Match bullets speed vs wound Chanel

[BKM]

So your shooting a match bullet (TMK or Eld-m) they are going to expand down to 1800fps or even lower. What about velocity for rapid fragmentation?

2,000fps? 2,200fps?

I am looking at loading for getting that velocity at the max distance I hunt to get max damage with the least recoil.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I think you have left out the third item - bloodshot. I don't worry about recoil but my purpose of hunting is the meat. I focus on accuracy, penetration but minimal bloodshot/ loss.

A friend of mine, that shoots wolves with a 50 cal, shot a cow elk with the same rifle. She was bloodshot from one end to the other. I don't want to see fragmentation because I don't like to eat lead and I don't like to have lots of waste and I cut my own meat.

I'm not sure where you folks are going but I am not a fan of some of this wastefulness.

 

[Rich M]

I shoot hunting bullets. Usually sierra pro hunters.

 

[CJ19]

I am told Ryan Averys podcast has excellent information on this. I would definitely check it out. I can look up the episode and link it if you are having trouble finding it.

 

[Wyo_hntr]

I'm not sure where you folks are going but I am not a fan of some of this wastefulness.

I've shot a couple of bulls and a few antelope with eldms (140 and 108). I didn't waste anything.

One bull was pretty much muzzle velocity. It died very quickly and I got a lot of meat. I see zero downside to using a bullet that maximizes a cartridges capability.

 

[Charlie-NY]

I've shot MANY whitetails with the 162gr A-Max from a 7STW. Shots behind the shoulder don't ruin any meat. Shots on the shoulder always resulted in a DRT, but they do cause plenty of bloodshot shoulder meat.

 

[204_ruger]

Look up long range hunting group on u tube. Just about all he hunts with is match bullets. I am fixing to start working a load up for my new 280AI. I bought Hornady ELD M in 162 gr and 180 gr.

 

[Article 4]

I think match bullets are fine on thinner skin game but they are known to produce some big ol wound channels and can ruin a cape pretty quickly. My thing is on heavy game, bears, bulls etc...bonded bullets. Yes match bullets they will kill an elk but i prefer something bonded for heavier game.

The idea with match bullets is two fold:

1. The jacket is thicker. Why? To facilitate higher bore temps used during comps to ensure bullet jacket consistency.
2. Since the idea that the bullet is not going to be used to hunt, there is not need to ensure penetration or bullet integrity e.g. no cannelure, no bonding, no additional brass in the body - steel doesn't care.

Some bullets are designed to grenade inside, like Berger. If the animal dies a good death, then so be it, match bullet or not.

 

[wind gypsy]

The idea with match bullets is two fold:

1. The jacket is thicker. Why? To facilitate higher bore temps used during comps to ensure bullet jacket consistency.

Maybe with berger which was just done to prevent jacket failure with thinner jackets. The opposite is generally true with Hornady and Sierra.

 

[Article 4]

Maybe with berger which was just done to prevent jacket failure with thinner jackets. The opposite is generally true with Hornady and Sierra.

True - which is they they "violently expand" in Hornady's own words. again, all good for targets.

I have had feedback from friends who shoot hornady ELDM in matches, they do experience more bullet failures due to jacket thickness at higher rates of fire over longer matches. There is probably some balance there between consistency and wall thickness.

 

[BKM]

I’ve done a bunch of reading since I posted, to me it sounds like 2,200fps for smaller calibers and slightly less with larger.

I’m going to load to 2,200fps at my max hunting distance and roll with it

 

[huntnful]

I’ve done a bunch of reading since I posted, to me it sounds like 2,200fps for smaller calibers and slightly less with larger.

I’m going to load to 2,200fps at my max hunting distance and roll with it

I would absolutely shoot ELDM's. Stay off the shoulder and you also lose no meat whatsoever.

However I don't personally know at what impact velocity they don't expand violently. I like the idea of a 2200fps impact as a minimum velocity. That's going to ensure some major trauma and bullet upset.

 

[180ls1]

However I don't personally know at what impact velocity they don't expand violently. I like the idea of a 2200fps impact as a minimum velocity. That's going to ensure some major trauma and bullet upset.

I also wouldn't worry about it falling below that threshold. They will still kill VERY well under that speed.

 

[huntnful]

I also wouldn't worry about it falling below that threshold. They will still kill VERY well under that speed.

Oh for sure. I was just agreeing that 2200 should ensure the violent expansion we've all grown to love haha.