The bullet failure thread

[IDbrushswimmer]

Don’t know whether to call it a failure so much as a fluke shot… 175 terminal ascent from a .308 Win at about 20 yds. (Bull elk) Went in his chest, behind the shoulder and skimmed along the outside of ribs under the hide. I ended up shooting him again broadside where he had bedded about 20 minutes later.

 

[KHntr]

Just to clarify. These failed bullets were all pulled outta dead animals?

Of mine, yes. With the deer, zero internal trauma, but got lucky and clipped major blood vessels.

On the elk, it was a follow up shot that had it been the only bullet in the animal, it would have lived through the experience. All that bullet did was bore a 2” diameter hole into the backstrap for about 12” in length, and pulled a big clump of hair in with it.

 

[Steve300xcw]

A 2" diameter hole for 12" into the backstraps and the bullet failed?

 

[KHntr]

A 2" diameter hole for 12" into the backstraps and the bullet failed?

Bullet know for penetration failed to penetrate. Not sure whats so difficult to comprehend about that?
Expected that bullet to penetrate 6 feet, and it made it 12”.

Shoot enough bullets into enough animals and eventually you’ll see some odd stuff happen.

 

[Steve300xcw]

If I tried to shoot lengthwise through the backstraps, I'd try to pass the blame as well.

Shoot enough bullets into enough animals and eventually you’ll see some odd stuff happen.

I'll give ya that

 

[KHntr]

Didn’t say I tried to shoot lengthwise down the backstrap… said it was a straightaway shot that was supposed to go through the backstrap and out through the sternum.

 

[Tom-D]

feral goat. Shot with a tikka 300 win mag using factory federal premium ammunition. The red box stuff with all silver bullets. Shot was about 50 yards. 1 shot through the shoulder 1 shot through the crease. The goat stood still like nothing had happened. 3rd shot through the skull just underneath the horns and then it stood for probably another 10-15 seconds before slowly tipping over. This was a while back unfortunately i really wish i documented in better. I didn't cut the animal open but confirmed with the bullet holes that all shots were clean pass throughs with no damage at all. This was the day i realised the size of the cartridge means nothing compared to bullet construction

 

[robtattoo]

I've only had 1 failure to expand & it's a real stretch to blame the bullet.....

I gut shot a hog, bowhunting in Texas about 15 years ago. I let it run maybe a 100ish yds to see if it'd drop. It didn't, so I figured I'd try to at least slow it down with a pistol shot.
I had a 2½" barrel Rossi .44 special with me & hail mary'd a shot at maybe 140yds.
The 240gr Magtec hit it right behind the ear, quartering into the brain.
If it wasn't for the rifling on the copper, you'd never know it'd been fired.

Again, kinda tough to blame the bullet. I doubt it was doing much more than 400fps at impact & it killed the piss out of the pig. Possibly the best/luckiest shot I've ever made!

 

[solarshooter]

Some of the shots being taken on this thread are pretty abysmal... And the bullet choices.... I applaud people for being honest and just hope they are actually taking lessons from this stuff and changing their methods and equipment.

 

[1000yards]

Six inch wide pretty much blew the hide off

So where did the bullet go?

 

[Laelkhunter]

Just to clarify. These failed bullets were all pulled outta dead animals?

I think the idea is to show pictures of a failed bullet, but it was taken out of a recovered (dead) animal after subsequent shots were fired to kill the animal. Or maybe I misunderstood OP intentions.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Six inch wide pretty much blew the hide off

Any chance the bullet hit a small branch or limb and opened up prior, I’ve heard stories about bullets “splashing” just have a hard time wrapping my head around them I guess…

 

[KurtR]

Any chance the bullet hit a small branch or limb and opened up prior, I’ve heard stories about bullets “splashing” just have a hard time wrapping my head around them I guess…

Nope I didn’t hit one of the three trees we have in South Dakota haha. I was slightly above it on one side of walth bay on lake Oahe . When I get back I can mark on a map right where I was .

 

[Hnthrdr]

Nope I didn’t hit one of the three trees we have in South Dakota haha. I was slightly above it on one side of walth bay on lake Oahe . When I get back I can mark on a map right where I was .

No worries man, just wondering, bullets can do crazy things sometimes.

 

[KurtR]

No worries man, just wondering, bullets can do crazy things sometimes.

Ya I think I killed 20 plus deer with that exact combo only issue ever had. It was the time we were getting triple tags both east and west river.

 

[ElPollo]

Seems like this is more of a thread on bad or uninformed choices rather than a bullet failure thread. That said, I think rifle bullet manufacturers do a shitty job of providing information about velocity ranges that bullets are intended to perform within. I am not aware of one that has done or published a thorough evaluation for how their products perform under real world hunting conditions.

 

[mt terry d]

Re: mfgs testing?
That 1800 fps is the supposed minimal velocity for terminal performance of all bullets doesn’t make any logical sense to me.

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

Multiple experiences with berger 180 hybrids failing to expand on elk and auodad. All under 500 yard shots with 7 prc.
Berger 140 vld penciling on deer and antelope with muzzle velocities well over 2200 fps.
Never have had a true failure with other bullets we run including hammers, accubonds, tmks, and partitions.

 

[finner]

Not a failure per this definition, but I wasn't happy about it. Uphill broadside shot on a muley buck at 100 yards, 6.5cm shooting factory 143 ELDX. Bullet entered right in the money zone, but somehow the jacket traversed through part of the onside backstrap and ended up in front of the rear onside quarter. You can see the entry and the bloodshot area where the bullet ended up in this photo. Weirdest thing I've ever seen a bullet do.

Buck died quickly, but lost good meat.

 

[Andouille]

"Failure" with 143 eldx at impact velocity of 2260 fps (260 yds) uphill broadside shot on 300 lb l black bear. I say failure only because similar to above, the bullet had surprisingly little penetration, yet did kill quickly.

Entry on upper left side ribs and bullet trapped in fat under opposite shoulder. Jacket and core separated completely and most of the core was inside the chest cavity. Bear ribs and shoulder muscle/fat aren't tough or particularly thick, so maybe 10-12" penetration at most for a bullet that is supposed to retain some lead core (crimped "x" ring).

I'm in no way complaining about how dead the bear was, just questioning use of ELDX on larger animals with quartering shots needing more penetration. Likely moving to 153 TMK in the future for a little more certainty on penetration.