{"id":426,"date":"2017-08-29T16:07:27","date_gmt":"2017-08-29T20:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.wholesalehunter.com\/?p=426"},"modified":"2019-04-05T13:41:31","modified_gmt":"2019-04-05T17:41:31","slug":"hunting-bullets-craig-boddington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/hunting-bullets-craig-boddington\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunting Bullet Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Autumn is approaching quickly, which means hunting season is coming soon! Actually, depending on where you live, it may already be here. Rifle deer season starts in August in Alaska, parts of South Carolina, and right here in coastal California, where I\u2019m penning these lines. I\u2019m in a \u201clead-free zone\u201d for hunting bullets, so my choices are limited. More about that later, though! Let\u2019s start with an inviolable premise: It\u2019s ultimately the bullet that does the work. So these later days of summer offer a good time to select the load and bullet you\u2019ll be hunting with this fall.<\/p>\n

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A huge-bodied Alberta mule deer, taken with a .270 Winchester with 130-grain Barnes TTSX. The homogenous-alloy bullets are very tough for deer-sized game and will almost always exit. This buck was shot quartering away through the opposite shoulder\u2026three jumps and he was down, and the bullet may still be going.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are dozens of cartridges suitable for deer-sized game, and only a slightly smaller universe of cartridges acceptable for larger game such as elk, moose, and bear. Choice of bullet makes a greater difference than the specific cartridge, and choosing wisely can take a borderline cartridge to a larger class of game.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Velocity and Accuracy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We American riflemen tend to be obsessed with velocity and accuracy. Both are useful if you hunt open country, and both are essential if you\u2019re a long-range specialist. Realistically, however, across the continent most of us take our game well within 200 yards. An example: I just got back from a backpack sheep hunt in Alaska. I wanted to be ready for any reasonable shot so I took an accurate Jarrett rifle in .300 Winchester Magnum, topped with a Leupold VX6 3-18X with their CDS (Custom Dial System) turret calibrated for Hornady\u2019s 200-grain ELD-X<\/a> load. I did the range work and I was ready for a shot to perhaps 500 yards. I ended up taking my ram at 120 yards\u2014a .243 with any hunting bullet would have been plenty.<\/p>\n

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In August 2017 Boddington took this Dall ram with a 200-grain Hornady ELD-X from a Jarrett .300 Winchester Magnum. He was prepared for a long shot if necessary, but the ram was taken at 120 yards.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No game animal will notice the difference of a couple hundred feet per second in bullet speed. The entire deer-sheep-goat-pig-pronghorn class of game has a vital area at least as large as a 10-inch paper plate, so \u201cpaper plate accuracy\u201d at the distances you shoot is actually good enough. Obviously confidence counts, too! Since we crave velocity and accuracy, we tend to want faster loads that group better than necessary. But here\u2019s the point: The bullet has to get in there and do its job, and that is more important than raw bullet speed and pinpoint accuracy.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Look for \u201cHunting Bullets\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Different brands, styles, and types of bullet construction are designed to offer different levels of terminal performance. Today we have a bewildering array of bullets, and sorting through the choices may seem difficult. But it really isn\u2019t. With ten million American deer hunters headed afield, the manufacturers assume that every bullet branded as a \u201chunting bullet\u201d will see use on deer. It\u2019s also assumed that most \u201chunting bullets\u201d from perhaps 6.5mm upwards may see use on elk.<\/p>\n

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The universe of bullets available today is vast and diverse. There really aren\u2019t any \u201cbad\u201d bullets out there, but for hunting it\u2019s essential to choose \u201chunting bullets\u201d and avoid match bullets and varmint bullets.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The key words to look for are \u201chunting bullets.\u201d Varmint bullets are designed for rapid expansion on small rodents. Match bullets are designed for utmost accuracy; performance on game is not a design consideration. Regardless of velocity or accuracy in your rifle, varmint bullets and match bullets should be avoided on big game. Sometimes they work like a lightning strike, but performance on game is erratic. Varmint bullets often open prematurely and fail to penetrate. Match bullets can do the same, but I\u2019ve also seen hollowpoint match bullets fail to expand.<\/p>\n

That leaves us the full and vast spectrum of \u201chunting bullets\u201d to choose from. Most rifles vary in accuracy from one load to another. So the load and bullet you wish to use may not be the fastest or most accurate in your rifle. Based on either advertising hype or experience, if a particular load gives you the most confidence and the accuracy is adequate for your<\/em> hunting conditions, then that\u2019s what you should use.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Breakdown of Hunting Bullets<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Even amid the seemingly endless choices, many bullets offer similar terminal performance and, as I\u2019ve said, virtually all hunting bullets are fine for deer, and many are suitable for larger game as well. If you use factory loads, you can try several flavors and see what your rifle likes best. If you\u2019re a handloader, you can vary the components endlessly! Here\u2019s a brief summation of my \u201cspin\u201d on hunting bullets today.<\/p>\n

