Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters The "Other" Monos

Some people use to think that Keith style bullets cut due to the their design. It was latter proven that they didnt for the same reason I mentioned above.

This has been a good read, but I’d like to know what exactly is being debated. To me the phrase “Kills quicker” isn’t specific enough.
I’m not sure if the discussion is about the time between bullet impact and actual death or more about the ability for an animal to travel. In my very limited experience I’ve seen animals that were well hit cover a fair amount of ground and others hit the dirt even though they weren’t incapacitated by a CNS shot. In both those scenarios some were dead when they fell and others weren’t quite finished. Mostly I’ve thought it was usually more about the individual critter. A few seconds difference in actual demise seems negligible for the most part.

Full disclosure, I’ve never used monos of any sort, but I’ve been leaning towards using them for an elk hunt next month which is why I’ve been following.

No, it actually did not, though I can certainly see your reasoning in thinking that.

Velocity beyond the parameters of the design is why it looks that way.

I have used TSX and TTSX bullets on a fair amount of game, but mostly for animals larger than deer where I wanted to ensure good penetration. I used TSX bullets exclusively in my .375 H&H in Africa, and they worked well on everything from Impala to Buffalo. On deer size game I lean toward Accubonds and Ballistic Tips and they have worked very well on that class of game. And of course Partitions work well across a wide spectrum of game. It seems like both designs perform very well and the question is what works the best for a specific hunt. I've mostly had pretty quick kills with both designs, but I wouldn't claim to have enough experience to make any valid statistical comparisons so I'll accept what Mule Deer's database says. My main concern is making good shots and if I do that things usually go very well.

Not chronoed, but given powder charges and expected velocities, they are at or over 3100fps. Don't know if they shed petals or not as we have not recovered any. But by the look of the wound channel, it appears to go straight, deep, out the other side. I like that.

I have zero experience with the "other" monos and do not plan on trying them.

I do have a bunch of on game experience with Barnes, 22 to 423 caliber and GMX in 270. From 1700fps to 3800fprs. I have never experienced the failure to expand but fully acknowledge that it can happen.

I have recovered six
2- Barnes 270 110gr TSX
1 Barnes 270 130gr TSX
1 Hornady 270 130gr GMX
2 Barnes 375 300gr TSX
1 Barnes 423 400gr TSX

I have never recovered a Barnes 53gr TSX out of a 22-250, and we have shot over three dozen critters with it. Found some petals in neck tissue once when my son misplaced a shot. Have found petals a handful of other times while processing. (I process all my own animals).
I never recovered any 180gr TTSX's out of six African animals using my 300 H&H.
I have never recovered any 210gr TSX's out of half a dozen elk, another half dozen deer and couple of antelope out of my 338-06's.

I have recovered a dozen or more C&C bullets during that same time frame. I have also found lead smearing and fragments while processing meat. Although this poses no serious threat, why expose myself and my young boys to lead. This is one of the reasons I started using mono's a bunch in the early 2000's and going forward. My boys are now 21 and 18 respectively.

I think a 210gr TSX out of 338-06 is too much bullet for deer size game. I had much better reactions using softer bullets such as a 210gr NP or 200gr Hornady. My new 338-06's are going to get a diet of 180gr AB, 185gr monos, 200gr SST and NBST, and of course, 210gr T/TTSX

I had a 270gr Hornady out of a 375 H&H separate on a bedded doe. I shot quartering to with the bullet lodging in the hind quarter. In defense it broke shoulder, took out three short ribs, and broke the leg.

Monos do not ruin as much meat.
C&C impact louder from my casual observation.
I do not prefer NP's as I like bullets that are not designed lose their front half. I also have not been able to get them to shoot as accurately.
I cannot wrap my head around target bullets for hunting. Acknowledge that they work.
I like entrance and exit holes.
Bullet technology and manufacturing have greatly improved.

As far as killing quicker, or distance traveled, I have too many instances of one that can both prove/disprove both sides.
I have had monos kill on the spot, and the farthest I have ever had an animal travel after a lethal shot was with a 225gr Trophy Bond out of 338 WM circa 1997.

After hunting, friendly guiding, and bowhunting for close to 40 years. I will take a projectile in the right place over everything else.

Thanks all,

watching this thread with all the interest a California hunter can have.

I'll likely never find out if the monos kill quicker or slower, at least in this State, as I'll be limited to just the lead free version of projectiles, unless using my air rifle.

Thanks to the poster for the link to the GS Custom bullets, another one for me to try.

Geno

That was me I think.
You are welcome.
They used to be a pain in the butt to get as you had to order them in from South Africa.
One of the twins immigrated to the US and now you can get them without feeling like your sticking your neck out.
The bullet they get compared to most often is the TSX.
They are not.
The TSX has its nose split before its pounded into a bullet shape.Thus the petals.
The GS-HV is a lathe turned bullet.With a hole drilled in the end.
Driving bands instead of grooves.
I used them on my 270 STW project.I needed something that would not blow up.Worked well.
Loads. And I do mean LOADS of African animals taken...
Interesting reading on there websight.
They have been around awhile now.
All the deer I shot with the STW with the 110g GS-HV and later the 130g TTSX were all DRT. Bigtime....


dave

Thanks Dave,

I perused their website last night for a bit and bookmarked it for later use.

Geno

I find it highly unlikely that bullet didnt tumble. It's not uncommon for a bullet to tumble toward the end of its travel and when they do they look exactly like the lic you posted.
Excessive velocity will tend to fold the petals against the shank tighter or sheer them off.

BWalker-

I do appreciate your input. But you weren't there and didn't closely examine the wound channel -- nor did you extract the bullet. (And I've tested quite a few of these, both on game and in test medium.)

You are correct in the statement that many bullets do indeed tumble near the end of their journey, and I've examined plenty of wound channels which indicated as much. But that is simply not the case here.

These perform quite differently than typical Barnes bullets. I suggest you get a couple boxes and try them yourself.

I think what goes on with that bullet at higher velocity is that it expands like a "normal" TSX, then because of the velocity stressing the softer bullet, the shank portion begins to expand also, making a sort of double expansion look.

In flesh, they seem to be expanded wide like that the entire way through the wound channel, because they definitely make bigger holes than a comparable TTSX such as the 130 grain.

Just wanted to thank everyone for the feedback. Here’s what I’m going to try this year after your input:

6.5x55 - 118 Cavity Back
7mm08 - 110 TTSX
308 - 120 TAC-TX

If I get the chance to use all 3, I’ll consider myself a lucky guy and we’ll see what happens.