Bullet failure 130 grain nosler partition with 6.5 creedmoor

[Bravo 4]

Favoring any one or the other is splitting hairs or just choosing to favor one mfg over another, which is fine.

I have found that not to be the case, especially with mono bullets. Having used 180gr Barnes in a .300 WinMag and terrible results on 3 whitetail at less than 100 yards, one was so close it probably felt the muzzle blast. They just penciled through and did little damage, all were broadside shots on calm animals. The Hammers have been pretty impressive on both soft tissue destruction and penetration, exactly as Steve designed them. They are apparently a lot softer material than most others. The Cutting Edge Lazers are pretty soft as well, or else they wouldn't advertise them to velocities as low as 1200 fps (most are 1500 fps).

 

[Kentucky]

Not sure if anyone else had this problem, but my son almost lost a cow elk yesterday due to bullet failure. He hit his cow elk low in the front shoulder smashing the bone above the elbow. Bullet appears to have completely come apart and did not enter the chest. Follow up shot smashed the same shoulder high but also failed to penetrate the chest. All this at 325 yards with a 6.5 creedmoor and a 130 grain nosler partition. We came back the next day and found the cow bedded in trees. She got up and ran off. Ultimately he killed her with a 270. So should I blame the 6.5 creedmoor as being too light for cow elk or the 130 grain nosler partition??? Anyone else kill elk with a 6.5 creedmoor with a solid shoulder shot? If so, what bullet did you use because my 11 year old daughter has a tag next month and can't handle the recoil of much more than my creedmoor.

I just read all through this post replies and did not see the Hornady SST mentioned. I have dropped four deer with this bullet and it worked fine. Am I missing something?useing 140 grain in a 6.5 Creedmore at 250-300 yards.

 

[clacka6mm]

I just read all through this post replies and did not see the Hornady SST mentioned. I have dropped four deer with this bullet and it worked fine. Am I missing something?useing 140 grain in a 6.5 Creedmore at 250-300 yards.

I use SST and ELDX in all my hunting platforms... LOVE EM..

 

[Kentucky]

I use SST and ELDX in all my hunting platforms... LOVE EM..

I've been useing the sst's but I read something so,ewhere that made me want to switch th the ELDX. Maybe c.o.l. I don't remember

 

[antelopedundee]

I just read all through this post replies and did not see the Hornady SST mentioned. I have dropped four deer with this bullet and it worked fine. Am I missing something?useing 140 grain in a 6.5 Creedmore at 250-300 yards.

As it relates to the situation in the OP, the SST is really not a suitable bullet to use for elk since by design it is intended to expand/fragment quickly. It's more suitable for deer and smaller sized game. I was gong to use the SST for antelope last fall [we're talking 6.5mm 140 grain per the OP] but after listening to a few folks over at HuntTalk about excessive meat damage, I ended up using the Sierra GameChangers. Had I not found those by dumb luck I would have used my old standby Hornady 129 grain Interlocks. The Hornady ELD-X or Nosler accubonds might be more suitable for elk. If I was pursuing elk, I'd use a bullet capable of getting the job done in the event that I made a less than ideal shot. A SST bullet hitting an elk's rib might be enough to prevent adequate penetration into the lungs or liver.

 

[WildRose]

Every mono out there is most definitely different the same way for every other bullet construction. Alloy makes a huge difference the method of initiating expantion is different.
I want and need a bullet to shed weight, I don't always shoot an elk at a range where you'll see any effect other than mechanical injury to the internal organs. A Barnes that is shot to far will open just fine but you'll have a wound channels the size of the bullet and no more, takes a cow elk better than a half hour to succumb to a hit with a slow but open Barnes. A Hammer bullet with the right alloy and tip let's the bullet, down to the hole turn into large chunks of frag and an elks lungs will look like they snorted a grenade with excellent mechanical injury making a quick kill. Barnes will deflect on an elk shoulder sometimes because of not shedding all that frontal area, I saw about a 30 percent failure with Barnes 168's in a 300 WBY to penetrate into the chest, Hammers are the ONLY mono I've not seen a deflection or failure to penetrate an elk shoulder.
On the bullet core concentricity issues you replace that with issues from bullet to bullet consistent metelurgy that effects balance, a mono will ONLY be as good as the alloy supplied, this is why you aren't seeing monos crushing 1000 yard bench rest, I wish they could because the exterior dimensions can be contolled to the tenth and teeeked as needed.

The only thing keeping mono's from crushing those matches is the lower BC.

As for the rest it would make sense to me IF not for the fact that the dangerous game experts choose for themselves and recommend bullets that maintion 100% of their weight or near to it in order to ensure complete pass throughs and/or the deepest possible penetration.

I realize that elk have grown internal kevlar armor in the last few years but they certainly aren't as tough to bring down as animals like the big bears, Hippo, Cape Buffalo, Eland or Wildebeest.

