- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I'm not as down on premiums as much as Pricedo, I use them and I don't much care what they cost. The 380 gr Rhinos for my .375 run about $3 each, but to me that's just the cost of doing business, although I do use them sparingly. I have more Corelokts and Interloks, not to mention cast on my bench than anything else, but there is also a sprinkling of Game Kings, Power Points, Hot Cores, Ballistic Tips and a box of Norma semi pointed boat tails, so I am certainly not opposed to using cup and core bullets under the right circumstances. But on my bench you will also find TSX, TTSX, Accubonds, Partitions, Barnes Originals, Woodleighs, Rhinos, and mono-metal solids from PMP and Barnes. The Matchkings are exempt from this discussion. But why wouldn't you expect to find a selection of bullets on a Gunnutz's loading bench?
My problem is that I have seen cup and core bullets fail. Admittedly that has been my fault, by over driving a thin skinned bullet, or by using an inappropriate bullet, such as driving a mid-weight bullet into a big animal's shoulder, but I have not experienced a failure from a premium bullet that I have tested. In fact, not only have I not observed a failure from any of these bullets, although some perform in a way that I prefer to others, I have not been able to make them fail. Similar testing has resulted in failure from the cup and core bullets. The result of these observations is a high degree of confidence when I have a premium bullet in my chamber, but a nagging worry when I have a cup and core bullet and I anticipate a close range shot.
This brings up another question, what should be considered as a bullet failure? If the game dies without need of a follow-up shot, the bullet has apparently done it's job regardless of whether it has retained 100% of it's weight or whether it grenades inside the body cavity. If the bullet retains 100% of it's weight, but the game is able to escape wounded has not the bullet failed?
Many consider a bullet that grenades inside the body cavity optimal performance. I am not one of them. A bullet that grenades inside the lungs on a broadside shot will surely fail on a shoulder or quartering shot. This might result in more shots being taken from directly behind as the animal dashes for cover. If the bullet won't get to the vitals on a quartering shot, it sure won't on a shot from directly behind, and your only hope of stopping the game is to spine him. I believe the failure for the cup and core bullet's failures often relates to the hardness of the jacket and alloy core and less with the design of the bullet. Give those bullets a softer jacket and a pure lead core and chances are they'll perform better and more consistently. This of course is my own opinion, and everyone is free to come to his own conclusions.
To my way of thinking, a bullet that expands to 1.5X it's original diameter and retains 100% of it's original weight has the best chance of producing a one shot kill provided it is directed to the right spot, and at an angle that will ensure its path bisects the vitals. Such a bullet will often exit, thus creating two wounds for the price of one. Any animal hit hard with such a bullet cannot get far. I consider any big game bullet that that separates the jacket from it's core a failed bullet, regardless of the outcome.
My problem is that I have seen cup and core bullets fail. Admittedly that has been my fault, by over driving a thin skinned bullet, or by using an inappropriate bullet, such as driving a mid-weight bullet into a big animal's shoulder, but I have not experienced a failure from a premium bullet that I have tested. In fact, not only have I not observed a failure from any of these bullets, although some perform in a way that I prefer to others, I have not been able to make them fail. Similar testing has resulted in failure from the cup and core bullets. The result of these observations is a high degree of confidence when I have a premium bullet in my chamber, but a nagging worry when I have a cup and core bullet and I anticipate a close range shot.
This brings up another question, what should be considered as a bullet failure? If the game dies without need of a follow-up shot, the bullet has apparently done it's job regardless of whether it has retained 100% of it's weight or whether it grenades inside the body cavity. If the bullet retains 100% of it's weight, but the game is able to escape wounded has not the bullet failed?
Many consider a bullet that grenades inside the body cavity optimal performance. I am not one of them. A bullet that grenades inside the lungs on a broadside shot will surely fail on a shoulder or quartering shot. This might result in more shots being taken from directly behind as the animal dashes for cover. If the bullet won't get to the vitals on a quartering shot, it sure won't on a shot from directly behind, and your only hope of stopping the game is to spine him. I believe the failure for the cup and core bullet's failures often relates to the hardness of the jacket and alloy core and less with the design of the bullet. Give those bullets a softer jacket and a pure lead core and chances are they'll perform better and more consistently. This of course is my own opinion, and everyone is free to come to his own conclusions.
To my way of thinking, a bullet that expands to 1.5X it's original diameter and retains 100% of it's original weight has the best chance of producing a one shot kill provided it is directed to the right spot, and at an angle that will ensure its path bisects the vitals. Such a bullet will often exit, thus creating two wounds for the price of one. Any animal hit hard with such a bullet cannot get far. I consider any big game bullet that that separates the jacket from it's core a failed bullet, regardless of the outcome.
with wade & pricedo 
