first elk using 3006 180gr Bondstrike

My wife shot a large cow this week using a 3006 and factory loaded 180 Bondstrike bullets . We had a few boxes that we got on sale and figured we would give it a try in place of our usual accubond loads . MV was 2650fps and shot was 177yds . Shot was broadside thru lungs, nowhere near the shoulders, dead center between shoulders and diaphragm . Bullet basically came apart on contact , we found pieces up in the brisket, one inner loin, and in both shoulders . A lot bloodshot meat. It did hit a rib on the way in , but wow , I didn't expect it to be that fragile. It acted like one of the original ballistic tips would have at an impact velocity of about 2900 or so . Understand this is just one instance , but figured I would post FWIW . I wont be using them on big game again. they were accurate and cheap, so good for practice and coyotes I guess.

That's not good. I'm glad it did not result in a wounded and lost elk.

Picks?

hitting a bone on entry can do it, interested if the shank exited and it acted like a partition

My dad has used them for a season and liked the results on a cow last year, I was concerned they were too hard lol

There are several youtube vids showing how frangible the Bondstrikes are. Even at 308 velocities they explode.

I wish I would have taken pics , but did not have phone with me when we field dressed her .
Shank did exit and was straight thru in relation to the entry . Did not recover the shank , but could not have been much there as there was no damage to the internal organs with the exception of the lungs which were not that damaged . The bullet pretty much came apart at entry and apparently only a very small piece went straight thru . The exit hole was nothing more than a pencil hole . This elk did not leak any blood at all . there was a little blood on the fur at the entry , nothing more . She ran a good 50yds or so and ended up in a drainage and could not get out , probably due to the shoulder damage more than internal damage based on what I saw while gutting her . We were just lucky that she was an old ancient fat cow and ended up in that drainage , so no drama with recovery .

how are they bonded and explode..... strange

PopNFresh said:

how are they bonded and explode..... strange

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Advertising hype! But bullet killed elk and shank continued thru elk so I'd say it did its job. I'd rather a bullet didn't exit any animal personally.

I bought a pile of 300 win mag ammo loaded with the bondstikes when brass was hard to get and Norma ammo was cheap. Will pull them down and load in 308 for hogs etc. thanks for info.

Coldfinger said:

Advertising hype! But bullet killed elk and shank continued thru elk so I'd say it did its job. I'd rather a bullet didn't exit any animal personally.

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you just described the attributes of their tipstrike bullet though, and how they advertise the ts bullets. I've got a load for 170gr ts and about to test some 55gr ts bullets for deer season and critter shooting. they were a good price, have measured very consistent, and advertise as being a little explodey but sending something out the other side too. Hopefully will test them out on whitetail this month.