Small calibers and copper (Barnes etc)

[Hoopleheader]

I use copper bullets, and am looking to downsize.

How small of caliber/cartridge does the small caliber crowd feel comfortable going on non fragmenting monolithic pills for deer /black bear ?

Please don’t tell me lead is better, TMK or bust. I get it, there’s a 5k post thread covering that.

 

[ericmcd]

At what ranges?

 

[Hoopleheader]

At what ranges?

good question. 300 and in.

 

[wyosam]

I shot an elk with a Barnes in a .243. That was a loooong time ago. Was a double lung broad side. Not a great wound channel, and didn’t really react at the shot but just stood and swayed for a minute or so then laid down. Certainly worked, not my first choice. Monos that shed petals I’d be a little more confident, but with any mono moderate velocity isn’t what I’m after. I like impacts north of 2k, 2200 is better. Especially in smaller calibers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jason Snyder]

I’ve killed a handful of elk with a .243 and an 85 grain Barnes. I’ve killed/seen killed a bunch of animals (deer and elk) with a 6.5 CM and a 123 Absolute Hammer (3050 FPS) or 124 Hammer Hunter (2900 FPS).

 

[Hoopleheader]

I’ve killed a handful of elk with a .243 and an 85 grain Barnes. I’ve killed/seen killed a bunch of animals (deer and elk) with a 6.5 CM and a 123 Absolute Hammer (3050 FPS) or 124 Hammer Hunter (2900 FPS).

Haven’t tried hammer yet. That was on my mind. Looks like the likely perform like a Nosler partition with violent entry and a narrow exit.

 

[t_carlson]

My wife killed a deer one year with a Barnes X in a .223.

I would not recommend trying to repeat that feat. The buck fell down right after the shot, so I knew it was hit. However, there was almost no blood, and the darn thing ran a LONG distance across two neighboring properties before it died. Luckily, the landowner was nice and let us recover it.

 

[ericmcd]

good question. 300 and in.

How about a 6.5 grendel in a mini action or a ar platform which would have even less recoil

 

[Wacko]

Easy for me...since CO requires a min of 6mm and 85 grains or more for elk.....6mm creed..barnes 95 gr LRX factory ammo

Or...since you can use 80 grains for deer...80 grain ttsx out of a 243 at 3300.....

 

[amassi]

Haven’t tried hammer yet. That was on my mind. Looks like the likely perform like a Nosler partition with violent entry and a narrow exit.

They do not
Nothing about them is violent
You will get a narrow exit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SDHNTR]

At 300 or less, I’d load a Barnes LRX or Hammer as fast as I could push it accurately. I’d use whichever is more accurate and not give it any more worry.

It’s really at ranges much further where copper gets problematic.

 

[Hoopleheader]

They do not
Nothing about them is violent
You will get a narrow exit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thought they shed their petals on impact. Again haven’t tried them.

 

[amassi]

Thought they shed their petals on impact. Again haven’t tried them.

When they do it isn’t dramatic by any means
Certainly nowhere near what you get from a partition or any other lead core bullet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jason Snyder]

Thought they shed their petals on impact. Again haven’t tried them.

They do. I’ve experienced blood trails Ray Charles could follow from distances of 70 yards to 410.

 

[turbobrick]

I'm playing with this right now, got a 19" Carbon6 barreled Howa Mini in 6arc. Playing with all the 85-95 grain monos I could find, the 87 Absolute has been the best for velocity and accuracy, looks like I'll be able to settle them in at around 3010 and under an inch. I'd be pretty confident to shoot that at most big game. The gun is a pleasure to shoot, you can't beat being able to watch you own impacts with a 7 pound total suppressed gun.

 

[wyosam]

When they do it isn’t dramatic by any means
Certainly nowhere near what you get from a partition or any other lead core bullet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How many have you put through animals?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[z987k]

If you aren't tied to copper, just non-lead, give the DRT's a shot. I haven't used them on game yet, but will next hunt. They group for me great. Should behave much more like a cup and core, and doesn't need really fast twists like copper.
For a mono, I've had good results with the LRX in a 30 cal and Badlands in 26, 27 and 33 cal. The higher BC of the badlands keeps their velocity much higher down range.
Monos at hyper sonic velocity seem to work really well. I think something moving a 90-100gr 243 bullet at 3300+fps would be just as lighting dead inside 300y as the cup and core.

 

[Unclecroc]

I have been using small caliber rifles with monos for a few years now on deer. I use mostly hammer bullets but I have a few Barnes kills under my belt too.
For deer and bear I would consider a 22-250 with a 1-8” twist optimally or no less than 1-9”. Tikka offers a 1-8” 22-250 currently. This will allow you to load 65-70 class hammer bullets and they would work very well for your intended purpose.
Hammers work exactly as described. They shed 4 petals and typically I get a larger entrance than exit but I mostly get 3-5 exit holes. After 12 head of deer taken with hammers under 25 cal I haven’t had one go further than 50 yards from the shot.
Barnes also work as described as the mushroom to double diameter and I’ve seen mostly 1.5” exit holes for 243 and 22-250 using ttsx. Both bullets are great and are very lethal.
Drive em hard and keep them above the minimum expansion velocity and you won’t be disappointed.

 

[lungpuncher1]

I'm playing with this right now, got a 19" Carbon6 barreled Howa Mini in 6arc. Playing with all the 85-95 grain monos I could find, the 87 Absolute has been the best for velocity and accuracy, looks like I'll be able to settle them in at around 3010 and under an inch. I'd be pretty confident to shoot that at most big game. The gun is a pleasure to shoot, you can't beat being able to watch you own impacts with a 7 pound total suppressed gun.

Sounds sweet, got any pics? I’m looking to build a carbon barreled howa mini 6mm gun. Mountain deer rifle


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TN2shot07]

My wife shoots the factory Barnes out of her 243 and I use it in a 7-08. I don’t remember ever having a deer get out of sight but also not much blood.