Kumaabear wrote:While I agree 100% that the marketing can make rather exaggerated claims and of course the ability of the shooter and shot placement matters the most. I am not intending to imply that there is any magic involved or that a bullet design is going to make up for a bad shot.
I am a bit of a physics nerd and I do honestly believe that the monolithic bullets that are becoming more common / mature in their design, do somewhat change the game as far as typical bullet weight choice options for a particular sized animal.
When a traditionally constructed lighter weight bullet strikes a target at a higher velocity it often has near the same energy at impact due to its higher speed than a heavier projectile, and will shoot flatter and depending on the loading have less felt recoil as well. The big negative is that there is a much higher risk that the bullet explodes on impact or shortly after due to its lighter weight construction and high impact velocity which not only destroys a lot of meat it does not allow adequate penetration to put the animal down quickly.
Wouldn't something like a Barns TTSX or one of the other similar bullets greatly mitigate that big negative regarding the bullet breaking up / lack of penetration?
If so don't you gain a flatter shooting option without really losing out anywhere except maybe in the woods where sheer speed may lead to way too much meat loss.
I'm not stating any of this as fact, just looking to see what other people think
I have found this to be spot on.
Weight is requied in bullets to obtain adequate penetration. Cup and core bullets dump alot of their mass into the animal resulting in a tramsfer of energy that is coverted to heat etc (this is why you see a small explosion in gel tests).
A monolithic bullet changes the rules. Cartridges are designed for cup and core. Once we use monos heavy weights become of little value. Infact, you will find people who have moved away feom monos will have tried to use the same weight choices with monos and cup and core.
Velocity is key for monos. So a 3006, should be shooting 130s at 3200fps rathwr than 168s at 2900fps. 300fps is more important in a mono to expand well and transfer energy to the animal, than penetration, knowing theough countless ballistic tests that a 130 ttsx will penetrate the equivalent to a well constructed 180g bullet.
If planning on shooting monos cartridge choice is really impacted, i own a 3006 and shoot 130ttsx at 3200fps. Results ive seen and everyone ive spoke to including forums, show - the bullet always exits. Expansion on a barnes or any bullet isnt designed to cut theough like an arrow.... its designed to increase bullet resistance and transfer energy to the animal.
Also the comment about 30grains is better than 200fps, remember the formula for calculating energy, double the weight = double the energy, double the velocity = 4x the energy.
With the ossue of cup and core bullets falling apart at high speed solved with monos, light fast bullets should be bullets of choice when shooting monos.
130s fpr 3006 and under. No point in going heavier and loosing expansion when the bullets going to exit anyway!