Bullet Performance Database

[BJH65]

Yes it would and I would suggest you get in touch with him about it .

Thank you. Yes, my PH recommends the .416 400 grain swift A Frame for lion. He feels the TSX is a little too hard for lion. I will ask him about 410 grain Woodleigh Weldcore soft points. They would be another choice.

 

[BJH65]

Would be great if we found all our bullets after the shots but in a lot of situations there isn’t the time or place to do this.

In most cases in Africa someone picks the animal up & process it & the Boys may pass the bullets onto the PH or hunter.

As I have been hunting & guiding for a very long time I have a small bucket of spent bullets retrieved from game, unfortunately I didn’t record a lot of that information.

I have opinions on bullets that others think are great & I think are so so, over time most of these opinions have been proven correct.

I have had multiple hunters tell me that the Hydro (& Barnes) are just a fantastic killer, I thought different & many times seen them as a slow killer.

This season proved the same with two hunters using Hydros needing the animals stopped with A frames out of the .458.

Up to 4 good chest shots through the vitals & the Buffalo still coming straight towards us,

One hunter I convinced to use Swift A frames 400gr in his Gibbs 450/400 on his coming Cape Buff hunt in Zim, after 4 of his Buffalo needed follow up shots, also a huge Boar stopped at mere metres from our feet !

He sent me the results just now, one shot at 68m quartering frontal, 397.5gr mushroomed to .710 dropped right there.

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View attachment 636807

I actually have two of the Hydros as well, one was laying on the ground behind the Buffalo, I know crazy & the other was in a horn, I spotted a lump & crack in the front of the horn & then a hole in the back, thinking strange, so I cut it out, this Buffalo was coming straight at us & got two fast shots from his Double, some how as it bucked from the first shot the second went into the horn ?

Thank you for your insight Sarge. In my limited experience with Barnes TSX, I’ve had good results on the larger animals like elk and bison but not so much on deer. Since I do not reload (much to Rule 303’s chagrin) I was limited to factory 400 grain Barnes TSX or Hornady 400 grain bonded DGX. I felt the Barnes TSX was the better choice for buffalo.

Regarding the old cow buffalo I killed: the buffalo went 30 yards after the shot, then was found on its side several minutes later, not moving with labored breathing, with the breaths very spaced out, it seemed seconds away from death. My PH instructed me to put an “insurance” shot into its chest which I instantly did. Whether it was necessary or not was not for me to say but I certainly have zero issues with it. At the very least it instantly ended its suffering.

I felt the shot placement was perhaps less than optimal, a high lung shot. Yes it went through both lungs causing significant damage, clearly it was a mortal wound. Still, my preference would have been to lower the shot about 5 inches but let us say I was a little excited. It was on the move parallel with us at 50 yards when I took the shot.

My preference in bullets based on previous Africa hunting experience and killing tough North American big game like elk and grizzly, has always been TBBC and SAF, yet the short timeline on this hunt prevented me from finding any factory ammo loaded with these bullets. Since I have two years before our next Buffalo and potential lion hunt in Africa, I have time to acquire a supply of SAF or Woodleigh Weldcore soft points. Also, perhaps custom loaded 416 Rigby ammo from Hendershot’s 400 grain North Fork bonded soft point for both lion and buffalo?

Thanks again for sharing your insight Sarge.

Brendon

 

[PerH]

Per, that Vatland .600 Nitro Express boxlock ejector which you and @Pondoro showed me, would be really useful here. Loaded with 900Gr Wim Degol Vor Mantel solids at 1950 FPS.

That would be a great stopper for sure , and quite some usefulness in the tight covers against the big ones .

 

[Sarg]

Emm better clarify what I said a bit on the Barnes TSX, in the larger calibers on bigger tougher game these have worked well & one of the easier to obtain in components & factory loaded ammo in the past, most likely still is, have seen them fail more than once, from petals blowing off to not expanding at all (unfortunately can’t aways 100% identity this as pass through or loss animals) seems the tip can close if bone is hit on a angle or something like this occurs maybe the tempering is off ?

Im not a fan on smaller animals as inconsistent to me & slow killing, even loosing some.

Granted I hear loaded super fast & light for caliber works better ?

Now I have done cull hunts with clients who are testing bullets to see how effective different brands & types are.

We might shoot 20-60 Donkeys a day, another time same but Horses & then Buffalo to a lesser extent.

Im loading up some 9.3 TSX 286gr myself to use on some tougher game (I hope) but only because I could only unearth 19 AFrames (prising them from a friends grip) & nothing else is available here, even these TSX were difficult to find .

 

[Lopehunter]

This old guy dropped at the first shot (broadside) with my .375 H&H mag. PH asked for a couple of insurance shots to the spine. All penetrated through to the opposite side skin. The first shot went through the both lungs and the heart.

I used 350 gr. TSXs and I believe the velocity is about 2170 FPS. All expanded well as far as I can see. The worst weight retention was 99.8%

Just another data point...

 

[ldmay375]

Barnes .416 350 grain TTSX
Recovered weight 347 grain
Impact velocity ~2220 fps
416 Ruger
~160 yards
Moose
Entered second to last rear rib
Found, nose forward against the hide, behind opposite side shoulder, bottom of bullet shank was in rib exit hole.
Guesstimate approximately 3' penetration

 

[Rule 303]

140 Grain 270 SST. MV 3000fps. Retained weight 99.5grains. Just over 400mts on a Tahr bull. I wonder how the SST would perform at 100 mts on something tougher or if it hits bone.

 

[458 Exp]

Safari Bullet Company .264 140gr (6.5x55)
Impala shot with frontal shot at 130m.
Bullet was found in hind leg.

