A buddy of mine picked up a bunch cheap 416 Rem Federal Premium with 400 grain Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer bullets. At less than $60 per box of 20, I got him to buy all 12 boxes.

My buddy said it is a flat nose solid.

Has anyone used these bullets for Elephant??

I'm taking a 416 Rem on my next Caprivi elephant hunt in August. I haven't decided which ammo to bring along.

Thanks for the advice.

That's what the bullet was made for -- does it group?

I had one of these out of my 470 turn sideways on a shoulder shot of a buffalo and it lodged in the hide on the other side. It was bent like a banana. The meplat on these bullets is too small. I don't think I would use them for elephant. There are better bullets out there for the job.

quote:

Originally posted by srose:
I had one of these out of my 470 turn sideways on a shoulder shot of a buffalo and it lodged in the hide on the other side. It was bent like a banana. The meplat on these bullets is too small. I don't think I would use them for elephant. There are better bullets out there for the job.

I'm with Sam and Michael - much better bullet choices are available. Keep in mind that the Trophy Bonded bullet design was sold and then redesigned at least twice, and not necessarily for the better. Federal had some real issues with some of them failing miserably.

I am currently a big fan of the CEB BBW#13 solid and have killed my last two Eles with it out of a .458Lott and a .458B&M. Will use the 510gr version from a 500NE DR on this years Ele bull, as will my SIL, in about two months.

At the request of more than one PH, I have left many boxes of them behind, and in good hands.

I have killed 3 elephants with Federal Trophy Bonded Sledgehammers.2 with a 470 and one with a 416 Rem. I had a 470 TBSH rivet on an ele bull shoulder. Other than that no problems.

BigB

quote:

Originally posted by srose:
I had one of these out of my 470 turn sideways on a shoulder shot of a buffalo and it lodged in the hide on the other side. It was bent like a banana. The meplat on these bullets is too small. I don't think I would use them for elephant. There are better bullets out there for the job.

It was some years ago but I had a client who shot an eland (we were stalking an elephant at the time! LOL) with one and we found it bent like a banana under the offside ribs.

I'm not suggesting all are bad just that they can suffer failure and I for one wouldn't want to take that chance when there are far better options out there.

You might like to consider the GS Custom flat nosed mono solid as a very good option.

How do ya'll feel about Nosler solids for elephant?

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
How do ya'll feel about Nosler solids for elephant?

As I recall the meplat is actually to small to self stabilize without the help of a fast twist and higher velocity..

There are two bullets whose design is as good as it can get, or ever hope to be.....

BBW#13 Solid, designed from zero up to give the deepest penetration and straight line stability, and the new nose profile North Fork FPS.... Everything else comes in "Second" or worse.....

Michael

Having shot/killed several ele's with TBSH bullets, I had NO problems with the bullets. On two of the elephant, bullets were recovered that could've been reloaded, and shot again. Having said that, the bullets I used in the late 80's/early 90's were produced by Jack Carter. When Trophy Bonded bullets were no longer produced by Jack, I've heard negative reports. Since I had a supply of original bullets, I've not shot the "new" Trophy Bonded bullets, therefore I can't comment on performance.
FWIW, I was shooting 400gr bullets out of a .416 Taylor @ 2350fps.

quote:

BBW#13 Solid, designed from zero up to give the deepest penetration and straight line stability, and the new nose profile North Fork FPS.... Everything else comes in "Second" or worse.....

This is true but penetration is just part of what a good solid should do. One must also consider the total damage caused within the wound channel: The wound channel volume.

If a solid will give enough penetration and produce more wound channel volume than another, it becomes more reliable.

When a solid deforms, and all solids will deform, managing the deformation to enhance the qualities of what makes a good solid is preferable to relying on luck that good things may happen.

[QUOTE][/QUOTE]


I am sorry up to now i was not able to test Gerards 500gr Solids out of my .450 NE 3,25 on game but they are realy accurate out of my Heym 88 Safari loaded with Norma MRP.

They shot together with A-Frames!

quote:

Originally posted by Gerard:

quote:

BBW#13 Solid, designed from zero up to give the deepest penetration and straight line stability, and the new nose profile North Fork FPS.... Everything else comes in "Second" or worse.....

This is true but penetration is just part of what a good solid should do. One must also consider the total damage caused within the wound channel: The wound channel volume.

If a solid will give enough penetration and produce more wound channel volume than another, it becomes more reliable.

When a solid deforms, and all solids will deform, managing the deformation to enhance the qualities of what makes a good solid is preferable to relying on luck that good things may happen.

Yep

thats why the BBW#13 is the best solid made today----try it, you might like it.

I have, in copper, not in brass. That is why I stay with the shape as GSC has it and as Northfork had it.

Have you compared them side by side on game?