ALF, thanks for the nice return. You and I share philosophies almost exactly. For example, you state...

"I do not prescribe to a bullet type or weight to specific animals. What I do, do though is find the most accurate bullet and load for a specific rifle and then use that for hunting.

My reasoning is that if the rifle is capable of placing the bullet where I aim then I should be bale to kill whatever I'm aiming at. The point in this is that shot placement is 99% of the issue."

I couldn't agree more. That's why I like NBTs because they are so accurate. I can consistently shoot sub MOA 5-shot groups with NBTs but less commonly with other bullet types, sans Sierra. I hunt the USA Rocky Mountain West where long, long shots are becoming the norm. Animals in the USA are getting smarter (the dumb ones have been Darwinzied) and more difficult to apprach, hence cross canyon 400 yrd plus shots are common. I MUST have confidence that I can hit the animal in the chest at those ranges. I've found the NBT constructed just about perfect for those chest shots- nice combination of BC, accuracy, penetration, and expansion. I use 100 grainers on Coues deer and antelope (100#), 150 and 165 grainers on deer (up to 250#), and 180 grainers on elk (up to 1000#). Anything above that I'll likely go with a NPT or Scirrocco or Accubond - whatever is handy and accurate. I haven't been moose, buffalo, or grizzly hunting yet - odds are I'll be able to get much closer to these large thick-skinned critters.

You have many more choices in Africa, especially on the thick-skinned side of the ledger.

Again, thanks for the nice posts - Regards, AIU

PS. Congrats on the nice family.

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:
I do not prescribe to a bullet type or weight to specific animals. What I do, do though is find the most accurate bullet and load for a specific rifle and then use that for hunting.

My reasoning is that if the rifle is capable of placing the bullet where I aim then I should be bale to kill whatever I'm aiming at. The point in this is that shot placement is 99% of the issue.

Much clearer.

So, if you are using a 7mmRemMag and find a 120gr B-Tip shoots well in it, then that is what you use on everything. Or perhaps a 300WinMag with 168gr Sierra MatchKings, I do see where you are coming from.

Don't agree with that "logic" at all for hunting, simply because it is bad wrong. I still believe in the proper Weight, proper Impact Velocity, proper Bullet Design Envelope for the Game being hunted and of course proper shot placement.

It gets clearer all the time why you couldn't answer the question.

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ALF, what some posting here don't understand is that a very good shot has more options when it comes to bullet/caliber choices - that is, the good shots don't need "premium" bullets and godzilla calibers to cover their mistakes in the field.

Clearly, to post on this FORUM, one must be a thick-skinned critter to withstand the verbal bullets. I'm certain you're staying "out-of-range."

That aside, are your daughters taking after their father - that is, becoming avid hunters?

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Alf, congratulation's on a fine looking family!

Alf,

Very infomative as usual and a great passel of pics to boot! Thanks!

Just wondering, it looks as if there is an accubond among the bullets you tested before setteling on the GS custom. How did the Accubonds fare in your comparisons?

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Great pics Alf!
This is a very interesting thread. So many varibles. But I noticed in both test's and by much of what has been said here. Something I have thought and experienced for many years. It is all much simplier at around 2500-2700 fps. Or lower.

ALF, you're very trusting of rather "large" pussy cats. Be safe. Cats that size in the States (pumas or mountain lions) eat joggers and bikers on occasion. I'm sure big cats take some Homo sapiens on occasion in Africa as well. Any thoughts about getting that close to REAL predators? Regards, AIU

P.S. Most of the verbal bullets fired on this forum are not "premium" - so they bounce off.

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ALF, if you were to get out of the car after you took the picture of the two lions, would they attack and kill you immediately or would they run in fear of man - even though on foot?

Also, I get a sense that long shots in Africa are not that common (i.e., shots over 300 yrds are rare). Is that true?

Regards, AIU

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ALF, you suggest that many safari hunters (esp. from the USA) come to Africa over-gunned. Would you be willing to dilate on that thought a bit? What guns/calibers/bullets do they show up with? Would a 30-06 loaded with 180 NPTs (at ~2800 fps) be more-than-adequate to handle 99% of the big-game animals.

I've been up close to African lions, and they didn't seem all that big (max ~500# for a over-fed out-of-shape male in a zoo) - an '06 seemed more than adequate. Cap buffalo seemed very thick-skinned beasts that might require a deep penetrating bullet, but would an '06 work on them as well?

Regards, AIU

Perhaps a 7 mm Rem Mag with frangible conventional soft bullets on small/frail game animals?

OR

Perhaps 378 Wby Mags at max velocity in the bush on the elusive kudu:

Chris

quote:

These were the 11 bullets tested in the rifle and I also shot wharthog and Impala with the best loads for each bullet.

There is an English translation of the article referred to here

quote:

ALF, you suggest that many safari hunters (esp. from the USA) come to Africa over-gunned. Would you be willing to dilate on that thought a bit? What guns/calibers/bullets do they show up with? Would a 30-06 loaded with 180 NPTs (at ~2800 fps) be more-than-adequate to handle 99% of the big-game animals.

Interesting question. Is adequacy in the eye of the beholder? What would the world have been like if the Germans and the Americans just stuck to their 7 x 57 mm's and the 30-06's and forebid (governments are powerful) the introduction of any other caliber? No big bores !!!!! Would we have had better hunters today (Karamojo Bell types)?

Chris Bekker

Chris Bekker

quote:

Originally posted by rick243:
Nice chart! So the "X" is the king of penetration, followed by the NP, as expected. What anomaly causes the sudden drop at 2900?

Well simply easy. At this spot the mushroom develops quickly and keeps stabil together.

Over that spot it fragmentates and only a cylinder penetrates so deep!