Bullet expansion/weight retention choice.

[scott.str]

Wanted to see what everyone liked to use for deer/pigs/elk

The highly frangible bullets like bergers that hold less then 40% of their weight

The semi frangible like the SST and nosler ballistic tips that hold 40-60% of their weights

Bonded bullets like the interbond, nosler accubond that hold 70-90%

Or one I've slowly becoming a fan of the all copper that hold 90-100% of their weight.

I personally like to stick to the higher weight retention for punch through and also less lead in my meat but wanted to see what yalls choices where and maybe your idea behind that choice. I'm stuck between the ELD-X and the Barnes for my 6.5 creedmoor.

Scott

[kcmarullo]

I use the Bergers in my long range rifle, and nosler partitions in my 22-250 and 2506.

[Outbreaker]

Depends on caliber, impact velocity and starting weight.

Grendel with the lower velocity then the NBT is actually a controlled expansion.

With a 210gr Berger 40% is still about 85 gr. So it is still about what a 6mm remington will do with Barnes bullets and 100% retention.

[Outbreaker]

Wanted to see what everyone liked to use for deer/pigs/elk

The highly frangible bullets like bergers that hold less then 40% of their weight

The semi frangible like the SST and nosler ballistic tips that hold 40-60% of their weights

Bonded bullets like the interbond, nosler accubond that hold 70-90%

Or one I've slowly becoming a fan of the all copper that hold 90-100% of their weight.

I personally like to stick to the higher weight retention for punch through and also less lead in my meat but wanted to see what yalls choices where and maybe your idea behind that choice. I'm stuck between the ELD-X and the Barnes for my 6.5 creedmoor.

Scott

Warning from personal experience with the Barnes bullets. If they do not hit bone or are not pushing 3000 fps impact velocity they will not reliably expand.

[treestand]

Warning from personal experience with the Barnes bullets. If they do not hit bone or are not pushing 3000 fps impact velocity they will not reliably expand.

This has not bee my experience. I've recovered multiple Barnes bullets with perfect cloverleaf expansion from deer and hogs and a few from the dirt after pass through. Mostly 270 caliber, 140 grain. Terminal velocities estimated to be low 2000's.

[scott.str]

I've shot a few things at 308 velocity with perfect expansion and 6.5 grendel speeds a buddy killed a doe no problem with it

[32drawlength]

I've moved away from ballistic tips in my .270 b/c of lower retention and used the SST with great success last fall on both pigs and deer. This year I'm using Nosler Accubond 130 grain b/c I'm going elk hunting in 2 weeks and wanted a deep penetrating bullet and can't wait to try on pig/deer also

[S&T]

It depends on a few things for me, but bonded or monolithic (solid copper) are generally my first choice for whitetail and I'll choose whichever one shoots best. If I'm specifically hog hunting, I like the semi frangible bullets like the SST because it seems to really anchor them on the spot, but will create more meat damage.

And I agree with treestand, I have not had this experience with Barnes TSX, TTSX or other solids. I've seen some expand below 2000 fps impact velocity in certain calibers. While they do somewhat relate, the amount of kinetic energy on impact drives expansion more than pure velocity.

[Walker]

Warning from personal experience with the Barnes bullets. If they do not hit bone or are not pushing 3000 fps impact velocity they will not reliably expand.

My son shot 5 hogs with 5.56 barnes triple shock and never recovered a one til the next day (buzzards). No knockdowns and no blood trails.

[BigJimmyRustler]

Hornady ELD-X for long range shooting.
Nosler Partitions for everything else.

[scott.str]

With the bullet holding together and with a 22 cal bullet I see hog fat clogging up hole quick and even double cal expansion at .44 isn't huge. With a 30cal I bet you have different results as a 223 I think would be just a low end pig gun unless you head shoot them.

My son shot 5 hogs with 5.56 barnes triple shock and never recovered a one til the next day (buzzards). No knockdowns and no blood trails.

[Lawhorn]

I've been shooting the 143 grain Hornady ELD-X out of my 6.5 creed. They are absolutely devastating on deer and hogs. Shot a fallow for a few weeks back and the damage and exit wound was incredible. Painted the tree behind her with her lungs!! Love this little bullet.


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[xman59]

with a 45-70 it does not matter much, they all pass through but my overall preference is the winchester 300 gr hp,, i like cookie cut type holes

[Outbreaker]

This has not bee my experience. I've recovered multiple Barnes bullets with perfect cloverleaf expansion from deer and hogs and a few from the dirt after pass through. Mostly 270 caliber, 140 grain. Terminal velocities estimated to be low 2000's.

I shot 5 does with 120gr TTSX in the Grendel.

All 5 solid lung shots, and since it was suppressed I watched them run off and bed up. Took 45-90 minutes to bleed out due to no expansion as no bones were hit.

Shoulder, Neck and Head shots.....no problem.

[treestand]

I shot 5 does with 120gr TTSX in the Grendel.

All 5 solid lung shots, and since it was suppressed I watched them run off and bed up. Took 45-90 minutes to bleed out due to no expansion as no bones were hit.

Shoulder, Neck and Head shots.....no problem.

Interesting. Expanding bullets do need to meet with some resistance to expand. Even lead slugs. Apparently those does lungs didn't offer much. What do you shoot in your Grendel now?