Don't know how many of you have seen it yet but a very interesting and comprehensive article on bullet performance. Almost every 180 gr 30 caliber bullet out there was tested at both low (2000 fps) and high velocity (3000 fps) impact on animal gellatin blocks. To me the impression I got is that there is not that much difference between most bullets with the exception of the Barnes X bullets and Winchester Fail Safes - personally I thought their expansion left a lot to be desired - they also tumbled on impact at low velocity. They measured penetration, expansion cavity diameter, retained weight and other performance data - lots of good pictures too.

If you look at their figures closely the Ballistic tip and the SST worked very similarly but the standout standard bullet is the Speer spitzer.

The only bullet failure I have ever witnessed was a 250 gr speer out of a 35 whelen.The bullet broke up on the shoulder of a mule deer.The animal was recovered but only after a long tracking job.I was surprised that such a heavy bullet could fail at the low velocity the whelen produces.

Good article by RJ as usual...but dont just look at the wound chanel graphics. There appears to be some differences between the dimensions given in the chart and the appearance of the graphics. I hopefully will get a chance to test a 30cal 165 grain failsafe on a cow elk next month....
Dave

Did you notice that the X-type bullets and failsafes didn't penetrate all that well at the low speed. The nos. partition did well at both speeds; better than the Xs and failsafes at low speed. The ballistic-tip acted a bit like a tough bullet(not the explosive expansion you would still expect) at the low speed. But then it has been said that the 180 grain .30 ballistic-tip is a bit tougher than the others.

Looked at that data a little more closely the last few days. I would say that the Nosler partition deserves its reputation for versatility. The BT and SST performance sort of go along with what some members have seen - very rapid expansion - but for dear sized game they should really do a number. I sort of wish he had data at the 2500 fps range. Most nothing gets hit at 3000(muzzle) or 2000 fps (500yds). Still I would say that most of todays modern bullets performed well - but I's reserve those X's and fail safes for Cape buffalo or bigger!

I have experienced two serious bullet failures. Both bullets were Sierra's. The first was a 130 grain flat base from a 270 that flew apart on a small antelopes shoulder bone and resulted in four unwanted miles of chasing on foot through rough country. The second was a 250 grain BTSP out of a 338, no expansion on a solid chest hit elk at 450 yards and this caused an incredible recovery job which took two days and 3/4 of a mile of it included hand carrying quarters down a mountain and accross a freezing creek in 4 degrees below zero weather with a blizzard thrown in.

I've been saying for a long time that the X's and Failsafe's are over rated and over priced. Check out the pictures, if that is considered good expansion then I must have the wrong definition in my books! After reading the article and looking at the graphs, I think I'll stick with my trusted Hornady's! If I had to use a premium bullet, the Grand Slam would be the top choice.
Too bad ST doesn't have more of this type of article, I might subscribe again.
Elk Country

What issue (date) of Shooting Times is it?

-Bob F.

October 2002

There was one heck of a Handloader artical a few years back. It covered just about every 30cal bullet out there. You could even buy it as a poster. I'll try and find that issue.

al-the issue you are looking for is june of 98.

I take Shooting Times and read the article with interest. I have shot every bullet mentioned and tested. It tested only the premium bullets produced by the big manufacturers. The best of the premiums, the North Fork were not even mentioned. Pooh on Shooting times, in my opinion the North Fork is the best of the best, in toughness and accuracy. A Sierra Matchking accuracy equal that is as tough as a Barnes X, and Swift A-Frame. If you ever try it you will agree. Good shooting.

I was wondering if some gentleman out there would be kind enough as to post a copy of the article.
ST is not available in stands in my country and I am not a subscriber.
Thanks in advance.
montero

I think the article covered more than just premium bullets - would not consider SST's. Ballistic Tips, Interlocks, Gameking as premium. I think there was some pretty standard Speers somewhere in there too. The partition, x bullets and failsafes would be premium. The Northfork probably wasn't tested due to limited exposure and popularity - maybe someday that will change. I don't have a scanner to send you the article - maybe one of the other board members can - the pictures say alot - and I still think it was one well done article that took alot of time and effort to put together and the results were insightful. One thing about testing in gellatin blocks is that you probably would not see a separation of jacket and core as you would on a real animal with bones, varying tissue density and skin. Almost every nosler I have seen recovered has spit the core - but the back end keeps on chugging.

Handloader poster - just found mine again!!

