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I myself prefer a medium to heavy weight well constructed bullet like the TBBC or Nosler partition bullet, NOT going the super sonic route, which will mushroom properly. Energy is fine and dandy but it doesn't kill big game animals. Shot placement is very important every time out the gate, but without proper penetration into those vital areas, your up a creek without a paddle.

 

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In my sole opinion, bullets kill by being placed in the vital zone of an animal and penetrating those vital organs. NOT by dumpping energy into the animal.

If that were the case, than ALL those Texas Heart Shots on moose, elk, bears etc. would have dropped said animals in their tracks. In other words a hit in the rear quarter would be as good as one in the heart and lung area.

Some things that have been posted are correct! However, the guy who is talking about using 130 grain bullet on deer has NOT convinced me of this light bullet stopping deer theory. I once did that with a 30-06 and 125 grain bullets. The first time things looked good. However, the second deer hit had it's rib broke and the bullet made a big 5 inch ROSE on the animal, not killing it at all.

I use premium bullets on my big game hunts, as I have said many times before, it is the cheapest form of insurance a hunter can buy. I have never had a problem with big game using those TBBC, Nosler Partition or GOLD, Swift A Frame bullets in a 300 Win mag or 338 Win mag. Penetration is "KEY" to hunters success!

 

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Metplate, Velocity, Penetration, Bullet Weight or Shot Placement?

If one ponders over the above question long enough your eyes may begin to cross over one another perhaps.

However, I believe back when factory bullets weren't able to keep up with the velocity of todays times, bullet failure was indeed going to take place. Thus the idea and testing seemed to sort that bit of information out for us. I don't think the boys in Africa should be given all the credit for such a finding. I myself believe that no matter how big a bullet might be or how slow it is going, the one thing it must do to down an animal is to penetrate it's vitals. I to this day believe that is above ALL things the most important issue.

Elmer Kieth did have a handhold on this idea himself years back no doubt! Today we do have bullets that can take the higher velocity of today's big magnums. Only to have the "Super Mags" enter the picture, which brings about more demise to the standard bullets, that hunters want to use on big game. Thus the bullet wars between companies has emerged, to the tune of who's bullet can travel the fastest?
Who's bullet is the best on penetration? Who's bullet is the most accurate at these "super sonic speeds"?

I don't think one has to Sloooow down a bullet, for the sake of doing a better job of killing a big game animal! I think what is most important is for the hunter to do his or her homework and select the bullet that will mushroom out, penetrate deeply and by all means, stay together (retaining at least 70% to 80% of it's original bullet weight) under the velocities they plan on shooting it from their gun.

I also think that plan Jane factory bullets are OK in some areas! Not for taking of elk, moose and mule deer being shot out of magnum rifles or Ultra magnum rifles at higher velocities. A hunter must use a little common sense these days in ammo selection, if not a reloader. Factory bullets today are far superior to those of yesteryear, so that should make it easy pickens for those who haven't learned the pro's and con's of bullet selection.

The other thing I wish to mention is that I myself have been doing bullet testing for over 20 years! I just don't trust everything you read in a magazine about this or that new bullet. I want to be "showed" how this product is going to preform in the hardwoods or mountain ranges. The best insurance one can take on a hunting trip, is to purchase the very best bullet available for your gun.

 

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Energy is the product of force over time. A force, even at the same pressue, that lasts 1/100 of a second is not producing the same "enery" as an equal force that last 10 seconds. The latter is producing 10,00 times as much energy.

I guess I missed that course in my younger days! However I wont Dwell on a force or Transmission, even if it doesn't lock up behind a big block Chevy or Ford.

I know that their is something to "metplate" in big bore rifles.
I also know that more than 90% of the experienced hunters who go out after big game (other than deer) are capable of hitting the target zone on an animal, thus "Shot Placement".

However that same 90% of hunters with experience, either lack the knowledge or for a better word are to cheap to purchase a good enough bullet for the job the shot on animal needs, as in staying together for starters and in order for penetration to the vitals to take place.

Not that many animals are lost in the wild coming hunting season! Those that are, elk for instance are usually lost from poor bullet placement or bullet failure. NOT PENETRATING to the vitals. Sometimes it is with some unexperienced hunters a case of both!

I am buy no way a mathematician or science guru in the laboratory. However I do know what has and hasn't worked for myself and many other over the years hunting big game animals. I have learned not to give a great deal of thought on what some gun writer may or may not put in a written article. NOT without trying it out before hand or a hunting trip mind you.

In the early years we did shoot a lot of homemade cast (poorly according to todays standards) bullets for target practice back in the 50's. Things were not cheap, even store bought bullets for us mind you. Lead was easy pickens from window weights and it served a two fold purpose of fishing weights as well as for our rifle practice.

It wasn't until I got my hands on some Beartooth Bullets over a couple of years ago, that I turned my levers action rifles into real target shooters. My previous 444Marlin was around 3.5 inches from the bench and my 45/70 was closer to 4 inches give or take on a given day. My Triple 4 is now under 2 inches and has shot around 1.5. My 45/70 is now at 2 give or take and that is thanks to those superb bullets. Thanks Marshall, I'll be needing to put in an order soon.