Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Bullet Failure

LOL...maybe I better.

My pal did actually kill deer with those bullets, but sometimes we just couldnt find deer he hit with them, and I'm sure he hit them in the right place. This guy could really shoot.

I dont know if those match bullets were punching little holes and not expanding or if they were making craters and not getting inside. The type, amount, and dispersion pattern of blood wasnt consistent enough to tell.

I agree 100%. I have corrected my error in judgement and started using a bullet that gives me more options. It was sold as being an acceptable hunting bullet. I've learned a LOT since then.

Maybe there are, but then dont gripe about meat damage when you take such a shot.
As for eating up to the hole. From my own expiereance with TSX's and from the pictures I have seen on this site I would say thats a bunch of crap. Unless you like grinding bloodshot meat into burger, which I dont.
Of course I am of the point of view that a rapidly expanding bullet like a Gameking or a BT placed behind, but tight to the shoulder is about ideal. At least thats been my expierance. And no, I have never had a bullet failure.

I like a rapid expander with a little bit of insurance policy thrown in... Accubond.

-jeff

If what hear is true the AB is BT with bonding.
The new BT's are pretty tough. At least the 7MM and 30 cal ones I have shot have been.
Several years back I shot a Mule Deer in MT using a .280 remington with a 140 gr Ballistic Silver Tip AKA BT hand loaded to 3100fps. The deer was quartering away at 200 yards. The bullets entered just in fron of the rear leg and was found just under the skin of the brisket. Everything in between was a complete mess and I didnt lose any meat.
I shot a deer his year with a 200gr AB from a 300 win mag, quarter inch hole at the entrance and a the same at the exit with the clock work destroyed. I think a like weight BT would have done about the same thing.

BWalker
I have the luxury of not having to guess what X billet holes look like and what the meat around the hole is like. I also have the same level of knowledge about a number of C&C bullets. If you do not know the difference you should check it out some time. It will impress, I bet.

I was not griping about anything.

I have used a significant number of C&C bullets and am unimoressed with the vast majority of them. Partitions and Accubonds are not bullets I consider close to premium. My experience with the 30 cal. 180gr Sierra Pro-Hunter has been far better than the Partition and I have grassed quite a few with each...

Would love to post a picture of my recovered X bullet, but I have not found it yet...
art

Your making the assumption that I have never shot anything with a TSX or X.
I have shot several. And in fact shot a deer this past season with a TSX. I even recovered it.

100gr TSX fired out of a 25-06 AI. Impact velocity 3400+ fps.

I suppose if I pushed TSXs that fast I would have a chance of finding them... There is nothing I would load that hot (just me, not suggesting you change). But again, I am basing it on more than a few animals recovered and less than one bullet recovered.

But that begs the question of what the meat around your TSX bulletholes looks like. I suppose the TSX pushed as fast as you push them will be inclined to ruin more meat than a sane speed, but I would still expect a difference.
art

Art, I've recovered 3 TSX's from game one came from a Sika deer in TX that traveled the length of the body and came to rest on the hide in the rump, the other two where in Africa. All the rest went right on through. i have yet to recover an original X from anything. It's just my observation, i think the TSX lends itself to being better at staying in the meat at awkward angles. I shall continue my tests until i have come to a solid conclusion...

You back to hoof shooting again..

I've only found it necessary to shoot "meat" on 1/16th of the deer I've killed <g>. Exactly 1/16th.

I would shoot the shoulder on an elk, though, in rough terrain especially. Much more meat for one thing, so a losing 5 lbs of meat is not a crises. And then the dang things like to go spelunking, if you let them, when shot.

Anyway without big bears to worry about I am happy with my Accubonds and Partitions and Interlocks. They work and work well; all I've seen them do is WORK on deer and elk. I may use a copper bullet when they get them sorted out, finalize a design, or the state legislature forces me to... but there's no emergency here requiring it.

-jeff

I've only found it necessary to shoot "meat" on 1/16th of the deer I've killed <g>. Exactly 1/16th.
So on that tiny piece of information you are willing to make up your mind???

I would shoot the shoulder on an elk, though, in rough terrain especially. Much more meat for one thing, so a losing 5 lbs of meat is not a crises. And then the dang things like to go spelunking, if you let them, when shot.
So which is it? Do you fail to see the obvious advantages in shooting meat? Or don't you?

Anyway without big bears to worry about I am happy with my Accubonds and Partitions and Interlocks. They work and work well; all I've seen them do is WORK on deer and elk.
All you have seen them do is work... You really want to trust one on an elk shoulder at the edge of the World? Lots more reasons than bears to want heavy units anchored atop a ridge... You seem to be saying you feel strongly both ways.

Wow! Cool colors, Art. I cain't hardly compete with that!

In order of their appearance... yeah, I am willing to draw some conclusions from 16 deer, killed with a half dozen different calibers and at least that many different bullets. I will temper that by saying that I reserve the right to refine my conclusions as I kill more critters. However, nothing I've seen so far has made me feel that I need an all-copper, super-penetrator on deer. Nothing!

Point number two. Do I see the advantages of shooting meat. Answer: it's more nuanced and subtle than that, Art. Am I anchoring an elk, or swatting a 90-lb blacktail with my .358? As I said, I would shoot an elk through the shoulder for several reasons- but that hardly requires an all-copper super-penetrator.

And, there are choices a guy can make that alleviate the need to shoot meat- at least the deer I hunt, where I hunt them. YMMV. I can shoot them, properly, with a cup and core bullet from my .358, and there's simply no need to shoot meat, and there's CERTAINLY no need for an all-copper, super-penetrator. They are goin' DOWN with an old school cup and core bullet.

Point number three, yes I would shoot a bull elk through the shoulder with a Partition or Accubond- in an appropriate caliber. Again, this is not some kind of game where a person cannot tilt their choices this way, or that way, right? For instance, make me hunt elk with a 7mm-08 and I might well use a TSX. But you can't make me do that! I've now helped take apart two elk killed with a single 225-gn Accubond from a .338 Win Mag and I assure you, those bullets ROCK on elk- in that caliber.



-jeff

I was thinking it seems rather strange that you could shoot many animals without recovering an X. Then I realized that I have shot as many, if not more, caribou with the 6mm Sierra Pro-hunter SMP and only recovered a single one, yet I have found at least three of my Xs in them in equal or larger calibers. Haven't found many Interlockeds in 'bou either. I guess it is no surprise that moose have stopped several solid coppers for me as well.

I wonder if some bullet failures might be linked to lite for caliber bullets launched at high velocity towards close targets?

I think that has a lot of merit, though the "Light for caliber" cup & core boolits appear to be a bit heavier than one would expect. I'll use my 7 Rem. Mag. as an example. The 140 grain Ballistic Silvertip that nuked for me at close range, must have been too light for caliber (For THAT boolit). The 120 and 140 TSX's have done a fine job at higher speeds and the same close (AND longer) ranges.

Bottom line for me is, I want to be 100% confident with a shot on game from 10 yards to as far as I can make a clean shot, without needing to worry about a detonation and the mess that it makes. Since I have hundreds of 30 cal. 180 grain Ballistic Tips, I'll probably try them out at magnum velocities, as by many accounts they have a heavier jacket and do hold together well. As for lighter weights in smaller calibers. Have fun. Been there, done that. No thanks...