Solids on smaller game?

[Badboymelvin]

Hey guys,

Hypothetical question time...
Just say I’m hunting dangerous game with my .458WM with a Woodleigh 480gn solid at 2150fps and a smaller deer sized animal appears...

How well do solids work on smaller game in larger calibers?

I know they zip through game with minimal damage to the surrounding area, but does the larger diameter help with killing power in the larger calibers?

Could one hunt smaller than dangerous game satisfactory with solids in a large caliber rifle?

Really interested in hearing people’s experiences.

Cheers,

Russ

 

[chashardy]

Depending on shot placement, a 458 WM Woodleigh 480 gr. solid will knock most smaller game down and they very likely won't get up.

 

[enysse]

In my experience the answer is no! You still have have to hit vital organs or they are very much alive. It only works on the very small antelope.

A soft bullet from a .223 or 6mm is very deadly and doesn’t ruin the cape.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I have shot duiker with a Hornady solid in my 375 H&H. Lung shot it went maybe 20 yards. Also did a lung shot on a jackal I never recovered. Personally I haven’t been impressed with standard round nose solids. I have heard good reports of others using Woodleigh hydro solids.
In coyote hunting for the furs I have read mixed reviews of using solids in 223 and 22-250. My personal experience wasn’t good.

 

[Philip Glass]

Solids from large calibers can be great on the small antelopes in Africa. I would not use them on deer sized animals however.

 

[Bruce]

A few years ago, while hunting elephant in Zimbabwe carrying my 458 Win Mag loaded with Norma 500g solids, we bumped into two spotted hyena walking towards us.
I had to shoot quickly... While they were still exposed in the open before they entered thick bush.
A long shot for the occasion, but the hyena fell to a chest shot and is now a full mount in my trophy room.

 

[Major Khan]

Yes , it is an extremely viable option to use solid bullets on petite game . The meat damage is miniscule . During the time of my career as a professional shikaree in Nagpur , India from 1961 to 1970 , an international client could only bring 2 fire arms and 250 cartridges in to India for shikar through customs , at any single time . Since , India's winged game was just as diverse ( and delicious ! ) as our 4 legged game , most clients would bring 1 rifle and 1 shot gun to India . That 1 rifle would have to be capable of taking everything down from the mighty 2000 pound gaur bison to the petite mouse deer . Clients would use solid metal covered bullets in their .375 Holland & Holland magnum calibre rifles and .458 Winchester magnum calibre rifles to hunt 4 horned buck , Barasingha , mouse deer , Chinkara and black buck ( except when you were conducting beats , in which case the standard fire arm to use on these creatures was a shot gun , loaded with AAA ) . I even had an American client who used a .458 Winchester magnum calibre rifle and a 500 grain Hornady solid metal covered bullet ( in a hand loaded cartridge ) to shoot 12 cranes !
You naturally do not need to use monolithic solid bullets on such small game . The commonest old pattern solid metal covered bullets will be more than ample for your task. All the best .

 

[grand veneur]

The question is not so easy to answer because many factors play a role. I mean amongst other things the terminal velocity because of the cavitation effect that can be helpful on a bullet that does not deform , and certainly the caliber because the larger the diameter , the more the lack of expansion of the bullet is compensated. By the way , in some regions of the world , especially the arctic , it is the rule for local hunters to use FMJ bullets and that with small bore rifles. That is another topic.

I shot some animal species , including smaller one , with FMJ bullets of various caliber and especially with cartridges like the 460WM or 500 Schüler , to stay with the large caliber FMJ or solid bullets. In Africa I mean wild species such as medium-sized antelopes like Roan to smaller antelopes like bushbuck , warthogs , ...and even an bustard. I also shoot european game like wild boars with the cartridge 460WM. I shot the latter with SP bullets , but in this caliber class there are no differences in effect for smaller game species between SP or FMJ bullets.

In summary they were all dead , on the place or after a short escapes , as happens when small cartridges and SP bullets are used , with an entry hole of the diameter of the bullet and a slightly larger exit hole , like in the manual , and limited internal wounds. Overall nothing very spectacular but ultimately still efficient. I have no hesitation in continuing to hunt PG with big bore DG rifles and FMJ or Solid bullets.

 

[CAustin]

Hey guys,

Hypothetical question time...
Just say I’m hunting dangerous game with my .458WM with a Woodleigh 480gn solid at 2150fps and a smaller deer sized animal appears...

How well do solids work on smaller game in larger calibers?

I know they zip through game with minimal damage to the surrounding area, but does the larger diameter help with killing power in the larger calibers?

Could one hunt smaller than dangerous game satisfactory with solids in a large caliber rifle?

Really interested in hearing people’s experiences.

Cheers,

Russ

will work just fine.

 

[grand veneur]

I have shot duiker with a Hornady solid in my 375 H&H. Lung shot it went maybe 20 yards. Also did a lung shot on a jackal I never recovered. Personally I haven’t been impressed with standard round nose solids. I have heard good reports of others using Woodleigh hydro solids.
In coyote hunting for the furs I have read mixed reviews of using solids in 223 and 22-250. My personal experience wasn’t good.

I think that this topic is only about the use of Solid or FMJ of larger calibers. The effect of this kind of bullets from cartridges lesser calibers on small game is another very controversial topic.

The Hydrostatic bullets from Woodleigh are also a topic in themselves because they are supposed to take on the function of an expanding and an Solid bullet. With this kind of bullet of larger calibers the effect on smaller game will be also just that of an Solid bullet.