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These are lead-core bullets recovered from game. They aren\u2019t all pretty, but all expended their energy inside the animal and did their work. On deer-sized game Boddington has come to prefer bullets that expand fairly quickly and do serious damage to vital organs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/h4>\n

Cup-and-core bullets<\/u><\/em><\/h4>\n

I call these \u201cplain old bullets,\u201d a copper jacket drawn over a lead core, with some of the lead core exposed at the nose to initiate expansion. Familiar names include Federal Hi-Shok<\/a>, Hornady Interlock, Remington Core-Lokt<\/a>, Sierra GameKing<\/a>, and Winchester Power Point. Expansion is slowed by jacket thickness and\/or mechanical devices (such as the Core-Lokt and Interlock.) These bullets are inexpensive and often tend to be very accurate. These are not \u201ctough bullets.\u201d They will open up fairly quickly, and may lose a lot of bullet weight during penetration. However, provided caliber and bullet weight are adequate, \u201cplain old bullets\u201d are awesome for deer-sized game.<\/p>\n

Two things to keep in mind: First, velocity is the enemy of bullet performance. Second, bullet weight covers a lot of sins in bullet construction! So if you are shooting a really fast cartridge and may get a close shot you might consider a tougher, controlled-expansion design or a heavier bullet. I had a .300 H&H that loved Sierra GameKings. For deer-sized game, I used 150-grain bullets, but for elk and African plains game I bypassed the 180-grain bullet and used 200-grain bullets. On bullet weight, a quick word on .22 centerfires for deer: Today there are a lot of .22-caliber bullets from 60 grains upwards that were designed for deer hunting<\/em>. Choose the heavy-for-caliber hunting bullets\u2026but still pick your shots with care.<\/p>\n

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These days the .22 centerfires are legal for deer in about 34 states. They are adequate, but it\u2019s important to place the shot carefully and choose heavy-for-caliber bullets. This Kansas buck was taken in 2016 with a 73-grain Hornady ELD from a Rock River .223.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Polymer-tipped bullets<\/u><\/em><\/h4>\n

Tipped bullets aren\u2019t new. The old Remington Bronze Point had a metal tip, and Canada\u2019s CIL \u201cSabre-Tip\u201d was probably the first plastic-tipped bullet. Advantages: The tip won\u2019t batter in the magazine, and you get a more consistent downrange ballistic curve. This is because an exposed lead tip melts off in flight, changing the shape and Ballistic Coefficient (BC). Most polymer tips also change shape slightly due to friction, which is a major point behind Hornady\u2019s ELD-X bullet. However, the difference in shape is small at normal shooting ranges.<\/p>\n

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Virtually all manufacturers offer polymer-tipped bullets today. Aside from looking wicked the polymer tip prevents battering in the magazine and offers a more consistent Ballistic Coefficient than bullets with exposed lead tips. On impact the tip is driven down into the bullet, initiating expansion.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For most hunters, the important thing about polymer-tipped bullets<\/a> is that, upon impact, the tip is driven down into the bullet, initiating expansion. Absent other design features to slow things down, expansion can be very rapid. Good examples are Hornady\u2019s SST<\/a> and the original Nosler AccuTip. These bullets tend to be very accurate, but they expand quickly. Given adequate weight and caliber I have found them to be extremely<\/em> effective on deer-sized game, but the through-and-through penetration that many hunters prefer is unlikely.<\/p>\n

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A .300 magnum was definite overkill on this Texas whitetail\u2014but it worked just fine. Boddington used a 180-grain Hornady SST, a fast-opening lead-core bullet well-suited to open country. The bullet did not exit and the deer dropped as if struck by lightning.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bonded Core<\/u><\/em><\/h4>\n

Pioneered by Bill Steiger\u2019s Bitterroot Bullet and perfected by Jack Carter\u2019s Trophy Bonded Bearclaw, core-bonding means that the bullet\u2019s core is chemically bonded to the jacket. So while some lead may be wiped away during penetration, full separation of jacket and core is virtually impossible. Bonded-core bullets offer massive expansion, but since they hold together, they also tend to penetrate. Most manufacturers now offer bonded-core bullets. While it always depends on what gives you the most confidence, I am not convinced that bonded-core bullets are essential for deer-sized game\u2026but they definitely come into their own on larger, tougher animals. Federal\u2019s excellent Fusion bullet<\/a> uses an altogether different process, but in terminal performance acts much like a bonded-core bullet.<\/p>\n

