30 caliber 180 grain hunting bullets.

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snowhunter

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Some years ago, the "Handloader Magazine" had an article about a 2700 shoots test of various 30 caliber, 180 grain hunting bullets on deer road kill carcasses.

What I found interesting with that test was that the best penetration of most of the bullets was in lower velocities range. Many of the bullets gave their best penetration below 2000 fps.

Nosler Ballistic tip and Hornady Interlock BTSP would penetrate about 11 inches at 3100 fps but would progressively penetrate deeper as the velocity went down, and would thus penetrate 16 inches at 2000 fps. The Interlock would after 2000 fps penetrate like a Barnes X at the same velocity.

Barnes X would penetrate 21 inch at 3100 fps, and pretty well stay at that level to 1700 fps.

Nosler partition would penetrate 17 inches at 3100fps, to a maximum of 20 inch penetration at 2700-2400 fps.

Winchester Failsafe gave the best penetrations with 23 inch penetration at 3100 fps and 26 inch penetration at 2800 fps, and after 2000 fps, the Failsafe would perform like a solid and penetrate up to 33.5 inch at 1900 fps !
 
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it is obvious that bullets impacting at high velocity have deeper penetration due to the fact they are going too fast to expand

:popCorn:
 
I remember that test well, it was not a surpise that the Molithic type bullets like the Barnes X and the Fail Safe gave great penetration, it was also very evident that they sacrifised frontal area to accomplish this and that they very quickly lost their petals petals at high impact speeds. The bullets that I found truly excellent were the Round Nose bullets by Remington and Winchester, they both exhibit excellent expansion and broad operating velocity range without failing, that is something when you consider that neither one of them is considered a "Premium" bullet.
bigbull
 
Noel said:
Less speed = less rapid upset = more penetration.
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I read the same sort of test quite a few years back where they took a .223 and shot SP bullets into ballistic jello while cutting the bbl back one inch at a time.

The shorter the bbl got, the slower the bullets were going. The slower the bullets went, the farther they penetrated..

Tha't one reason I don't get all tore up about not getting 4000fps with my new, ultra deer blaster death ray. :wave:



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It was interesting to observe how those cheap Winchester "Power Point" and Remington "RN SP CL" stood up to this test against the "state of the art" wunder bullets, and both of them worked well at impact velocities from 3100 fps down to 1400 fps !
 
The best thing a bullet can do is DESTROY TISSUE and PRODUCE HEMMORAGING inside and out.

So great penetration may look nice on paper but may not get the job done on an animal. A bullet that will "hold together" and penetrate 25 inches of "jell" might got through a little pronghorn, make a little hole and dump a lot of energy in the dirt beyond it. A bullet that does not penetrate far in the jell may have an "explosive" effect in a little pronghorn and drop it on the spot.

Penetration is not everything

Robin
 
Duffy said:
The best thing a bullet can do is DESTROY TISSUE and PRODUCE HEMMORAGING inside and out.

So great penetration may look nice on paper but may not get the job done on an animal. A bullet that will "hold together" and penetrate 25 inches of "jell" might got through a little pronghorn, make a little hole and dump a lot of energy in the dirt beyond it. A bullet that does not penetrate far in the jell may have an "explosive" effect in a little pronghorn and drop it on the spot.

Penetration is not everything

Robin
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I agree with you Robin, I was convinced at one time the ultimate in penetration was an absolute must. I had 165 Barnes in my 308, going as fast as it would push them. In our field tests with them, we were shooting in a gravel pit, in front of a pile of sand. We would go and dig out the bullets while the rifles cooled between test. It was insane how they would keep up to 90% their weight. I thought I had it made until I shot my busk at 80 yards, five times and it still stood there looking at me. I thought I must be missing. He finally toppled but the bullets whistled right through him and didn't open hardly at all. Nor was there damage like a standard jacketed bullet.

Most of the bullets we use now will pass through at real close range, broadside shots but more often than not the are stopped by the hide on the off side.
 
todbartell said:
I assume those were the older X bullets, not an XLC or TSX?
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Absolutely. I never have tried any of the newer ones as you have mentioned but it is more not being able to rationalize the price for them than anything.

It isn't meant as a Barnes bashing comment just what I experienced.
I wish they still made alot of their "Origonals" so I could try them out.
 
unreliable expansion was a big problem with the earlier X bullets, from the early to mid 90s. I saw the same results with earlier Winchester Fail Safes. They act like FMJ, especially on deer.

The new Triple Shock is well worth the money. Not much more than Partitions or Interbonds really
 
Chuk403, thank you so much for posting this informative article and pictures of the recovered bullets, I will treasure it for future use :)
 
Senior, now is the time to go out at practice your deer calls, without the pressure and exitment of hunting, and by time the hunting season opens, you will be ready to shoot your deer at five yards :)
 
So far, it is the most comreprehensive test I have ever read about any hunting bullets terminal ballistics. Lots of very expensive, lead tipped bullets did not do any better then cheap Remington and Winchester bullets. It also shows the that the "unleaded" bullets like the Barnes X and WInchester Failsafe are superior hunting bullets.
 
wsmnut67 said:
bad title(oops) Idon't worry how far my bullet penetrates, just how hard it hits when it gets to where its going.:rockOn:
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You don't care if the bullet blows up on the outside of an animal, or fials to penetrate the vitals, as long as it "hits hard?"

Wierd...:popCorn:
 
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