Bullet choices?

Colorado Cowboy

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Jun 8, 2011
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[QUOTE
I don't plan on changing anything unless something happens to the availability of any of the components or a barrel replacement on one of the rifles. I don't plan on shooting any all copper or any other type of bullet either. Why change when my loads work and work well! I have been shooting Sierra and Nosler Partition bullets for almost 50 years and have never been disappointed.
Because it is fun! What if you can get another 1/16" of accuracy out of that rifle. Come on man!! :p
Did I mention, because its fun?!
[/QUOTE]
That's why I have other guns that I "play" with. I also have a .22 Hornet, .243 and a bunch of handguns I load for. My hunting rifles do exactly what I want them to do, so I don't change them.
 

memtb

Active Member
Because it is fun! What if you can get another 1/16" of accuracy out of that rifle. Come on man!! :p
Did I mention, because its fun?!
That's why I have other guns that I "play" with. I also have a .22 Hornet, .243 and a bunch of handguns I load for. My hunting rifles do exactly what I want them to do, so I don't change them.
[/QUOTE]


Colorado Cowboy, I’m much like yourself. I’m pretty satisfied with sub-2” groups @ 300 yards, from a 9 pound 1 ounce (scoped, loaded, slung), “hunting rifle,” moving a 250 grain bullet @ 3130 mv. Maybe if I didn’t have property, vehicles/atv’s/ farm equipment, boats, rv’s, etc. to maintain....I would shoot/reload more. :) I simply do not have the time or energy! It sucks to get old! :mad: memtb
 
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ScottR

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I haven't had any issues with lead in the animals that I have put down. My 2018 deer for example was kind of an odd angled shot, there wasn't an exit hole as it pretty much went straight into him. My 2014 bull was actually a 150 grain bullet, believe it or not, and at 120 yards zipped through one side and out the other. My 2015 bull took three 200 grain bullets to plant him..one of them hit a lot of bone and that that really threw some lead. the meat was just fine.
 

Bonecollector

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All in good fun boys! :)

Got to keep these boards lively with G&F type debates or we'll wonder over into politics or women and no one (NO ONE) has these answers.

Not even "Cooper" :LOL: That's what I get for typing on my phone.
 

AKaviator

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I haven't had any issues with lead in the animals that I have put down. My 2018 deer for example was kind of an odd angled shot, there wasn't an exit hole as it pretty much went straight into him. My 2014 bull was actually a 150 grain bullet, believe it or not, and at 120 yards zipped through one side and out the other. My 2015 bull took three 200 grain bullets to plant him..one of them hit a lot of bone and that that really threw some lead. the meat was just fine.
Even after eating some lead fragments, I doubt I absorb enough lead in my system to hurt me much. Besides, It may be a really good source of fiber for my diet!
But, the Barnes bullets DO shoot pretty good so I probably will still use them sometimes! ;)
 
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Hilltop

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I have taken animals with copper and lead and to me there is a significant difference in energy retention/transfer to the animal. I have a lot of first hand experience with both as a hunter and guide. However, the following is from someone with more experience than most of us- https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/Homogenous+copper+bullets+can+be+inhumane.html

I do believe at relatively close ranges by today's standards (under 300 yards), there is little difference. For those shooting 300+ yards, I believe the lead bullets are the proper selection where legal.
 

dan maule

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Jan 3, 2015
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I have taken animals with copper and lead and to me there is a significant difference in energy retention/transfer to the animal. I have a lot of first hand experience with both as a hunter and guide. However, the following is from someone with more experience than most of us- https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/Homogenous+copper+bullets+can+be+inhumane.html

I do believe at relatively close ranges by today's standards (under 300 yards), there is little difference. For those shooting 300+ yards, I believe the lead bullets are the proper selection where legal.
Very good article, thanks for sharing. What he is saying makes total sense. I am a speed freak so all of my experience with copper bullets is at very high velocity, I have not witnessed any of the drawbacks that he talks about but certainly can see where he is coming from.
 

JimP

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Well, lets see now. We are not suppose to shoot lead bullets because the fragment into all of the meat on a animal and when we eat it we ingest this lead causing problems.

All copper bullets are bad because they don't expand properly at longer distances where the velocity of the bullet isn't great enough to open up properly and result in a clean kill.

It's getting to the point now that we are going to have to start throwing rocks again.

One thing that we need to also remember is that the all copper bullets are progressing as far as their performance through the velocities that they may be shot at at a animal. What happened 5 years ago has been improved upon with the bullets of today. It seams like I read that with the Barnes bullets that they recommend velocities of 1300 fps and faster for reliable expansion, I may be wrong here since I am just going by memory

I know that my experiences is that Barnes bullets work at all viable distances that I have shot a animal at. The kudu that I shot in Africa was at 479 yards and when the skinners got to the heart they just started to laugh, it looked more like a towel that had gotten stuck in a paper shredder, even the coues deer that I shot at 420 yards didn't argue with a very good exit wound.

There are also times I wonder what would of a lead bullet of done at those same ranges? I once shot a cow elk at 20 yards and recovered the Sierra boattail bullet on the off side just under the skin, this was with a 7mm Rem mag. There wasn't much left of the bullet after it just took out about a quarter of one lung. She took a second shot at 200 yards when she turned around and looked at me.

I just like sticking with what I know works and works quite well for me.

On a side note on the above article, do you know when it was printed? I tried to find a date but didn't see one.
 

memtb

Active Member
My longest shot on game has only been 430 yards. The animal was an Antelope.....shot with a rifle cartridge that many deem far too large for Antelope, using a bullet that will not expand on small, big game when placed behind the shoulder. Yet, the Antelope died very quickly. Apparently, the Antelope failed to get the memo! :unsure:

I’m certain it was just a fluke! However, one of many “flukes” with the same combination! Well, that’s not completely factual. The majority of my Antelope were taken with a 270 grain TSX, which is even more resistant to expansion on small game than is my present 250 grain TTSX. I think that I see a trend starting with copper on small big game! ;) memtb
 
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AKaviator

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I loaded up some 130gr TSX for the .270 today with RL-19. I hope to get to the range tomorrow and see how they do.
 

AKaviator

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Back from the range! The 130 TSX shot good...not great. The best group was just under an inch at 100 yards. It was on the lighter side and as I increased the charge the group opened up to 1.5" or so. My max average velocity was 3131fps. I thought it might group better but it might be that it doesn't care for RL-19 as much as H4831sc. I'll keep playing with them.

I also tested 3 different types of primers in some 150 Partition loads. Fed 210 averaged 2853 fps, CCI averaged 2872 and Winchester WLR 2815. All from the same loads otherwise, and no significant change in point of impact. Not sure what caused the discrepancy last time.

One interesting thing about this rifle, all the loads I tested today shot pretty close to the same point of impact. 3 different 150 Partition loads 4 different 130 TSX loads and a 130 Interlock load. All right at 2.5 high at 100 yards. My .375 is similar in that way. My 338-06 is not! Any change with it is significantly different.
 

Colorado Cowboy

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H4831 sc is an awsome powder. My 25-06 loves it. Tried a lot of newer powers and nothing performs like the sc. One would think that H4831 would work as well as the sc, but it doesn't. sc means short cut and I guess the smaller grain size changes the burn rate enough that it a lot different than H4831.
 
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