This should be interesting…usually bad bullet reviews start with "I made the perfect shot and never recovered the animal" and end with "bullet xyz or cartridge xyz failed." Lol.
Bullet failures
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xsn10s
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"The bullet failed, and the barrel was bent".
adam32+P
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Exactly...reminds me of the thread about the Berger "failure" from a while back...ended up being a complete MISSED deer after several pages of bullet bashing.
xsn10s
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I think I brought up the cow elk I tracked during bow season on that one.
xsn10s
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Berger LRHT failed thread. Shooter found no blood and was sure he hit it. Found the buck on a trail cam a day or two latter.
That works for me!
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
In all my years of hunting I have yet to confirm a problem caused by a bullet failure. I've hunted deer more than any other big game animal and started out shooting Remington factory ammo with core-locked bullets. In the last 20 years I've killed deer with virtually every bullet commonly available. They all worked just fine given proper shot placement.
I've said it before, but I think we put way too much emphasis on bullet design, construction, etc. Put any reasonably appropriate in the right place and your game animal will give up the ghost in short order.
However, I'm like most of you in that I can't resist shooting & hunting with the latest and greatest bullets available. Would an old fashion cup & core bullet have killed all of my deer this year? Yes - but I chose to shoot most with Hammers and have no regrets.
I've said it before, but I think we put way too much emphasis on bullet design, construction, etc. Put any reasonably appropriate in the right place and your game animal will give up the ghost in short order.
However, I'm like most of you in that I can't resist shooting & hunting with the latest and greatest bullets available. Would an old fashion cup & core bullet have killed all of my deer this year? Yes - but I chose to shoot most with Hammers and have no regrets.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
I witnessed a failure, 153 hornady A-tip, have photos as well. However it was not a bullet designed for hunting, so therefore, not actually a failure. The bullet impacted exactly where POA was, so the bullet performed perfectly for it's intended purpose lol
Again I'm not sure on bullet failures but I have some weird things happen.
1st 210 ablr right when they can on to the market I sent one out of my 300 rum at an antelope at just under 400 yards splattered in Ipact made a mess of the hide the antelope ran 60 yards stopped, I sent a second one this one behind the shoulder instead of dead on it and the antelope dropped.
2 regular accubond down hil shot on a bull elk at 449 yards sent it hit right in the center of the shoulder broke it and then the bullet tracked down to the elbow on the same Sadie and exited out the elbow. 23 hours later found the bull and got him killed.
3&4 with both 140 tsx out of a 270wsm that looked as they penciled as after they ran out of range we trapped the 257 wby and finished them both at little over 400.
I'm closing I will say, spend enough time in the field shooting different bullets weird things are going to happen. A lot has to do with understanding what the bullet is designed to do and managing your expectations of the bullet. I used to hate Berger because I shot an antelope around 320 yards shot placement was dead nuts on and she just stood there. Very little indication that she was hit other than a little blood coming out on the entry side. Waited what felt like minutes prolly only seconds sent a second she dropped bullets were an 1/8 of in inch apart. Opened her up WHAT A MESS in a good way. Lungs were liquified. She was dead but didn't know. Again I didn't fully understand what Berger was supposed to do. They did exactly what they were ment to do. Same to be said for ablr. Stay off the shoulder. No one told me that early on when I was brand new. Now I've found a mix of bullets I like for me and that's all that matters because no one else has to deal with it other than me or my family and friends that choose to shoot my rifles.
1st 210 ablr right when they can on to the market I sent one out of my 300 rum at an antelope at just under 400 yards splattered in Ipact made a mess of the hide the antelope ran 60 yards stopped, I sent a second one this one behind the shoulder instead of dead on it and the antelope dropped.
2 regular accubond down hil shot on a bull elk at 449 yards sent it hit right in the center of the shoulder broke it and then the bullet tracked down to the elbow on the same Sadie and exited out the elbow. 23 hours later found the bull and got him killed.
3&4 with both 140 tsx out of a 270wsm that looked as they penciled as after they ran out of range we trapped the 257 wby and finished them both at little over 400.