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The top row is homogenous alloy bullets (Barnes and Hornady). The bottom row is bonded-core bullets (Federal and Swift), all recovered from larger animals. These are all \u201ctough bullets,\u201d similar in weight retention, but bonded bullets provide greater expansion, while homogenous-alloy bullets, with less expansion, will provide deeper penetration.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tipped and Bonded<\/u><\/em><\/h4>\n

These bullets add a polymer tip to a bonded-core bullet. Good examples are Hornady\u2019s InterBond<\/a>, Nosler\u2019s AccuBond, and Swift\u2019s Scirocco. They tend to be accurate, and although the polymer tip still initiates expansion they are considerably tougher than unbonded polymer-tipped bullets. Again, I don\u2019t believe bonded-core bullets are essential for deer-sized game, but these are versatile and effective hunting bullets, offering greater penetration and weight retention than cup-and-core bullets and unbonded tipped bullets.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dual-core bullets<\/u><\/em><\/h4>\n

In 1948 John Nosler created the Partition, front core and rear core separated by a wall or \u201cpartition\u201d of jacket metal. The Swift A-Frame<\/a> is of similar design, except the front core is bonded. The Partition set the standard for penetration for many years and is still a great bullet, while the Swift A-Frame probably offers the largest expansion and highest weight retention of any lead-core bullet. Both are generally tougher than necessary for deer-sized game, but if you are using a smaller caliber on large-sized deer then a tougher bullet changes the game.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Homogenous alloy bullet<\/u><\/em>s<\/u><\/h4>\n

The Barnes X was the original all-copper-alloy expanding bullet. Today, Barnes offers the TSX and the TTSX<\/a>; Hornady has GMX and Monoflex<\/a>; Nosler has E-Tip; and Federal, Remington, and Winchester all have \u201ccopper bullets.\u201d In every round, a skived nose (which might have a polymer tip) surrounds a nose cavity, with expansion limited by cavity depth. These bullets are awesome for weight retention but generally don\u2019t expand as much as lead-core bullets. Once in a while a petal breaks off, but retained weight is often nearly 100 percent. If you like penetrating bullets you\u2019ll love them\u2014it\u2019s rare to recover any of these from deer-sized game. Accuracy can be exceptional, but some rifles are finicky about these bullets.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Hornady\u2019s GMX is a good example of today\u2019s homogenous-alloy bullet. This 130-grain .270 bullet was recovered from a large red stag shot at about 400 yards\u2026the group was fired from the MGA .270 used. Not all rifles will shoot this bullet\u2014or any bullet\u2014quite this well!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My feeling is they are better for larger game; on deer I prefer bullets that offer greater expansion. However, if you live in a \u201clead free zone\u201d like our Central Coast, these are the bullets you must use. One thing we\u2019ve learned: With our small-bodied coastal blacktails the homogenous-alloy bullets consistently punch right through. American deer hunters tend to prefer the behind-the-shoulder lung shot (biggest target, least meat damage), but with these tough, deep-penetrating bullets you\u2019re better off to borrow a page from African hunters and shoot for the shoulder. The end result is the same, but you\u2019ll do less tracking!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Practice Makes Perfect<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Despite the variety of bullets available, manufacturers make it fairly easy to find the appropriate ammunition for the game you\u2019re hunting. As with any activity, finding what works best for you takes practice and a bit of trial and error, and the end of the summer is the perfect time to optimize your accuracy<\/a>, technique<\/a>, and hunting toolkit. Once you find a cartridge and a bullet that works with your rifle, you\u2019ll be one step closer to being prepared for the upcoming fall hunting season!<\/p>\n

\n

Craig Boddington<\/a>\u00a0is one of today\u2019s most respected outdoor journalists. He spent the\u00a0past forty years exploring our natural world as a hunter and sharing his knowledge and experiences in dozens of books and through thousands of published articles and essays. He\u2019s a decorated Marine, an award-winning author, and continues to be a leading voice for conservation and ethical hunting around the world.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

For autographed copies of Craig\u2019s books please visit\u00a0www.craigboddington.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Autumn is approaching quickly, which means hunting season is coming soon! Actually, depending on where you live, it may already be here. Rifle deer season starts in August in Alaska, parts of South Carolina, and right here in coastal California, where I\u2019m penning these lines. I\u2019m in a \u201clead-free zone\u201d for hunting bullets, so my … Continue reading “Hunting Bullet Basics”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[7,21],"tags":[55,19,53,56,57,52,58,54],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=426"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":951,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426\/revisions\/951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}