Long range bullets at close range

[Northkill]

Bullet crap-talk again? "Failure" is so subjective we can argue all day about any bullet, and all be both right and wrong at the same time with little gained in the process. We all know that internet claims are worth a ton. But then, hey, we need entertainment and dander-raising stuff every now and then to keep us motivated, right? Suppose we ask ourselves why we would find some satisfaction in a purported failure of any bullet? If it's to validate ourselves or humiliate others, we are already more aligned with our emotions and ego than with facts.

 

[flyguy1]

It's interesting to me to read about so many bullet failures. I've been hunting for 50yrs and haven't had a single failure. Shot critters all over the US and Canada and never experienced a bullet failure. I originally shot Sierra boattail hunting bullets. They often shed their cores but they killed reliably. Switched to Barnes X bullets for a while and was a bit disappointed by how some animals didn't even look like they were hit despite good shot placement, but they were all dead in short order. Long before there was a controversy about "target" vs "hunting" bullets I got hooked on using A-Max bullets for whitetails. An incredibly accurate bullet that occasionally exited but sometimes not. All the deer died quickly, regardless. I shot an antelope at 440yds with a 162 A-Max. Bullet impacted behind the shoulder but the seperated jacket took a right turn and zipped his abdomen open causing his entrails to fall out before he dropped. Moved on to Bergers before they differentiated between target and hunting bullets. Got reliable kills with few exits. Accubonds were my mainstay for some time, and I still use them. They killed deer-elk-moose with equal authority, and I could never understand why some called them "Accubombs".

Lately, I've been using Hammer bullets. While they may solve some of the problems that other shooters have experienced; I use them because they just shoot well and reliably kill critters. I've had a few DRT while others ran a bit with devastating injuries, but the bullets didn't fail to do what they were meant to do.

While I've seen bullets do some wonky things in animals, I can't say that I've ever had one FAIL. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Finally. I was wondering how I could be so lucky as well, and, yeah, I shoot a .300 WinMag, but my wife shoots a .260 and only had one buck go very far. From Partitions to Barnes to Hammers. We don't take risky shots though. We're not starving or anything.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Funny, but now that I think of it, I cut my teeth on "match" bullets but I was shooting groundhogs exclusively. I was new to the sport, shooting a Rem 40X in 22-250 and I only used Sierra 52g & 53gr Matchkings. While they weren't nearly as explosive as later developed "varmint" bullets, they killed fat PA groundhogs quickly! Distance was irrelevant.

 

[TheDeicide]

Ive taken whitetails with a 28 Nosler using Cutting Edge MTH 155gr at 20 yards in the chest and 40 in the neck. Both expanded, traumatized, and exited. The part couple seasons I have used a 6.5 PRC with 143gr ELD-X and got more meat damage at closer ranges. I took a whitetail doe in the neck at only 60 yards and the exit hole was almost two fists because I hit bone. The bullets I chose will expand and maintain the base for penetration. I was always concerned they would open too rapidly at high velocity.

 

[TheDeicide]

It's interesting to me to read about so many bullet failures. I've been hunting for 50yrs and haven't had a single failure. Shot critters all over the US and Canada and never experienced a bullet failure. I originally shot Sierra boattail hunting bullets. They often shed their cores but they killed reliably. Switched to Barnes X bullets for a while and was a bit disappointed by how some animals didn't even look like they were hit despite good shot placement, but they were all dead in short order. Long before there was a controversy about "target" vs "hunting" bullets I got hooked on using A-Max bullets for whitetails. An incredibly accurate bullet that occasionally exited but sometimes not. All the deer died quickly, regardless. I shot an antelope at 440yds with a 162 A-Max. Bullet impacted behind the shoulder but the seperated jacket took a right turn and zipped his abdomen open causing his entrails to fall out before he dropped. Moved on to Bergers before they differentiated between target and hunting bullets. Got reliable kills with few exits. Accubonds were my mainstay for some time, and I still use them. They killed deer-elk-moose with equal authority, and I could never understand why some called them "Accubombs".

