Badlands Precision Bullets thread - From BC to terminal ballistics

[SheepShapeAK]

This was the real trophy from the hunt.

Bulldozer bullets do an awesome job of helping to keep it full.

 

[nralifer]

Here is a more detailed report of the 0.257" 95gr BD performance on pronghorn. Again, MV of 3550, impact @ 200y with velocity of 3217fps and energy of 2183ft*lbs.

Below: Bullet entry is the red little blood stain on the front quarter. Entry hole is a 0.257" hole as seen in later photos. On impact, the front quarter that the bullet enter through was slightly rearward so the bullet didn't pass through the chest cavity as far forward as this photo might indicate.
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Below: Bullet exit was several inches back of the entry as the animal was slightly quartered to me. This is the exact position that I found the animal in. There are actually two exit holes, a larger one and a smaller one. This leads me to believe either a large section of a petal separated from the bullet shank and exited or a large fragment of bone was ejected through the body. I think a petal fragment is more likely myself.

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Below: Here is a photo of the hide where the bullet entered showing a very small entry hole, approximately the diameter of the 0.257" bullet.
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Below: Here is a closeup of the two exit holes previously descrbied.

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Below: Bullet tip was found in between front quarter where bullet entered and the chest cavity. It never entered the chest cavity.
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Below: This is the front quarter that the bullet entered and expanded inside of. This is a view of where the bullet exited the front quarter travelling only through soft tissue. After processing, it appeared that the bullet began expansion within 1-2" of travel trough this front quarter and left a ~1.5" path of destruction in the tissue that it passed through.
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Below: Entry into chest cavity shows the same ~1.5" path of destruction as well as a few broken ribs.
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Below: Exit from chest cavity shows slightly smaller ~1" path of destruction and less rib damage.
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Below: In the top of the photo there is obvious damage to the heart, but the lungs appeared mostly intact overall. There is damage to the lungs seen just to the left of where the heart is damaged, but the lung tissue was not liquified.
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Below: Upon removal of the hearty and lungs, the extent of heart damage was more obvious. The heart was butterflied open and nearly cut in two pieces. The lungs were mostly in tact other that the small areas where the bullet passed through. Again, nothing appeared liquified.
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Overall, I was very pleased with the performance of this bullet. Like I said before, he ran maybe 30 yards then tipped over. As said by @codyadams in previous posts, the blood seen here is mostly between muscle groups and connective tissue. Bloodshot meat was very minimal which was my goal in switching to copper bullets. I hope to use this load on some Whitetails here in Missouri this fall. I will likely set up my family heirloom 1959 Remington 760 Gamemaster in 270 Win for my nephew launching the 0.277" 128gr. BD2. My 270 Win load wasn't developed for that gun, but hopefully it shoots well enough that I can just load and go.

Excellent description of the wound damage. That bullet hit at a very high impact velocity, so weird things can happen. I think you are right about the double exit. Given the high impact velocity, not at all surprising that there was some petal separation, but given the proximity of the holes it occurred close to the shank exit. A lead core bullet would have failed to hold together well given such high impact stress.

 

[nralifer]

Well, I finally got done processing all the meat from the trip.

Here are some pictures. I did have a snafu with my rifle and didn't catch it until after I downed my fourth caribou. Rear screw on my action came loose. Made me think it was just my crappy shooting, but after I tightened it, the shots on my moose were right where I was aiming.

195 BD2's performed great. My furthest shot was only 656 yards. Closest was 300.

Four caribou and a dandy bull moose for me on the trip. We ended up with 8 caribou and 2 moose total. Two of my caribou were for two families back in town.

Exit wound on one of the caribou.

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View attachment 397562Exit Wound
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Internal Carnage
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Entrance
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Such wonderful hunting in Alaska! Despite the weather, you are fortunate to be young, in great health and living there in the prime of your life. Beautiful Moose. Congratulations!!

 

[IHFarmer07]

Not a bad review of these.

 

[MTbackwoods]

Not a bad review of these.

