Bullet Performance Thread

[shwacker]

Thought I would try to get a thread going to share bullet pics of real world terminal performance, if it doesn't exist already? Please only post pics of bullets or exit wounds with details of gun, animal, shot, and outcome.

150 grain Trophy Copper Federal Premium Factory Ammo
7mm Rem Mag
15 yards quartering away on a raghorn elk. Shot entered just behind ribs and bullet was recovered behind opposite shoulder with no petals left. Animal was recovered about 20 feet from where he was shot.

 

[Wags]

6.5 143 ELDX.. mule deer, quartering to at 200 yards. The bullet entered perfectly behind shoulder and ended up in the off side hind quarter. Pretty good penetration. I haven't weighed it yet to get weight retention.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

recovered bullets are not indicative of terminal performance, rather tissue damage is the indicator of terminal performance. There's a lot of photos in these threads, mostly of tissue damage, since that matters a lot more than recovered bullet pics:

6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

Seeing that the 223 thread is such a success, I thought maybe I would start one for the Creedmoor/260. Seems like people are asking a lot about using them and various bullets, especially for elk. I've used mine for the last few years almost exclusively. I have some pics of bullet damage, albeit...

www.rokslide.com

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Lawnboi]

These bullet threads end up the same. They look at what the bullet looks like after you find it.

I don’t care what the bullet looks like. I care about the damage that’s been done.

 

[shwacker]

Good points! I figured if people share what happened to the animal that would be helpful. I suppose not really away of sharing pics of what actually happens inside, short of catscans...

 

[S-3 ranch]

I hardly ever find a bullet, usually it’s a hole on one side and a bigger hole
shoot Norma oryx & barns ttsx 150gr .308win

mono and bonded should punch some holes like these elk shoulder and exit

 

[jhm2023]

I'm not always good about taking pictures of tissue damage in animals. I've collected quite a few bullets over the years though and have taken notes on most of the bullets found in game. The majority of the bullets pictured we found just under the hide on the offside of various animals, mostly moose, caribou and bears.

-First pic is a 127gr LRX recovered from an up close shot on a caribou from 6.5 CM.
-Second are a couple of petals from a 115gr controlled chaos recovered in the shoulder of a black bear from a sub 30 yard shot from a 300 blk.
-Third is a 115gr controlled chaos base found on the ground next to a black bear shot with a 300 blk. I think about 60 yard shot.
-Fourth an fifth pics are from a black bear shot with a 115gr controlled chaos at about 20 or so yards with a 300 blk. the ribs show where the base and petals exited separately. petals were found in the shoulder, base exited.
-Sixth is a moose heart after shot with a 127gr LRX from a 6.5 CM. I think it was a sub 200 yards shot but not sure.
-Seventh a two 250gr TSX from a bull moose shot at about 75 yards with a 338 win mag.
-Eight is a 140gr TTSX recovered from a black bear shot lengthwise at about 100 yards with a 7 rem mag. Texas heart short, found bullet under the hide in the front shoulder.
-Last pic is various other bullets, some of which were previously pictured. The two on top row second from left are 180gr TSX shot from 300 win mag into bull moose, one without petals was through antler and into neck as moose charged, one with petals was coup de grace on same moose. Top row third from right was 325gr xtreme defense recovered from bull moose shot under 10 yards with 45-70, about 36" of penetration. Top row second from right is a 190 Maker rex (subsonic) recovered from black bear shot at about 60 yards with 300 blk. Bottom right is a 325gr xtreme defense recovered in the rear quarter of a black bear, frontal shot charging at sub 10 yards. I don't remember the rest of the top of my head.

 

[tuffcity]

This what a hornady SST out of muzzleloader does to a large whitetail heart...

 

[260madman]

260Rem 100gr NBT at 20 yards I think. 3150fps from 20” barrel. Onside shoulder. I have the bullet somewhere, I found it in the opposite shoulder if I remember correctly. Other pics are in a thread on snipershide in the way back machine.


260Rem 120 Amax at 2900fps. 30 yards. Zippered open from shot in the shoulder.

 

[Rich M]

A nicely mushroomed bullet has expended its energy properly and performed as advertised. A better bullet leaves a hole on the way out.

 

[chamois]

I love these threads about bullet performance. Thank you to all that contribute. This is a Barnes 127gr LRX I recovered from the Altai Ibex in the picture. Muzzle velocity was 2,900 fps and it impacted at 198yds square on the shoulder blade on a slightly quartering shot. On its way out the bullet broke a rib where it is born from the spine (the shot was at an angle) and lodged under the skin. Wound was typical Barnes performance, long and narrow but, given bullet placement, the Ibex fell were it was standing.

 

[chamois]

 

[Pickettpuncher]

300wm 178 eldx

25-06 100gr nbt at 3450

250gr fury star tip (plastic) smokeless muzzleloader

Smokeless muzzleloader 275 star tip at 2775

7-08 120 nbt

 

[Pickettpuncher]

25-06 110 eldx

7-08 120nbt

280 140nbt



Smokeless muzzleloader. Parker hunting/target bullet


Smokeless muzzleloader and another Parker hunting/target

 

[roosiebull]

I’ll post a couple pics later, but the 130gr terminal ascent at blistering 6.5creed speed impressed me once again yesterday. My wife shot a mature blacktail buck, bullet blew up the knuckle on entrance and blew up the leg below the knuckle on the exit, and passed through… messy but impressive

Shot distance was 175yds. I am a fan of that bullet, hoping it performs as well in my 308, which I assume it will… nothing but stellar performance from that projectile so far

 

[roosiebull]

25-06 110 eldxView attachment 466884

7-08 120nbtView attachment 466885

280 140nbt
View attachment 466886View attachment 466887


Smokeless muzzleloader. Parker hunting/target bullet
View attachment 466888View attachment 466889

Smokeless muzzleloader and another Parker hunting/targetView attachment 466890

That 280 140gr nbt caused some serious damage… did you find it’s head?

 

[Dan Carey]

Bullet performance should not be based on what size hole it put in the eatable meat, but how well it dispatched the animal. 30-30 at 100 or a 300 wm at 500 yds.

 

[Decker9]

Bull moose, 140gr AB from a 6.5 prc. 2975fps, shot distance 75 yards.

1 shot centre double lung, the bull stumbled around a full minute before expiring. I was surprised at the damage on the entry side (virtually none on the opposite side), I didn’t take any photos before starting to clean it up this entry side.

Though it did the trick, it reminded me why I like bigger slower bullets I think with moose.

 

[ElPollo]

Bull moose, 140gr AB from a 6.5 prc. 2975fps, shot distance 75 yards.

1 shot centre double lung, the bull stumbled around a full minute before expiring. I was surprised at the damage on the entry side (virtually none on the opposite side), I didn’t take any photos before starting to clean it up this entry side.

Though it did the trick, it reminded me why I like bigger slower bullets I think with moose.

Just curious and honestly asking. What about a bigger slower bullet do think would have changed the outcome on a double lung shot like this?

 

[Decker9]

Just curious and honestly asking. What about a bigger slower bullet do think would have changed the outcome on a double lung shot like this?

It’s just my experience to see less meat loss, and a faster expiry I think. The lungs had a pretty small hole through them compared to the 30 and 375 calibers Iv used before.