Lately, I've been using Hammer bullets. While they may solve some of the problems that other shooters have experienced; I use them because they just shoot well and reliably kill critters. I've had a few DRT while others ran a bit with devastating injuries, but the bullets didn't fail to do what they were meant to do.

While I've seen bullets do some wonky things in animals, I can't say that I've ever had one FAIL. Maybe I'm just lucky.

I agree with the AB bullets. I use ABLR in my 280 AI and if anything I get less damage than I would expect. My ELD-X's

One a side note, I never had a failure until I used the amax bullets. Not in a larger caliber but in my 22-250 at close range. I shot a whitetail during a deer drive and I left her lay until the drive was over. I was a driver and shot her half way up the neck. When we returned she was gone. Being within site of a dirt road we thought maybe someone stole it. Later in the season, same thing with a shot to the neck. A doe dropped where she stood. I was a poster this time. I watched her suddenly pick up her head and lay there a minute and then got up and walked off like nothing happened. I put one in the back of her head and never used another amax in that caliber. When used in my 30-06 and my buddys 300 win they were flawless.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I agree with the AB bullets. I use ABLR in my 280 AI and if anything I get less damage than I would expect. My ELD-X's

One a side note, I never had a failure until I used the amax bullets. Not in a larger caliber but in my 22-250 at close range. I shot a whitetail during a deer drive and I left her lay until the drive was over. I was a driver and shot her half way up the neck. When we returned she was gone. Being within site of a dirt road we thought maybe someone stole it. Later in the season, same thing with a shot to the neck. A doe dropped where she stood. I was a poster this time. I watched her suddenly pick up her head and lay there a minute and then got up and walked off like nothing happened. I put one in the back of her head and never used another amax in that caliber. When used in my 30-06 and my buddys 300 win they were flawless.

I could certainly see having an issue with a 22cal A-Max on biggame. I used a 162gr A-Max fired in a custom 7STW. It was very deadly on whitetails which I shot from up close to about 450yds. Either on the shoulder or behind the shoulder, the results were similar, except the shoulder shots usually dropped them on the spot.

 

[Hard rock]

It's interesting to me to read about so many bullet failures. I've been hunting for 50yrs and haven't had a single failure. Shot critters all over the US and Canada and never experienced a bullet failure. I originally shot Sierra boattail hunting bullets. They often shed their cores but they killed reliably. Switched to Barnes X bullets for a while and was a bit disappointed by how some animals didn't even look like they were hit despite good shot placement, but they were all dead in short order. Long before there was a controversy about "target" vs "hunting" bullets I got hooked on using A-Max bullets for whitetails. An incredibly accurate bullet that occasionally exited but sometimes not. All the deer died quickly, regardless. I shot an antelope at 440yds with a 162 A-Max. Bullet impacted behind the shoulder but the seperated jacket took a right turn and zipped his abdomen open causing his entrails to fall out before he dropped. Moved on to Bergers before they differentiated between target and hunting bullets. Got reliable kills with few exits. Accubonds were my mainstay for some time, and I still use them. They killed deer-elk-moose with equal authority, and I could never understand why some called them "Accubombs".

Lately, I've been using Hammer bullets. While they may solve some of the problems that other shooters have experienced; I use them because they just shoot well and reliably kill critters. I've had a few DRT while others ran a bit with devastating injuries, but the bullets didn't fail to do what they were meant to do.

While I've seen bullets do some wonky things in animals, I can't say that I've ever had one FAIL. Maybe I'm just lucky.

No you're not just lucky ,I have a boat load of other bullets accumulated over the years , eventually I will put them up for sale on this forum for all the naysayers of the Hammer bullets . I shoot Hammers only at this point of time in my life too old too keep changing , put a Hammer in the vitals and if he does run most likely he will be dead on the spot or within 100 yds. , that is my experience. If you don't get a blood trail ,just watch which way he goes he's dead on his feet .The bullets l will have for sale in the near future are all that we're ever made except Bergers ,l never used them but they seem too be the bullet most compaired too the Hammers I'm sure they are a great bullet , but perform just the opposite .