98%

 

[RockSlinger404]

500gn Dzombo solid at 2150fps in 470NE.

Frontal brain shot at 18 meters dropped the bull. I immediately took an insurance shot also frontal brain.

Afterwards I wanted to test penetration and took a frontal body shot, the bullet penetrated more than 2 meters and exited.

No bullets recovered, but I am very impressed to say the least!

 

[Kevin375]

Degol Lion Load 500 gr in .458 Lott at 2210 fps.

Eland shot at ~ 70 meters while he was running.

It was hit very hard the first time but he kept running, so I shot again really quickly a back up shot and he fell down.
One bullet went through the eland, but we recovered the other one under the skin. However, we don't know if it's the first shot or the second ?
Anyway the bullet did a good job.

Weight retention: 470.4 GR = 94.1 %

 

[Kevin375]

Hornady Interlock 300 gr in .375 Holland & Holland magnum at 2362 f/s

I made a "light" recipe for this classic cup and core bullet with Vihtavuori N140 powder. I was able to push this bullet faster in the past, up to 2690 f/s with reload Swiss 60 powder, but the recoil became unpleasant in my lightweight rifle, and at short distance, the bullet can blow up easily. But despite moderate velocities, I had many core separations like in this example.

Eland bull shot at about 100 meters, twice with quartering toward shots. The first time on its right side. He was hit hard, moved a bit and stopped few meters farther. The second shot hit his left side and this time, he collapsed.

Bullets were mixed, but the heaviest weights : 246 gr = 82.1 % and the lightest : 84.26 gr = 28.1 %

 

[Rule 303]

Kevin375, good grouping on a running animal with the 458.

 

[Kevin375]

Having quite a few reports about bullets being found in games, here is another one.

.458 Lott and Barnes TSX 350 gr loaded with Vihtavuori N530 at ~ 2608 f/s.

Here are my bullets recovered.

From the left to the right :
1) Zebra shot at 130 meters with a frontal shot in the chest. The bullet was recovered in the guts. Dropped on the spot
2) Zebra with a quartering shot at 173 meters. Entrance wound in the shoulder and bullet recovered in guts. This animal ran off around 100 meters before to expire.
3) Zebra with again a frontal chest shot at 190 meters. 20 meters before to fall down.
4) This petal was recovered in an animal I shot in the farm to make meat....no photo...and workers didn't recovered the bullet.

A crop raiding boar shot at around 40 meters with a quartering shot.

The entrance wound was in the left shoulder and I recovered the bullet under the skin, in front of the right leg.

Except the petal, we can say all have kept their initial weight.
Weight retention goes from 349.5 gr to 350.5 gr.

 

[Kevin375]

.375 Holland & Holland magnum and CEB Safari Solid 300 gr at 2480 f/s
Ammunitions were reloaded by myself with Federal cases (brass and no nickel plated ones), Winchester LRM primer and Vihtavuori N150.

Hippo bull shot in the head and the bullet went through

Entrance wound

Exit wound

"Own use" Elephant bull shot in the chest with quartering shots at less than 30 meters.
The bull became tetanized with my first shot, and being very used to my Blaser, I shot really quickly my other rounds.
Several bullets went through its body and even the one in the head with a side one shot.
Skinners only recovered one bullet, probably the first one that broke the opposite humerous, because they were unable to give us more details

We can see 2 exit wounds on its ear.

No deformation, just the rifling from my barrel on its bands.

 

[Kevin375]

.338 Lapua magnum and Degol Starkmantel 300 gr reloaded with Vihtavuori N570 at ~ 2624 f/s
Young giraffe bull shot at 60 meters right into the shoulder with a full broadside shot.
He ran 15 meters and fell down.
The bullet was recovered in the opposite shoulder.
Retention weight : 185.5 gr = 61.8%

 

[ldmay375]

.338 Lapua magnum and Degol Starkmantel 300 gr reloaded with Vihtavuori N570 at ~ 2624 f/s
Young giraffe bull shot at 60 meters right into the shoulder with a full broadside shot.
He ran 15 meters and fell down.
The bullet was recovered in the opposite shoulder.
Retention weight : 185.5 gr = 61.8%
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Thanks for the multiple detailed reports and pictures !!

 

[Fatback]

Shot the first deer on the land I bought in 2021 this morning. 130 grain Hornaday Interlock out of my 270, 138 yards, steep quartering away. Went in about the last rib and found this just in front of the opposite shoulder. Devastating terminal performance. Deer ran 30 yards and was done. I wouldn’t use these on tougher game but for these deer and pigs I hunt at home, these fit the bill quite nicely.

 

[458 Exp]

Shot the new SBC .243 85gr into wetpacks today.
243 win at 3037fps

100m

200m

 

[Kynadog]

Shot the first deer on the land I bought in 2021 this morning. 130 grain Hornaday Interlock out of my 270, 138 yards, steep quartering away. Went in about the last rib and found this just in front of the opposite shoulder. Devastating terminal performance. Deer ran 30 yards and was done. I wouldn’t use these on tougher game but for these deer and pigs I hunt at home, these fit the bill quite nicely. View attachment 642773View attachment 642775View attachment 642776

Congratulations on harvesting a deer on your own property! That's a great feeling. As for Interlocks out of a 270 Winchester, there's no telling how many thousands of deer have fallen to that combo over the years. I've never had one fail to perform.

 

[Kynadog]

Shot the new SBC .243 85gr into wetpacks today.
243 win at 3037fps

View attachment 642777

100m
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200m
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SBC? I know I'll feel dumb when you tell me what it stands for, but for the life of me I can't figure out what SBC is short for.