6mm 105 Hornady BTHP--low impact bullet test

[T-Stick]

My experience with Hornady 105 gr. BTHP has shown it to be very accurate but an erratic performer on game. Worked perfectly on a few, tumbled as in the pictures on a few and worst of all to me veered off line of flight inside of the animal. In my opinion a bullet that tumbles and does not break up is not a very reliable killer. My lot of bullets Could have been pretty old and I was using them at a starting velocity of 2600 fps from a 6 Grendel. I switched to the 87 gr. BTHP from Hornady and all is well. That is a pretty good deer and coyote bullet.

That's looking similar to my testing with current bullets.

 

[Brandon_SPC]

I opened the hollow point with a drill bit on the 105 BTHP thinking the same thing. I do the same for the 87 grain Hornady also and get more explosive expansion.

However I'm not seeing any opening up in the reduced velocity testing with water. This gives me pause.

10-4. Good to know. Do you plan to do this with other bullets? If so I can send you some 106 TAPS, 105 Norma Bondstrikes, and some 109 ELDMs. I would love to see the operating range of these bullets compared together. Granted I've killed a lot of deer with ELDMs in the lower 2000s but still, I like to see how they all compare on a same testing medium.

 

[T-Stick]

You are very generous however my 243 is a 1/9.25 twist so most VLDs above 90 grain won't stabilize. I'm guessing your above 100 grain bullets wont stabilize so I can't give them a fair test. The Hornady has a mild secant ogive and does stabilize. I'm thinking maybe I should try opening the hollow point more with a larger drill bit.

My top long range performer right now is the 90 grain ELDX but I'd like a heavier bullet and more BC.

 

[T-Stick]

I was using a .040 drill bit. I just ordered some .052 drill bits. I will try them to enlarge the hole and then retest.