 

[Lou270]

As noted, failures are subjective to a degree. Hammers are designed to lose their petals. For a long time a mono bullet losing petals was considered a failure. For ex, the Winchester failsafe bullet (an original petal type bullet for younguns) delayed release to production because the bullets lost petals on a gunwriter hunt. All the gun writers howled and Win/Nos went back to drawing board to tweak the bullet so petals stayed on.

Point is different bullets behave differently. I think it is fair to describe a failure as when a bullet does not perform as designed. For ex, a barnes losing it's petals or a hammer keeping it's petals. Or an expanding bullet not expanding or a controlled expanding bullet not penetrating sufficiently to kill.

A match bullet coming apart or not penetrating deep is not a failure. There is no feature in the design to initiate or control expansion to say it fails. Folks use them and they may work fine but nobody making the bullets are paying attention to terminal performance.

A good ex is Berger. They now have 2 lines of bullet jackets - hunting and match. Since they are now paying attention to terminal performance they found a jacket change for target field caused non-ideal results in hunting field. So, they split into separate lines. Their hunting bullets will continue to behave as expected and is a hunting bullet. Use a target berger and you may or may not get the desired results because berger is likely not paying attention to terminal performance on those

Lou

 

[RockyMtnUT]

Hornady LR bullets are the best for close range, they are "simply better bullets"
Then Berger, Nosler, Apex, Barnes, Badlands, Speer, cutting edge, Winchester, Rem.Core-lokt, Hammer.

 

[Northkill]

^

 

[Hard rock]

Hornady bullets are the best for close and long range hunting
Then Berger, Nosler, Apex, Barnes, Badlands, Speer, cutting edge, Winchester, Rem.Core-lokt, Hammer.


#keepinthrdalive

Close range

 

[Ramem7mm]

I'm in Sonora right now and yesterday I shot a very big mule deer bedded that was looking straight at us at 50 yards. Shooting 7mm Rem Mag Factory Eldx at 2,970. I aimed low neck just above brisket. Deer got up ran into bushes. I was a little concerned I missed and even more concerned when I went to where it was bedded with no blood. After a few steps towards where it ran it was laying there dead, didn't go 15 yards. Hit my aim point and hit top of heart threw off lung and buried in opposite rib cage with no exit. I found bullet jacket mushroom mostly intact with no lead. End result is what mattered on this one. Just providing my experience on the Eldx. Last year same bullet I shot a mule deer running straight at me about 150 yards and hit it in the brisket and deer was dead on impact never took another step.

 

[vancewalker007]

I've done some searching but haven't found what I thought was the answer. So…

If you are set up with a long range bullet, (let's just say a Berger EOL) and a shot presents itself at a close range. How do you handle that shot?

I've read a couple things; aim for bone or have a mono bullet built that aims close.

I'd like to have your thoughts.

Well on my Sable I aimed right for the heart, seemed to work.

6.5 PRC, 156 EOL, 3040fps muzzle vel, about 70 yards = dead Sable. An average Sable is 500lbs of pure muscle. They look like racehorses.

 

[Hard rock]

Close range

Close range ,Nosler BT blow up , Speer Blow up Hornady Blow up ,ApexBlow up Rem core lock blow up , win witnessed this Sat , blow up , no experience with Bergers but from what I've heard , close range , blow up . All the others I've used Barnes and Hammers, Harmmers perform terminally the way I like a bullet to perform and are very accurate foul less and are easy to get a load work up . I haven't seen a Hammer bullet I can't load 100 to 300 fps faster than any other bullet in its weight class. I have and have loaded bullets for any thing from deer to Polar bear each to his own . Excluding Hammers the Nosler Accubond is my next choice bullet .