Killed a nice 8 point buck yesterday evening. I took him with my Jarrett 280 Ackely at 260 yards and got the expected results with a nice angled shoulder hit. Upon recovery at the edge of the field, I notice a lump on the off side by the pelvis. Hmm....may get a spent bullet out of the deal. Anyway, after feeling around the lump, I notice that it is indeed the bullet. Only it is sticking halfway out, rear end first! Only the expended "mushroom", kept it from exiting the deer, the petals snagging on the flesh. Recovered plenty of bullets, just never one sticking out backwards, halfway exposed. The Accubond did a great job on the deer, traveling about 24 inches after busting up the shoulder. It took out both lungs, but not as violently as the ballistic tips. Overall, I liked the effect on deer. The 200 Grain accubond did not do as well out of my 300 Ultra Mag on a nice 6x6 elk two weeks ago with respect to retained weight, but both are just as dead as the other, so I really can't complain. See attached pics. Comments welcome. Best of luck this fall!

Hank,
I just asked about Accubonds on another thread. It looks like it held up well, but of course it was a longer (and good) shot.

That sure looks strange. I guess it did a lot of tumbling on the the insides... but worked.

Excellent pics. Bullets can do strange things. I got a deer a couple years ago where I hit him broadside right behind the shoulders and the bullet turned 90 degrees down ward and exited right between the 2 front legs.

HOWEVER--now you went and added a 3rd dimension to the old argument.....IS IT BETTER FOR THE BULLET TO EXIT OR STAY INSIDE AND TRANSMIT 100% OFTHE ENERGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not uncommon.

Chuck

Rolled a deer over once to see if the bullet exited, and there it was hanging by a little flap of skin and tangled hair, it was an interlock.

quote:

Originally posted by kraky:
...IS IT BETTER FOR THE BULLET TO EXIT OR STAY INSIDE AND TRANSMIT 100% OFTHE ENERGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kraky,
a bullet that stays inside does not transmit 100% of energy as an important part of that energy is spent in the bullet's deformation.
montero

quote:

a bullet that stays inside does not transmit 100% of energy as an important part of that energy is spent in the bullet's deformation.

What causes a bullet to mushroom? Doesn't there have to be energy trasfer in order for the bullet to mushroom?

quote:

Originally posted by Ivan:

What causes a bullet to mushroom? Doesn't there have to be energy trasfer in order for the bullet to mushroom?

It is the bullet that is "carrying" the energy. If it is transfered it is passed on. By energy transfer I understand the energy that is tranfered from the bullet to the animal. This energy is used -read spent- in several ways. The most obvious way is by disrupting tissue which makes the animal bleed. This bleeding is what makes the animal die as death is produced from lack of oxygen in the brain and this oxygen is transported to the brain by the blood.

Energy is also spent in other ways which may have no lethat effect whatsoever such as heat dissipation or elastic deformation without tissue breakage. How much energy is used like this honestly I don't know but intuitevely I think that much more than we think. As an example, if all the energy a bullet carries is used to heat a tank containing 100 liters of water I bet you it will not increase the temperature of the water by 2 degrees Centigrade. (sorry for the units)

Now, answering your question, to mushroom the bullet there is no energy transfer. The energy is absorved by the bullet and spent in tearing it apart. How much is spent like this I don't know but honestly I believe than much more than what we think.

In the end, the amount of energy is not that important. The important thing is that it is not wasted and it is used efficiently. A hunting arrow has les energy than a 22 long rifle and it is an extremely efficient killer, even on very large animals.

montero

It is not uncommon for a bullet to turn and travel through an animal backwards after expanding. The expanded part functions much like an arrows fletching creating more drag at the back of the bullet. Velocity moves the bullet forward while the part of the bullet with the most resistance attempts to hold the bullet back, causing the bullet to flip around while traveling.

Nice pictures

Why argue about this? Just call Federal and tell them that you want a new "smart" bullet, with the reverse option. The bullet apparently goes all the way through the animal, and then puts itself in reverse and hops back inside the animal to satisfy the desires of hunters who want the bullet to exit and those who don't!

Thanks Lhook7...I have no idea why the second one is so dern big. Tom, I think Walmart already sells those bullets.

Take it easy.

I use the Accubonds on Deer in the US and Plains Game in Africa. They do a great job. I am not convinced on using them on Moose or Bear. They do not hold up good enough. But for elk and deer size game, they are great.

nice pics,I havent recovered but 2 accubonds and they held up well,the rest exited from a 375.

I just used the Accubond in 375 H&H on lion in Africa. One shot to the front chest and the lion never moved again. Bullet did not exit but I forgot to retrieve it.