Rifleman1 -- I agree with you on the jell test medium, and the extent it will reveal bullet behavior in an animal. I will say that I am not argueing with the test, I also appreciate the Magazine doing the test, no matter how many bullets they tested, and with any medium they wish to use. My testing of bullets is much less sophtisticated, but reveals more to me. I use an elongated file of old insurance records that I wet, A Bison hip bone, then additional wet files. My test reveals that any bullet that is not monolighic as in GS or Barnes, or has a partition like Nosler Partition or Swift A-Frame, or partial solid like TBBC or North Fork, will pulvarize into lead powder from which you may or may not find pieces of jacket. I quickly decided I did not want to use those bullet that pulvarize when hunting dangerous game or around dangerous game. I realize my test is not a large scale, scientific method, it has helped me decide the bullet I pack when I might meet up with something that fights back. Good shooting.

If what expansion is what you look for in a bullet, don't look at the FS nor Barnes-X. Since these don't have lead up in front, on impact the nose portion of the bullet peels or folds back over itself instead of spreading out and back like lead would. These bullets are tougher than most bullets, which is very useful to those who want a bullet capable of breaking heavy bone or penetrating through hide and muscle. Regardless of what the magazine test indicates in regards to how these two bullets penetrate on "gelatin," I can assure you that on game such as moose these bullets offer a tremendous punch. Instead of "gelatin" tests, try them on moose, elk, bears, and other dangerous game, then tells us what you think.

I don't know how . 30 FS bullets work, but I will give you a couple of examples on how .338WM FS bullets have worked for me in Alaska: A few years back I shot a moose on the shoulder. The moose was broadside, 200 yards away, and the FS broke the shoulder bone, passed through the heart, broke the other shoulder bone, then exited.

I shot another moose at about the same distance, but this one was quartering away. The bullet broke a rib and scraped the next, broke the far shoulder bone after going through the heart/lungs, then stopped on the hide. My hunting partner found the bullet when we skinned the moose, and so far this is the only FS bullet I have recovered from moose in the past 8 years.

I have killed several moose with one shot using FS bullets, most around 200 yards, and one at 100 yards. The main reasons why I use FS bullets are as follows: To break bone and penetrate through heavy tissue should I have to break a bear's shoulder (or head), or a moose's shoulder.

[ 09-21-2002, 09:26: Message edited by: Ray, Alaska ]

Thanks for caring, anyway, rifleman one. I have seen this article mentioned before and I would be keen to lay my eyes on it.
I agree with you in that 2000 and 3000 fps may not be a sensible choice since 2400 and 2800 are more likeky impact velocities in the real world.
Balistic gelatin seem to be kind on bullets, always producind picture perfect mushrooms, but it provides with comparable results in a conjtrolled media. In Gary Sciuccetti's study on .30 caliber bullets which was published in Handloader he compared results obtained in soaked paper and deer bodies from roadkills and performance was similar.
I have tested bullets in dry compressed newspapers and I found them to be much tougher than game.
Ray, Alaska, have you ever tried or considered trying a flat nose solid bullet? I would believe the may outpenetrate the fs or x bullets, and produce a larger wound cavity.
And please, maybe somebody out there could post the article. It looks to be an interesting experiment, worth seeing.
Montero

Montero: Mike.375 has commented on how good round nose bullets have worked for him in AU. I have only heard good comments about round nose bullets, so I can only agree with you.

But again, since I hunt in bear country I decided to primarily use FS bullets, but Barnes-X would be a close second, then Swift A-Frame, TBBC, and finally NOS Partition. I have only used FS and last year a 250-grain NOS so far, but in eight years I have only recovered one bullet from moose, and the rest have passed right through.

Most bullets that I have seen recovered from large game don't look anything like those bullets shot on wet phone books or on gelatin. You can see some examples right here in this forum, and you will notice that most only show the shank, because the rest have disintegrated when hitting heavy bone. I have seen a couple of perfect mushroom-shaped .33 bullets (250-grain NOS) recovered from moose and bears, but most have been pieces of bullets.

The front portion of FS I recovered expanded slightly, but it looks like the front peeled back over itself instead of expanding fully. The Barnes-X shown at this site look much like the FS I recovered. I have seen bullets that show a perfect mushroom, but usually shot from very heavy .416 through .458 guns, but just pieces from lightweight bullets out of smaller and faster gun.

Keep in mind that those bullets shown below were recovered from game, so it means that they stopped penetrating:

http://www.accuratereloading.com/faqs.html

[ 09-23-2002, 09:10: Message edited by: Ray, Alaska ]

Hey Montero,
Your copy was mailed this morning.