Recovered Bullet Thread....Lets see 'em

[Rammer]

I have been seeing some bashing on the Hornady SSTs on here lately so I wanted to post up a thread showing recovered bullets, retained weights, etc. So If you guys have any, lets see 'em and lets hear how they performed.

I'll start.

In 2000 I shot this buck with my Browning A-Bolt 7mm Rem Mag. The load was a max load of RL22, and the 139gr Hornady SST.



The Bullet





In 1998 I shot this 16pt buck with my Ruger M77 MKII 30-06 with a factory Federal load (165gr), can't remember exactly what it was for sure other than 165grains.











The 139gr Hornady SST weighed in at 117grains, and was recovered when I was caping the deer out under the fur on the opposite shoulder, deer went straight down in its tracks.

The 165gr Federal load weighed in at 150 grains and was recovered while caping the deer out under the fur on opposite shoulder. This deer, however ran about 500 yards before piling up.

[bigbulls]

The only bullet I have ever recovered (other than buckshot) was a .277" 140 grain trophy bonded bear claw shot through a cow elk quartering away. It entered just behind the ribs and stopped just under the skin in the off side shoulder.

I didn't take any pictures or weigh it but it looked as if it should have been in an advertisement. Picture perfect mushroom and what looked to be very high weight retention. Incredibly tough bullet.

[stubblejumper]

This 180gr tsx was recovered after it severed the spine of a large elk and lodged under the hide.It was fired from a 300ultramag at 3380fps.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d128/stubblejumper11/PA050015.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d128/stubblejumper11/PA050019.jpg

[Rammer]

stubble - Nice - Looks like it performed as advertised. What did it weigh when you recovered it?

[stubblejumper]

Recovered weight was just over 160gr.The maximum diameter was .800".

[Roskoe]

Rammer - your 30/06 bullet looks like a 165 gr. Sierra Gameking, which is loaded by Federal in their "Premium" line.

I may have been one who posted some negative reports on the SST. The 130 grain .270 at 3375 fps MV is a good antelope bullet. The trophy whitetail I shot a 409 yards was cleanly harvested by the bullet - but it expanded severely at that distance - all the way to the base with no lead core left. And then on the shoulder of an elk at 150 yards, it came apart!

I'm not ready to throw them away - just that this bullet at these speeds isn't suitable for anything bigger than deer, in my experience.

I'll see if I can get my daughter to help me take and post some digital photos of recovered bullets. I have a big collection.

[Rammer]

Roskoe - Looking forward to seeing your pictures. I also have a large collection, but I can't seem to find them anywhere. You are correct on the Sierra Game King, someone else had told me that ago as well, I just couldn't think of it.

[stubblejumper]

Below is a 180gr ballistic tip fired out of a 300ultramag at 3340fps.It passed through both shoulders of a large elk then lodged in the hide.It weighed 112gr.Notice that there was no core/jacket separation.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d128/stubblejumper11/PC210013.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d128/stubblejumper11/PC210017.jpg

[longrifle1000]

Here is the only one I have. It is a 1oz Barnes expander from a 12ga Sabot. It came from a hog I shot at 10 yards broadside. Went through the spine and lodged under the hide on the offside. Dropped the pig in it's tracks. Retained weight was 100%.

[Roskoe]

I have a couple of 250 grain Barnes Expander MZ's that looks just like this - came out of an elk, just under the skin on the off side. Impressive.