I've been waiting about 3 months or so for him to have time to get around to this. Results so far are not surprising. I look forward to the next video with impact velocities closer to the 1,700 fps that Badlands recommends. I figure that first impact was below 1,300 fps which is not surprising that the bullet tumbled. The one closer to 1,600 (estimated) was a bit of a surprise. The second video is up already. Gonna go watch it now

 

[IHFarmer07]

I've been waiting about 3 months or so for him to have time to get around to this. Results so far are not surprising. I look forward to the next video with impact velocities closer to the 1,700 fps that Badlands recommends. I figure that first impact was below 1,300 fps which is not surprising that the bullet tumbled. The one closer to 1,600 (estimated) was a bit of a surprise. The second video is up already. Gonna go watch it now

Oh shoot I posted the same darn video ! I'll edit.

 

[codyadams]

I've been waiting about 3 months or so for him to have time to get around to this. Results so far are not surprising. I look forward to the next video with impact velocities closer to the 1,700 fps that Badlands recommends. I figure that first impact was below 1,300 fps which is not surprising that the bullet tumbled. The one closer to 1,600 (estimated) was a bit of a surprise. The second video is up already. Gonna go watch it now

It's not really surprising it tumbled, reduced loads without a significant increase in twist rate are often unstable, and not an accurate way to get an idea of true low velocity performance. And being a .308 win, it is possible that it was being shot from a 1:12 twist, which that bullet requires a minimum of a 10 twist. If that is the case, being combined with a reduced load would nearly guarantee significant instability. Even if it is a 10 twist, it will likely be unstable shot at that velocity. The only way to accurately test low velocity impacts is to shoot them into a media at a range that reduces the impact velocity, and have it be fired at a twist and muzzle velocity that is stable.

 

[IHFarmer07]

It's not really surprising it tumbled, reduced loads without a significant increase in twist rate are often unstable, and not an accurate way to get an idea of true low velocity performance. And being a .308 win, it is possible that it was being shot from a 1:12 twist, which that bullet requires a minimum of a 10 twist. If that is the case, being combined with a reduced load would nearly guarantee significant instability. Even if it is a 10 twist, it will likely be unstable shot at that velocity. The only way to accurately test low velocity impacts is to shoot them into a media at a range that reduces the impact velocity, and have it be fired at a twist and muzzle velocity that is stable.

I agree.
The only person that does those tests is James @Barbourcreek. I've sent him .264 130gr federal terminal ascents. Maybe he can do the Badlands bulldozers some time. Anymore I believe he's darn busy.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I agree.
The only person that does those tests is James @Barbourcreek. I've sent him .264 130gr federal terminal ascents. Maybe he can do the Badlands bulldozers some time. Anymore I believe he's darn busy.

He's on here now. Maybe send him a PM.

 

[IHFarmer07]

He's on here now. Maybe send him a PM.

Just pm'd

 

[codyadams]

I agree.
The only person that does those tests is James @Barbourcreek. I've sent him .264 130gr federal terminal ascents. Maybe he can do the Badlands bulldozers some time. Anymore I believe he's darn busy.

Ya, I'm sure he has a ton going on.....would be awesome if he got around to it though, I really like how they do their testing!

 

[JAYgs8163]

I received my 7mm 150 BD2's. Going to run them in a 7wsm. 8.25 twist with a 22" barrel. Any suggestions on loads?

 

[WiscGunner]

I just got some 150 BD2's as well to try in my 7SS. Hoping they like H4350 like the 155 Hammer Hunters

 

[nralifer]

I've been waiting about 3 months or so for him to have time to get around to this. Results so far are not surprising. I look forward to the next video with impact velocities closer to the 1,700 fps that Badlands recommends. I figure that first impact was below 1,300 fps which is not surprising that the bullet tumbled. The one closer to 1,600 (estimated) was a bit of a surprise. The second video is up already. Gonna go watch it now

It is a different story when the bullet arrives at 1700 fps from full muzzle velocity. The barrel twist was not specified. The bullet under these conditions is spinning almost 1.75x as fast (approximately 93,000 more RPM) and is actually what happens in a hunting situation. The increased rotational velocity ejects the tip sooner. This Elk was taken with a 300WM at 1225 yds with a muzzle velocity of 2980 fps. Impact velocity was estimated at 1760 fps