Match bullets.......Hunting bullets???

[xsn10s]

Ok ok I'll play. Here are 3 pass throughs from this year. 180 eldms out of a 7saum. 100 cow, 575 bull, 834 on the antelope.

So how many of those "match" bullets failed?

 

[birddog 68]

Very impressive Ucsdryder. I'm interested in the size of the exit hole on those fine animals?

 

[Calvin45]

In the past I have shot deer and hogs with 30 cal 168 A-max from about 30-130 yards and they do kill very well. I haven't hit bones larger than a rib going in and MV is 2840, very high confidence bullet for me in these applications and accuracy is extremely good. That said, if I could find some Speer 165 BTSP or some Sierra GameKing I would switch in a heartbeat. Not a fan of the solid copper bullets of any flavor but haven't used the current darling mono bullets either. Years ago the mono bullets had a very narrow speed window that they worked extremely well in, and outside that window they were OK to poor. With more standard caliber rifles I walked away and never looked back when I could select a heavy for caliber cup and core bullet launched at a reasonable speed that worked very well over a much wider speed window. I'm not a shoulder shooter so I haven't needed the uber cool bonded super bullets either in standard caliber rifles. That said I have some magnum rifles that I plan to use more going forward. I haven't shot much game with magnums that are shooting much higher velocity than what I have used mainly in the past so I have gathered a supply of good bonded bullets in medium to heavy for caliber weights and very heavy for caliber cup and core bullets. That way whatever shoots well will work well on game.

For monos I used to be more negative about them too…agree about the speed window. I've found yiu really need to go as light and blistering fast as possible and now I love them for some applications. A lower sd monometal at 4000 fps is just a whole other category of killing.

 

[Calvin45]

My viewpoint:
Myth: "Match bullets should not be used for hunting!"
Fact: "The effectiveness of bullet used for hunting, whether labeled "Match" or "Hunting, is determined by the parameters of distance, game, shot placement, and, knowledge of the given bullets internal/external ballistic performance under those conditions.

My go-to for 200-1000Yard+ medium game for over a decade has been a Target Match 142gr JLK. It has accounted for dozens of effective kill shots. Unfortnately discontinued, I was fortunate enough to have the late Steve Mulholland(Swampy) of Swampworks produce a large supply to last the life of my barrel. Of course this remains to be seen. One of several retrieved bullets. This one from a 600 yard mule deer…retention 62%.

View attachment 362012

You sure those things ain't bonded!?!? That's crazy for a bthp type.

 

[xsn10s]

You sure those things ain't bonded!?!? That's crazy for a bthp type.

JLK's were never bonded as far as I know. Greyfox been around for quite awhile so I'm sure he knows what he's doing. An example of knowing your bullet and it's operating parameters.

 

[Calvin45]

JLK's were never bonded as far as I know. Greyfox been around for quite awhile so I'm sure he knows what he's doing. An example of knowing your bullet and it's operating parameters.

Oh I didn't think he didn't know what he was doing and certainly didn't intend for that to be how I came off…I'm just surprised is all

 

[xsn10s]

Oh I didn't think he didn't know what he was doing and certainly didn't intend for that to be how I came off…I'm just surprised is all

Yeah I probably misread your post. It's sometimes hard to get full meaning via posts.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Very impressive Ucsdryder. I'm interested in the size of the exit hole on those fine animals?

Golf balls. They were all about the same. I do the gutless so I don't get too involved with the internals. The elk and antelope were both heart shots with no damage to the shoulder. The cow was a neck shot and she was lights out. I still got some neck meat, the bullet didn't grenade. I think the 180eldm and 7saum go together like peanut butter and jelly with a MV around 2790.

 

[Shootin4fun]

I prefer beer with popcorn. If you're in Texas, pass the Firehouse please.

 

[Calvin45]

Next up: FMJs for hunting? Seriously though I know guys claim they tumble or fragment and have pics of dead hogs to prove it but that's something I'll never get on board with….probably .

 

[xsn10s]

Golf balls. They were all about the same. I do the gutless so I don't get too involved with the internals. The elk and antelope were both heart shots with no damage to the shoulder. The cow was a neck shot and she was lights out. I still got some neck meat, the bullet didn't grenade. I think the 180eldm and 7saum go together like peanut butter and jelly with a MV around 2790.

That muzzle velocity has me seriously looking at 7 SAW or 280 Rem for the next build. I'd love to build a SAUM or Rem Mag but brass availability is the issue. Bullets are tough too but brass seems harder to get. I can convert my existing stock to 7 SAW or 280 Rem. Good stuff keep it coming!

 

[HSmithTX]

FMJ for hogs suck, even a 308 with M80 sucks bad. Shoot them in the shoulder it could come out the butt or the head, but usually just pencils right through. Even M193 out of a 20" up close doesn't do anything neat. Kills them yes, and they usually run off where guys don't have to deal with recovery but doesn't work well even when you put 5-7 rounds on them. In open country you can recover the hog and take pics, but where I usually hunt they are lost. I like to eat them so I am using expanding bullets, even a 60 grain Vmax 223 is a WAY more efficient killer than a 308 with ball from what I see and the guys I talk to.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Next up: FMJs for hunting? Seriously though I know guys claim they tumble or fragment and have pics of dead hogs to prove it but that's something I'll never get on board with….probably .

For those guys who slam pigs in their ear holes, I'd imagine a FMJ works just as good as anything else.

 

[memtb]

Match bullets for hunting big game work great…..until they don't! memtb