505 Gibbs - Why 525 grain bullets?

22 September 2012, 20:20

chuck375

quote:
Originally posted by 338User:
quote:
Originally posted by PC:
On a recent pig hunting trip I shot a reasonable sized bore from around 50 yards facing me with my .500 A2 using the woodleigh 570 gr soft it Chrono's at around 2250 fps (102 gr of Varget if I recall correctly...safe in my rifle) and did not get an exit I was really suprised. I expected an exit from the .500 A2 on a feral pig with this bullet. So given that the 535 gr would give a lot less expansion, the pig did go down like it had been hit with a bolt of lightening however,

I have hit 3 pigs with 525gn Woodleigh RNSN bullets driven at 2500fps. Two out of 3 bullets were recovered flattened against the fighting shield on the other side of the pig with 80% or better retained weight, (quartering shots). The pigs dropped as if poleaxed.

However I would not use that load on buffalo or other large dangerous game, as you would not be able to guarantee the needed penetration. Woodleighs work best if kept within their design impact velocity rating, which for those bullets is 2200fps. If you used 600gn PPSN Woodleigh softs or either 525gn or 600gn Woodleigh Solids, 525gn or 600gn North Fork cup point solids, Barnes 525gn TSX, or the new Non Con 485 gn hollow points from CEB, I believe you would definitely get a pass through at any velocity above 2000 fps, up to probably 2400 with the 600gn PPSN, but up to as fast as you can stand with any of the others.

I shot this pig at 8 feet in the brush while he was trotting towards me with a 570g TSX at 2300 fps from my 500 Jeffery. It hit between the eyes (about 1/2" to the right), shattered the neck vertebrae, liquified the guts and exited out his left ham leaving a large exit wound. I would use this load on buffalo.

22 September 2012, 23:33

416Tanzan

Nice pig, nice rifle.

and you should feel comfortable about a 570gnTSX for buffalo.
The TSX cannot flatten and turn inside out like the Woodleigh softs. That's why monometal bullets were invented.

23 September 2012, 01:26

chuck375

Thanks, I know MJines shoots them at 2500 fps with great effect on buffalo but that's a bit too stiff for me. Hopefully I'll get my first buff either next summer or the one after...

23 September 2012, 08:37

505G

quote:
Originally posted by 416Tanzan:
Nice pig, nice rifle.

and you should feel comfortable about a 570gnTSX for buffalo.
The TSX cannot flatten and turn inside out like the Woodleigh softs. That's why monometal bullets were invented.

Woodleigh's dont turn inside out or flatten if you shoot them at the correct impact velocity.

And they kill just as well at the Recommended Impact Velocity and will punch end to end on a big Buffalo.

It shows more of a lack of shooting and hunting knowledge on the part of the shooter than any issue with the bullet.

.

23 September 2012, 13:18

338User

Quote["Woodleigh's dont turn inside out or flatten if you shoot them at the correct impact velocity."]

I don't mind shooting them faster than designed for smaller game but 505G is correct about the effect on bigger game if you keep within the design velocity.

23 September 2012, 15:47

416Tanzan

Well, if the bullet was only used for buffalo, then slower would work.

Some of us use the same rifle for antelope, especially the larger ones. In that situation, a 200-300 fps faster velocity gives a trajectory advantage. So I choose a bullet that works at the faster fps. CEB are going to have some fantastic bullets for this in .510"