WildRose
Well-Known Member
Duplicate
The velocity and diameter of the front of the bullet determine how much damage is done.
If your bullet expands to 1.5-2x diameter, the shockwave coming from it does many times the damage of a bullet passing through that hasn't expanded.
Round or flat the size of frontal area of the bullet dictates how much damage can be done both by the shockwave and by the physical tearing of flesh as the bullet passes through does.
This is why we've spent over a century trying to maximize the frontal diameter by developing bullets that would expand more and stay together.
We then get to blood loss. A bullet penciling through, especially in the lung area does very little damage and provides a very small wound that you then have to rely on for the animal to bleed out. The quicker they bleed out, the quicker they expire. No matter how tough an animal is, when it's BP reaches 0/0 it's muscles cease to work within seconds as they use up what little energy they had left.
There's a pretty good article on the subject by Chuck Hawks who is quite a recognized authority on the subject to be found here.
Bullets for Beginners
Impact velocity makes a big difference as well.I am certainly not claiming to be an expert, but it seems to me that different bullet designs may require differing shot placement for optimal performance. What this means to me is that I need to know how my chosen bullet reacts on target and place my shot accordingly. A tough, bonded bullet may be better at getting through shoulders into the vitals than a frangible one, but the frangible bullet might be more reliable on softer broadside shots. In the end, I think it is the hunter's responsibility to understand how his bullet performs and to place the shot to maximize that performance. Threads like this help me understand how different bullets have behaved for different people and in different circumstances.
Impact velocity makes a big difference as well.
Most of the bullets we see listed for game especially in factory ammo are intended for the most part to be used at under 400yds with impact velocities well over 1800fps. Those bullets are designed to mushroom but to keep from breaking up at high velocities but may not then perform well at longer ranges due to reduced velocity failing to expand and penciling through. With such a bullet unless you break the shoulders and/or interrupt the CNS the animal is likely to run for a long time before expiring even with what you'd generally consider to be good shot placement for a heart/lung shot.
There are no magic bullets that perform the same at all impact velocities so that has to be a consideration in choosing your bullets and perhaps more importantly deciding on shot placement.
The shape makes very little difference.Are you saying that the shape of the bullet as it moves through soft tissue doesn't matter? Only the dia matters? If you are, it simply is not true.
The quest over the last 100 years was to try and keep the lead from disintegrating at the muzzle vel continued to get higher. We had to use a jacket to keep the lead in one piece for the flight. The higher the vel the more difficult it gets. Too much jacket and the bullet doesn't deform. It's a balance. Lead is the weakness in the designed system. Take muzzle vel back down below 1800 fps and lead is perfect for the system.
I think we all agree that animals die when they run out of blood. Not sure what you mean here. Are you saying that the young girls bullet failed?
Steve
That is another definite consideration, but one that so far I haven't had to worry about. I am still starting out and keep all of my shots on game under about 400 yards. As I get better I will need to keep that in mind more, but the general rule of knowing how your chosen bullet behaves still applies.
Lots more info available and pics than there used to be.
Still a lot of people shooting moose in the arse with 223s and then getting on here blaming the bullet company for their retardation.
That's a learning moment for sure lol. Actually pelt hunting probably is the hardest job for a bullet there is in some ways. Has to be a quick kill but no exit or blow on impact. When cats were big $$$ I thought I would go kill some with my 204. Uggggh I didn't get a whole lot out of em. 32gr going 4k on a car is a lil much. Fine on a yote. A cat? Looked like a rug.Hence the reason I keep following these threads. The more information the better, and compared to some of the other forums, the information quality here seems much better. People are generally more polite too, which I find very pleasant.
I guess my big bullet "failure" was shooting a pup coyote with a 70gr BT with my old .243 at all of 35 yards and hoping to have a full pelt. Frontal shot and nearly blew the back half of him off. I have since switched to a .223 for coyotes.
That unfortunately was a completely predictable outcome.Hence the reason I keep following these threads. The more information the better, and compared to some of the other forums, the information quality here seems much better. People are generally more polite too, which I find very pleasant.
I guess my big bullet "failure" was shooting a pup coyote with a 70gr BT with my old .243 at all of 35 yards and hoping to have a full pelt. Frontal shot and nearly blew the back half of him off. I have since switched to a .223 for coyotes.