Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Recovered bullets

Hey guys. Thought you might want to see some bullets recovered from my bull.... These are .35 caliber, 225 grain Sierra gamekings. The one on the top went in just in front of the shoulder and stopped in the far shoulder and the one on the bottom went through the ribs and stopped under the skin on the far side.

Had to edit for picture problems....

What cartridge?
S.

358 WSM...

Nice grab. Those suckers are mean on fur. One of the sleeper .358 bullets for straight up killing.

Congrats on your success!

Recovered bullets……what was the distance to the bull? memtb

He was bedded at 260 yards. 1st shot while bedded, 2nd shot while he was getting up (almost a miss and no recovered bullet). 3rd shot while standing quartering to me. He fell back in his bed after the 3rd shot.

He was bedded at 260 yards. 1st shot while bedded was through the ribs, 2nd shot while he was getting up (almost a miss and no recovered bullet). 3rd shot while standing quartering to me. Shot in front of the near shoulder and the bullet stopped in the far shoulder. He fell back in his bed after the 3rd shot.

I recovered three from a bull this fall. Nosler 160 Accubonds from a 7mm Magnum. Range was about 75-80 yards in the timber. First shot behind the on side shoulder and smashed the off side shoulder. Found in the bone, meat mess on the other side. Next two went through the lungs and we’re under the offside hide. Blood spot in one of the pics below was an entrance. All three bullets entered in about a 6” triangle. Bull hunkered at first shot and I pumped two more in him fast. He ran about 75 years and crashed. Got up and ran about 75 more and crashed again. I did put another in him while he was running. Never found that one. I’m assuming it’s in the gut pile. He was quartering hard and the entrance was back. Lungs were trashed, but I was really surprised none of the bullets exited.
Bullets and ivory…..

“As it lay” pic…..

Posing….

Nice bull buddy! Can’t beat that with a stick. The 160 AB has been good to us as well from a few 7 Mags.

Nice job..

Good bull.

Over the years I haven't put a lot of effort in recovering bullets from the animals that I shot, but I have kept a few dozen that were easy to find. My bullets usually went completely through the deer size animals, and most of the bullets that I recovered from elk size animals were just under the hide on the far side of the animal.

In over 50 years of hunting, I have used a variety of guns, cartridges, and bullets. When I did my part and put the bullets in the right spot, they all worked.

On one South African hunt I shot a 7 mm Rem mag with 160 grain Accubond handloads. My PH, who was also a handloader and shot a 7 mm RM, was continually impressed with the large internal wound channel that those bullets made. I don't recall recovering any of those bullets.

I no longer remember what animals were killed with most of the bullets in my recovered bullet box, but here are some that I do:
From a couple of black bears that I shot.


180 gr Nosler Partitions shot from my .30 Gibbs and found just under the hide on the opposite side of some elk and moose that I shot,


A 168 gr TTSX from my .300 Weatherby on a 5x5 bull elk,


And some other Barnes TSX and TTSX bullets from mostly African animals that I shot,

Awesome recoveries Buffy! That's very darned cool.

Nice pics, Buff! Unfortunately, my collection of 168 gr TTSX is non existent since I’ve never found one from several elk and mule deer. There’s usually a gozinta and a gozoutta with a dead critter in between.

TTSX

That sucker looks like it did the work Alamosa!

Which one is that?

From a cow my brother shot above treeline.

Which bullet?

TTSX

I’ll add my recently recovered 150 gr 308 win TTSX. Recovered from a bull elk taken at 430 yards. Shot was broadside. Entered right behind near shoulder and lodged in far shoulder. Bull walked less than 10 yards on wobbly legs then dropped

Nice. Very nice. Muzzle velocity? I would have expected less expansion than that at that range. Good shooting, too!

Factory Barnes VortX which I believe is listed at 2950 at the muzzle, I didn’t chrono with my rifle. I was expecting a little less expansion as well.

I'm slowly changing my mind about certain TTSX bullets. I used to think they weren't worth the money. Now most bullets/ammo are expensive. Certainty, that one did an excellent job. I should sell a kidney and track down some 150 TTSX for my son's elk hunt if that's what they do at a quarter mile. Thanks for the details.

Well, it’s a data point of one. According to Barnes’s ballistic chart it should been moving along at a bit less than 2100 FPS compares to the generally recommended minimum of 1800. I was down to my last 7 Rounds. Gonna stock up with several boxes when I find any available.

Recovered bullets are pretty nice to look at…..but, I’m not happy if I get one! I expect, almost demand, that my bullet will “full - length” an elk “end to end” and still exit! memtb

I agree but what are you shooting that can do that? Last year I shot my bull at 287 yards and the bullet went through. One shot and done. This year, same gun, same load, only 259 yards and I recovered 2 bullets. It's not a small caliber!

I'm using a 358/300 WSM shooting a 225 gr Sierra Gameking at 2840 fps

Last year, the bull was bedded at 287 and I hit him just behind the shoulder. He barely got to his feet and collapsed.

I'll post a pic of this years "exit" wounds.

.375 AI……Barnes bullets! memtb

.375 AI what? I assume a 375 H&H, correct?

No sir. AI is an Ackley Improved. It’s a 375 H&H, with much of the body taper blown out, and the shoulder angle sharpened……resulting in more case capacity. It’s very similar in performance to the old .375 Weatherby (not the .378 Weatherby) which has the typical Weatherby radius shoulder.

I’m presently running Barnes 250 grain TTSX’s at 3130 mv. Quite a few years ago, I gave up on Barnes making a high BC 270 grain bullet and bought a bunch of 250’s, developed a great load……then the bring out the 270 LRX. Really want the heavier bullet…but simply have way too many 250’s to start with the 270’s! memtb

I knew what AI meant... I have a couple myself. I just wasn't sure which 375 you improved. A 250 grain bullet at 3130 is impressive for sure.

My 12 year old daughter started her recovered bullet collection yesterday on her first elk.

Lefty Tikka .308 Win, 125 Accubond @ 3000 FPS with TAC. 281 yards. Back of lungs and a bit of liver. Can’t ask anymore out of it.







Todd

Backstraps and a souvenir. Nice job!

There’s hardly a bullet designed for hunting that won’t kill an elk under a given circumstance. If you are looking for consistency, look no further than a TTSX or LRX. JMO

Congrats Todd and Daughter!

Congrats to the little lady.

Congrats to the young lady! memtb