I'm closing I will say, spend enough time in the field shooting different bullets weird things are going to happen. A lot has to do with understanding what the bullet is designed to do and managing your expectations of the bullet. I used to hate Berger because I shot an antelope around 320 yards shot placement was dead nuts on and she just stood there. Very little indication that she was hit other than a little blood coming out on the entry side. Waited what felt like minutes prolly only seconds sent a second she dropped bullets were an 1/8 of in inch apart. Opened her up WHAT A MESS in a good way. Lungs were liquified. She was dead but didn't know. Again I didn't fully understand what Berger was supposed to do. They did exactly what they were ment to do. Same to be said for ablr. Stay off the shoulder. No one told me that early on when I was brand new. Now I've found a mix of bullets I like for me and that's all that matters because no one else has to deal with it other than me or my family and friends that choose to shoot my rifles.
One failure. An old Barnes "X". Shot was placed right in the crease at 80 yds on a decent 6x6 bull with a 270 wby. Found very little blood, and some hair where the bull was standing. The only game animal I never recovered. Looked for that bull for 2 solid days. Made me sick. That was over 25 years ago. I have killed nearly 40 elk in my lifetime, but I have replayed that shot over and over in my head and still believe the shot was spot on. I will take the blame because I couldn`t recover the animal, but have never shot a Barnes since, or lost another animal. Not bashing Barnes. I know that they make a great bullet now, but in the beginning...... meh, maybe not so much.
Yes sir just reinventing the wheel it dont get any better, but you can put a better tire on it
Steves1911
Well-Known Member
Ive had the 25 cal 117gr hornady sst act much like a frangible on 2 deer. Mv was 3375fps first was shot around 150yds second was 325 yds both double lung shots but neither made it to the ribs on opposite side and im pretty sure it was only shrapnel that took out lungs as it looked like both came completely apart after striking a rib.
Me personally one, and I have first hand witnessed two.
About 6 or 7 years ago, a budy shot a coues with a 168gr Barnes TTSX out if his 30-06. Well placed double lung shot just past 300 yds, tracked that deer for over half a mile with little blood here and there, and luckily recovered him. Pencil size hole through lungs.
Two years ago another budy shot a coues with his 270 WSM and a 140gr Accubond, 85 yd shot double lung shot, took for ever for that deer to bleed out. Recovered perfect mushroomed bullet under hide of opposite side. Small hole and little damage to lungs.
3 months later I shot a Javelina with my 7mm-08 and 140gr Accubond, shot was just over 200 yd with impact velocity just under 2,400 fps. 25 minutes later after looking for him finally popped up in from of us and took a few steps and it laid down and died. Same issue, small hole and little damage to lungs.
Needless to say I'll never use an Accubond again. Will stick to SST, A-Max and Bergers. Yes, little more bloodshot meat but animals die faster.
When I was 10 yrs old a hit a mulie a little high in the spine just behind the shoulder with a 270 Win and a Partition bullet, can't remember if it was a 140gr or 150gr. It hit him and knocked him down, DRT. Well not so much DRT, after we gutted him and everything the spine was intact and all vitals untouched, all of them. Small entry hole at the spine and small exit in its belly, bullet bounced off the spine and went downwards. If we had taken any longer to gut him he would've just stood up and take off. Got lucky that time.
About 6 or 7 years ago, a budy shot a coues with a 168gr Barnes TTSX out if his 30-06. Well placed double lung shot just past 300 yds, tracked that deer for over half a mile with little blood here and there, and luckily recovered him. Pencil size hole through lungs.
Two years ago another budy shot a coues with his 270 WSM and a 140gr Accubond, 85 yd shot double lung shot, took for ever for that deer to bleed out. Recovered perfect mushroomed bullet under hide of opposite side. Small hole and little damage to lungs.
3 months later I shot a Javelina with my 7mm-08 and 140gr Accubond, shot was just over 200 yd with impact velocity just under 2,400 fps. 25 minutes later after looking for him finally popped up in from of us and took a few steps and it laid down and died. Same issue, small hole and little damage to lungs.
Needless to say I'll never use an Accubond again. Will stick to SST, A-Max and Bergers. Yes, little more bloodshot meat but animals die faster.
When I was 10 yrs old a hit a mulie a little high in the spine just behind the shoulder with a 270 Win and a Partition bullet, can't remember if it was a 140gr or 150gr. It hit him and knocked him down, DRT. Well not so much DRT, after we gutted him and everything the spine was intact and all vitals untouched, all of them. Small entry hole at the spine and small exit in its belly, bullet bounced off the spine and went downwards. If we had taken any longer to gut him he would've just stood up and take off. Got lucky that time.
