FWIW...
Two days ago I used a Nosler Custom Competition Match 200 gr HPBT 8mm bullet on a buck at 80 yards. I never chrony'd the load but it was 2300 fps in the book. I only grabbed the 8mm mauser because my 30-30 wasn't sighted for the new powder load.
The bullet punched a clean hole through with little damage until it got to the heart then started to open up or tumble. It left a larger exit hole in the ribs but when it hit the humerus on the opposite side it detonated and destroyed the entire shoulder. The buck had large exit hole with bones and meat falling out. I had to throw out the whole shoulder. What a waste.
I didn't find a trace of bullets fragments in the meat. I only dug around in the shoulder for a few seconds before throwing it in the dogfood pile. I guess all of it passed through.
I'd say just use the bullet that is most accurate and will place the shot where it needs to go with the least amount of damage, match grade or not. I don't buy into the mega expanding bullet craze. I guess its makes for good business. I'll stick with my bow or even try .223. I wouldn't even be scared to use an FMJ if it was legal.
Two days ago I used a Nosler Custom Competition Match 200 gr HPBT 8mm bullet on a buck at 80 yards. I never chrony'd the load but it was 2300 fps in the book. I only grabbed the 8mm mauser because my 30-30 wasn't sighted for the new powder load.
The bullet punched a clean hole through with little damage until it got to the heart then started to open up or tumble. It left a larger exit hole in the ribs but when it hit the humerus on the opposite side it detonated and destroyed the entire shoulder. The buck had large exit hole with bones and meat falling out. I had to throw out the whole shoulder. What a waste.
I didn't find a trace of bullets fragments in the meat. I only dug around in the shoulder for a few seconds before throwing it in the dogfood pile. I guess all of it passed through.
I'd say just use the bullet that is most accurate and will place the shot where it needs to go with the least amount of damage, match grade or not. I don't buy into the mega expanding bullet craze. I guess its makes for good business. I'll stick with my bow or even try .223. I wouldn't even be scared to use an FMJ if it was legal.
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I have several thoughts on this and some real experience:
1. There is this misconception that I beleive is based on marketing that has penetrated (pun intended) the hunting community guised as "ethics", that you MUST use a hunting bullet or you are a ****** person in general and aught to be forced to clean public porta johns to pay for your sins.
2. I have shot MANY thousands of rounds of fmj xm193 and M855 at many different targets. The fmj strategy as a combat bullet design (to inflict casualty, but not maximize internal damage via frag & expansion, thus taking other opponents out of the fight to care for said casualty) has been interpreted by the hunting community as a bullet that leaves a .224 entrance hole, and a .224 exit hole. This is not the case based on my experience. While you will not achieve reliable expansion, they do make a wound channel, expand to some extent, and destroy whatever they hit.
3. I have shot hornady BTHP in 6.5mm that were designated "match target" and they performed beautifully on white tail (6.5mm entrance x 4" exit). In contrast, several of the 6.5 designated hunting projectiles I have used have an uncanny consistency in terms of internal damage and modest exit wound patterns. There is undeniable quality to the specific high quality hunting bullets I used. However, the HPBT "match target" bullet left much more devastation. The trade-off is that the BTHP match projectile fragmented a lot more and I did have to pick out 2 or 3 shards out of the meat. I would not use the HPBT target projectile on large game where max penetration and weight retention is required.
4. Final thought... with proper shot placement you can mitigate risk associated with less desireable projectile.
Every big game animal I have ever shot, outside of 1 Caribou and 1 cow Elk have been with a 168 Sierra Match King out of an iron sighted M1A. This includes a bunch of Mule Deer and Antelopes, several bull and cow Elk, a Mountain Lion, and two Black Bear. I have never been disappointed in it's performance, nor had to walk very far from point of impact to start dressing them out.
It is legal here. See what I did. Pick a handgun.
My 45acp with FMJ did just fine, bang flop.
- Rifles: Centerfire rifles firing at least a 55-grain weight soft-nosed or hollow-point bullet. There is no restriction on magazine capacity regardless of caliber.
- Shotguns: Any centerfire shotgun firing a single slug, are legal.
- Handguns: Any centerfire handgun firing a single bullet with at least a 55-grain weight. Minimum barrel length is four inches.
Well one deer shot with a 120 gr. Barnes Matchburner dropped so fast in the sage it took me a good while to find him. The blood was all under him. 260 Remington, 175 yards center chest right behind the shoulder. There were two exit holes a big one and a small one, the big one being about an inch around and the small one just a small hole in the hide. Could not have asked for more internal damage. Wouldn't have used those rounds but my stepson had taken the box loaded with 120 grain Ballistic Tips I had planned to use. He was annoyed because he shoots a 243 which is what I made my brass from. 260 Remington will not chamber in a 243. Guess I should start marking those plastic box cartridge holders.
