Random Bullet Performance

[statjunk]

Hello All,

My Ruger in 300WM really like the Speer SP BT in 180gr. It shoots them into very tight groups. Last year I shot 5 deer. On two deer I had scenarios where the bullet split into one-two or three parts and destroyed the deer. Both deer ran a ways. On thee of the deer it expanded as one would expect it to and dropped right there on all three.

Recently I shot an Elk. A spike. The bullet entered into the first vertebrae and exited out of the off-side of the face. It open a small hole on the way in, broke the vertebrae. There was only a small hole on the exit.

Just curious if any of you have seen this kind of variation with the same bullet. I was half expecting the bullet to fragment and blow the offside of the elk's head/neck out.

Tom

[Ridge Runner]

impact velocity, how much resistance it meets and where it meets the resistance after impact have alot of bearing on bullet performance. That being said I can't comment without knowing more details about each hit.
RR

[statjunk]

Hey RR,

I guess I was just looking for others who may have seen this type of stuff. Nothing specific about what I've witnessed.

All five deer were shot in the ribs with non of the bullets, upon entry, hitting the shoulder. Actually all five deer were hit in the heart. Some complete destruction of the heart and others simply taking the top of the heart off.

The elk like I said, the bullet entered just under the skull, hitting the first vertebrae and then exiting out of the lower mandible. I would have though the Elk's face would have been opened up.

Just an aside. I'm kind of shocked about the yield on Elk. It's a very low percentage of total body weight.

Tom

[Ridge Runner]

Tom, try a nosler accubond of the same weight, if your rifle likes them you'll really be pleased with the terminal performance. Its all I shoot in my larger magnums.
I use the center shoulder shots on deer, all the exit wounds look identicle with shots ranging fron 340 yards on out.
Last week we used my rifle on 4 deer from 520-1005 yards, all the exits looked the same.
Do not expect the mags to kill deer DRT very often, deer just don't seem to offer enough resistance to absorb enough energy for the "too dead to kick" syndrone to engage.
I know almost nothing about speer bullets, have shot very few of them, I've saw some inconsistant performance mostly with cor-lokts, either no expansion or complete detonation, I hate'em
RR

[statjunk]

Accubonds shoot ok in my Ruger. But not even half as good as the Speer SP BT's. I was getting 1-1.5" groups. Where the Speer I'm getting sub 3/4" groups.

Tom