How have they stacked up in shooting what you have? I never shot game with them, but on paper, the point of impact using F.S bullets, and Hornady 180 grain soft points out of a .300 Win mag using the same powder charge was not even on paper. Accuracy was sour too. Given the time to work up a good load, I'm sure they could fly better. But how was actual on game performance for you?

I shot a couple of whitetails with the 180s out of a 300 WM, won't do that again. Eventually found both deer after tough tracking sessions and both were hit well(double lung shots). The FailSafes are darn tough bullets and don't seem to expand well on deer sized game. If your hunting elk, moose or larger they will definitely get into the vitals and most likely out the other side.

I've killed 14 elk in as many years with the 180gr failsafes in a 308 win, all one shot kills, all but one dropped on the spot, she was on the run when I popped her thru the lungs, she went about 100yds and piled up, most were shot thru the lungs, a couple neck shots, one high shoulder, 70-150yds. I can only remember recovering one bullet, from one of the neck shots, IIRC, one petal had broke off the bullet. They work well on deer too, don't know how many I've killed with em, but that's all I've used since they came out, doesn't seem to matter, they always open up and perform well, regardless of range. Longest shot was well over 300yds, DRT 3 point blacktail.

Great bullet IMO for the likes of Moose or Elk but a tad much for a rib shot deer. They have accounted for more than one Elk and Moose for myself, only ever recovered one bullet in the opposite hide after busting through the shoulder with near 85% weight rentention(bull moose/quartered at 100 yards). I shot 2 whitetail bucks, one was a rib in and rib out which left a poor trail but a dead animal about 150 yards later and the other was a bang flop!(through the rib and out the opposing shoulder).

I have found them to be a bit picky interms of rifles that shot them well; 270 win, 300 wby and first 7mm rem mag loved them. My newest 7mm rem mag doesn't have the same love affair.

Best of luck.

I bought a box of 160 grain fail safes a few years ago, and I never could get the darn things to shoot wort a damn, in probably 5 different rifles. But I came across them a while back and decided to see how they would do in my 7X57 mauser. They shot great but I will stick with the hornady for mulies...tj3006

About 12 years ago, the only shells left at the sports store were 180gr. 300 WM Winchester Black Talons, now the Failsafes. After getting my moose that year, I weighed up the bullet and it weighed 180gr, perfect expansion.....so from then on I was sold on good bullets and Failsafes. Winchester at the time said 100% weight retention for the Failsafes, and I proved it. When I purchased a new 300WM in a Sako m75 SS in 1997/98, I used both the Failsafes and then the new Partition Golds. Both still performed flawlessly on large moose, elk, mulies and whitetails, and black bears at various distances.

As of last year, I tried the new Winchester Supreme Accubonds in my 300WM and 270WSM. I LOVE THESE bullets. I am now reloading for each caliber now in the Accubonds. I also going to give the Barne TSX. I still will keep 1 shell of the Failsafes in my clip on the 300 WM as my second shot, if I need it just b/c I like them and maybe a bit supersticious.

I've had family and friends all shoot the FS, and none of them got very good results. One cousin decided to give them a try for deer season a couple of years ago... shot about 5 or 6 deer with them... never found one. I've also never seen a good group with them at the range.

quote:

Originally posted by pharaoh2:
How have they stacked up in shooting what you have? I never shot game with them, but on paper, the point of impact using F.S bullets, and Hornady 180 grain soft points out of a .300 Win mag using the same powder charge was not even on paper. Accuracy was sour too. Given the time to work up a good load, I'm sure they could fly better. But how was actual on game performance for you?

Perhaps all depends on caliber? I don't really know, but I have shot moose with 230-grain FS bullets, and most have dropped on the spot or very close to it. I have shot moose at 100 yards with this bullet, and as far as 250 or so, and most have dropped to one shot. I have only recovered one FS from moose, and have posted the picture in one Alaska hunting forum.

However, I have not used the new FS bullets (Molybdenum coated). I stopped using the FS when Combined Technology changed the coating from Lubalox to Moly.

They Perform Absolutely TERRIBLE on deer sized game. They are just like a FMJ on Whitetails tiny hole in tiny hole out, Loooooong tracking job.

It says Very Large Dangerous Game on the side of the box of the Factory loaded Win FSs, For that purpose, they'ed probably work wonders.

I witnessed one elk shot twice w/ the FSs from a 300 WM a few years back, they performed ok on that sized game (not needed but, they worked).

Good Luck!

Reloader

Pharaos2,
I have shot FS bullets in several rifles and I have a 300 Win Mag that shoots them into tiny little groups. I have a 270 that shoots a little over 1 inch groups with the 140 gr. FS.
I have had very tough luck with the 140's on deer size game but shot through a massive hog with one. I would never use them again on Deer unless I was Elk and Deer hunting. I have taken
Elk, Moose, 2 Black & 1 Grizzly, Boar, and a huge Buffalo and they worked wonderful on the tough stuff. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a Cape Buff with the 230 gr. FS in my 338 if it were legal to use.

hawkeye47

Used 180gr Failsafes in my 300 H&H last year on plains game in Namibia. None required tracking. Icing on the cake is that my pre-64 M-70 will shoot this factory ammo in the .3's.