Even for the largest and most dangerous predators like the Kodiak and Grizzly. Lions, Tigers, and Leopards they choose for themselves and recommend the same types of bullets.

The faster a bullet sheds it's weight the quicker it loses it's energy and the faster the reduction in sectional density both of which are essential to penetration.

Sorry, I just can't buy this line of reasoning.

 

[WildRose]

I respect your post but do not agree at all, anywhere past, "I don't always shoot an elk at a range where you'll see any effect other than mechanical injury to the internal organs." The hydrostatic shock of an expanding bullet, along with wound channel, is the killer combo (you may be meaning that). The monos don't shed weight, but that has never been a desired effect of any bullet, except for how an exposed lead tip explodes and that's how it's designed. The skived tip of all monos allows excellent expansion of up 2X, as seen in the image and they have plenty of data to say that they reliably expand. As to metallurgView attachment 114130ical differences between mono makers... I'll do some research myself. I would wager no significant difference, but will check back with results. cheers

Having something of an insider's view of that now I've learned that most of them have their own proprietary alloys.

 

[WildRose]

All of our bullets are designed to shed a specific amount of weight. High our low vel impacts. A bullet like pictured above would be considered a failure. Not as bad as not opening, but a failure none the less.

While it may not be what you hope for from your bullets that bullet performed exactly as designed and that is very much the kind of expansion many of us consider ideal.

 

[WildRose]

As it relates to the situation in the OP, the SST is really not a suitable bullet to use for elk since by design it is intended to expand/fragment quickly. It's more suitable for deer and smaller sized game. I was gong to use the SST for antelope last fall [we're talking 6.5mm 130 grain per the OP] but after listening to a few folks over at HuntTalk about excessive meat damage, I ended up using the Sierra GameChangers. Had I not found those by dumb luck I would have used my old standby Hornady 129 grain Interlocks. The Hornady Interbonds or Nosler accubonds might be more suitable for elk. If I was pursuing elk, I'd use a bullet capable of getting the job done in the event that I made a less than ideal shot. A SST bullet hitting an elk's rib might be enough to prevent adequate penetration into the lungs or liver.

If you put the SST where it belongs it'll do the job every time. It's just not designed for punching dense bone or heavy muscle. Put it through the ribs and turn them to soup.

 

[clacka6mm]

If you put the SST where it belongs it'll do the job every time. It's just not designed for punching dense bone or heavy muscle. Put it through the ribs and turn them to soup.

Absolutely..... head shots work good too....

 

[WildRose]

Absolutely..... head shots work good too....

As frangible as they are I'm not sure I'd trust them for a headshot on anything big.

Varmints and predators oh yeah, they'll open them up like dynamite in a clamshell.

 

[antelopedundee]

If you put the SST where it belongs it'll do the job every time. It's just not designed for punching dense bone or heavy muscle. Put it through the ribs and turn them to soup.

Except that doesn't always happen which is why we have this thread in the first place. I never go out with the idea that I'll shoot my critter in the shoulder. If some unforeseen thing causes it to happen then it happens.

 

[WildRose]

Except that doesn't always happen which is why we have this thread in the first place. I never go out with the idea that I'll shoot my critter in the shoulder. If some unforeseen thing causes it to happen then it happens.

We have this thread because at the time he didn't understand where to put the SST for it to work properly and effectively.

He quickly learned and corrected himself.

And if you put a bullet that doesn't expand through the ribs odds are the animal runs off a long ways before dying.

We're all going to blow a shot from time to time but the rule still applies.

Pick the right bullet for your intended point of aim, keep your range within the limits of your equipment, ability, the current conditions and of course the game and then just do your part as the shooter.

I personally won't shoot the SST's at game because they are too frangible to suit me but I do understand what they were designed for which is punching the heart/lungs out of deer, varmints, and predators and they will perform as designed consistently. They also tend to be a very accurate bullet.

 

[clacka6mm]

We have this thread because at the time he didn't understand where to put the SST for it to work properly and effectively.

He quickly learned and corrected himself.

And if you put a bullet that doesn't expand through the ribs odds are the animal runs off a long ways before dying.

We're all going to blow a shot from time to time but the rule still applies.

Pick the right bullet for your intended point of aim, keep your range within the limits of your equipment, ability, the current conditions and of course the game and then just do your part as the shooter.

I personally won't shoot the SST's at game because they are too frangible to suit me but I do understand what they were designed for which is punching the heart/lungs out of deer, varmints, and predators and they will perform as designed consistently. They also tend to be a very accurate bullet.

On 4 elk and 6 deer from 60-427 yes I've never had an SST do any thing but open into a perfect mushroom. And I'm running 3275 fps out of 95 gr but that's with 2 boiler maker hits, 6 neck soft tissue arterial and vein hits and 2 head shots...... I've recovered all the last kills I've had. With SSTs once I stopped trying to use a 6mm like a 375 h&h...