Best Mono Bullet for Hunting/Effective Kills

[SMC_GUIDE]

6MM CREEDMOOR
93GR Copper Rose Magazine Feed
3270MV
400 Yards
Neck shot on blacktail buck

 

[Macintosh]

Approx 50 yards shot on a whitetail buck. Barnes factory-loaded 168gr TTSX 30-06 from an 18” barrel, estimated mv 2700, estimated impact velocity a hair over 2600fps.
Quartering to, shot was at an angle from above. Entrance on upper shoulder through scapula, exit mid rib cage on off-side.

Nothing really shocking. Deer jumped at impact and bolted downhill down the skid trail he was already trotting down, crashed 50 yards later. Excellent, constant blood from impact to where he lay, the kind a color-blind chimp could follow in the dark. This is one of the longer (the longest?) runs Ive had with this combo.

Entrance was .30cal hole. The scapula fractured and caused some more damage than normal to the inside of the on-side shoulder. As seen from inside ribcage, the entrance and exit holes are both 1.5” or so, roughly golf-ball size. The scapula was the only bone it hit. Lungs were jelly. There was some considerable bloodshot fascia, more than normal I’d say, along some of the larger muscles on the on-side.

Entrance hole in front shoulder visible at the tip of the blade


Exit hole—deer is hanging so its elongated, but it was a nice round 1.5” hole.


This is the inside of the entrance hole just inside the scapula. You can see fractured bone and some shredded meat. This is more meat damage than I typically see, although I dont make a habit of shooting thru the shoulder blade.


Inside chest cavity, entrance on left, exit on right. Both holes are about 1.5”. The white chunks are tallow.

 

[waspocrew]

Killed 4 animals last year with the 267 Hammer HHT from my 338 RUM. This year, my 7 SAUM and 145 LRX had accounted for 4 animals.

Both have performed well enough. Haven’t shot extreme distance on game (longest was 580 yards), but all have been pass throughs and little to no tracking involved.

Most recent was a mule deer buck yesterday at 315 yards. Dropped on the spot with the 145 LRX punching through both shoulders.

Definitely not a mono guy, but I’ve been happy with the performance.

 

[35WhelenAI]

For you, what is extreme range if 580 yds (1/3 of a mile) isn't? Good shooting. If you don't mind me noticing, you've shot 8 animals with monos over the past year. You indicate you are "definitely not a mono guy but happy with the performance". Meaning you typically shoot at longer-range beyond say, 580 yds, where the mono isn't the best choice for expansion reasons? Just wanting to clarify, as my mind might not be picking up on what you're saying.

 

[waspocrew]

For you, what is extreme range if 580 yds (1/3 of a mile) isn't? Good shooting. If you don't mind me noticing, you've shot 8 animals with monos over the past year. You indicate you are "definitely not a mono guy but happy with the performance". Meaning you typically shoot at longer-range beyond say, 580 yds, where the mono isn't the best choice for expansion reasons? Just wanting to clarify, as my mind might not be picking up on what you're saying.

Everyone's definition of "long range" varies - for me, I think 750 yards and out is getting pretty far, especially on game. Where I typically hunt, we have a lot of wide open areas, including several canyons.

Addressing the mono use - I hand load and like to try different projectiles. The majority of animals I've killed have been with cup and core bullets (accubonds, ELDMs, and VLD hunters). Having heard countless people tout Hammers as the best hunting projectile, I thought they were worth a try. They shot very well out of my 338 RUM, so I went with it last season. This season, I wanted to use my 7 SAUM so I briefly tested it with several projectiles including the 145 LRX. The LRX shot great, so again, I just went with it.

For longer range shots, I'd rather have a berger or hornady for more reliable expansion. While the monos all resulted in dead animals, exits weren't really all that impressive. Usually just caliber size entrance and maybe slightly bigger than caliber exit. Using monos, generally the mantra is "speed kills", so using lighter weights with lower BC is the compromise. If I lived in a state that required me to hunt with monos, I'd be fine using them, but for where I hunt, I don't think they are necessarily my first choice since longer shots are always a possibility.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Hey, thanks for that. Really appreciate your thoughts and experience.

 

[DagOtto]

Congrats to your boy! I recall both my son's first animals (pronghorns). In different years with a 110 TTSX from a .270 Win and 130 TTSX from an 30-06. Same loads a year or two later and both were one and done on elk.

Thanks much. He was thrilled and proud. Shooting drills over the last year made such a difference as he set up and took the shot with real calm confidence! Pretty cool moment for me as a dad.

 

[DagOtto]

Approx 50 yards shot on a whitetail buck. Barnes factory-loaded 168gr TTSX 30-06 from an 18” barrel, estimated mv 2700, estimated impact velocity a hair over 2600fps.
Quartering to, shot was at an angle from above. Entrance on upper shoulder through scapula, exit mid rib cage on off-side.

