11.17
Average Weight Retained (grain): 49.2
Average Weight Retained (%): 41
Average Expansion (inches): 0.704
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pec0111709980500fb5bdcddeb1696d5d/e91a1d32.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p67b23f262ba131943bf448397e4d8e27/e91a1c05.jpg[/img]

Alberta Wildcat 125gr SP
Average Penetration (inches): 10.17
Average Weight Retained (grain): 73.3
Average Weight Retained (%): 59
Average Expansion (inches): 0.712
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p824f9f72792a1ddb535b1abd7a5362c9/e91a1920.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p4ea857e315ce024179da8f240ec46518/e91a17ae.jpg[/img]

Nosler 125gr Partition
Average Penetration (inches): 15
Average Weight Retained (grain): 88.5
Average Weight Retained (%): 71
Average Expansion (inches): 0.614
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pa256e28e2f54df2484b5fb82c98d2695/e91a16c1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pf22a929cc6b2a7c2961816e3053161a8/e91a160f.jpg[/img]

Hornady 129gr SP IL
Average Penetration (inches): 13.08
Average Weight Retained (grain): 90.5
Average Weight Retained (%): 70
Average Expansion (inches): 0.626
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pf61d2686d2e4cdd2886fb76daccb7aa7/e91a155b.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pac8ba7c2e34e3a58577d52ce38f40237/e91a1508.jpg[/img]

Barnes 130gr TSX
Average Penetration (inches): 18
Average Weight Retained (grain): 129.9
Average Weight Retained (%): 100
Average Expansion (inches): 0.552
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p231383749c63147d4567c1ab48ac57ad/e91a143e.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pc44b4f670f17d97b5b746e8e8115e5a6/e91a136d.jpg[/img]

Lapua 140gr Naturalist
Average Penetration (inches): 16.5
Average Weight Retained (grain): 136.6
Average Weight Retained (%): 98
Average Expansion (inches): 0.556
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pd81a5788bfe8c6ccaafa4851eb53d93c/e91a1299.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p3051ec55622b14bfd23615319f4d924a/e91a11fa.jpg[/img]

Hornady 140gr SP IL
Average Penetration (inches): 13.75
Average Weight Retained (grain): 78.7
Average Weight Retained (%): 56
Average Expansion (inches): 0.524
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p0496f01beeff4c0d6cef99152b3b0295/e91a10b7.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p363d5a19a88ef2b2ed01b7ec7770a6a0/e91a0f9f.jpg[/img]

Hornady 140gr SST
Average Penetration (inches): 13.25
Average Weight Retained (grain): 95.5
Average Weight Retained (%): 68
Average Expansion (inches): 0.695
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pcce0f62772a7b1e349e843dd62adfa34/e91a0ee6.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p026aabde6a056a700883ad53ddc5ba43/e91a0e58.jpg[/img]

Hornady 140gr A-MAX
Average Penetration (inches): 12.17
Average Weight Retained (grain): 75.9
Average Weight Retained (%): 54
Average Expansion (inches): 0.597
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p47817ac7fa3818dd7fce0a8f8fe4d70c/e91a0db3.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p89169bcf74ff9cfcb5e6a4391a4e91b1/e91a0c11.jpg[/img]

Nosler 140gr Partition
Average Penetration (inches): 15.17
Average Weight Retained (grain): 108.6
Average Weight Retained (%): 78
Average Expansion (inches): 0.629
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p800a11845ff6308615bb406f547ec21c/e91a0b93.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p3a735a54b70efb94b6a76c7a23aa7584/e91a0a86.jpg[/img]

Sierra 142gr Match King
Average Penetration (inches): 14.25
Average Weight Retained (grain): 40.7
Average Weight Retained (%): 29
Average Expansion (inches): 0.445
** First bullet disintegrated and not significant pieces were recovered.
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pf1b30952591473d465466d2d0c3127bf/e919fe9e.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p59f253d318157c90a6b5303f7ce65168/e919fd68.jpg[/img]

Alberta Wildcat 142.5 VLD
Average Penetration (inches): 12.17
Average Weight Retained (grain): 45.2
Average Weight Retained (%): 32
Average Expansion (inches): 0.598
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p97a007b28e1a14034975e089ccae5ccf/e919fbc8.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p9df16dad3d0313f9cf545082ff11531b/e919faff.jpg[/img]

Lapua 156gr Mega
Average Penetration (inches): 14.92
Average Weight Retained (grain): 120.9
Average Weight Retained (%): 78
Average Expansion (inches): 0.629
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p1d97d1710770019914c7f1562a3bffbf/e919fa44.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pe3c90d8d0380950b065aa9b4f98b3d32/e919f95b.jpg[/img]

Norma 156gr RN
Average Penetration (inches): 14.67
Average Weight Retained (grain): 89.6
Average Weight Retained (%): 57
Average Expansion (inches): 0.592
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p36c4ad2049066a253b7f92d3a04a796b/e919f812.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pbf2123771b95243a3b4ef498c3a58af0/e919f786.jpg[/img]

Hornady 160gr RN IL
Average Penetration (inches): 13.92
Average Weight Retained (grain): 117.6
Average Weight Retained (%): 74
Average Expansion (inches): 0.694
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pcacaefeb2043d93f55388fc26b23f34a/e919f67f.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pe45b4ee08078d1d8ad2eb3160ce6a49e/e919f4cc.jpg[/img]

Sierra 160gr SMP
Average Penetration (inches): 13.17
Average Weight Retained (grain): 76.4
Average Weight Retained (%): 48
Average Expansion (inches): 0.539
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pe50cbb0d19b5572a0916443c8bb1c155/e919f413.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pb0a183542ac2721036128248e06e40d1/e919f1ad.jpg[/img]

Alberta Wildcat 168gr VLD
Average Penetration (inches): 13.17
Average Weight Retained (grain): 76.4
Average Weight Retained (%): 48
Average Expansion (inches): 0.539
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pe00e4fbe342e4678bb08b4958734108c/e919f07d.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pfb9eef702933c0ec2449ff8308b7be26/e919efe2.jpg[/img]

Approximate impact velocity:
90-100gr.............2850-2900fps
120gr..................2750-2800fps
125gr..................2600-2700fps
129-130gr............2550-2600fps
140gr-142.5gr.......2500-2550fps
156-160gr............2400-2500fps
168gr..................2300-2400fps