Federal Ammo Terminal Ballistics test

[necchi]

Interesting video with different bullets In Fed Premium ammo
Gel, Hides, Hides an Bone.
It's worth a look.

* Nosler Ballistic Tip
* Sierra Game King
* Barnes TTSX
* Speer Deep Curl

http://www.youtube.com/user/federalpremiumammo#p/u/2/nMKvetaMqhE

 

[bozo699]

Necchi,
Thanks for sharing, the ballistic tip did way better then I expected and the SGK didn't do as well as I would have expected, the other two were on par for there reputation.
Wayne.

 

[Larryh128]

+1 on sharing, very interesting & showed what I have experienced. Ballistic tips hold up way better than advertised. Recovery of bullets was non-existent on deer. I use both ballistic tips & TTSX's & both go on thru. TTSX's have become my favorite though, doesn't matter on the angle.

 

[TheSnake]

I also enjoyed the video and the results. I might as well open up the can of worms here and take the beating on my next comment.

I am of the strong belief, that if you choose a bullet that exits your game on the opposite side every time, you have not chosen your bullet wisely. I want 100% energy released inside the game and not in a tree somewhere down range. My buddy disagrees and shoots TSX in his 7 STW loaded to the max on white tail and yes, they exit every time. Just my opinion.

 

[bozo699]

Snake,
On the contrary I don't disagree with you at all, I think there is a place for the tsx but not for white tail I think the BT or the sierra would be the better choice of the four mentioned.
Wayne.

 

[TheSnake]

Snake,
On the contrary I don't disagree with you at all, I think there is a place for the tsx but not for white tail I think the BT or the sierra would be the better choice of the four mentioned.
Wayne.

Yes I totally agree that there is a place for solids, just not for thin skin game like deer and antelope. If I were big bear or buffalo hunting, I would go with them myself. I didn't say never.

 

[necchi]

I'm not so sure.
It looks like the TTSX/TSX affects the gel with a larger cavity from impact through the first several inches. It doesn't look like a "needle through" behaviour at all.
What will happen? Will the Deer be too dead?

The jury is still out with our experiance, I've a sweet load for the boy's 7-08 with 120 TTSX. I'll be using Seirra GK. We'll find out.

Had a bad experiance with Nosler BT's in factory ammo a few years ago, at 300yrds the bullet exploded on a shoulder impact and didn't penetrate like the video here at all, the second shot did the same with a takedown neck shot.
Now I realize we must of had a bad batch because that example is not atypical of many others experiance with the Ballistic Tip, but it was enough to sour me on their use for hunting big game. They still fly nice for target/trigger time.

 

[TheSnake]

I'm not so sure.
What will happen? Will the Deer be too dead?


Had a bad experiance with Nosler BT's in factory ammo a few years ago, at 300yrds the bullet exploded on a shoulder impact and didn't penetrate like the video here at all

Too dead? I will have to use that. Killed him twice on the first shot....

I am only trying to make the point that I don't think a solid bullet is a "magic bullet" and should be used for every application and that passing through is not a good thing. My buddy thinks they are the best thing since sliced bread and would probably shoot coons and P-Dogs with them.

I was Coyote hunting at a buddies lease in December year before last when he called me and said go ahead and take a doe. I had my 22-250 with me so I shot her in the neck at 90 yards. I was using a 50gr CT Ballistic Silvertip and it almost took her head off. She was too dead! (<-- Credit to necchi) I would not take that shot in the shoulder in fear of lack of penetration with the little pill.

 

[FryeGuy]

well that is a cool video. I haven't had the greatest personal experiences w/ ballistic tips either, thou. I would also have to say it could have been bullet placement also. I have never seen a ballistic tip go thru a cow bone!!! I have had good results with gamekings. shot an elk (6x6) a few years back. dead centered a rib bone going in, it also hit a rib bone going out. the rib bones were completely shattered. the bullet was recovered against the hide, in a nice mushroom. a 117sbt or 117spt, from a 257 roberts at about 60-75 yards. I was more than impressed. I didn't expect that at all. at the same time I have had deer stop bullets from a 300wsm using 165sbt, so go figure. I did notice all the bullets went over 15" deep on most tests but the last. On a deer, that seems to me like a complete pass thru everytime with all of them!! I wonder what it would take to stop the barnes bullet???

 

[Shootinstick]

I don't have experience with 3 of the bullets, nor with larger game. I have quite a bit of experience using Sierra 150gr SBT Gamekings on white tail deer from a 30-06 ahead of 48.5 grains of H4895. Not an overly hot load. Shots ranged from 75 yards to 300 yards. In all but two cases the bullet went through both sides of the deer so as suggested, did not impart all it's energy into the animal. On the two occasions the bullet was recovered it was found just under the hide on the far side. Weight retention was about 75% and bullet mushroomed beautifully to 45 caliber. This has led me to state many times that I felt the 30-06 was really overkill for white tail. I think a 260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmore, or 6.5X55 shooting a 120 Gameking would be a better choice for white tail, but my old sporterized Springfield tends to get used the majority of the time.

I have experience with a 6.5X06 and Sierra 142 Gamekings at 3050fps. They tend to punch holes clear through 3/8" steel turkey silhouettes at 200 meters and do extensive damage to 1/2" steel chickens also at 200 meters. I ended up dropping charge to 2900fps and switched to thinner skinned Matchkings to avoid target damage.