Nothing really shocking. Deer jumped at impact and bolted downhill down the skid trail he was already trotting down, crashed 50 yards later. Excellent, constant blood from impact to where he lay, the kind a color-blind chimp could follow in the dark. This is one of the longer (the longest?) runs Ive had with this combo.

Entrance was .30cal hole. The scapula fractured and caused some more damage than normal to the inside of the on-side shoulder. As seen from inside ribcage, the entrance and exit holes are both 1.5” or so, roughly golf-ball size. The scapula was the only bone it hit. Lungs were jelly. There was some considerable bloodshot fascia, more than normal I’d say, along some of the larger muscles on the on-side.

Entrance hole in front shoulder visible at the tip of the blade
View attachment 792388

Exit hole—deer is hanging so its elongated, but it was a nice round 1.5” hole.
View attachment 792391

This is the inside of the entrance hole just inside the scapula. You can see fractured bone and some shredded meat. This is more meat damage than I typically see, although I dont make a habit of shooting thru the shoulder blade.
View attachment 792389

Inside chest cavity, entrance on left, exit on right. Both holes are about 1.5”. The white chunks are tallow.
View attachment 792392

Congrats!

And thanks for the really great necropsy write up and details!

 

[BenRubin3]

Been happy with my 6.5PRC factory Barnes LRX. Here are entry/exit wounds for my elk this year from 100 yard shot. He buckled then didn’t walk more than 10 yards and was dead within 15 seconds.

Entry:


Exit:

 

[35WhelenAI]

Love the clean meat, no other way to do it. Not much drama for pictures sake. Barnes simply get it done with boring monotony and more meat in the freezer.

 

[DagOtto]

Some of you interested in this thread may be interested in this other thread focusing on Mcquire bullets.

McGuire Ballistics field and terminal reports

Thoughts on possibility the brush in front of the elk at the shot could have had something to do with tumbling? Edit: the was addressed in part by offset from reticle in the other thread.

rokslide.com

 

[Southern Lights]

I'll add Australian maker Outer Edge Bullets to the list. I have yet to try them, but have heard good reports:

Outer Edge Projectiles | Outer Edge Projectiles

outeredgeprojectiles.com.au

 

[Southern Lights]

I have a 270 129LRX load shooting about 3100. I have a 30-06 load in 130TTSX also at 3100. Anyone tried both and have any opinions on which load works better? I'll be keeping both velocities at 2200 impact speed so marginal advantage to the 270 due to BC, but both can work to about 400y.

I'm new to monos and I have only taken one deer with the 129LRX recently at 40y and it was annihilated, but not really fair as any piece of metal hitting you at nearly mach 3 is going to be a bad day. Wondering if the larger caliber will make a difference as ranges extend.

I have also shot two deer now with the 6.5CM and 120gr Sako Blade. They are moving almost 2900 and worked well, but again both shots under 100y.

 

[Macintosh]

I have a 270 129LRX load shooting about 3100. I have a 30-06 load in 130TTSX also at 3100. Anyone tried both and have any opinions on which load works better? I'll be keeping both velocities at 2200 impact speed so marginal advantage to the 270 due to BC, but both can work to about 400y.

I'm new to monos and I have only taken one deer with the 129LRX recently at 40y and it was annihilated, but not really fair as any piece of metal hitting you at nearly mach 3 is going to be a bad day. Wondering if the larger caliber will make a difference as ranges extend.

I have also shot two deer now with the 6.5CM and 120gr Sako Blade. They are moving almost 2900 and worked well, but again both shots under 100y.

Not a big sample size, but based on the same monos from my 3006 and 270 I think you’ll see a fairly significant difference with the 270 performing better at the longer end of range, the BC difference is reasonably significant. G1 bc is .350 for the 130ttsx versus .463 for the .277 129LRX. At my elevation I dont even think I get 400 yards from the .308 caliber version. At equal velocities doubt you’ll be able to tell the difference, just dont discount the BC difference…at any given range that will result in higher retained velocity. The more you push it the more it will matter.

 

[swampy14]

Does anyone know if the Hammer bullets are available in commercial ammunition? Or any other copper / non-lead option with low weight retention?

I believe weatherby loads some calibers with hammer bullets. But it’s $$$

 

[Southern Lights]

Not a big sample size, but based on the same monos from my 3006 and 270 I think you’ll see a fairly significant difference with the 270 performing better at the longer end of range, the BC difference is reasonably significant. G1 bc is .350 for the 130ttsx versus .463 for the .277 129LRX. At my elevation I dont even think I get 400 yards from the .308 caliber version. At equal velocities doubt you’ll be able to tell the difference, just dont discount the BC difference…at any given range that will result in higher retained velocity. The more you push it the more it will matter.

Thanks. I'm mainly using the 270 now due to the BC vs. the 130TTSX in the 30-06. I was concerned with the velocity past 300 with the 30-06. Mostly I'll use the 30-06 as the backup if for some reason I'm short of 270 components. The heavier 30 caliber LRX BCs are tempting, but they are so much heavier that the velocity again gets marginal vs. the 270 at range just due to lower muzzle velocity.