Need to rehash this topic briefly. I'm trying to turn the .228 bore rifles I own into big game rifles. No tiger on the menu but I want to be able to poke a bear if I happen across one. I realize that's a tall order and bears are better hunted with the mighty 358. LOL

I've been researching European brand bullets since the cartridge is popular over there for big game hunting, but keep hitting dead ends and disabled pages. Came across this bullet in my search. Available for about 85 cents each. Just an FYI, velocities are 22HP, or above that for the 221 Falcon. Any thoughts on a solid brass bullet with a hollow point and a minimum impact velocity of 1500 fps on big game?

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/228-60gr-fb-raptor

Find some heavy body fresh road kill and try it out...?

I guess I need to know the twist rate of the barrels first. According to the manufacturer it needs to be 1-10" or faster twist.

I was just going to ask about that twist rate thingy, Roy. Before trying them in an old Savage High Power I would want to know how long they are. In my experiments I found .750" length to be about the maximum length for reliable across the board accuracy. (Individual guns, atmospheric conditions, and elevations above sea level being wild cards.)

Brings to mind another question. How deep is the hollow point? If the bullet is too long for reliable use in an 1899, is the cavity deep enough to support shortening of the bullet? Say, you had to remove a bunch off the nose to shorten it would there be enough cavity left for it to behave as planned when impacting a critter?

I kind of like the idea of the front half of such a bullet shattering and the pieces scything through nerves, blood vessels, and organs while the main body plows on through wreaking havoc on its own. I wouldn't mind try some of them, but I'm not keen to spend $85 for a hundred of them for that experiment.

Savage twist rates, as per Charles Newton.

Can't fault them for cooking up twist rates matched to the specific bullets they intended for use in their rifles, but golly I wish they had a little more foresight. That .32-40 is another example. The 1-16 twist rate is ideal for "typical" factory loads of the time, usually 165 grain bullets. What .32-40 schuetzen guys found was a little faster twist was necessary for the 185-210 grain bullets that buck the wind better out at the 200 yard target butts. If Savage had simply cranked in just a little more twist in the .22HP and .32-40 (and .38-55 for that matter) it would've given those rifles a lot more versatility.

Why?

I'm looking to tailor an O/U 22HP/12 gauge to woods loafing and opportunistic hunting of big game and birds. Mono's would be better for bears than thin jacketed bullets typically seen used in the 22HP. Plus I have the 221 Falcon that pushes speeds approaching 220 Swift velocities.

Shucks, Roy. Wouldn't a .22/.410 suffice?

A lot of guys would love to read my obituary!

I think I'd go with Neck shots!, Tends to drop deer!

Try it out ... but bring along 12 gauge slugs.

Your bears are bigger than woodchucks, and even “slightly” bigger than the eastern black bears. I don’t think Charles would think your idea a great one.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/14789320/1

Well, he did say occasional deer or black bear, and I only do this occasionally, so I think we're good.

LOL

Occasional, AND FAVORABLE shot at a black bear. Don’t think stumbling upon one in the brackles at 10 yds qualifies as favorable.

I understand favorable.

Rumor has it that Wyoming requires 243 or larger bullets to take elk and larger game because too many critters got wounded and got away to perish later after being shot with a 22 H-P. An old timer told me he wounded several big game animals with a 22 H-P when a youngster. His dad had given him the 22H-P thinking it was a good kid's gun.
A drilling or a cape gun in 12 or 16 gauge and one of the 7.3 MM rifle calibers would be good for your purpose. But I'm confident in your ability to do the job with the 22H-P.

Still in the formative stages, but I will need to check state laws, as well as do penetration and accuracy tests with the chosen bullets.

*22 caliber in Oregon

As always bullet construction is the key. With power roughly equivalent to a .223, the HP is capable enough but historically the bullets have been thin jacketed. If this bullet is too long, I'll try Barnes ttsx in .224 diameter.

We are talking about a number of years ago when bullets weren't up to today's standards.

Just for you Fireball !

Roy, I think many of us recognize the allure of versatility in our weaponry, and would never wish to quell the ambitions of a dedicated Savage dreamer..., obituaries aside, but common ballistic logic does seem to lean .22 caliber cartridges toward being meant strictly for varmints-class varmints. Why not come at the question from the opposite direction, take a larger caliber and jazz up the versatility with lighter-faster-pointier projectiles, something like a fast twist 6mm-250, (..., and who here would want to take that out for even the occasional bear or boar hunt?).


..., just sayin'

Jeff.

You can't kill anything with a .243 diameter bullet.

Thank you for your contribution.

Roy keep us posted, on this . Did you get the combo gun off here , that was listed in the class. A shot time ago? I was interested in it it, but the timing wasn't right.

Roy Weatherby built his early Mark V's with slow twist rates to accommodate light loads. This was to give them the higher velocities attainable with the lighter loads. It was a marketing thing to some extent but light fast bullets kill critters very well.

"Speed Kills". True for so many things.

Personal preference: high velocity with a lighter bullet= explosive destruction of soft tissue/organs/nerves, or lower velocity with a heavier more stoutly constructed bullet for deeper penetration? Mayhaps this bullet Roy is showing us is a fair approximation of "the best of both worlds"?

https://www.nosler.com/22-cal-60gr-partition-50ct.html

not 228s but I would try them first and see how they fly. My daughter shot a 200 lb plus whitetail buck some time ago and bullet performance was impressive. In general, I am not a fan of small caliber bullets on anything bigger than coyotes, but I wouldn't hesitate to shoot at another deer with these in the magazine.

Can never go wrong with Partitions of any caliber.