many of traditional large game calibers like 404 jeffery, 470 , 460 have a moderate velocity around 2100-2200 fps and are all known to be relaiable.
is it a magic velocity that works best giving deep penetration .
does high velocity solids are less relaiable?
have heared some PH are down loading 300 gr in 375 too around 2300-2400 instead of full 2550 fps.
!why
ATB

yes

With a solid...you are looking for 2 things...1) penetration & 2) a straight path.

Once you have passed through the vitals with a solid...you have nothing else to accomplish.

So...you want "enough" velocity to reliably get adequate penetration in the the worst case scenario imaginable.

Too much velocity on impact "can" cause bullet deformation which leads to aberrant paths which can mean...esp with ele head shots...a missed target (brain).

So...how much velocity with a soild??? Well...Just enough!

Good quality bullets (like North Fork FPS's) have reduced the chances of deformation greatly making too much velocity an unlikely factor.

But...for a .375 300 gr solid...2400 - 2500 is just about right for ele...for a buff...I am sure 2200-2300 would get the job done.

ledvm got it right. I load my 416 wby down with solids to old rigby velocity. for my 350grain tsx I go fast...very fast. I do not go fast with the expanding bullet for any significant improvement in terminal performance but for flatter trajectory.

ledvm as a vet knows what turns off the lights.

I think more people should ask the PH's. Me thinks most would suggest placement over velocity.

quote:

Originally posted by Elton Rambin:
ledvm as a vet knows what turns off the lights.

He shoots many of his clients?

My concern with solids has always been too much penetration, especially when you don't know, or have no way of knowing what's on the other side.

A round which will totally penetrate a broadside buffalo is just asking for trouble, in my opinion. What you don't need is a wounded second buffalo you didn't even know was there.

My .505 sends a 570 grain solid along at 2150 fps. I once located a spent bullet in the far side eye socket of an elephant. For me, that's ideal penetration.

Another DVM, Dr. Kevin Robertson, presents an excellent discussion of velocity and penetration in his famous book "The Perfect Shot". Kevin is a well known PH. I have hunted with him and recommend his book.

I do not use solid bullets on any game but elephant.

Good expanding bullets work fine on everything else.

But for tembo, I want a solid bullet with enough speed on it so that it will penetrate to the vitals from any angle.

That requires, first and foremost, a big, well-constructed solid bullet, preferably a monolithic solid, traveling at no less than 2,100-2,200 fps. Although I prefer about 2,400-2,500 fps, just to be safe.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by Elton Rambin:
ledvm as a vet knows what turns off the lights.

He shoots many of his clients?

Only the smart-ass ones!

dam I'm lucky to have got out of Uganda alive!!!! BUT I know of TWO buffalo that where not so lucky and that would be the one Lane got and to old scum cap I got

That entirely depends on bullet construction. Not all bullets are equal.

The woodleighs (steel jacketed solids) give exceptionally good performance up to about 2450-2500fps. In .378 weatherby or even full house .375H&H we see the odd bullet bend or rivet on elephant at close range. The same applies to the old Hornady.

In the Monometals? Well, many are too brittle and either break in half or break a chunk off the base and loose direction as velocity goes above 2450-2500fps. PMP was bad for this but have recently improved their annealing.

The new Norma solids and the Barnes Super Solids don't break but may mushroom at velocities above 2600fps.

Brass encapsulated 'solids' Like Federal and the old discontinued Hornady don't work well above 2100fps - the same applies to guilding metal jacketed solids like the old Norma FMJ, Jactmach and S&B FMJ's

the others?? I don't have enough experience to judge but the copper bullets we used in the Zimbabwe Parks service started mushrooming at 2100fps but penetrated straight and at 2400fps mushroomed quite alot but still gave adequate penetration from our .404's and .425's.

As the impact velocity drops, you can get away with softer bullets. Hardened lead performs ok up to about 1500fps...provided you don't hit too heavy a bone.