Choosing a new bullet.

[4ked Horn]

This post was inspired from a recent discussion.
I am doing a survey so everyone can give their oppinion in a fair manner. The veterans and the newbies, the varminters and the big game hunters, the benchresters and the stalkers (those who hunt by going light over a large distance. Not weirdo "stalkers").

The main question: What are the <u>most important factors for choosing a bullet you have never tried yourself.</u> I do not want to know why you like the bullet(s)you are using now.

I will post a survey where you can choose only one factor and a survey where you can choose three factors.

Here are the choice outlines.
1. Listed BC- This is the BC reported by the manufacturer or that derived by those you trust /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif.
2. The bullet has a reputation of consistant dimensions from bullet to bullet and lot to lot.
3. The external shape is appealing. The ogive or boat tail or bearing surface length have a reputation for working well in guns like yours.
4. Internal design. It is bonded or has the jacket thickness you want or some other internal feature that sets it up as working well for you.
5. You have heard that it works well on big game mainly but leaves some varmins squirming.
6. You have heard that it works well on varmints mainly but would be borderline on deer and are not safe for elk.
7. It has a reputation for shooting accurately in a gun similar to yours. You don't worry that it may not be good in lots of guns.
8. It has a reputation for shooting accurately in many guns but in a few it may be a poor performer.
9. It has a reputation for great terminal performance at the velocities (as well as distances) that you intend on using it at. You want a great 400- 700 yard bullet for example.
10. It has a reputation for having adequate terminal performance over a large velocity (and distance) spread. You don't know where your next shot will be so you want a bullet that should do the job at 100- 800 yards.

If there is another key factor for you, post it below.

 

[4ked Horn]

Same survey but you can pick 3 factors.

 

[Fiftydriver]

Wow, narrowing that to one selection would be very hard. For me I guess I would have to look at more then one factor. Here is what I would study in selecting a bullet to try for the first time in this order of importance:

1. Accuracy potential(tied to your consistancy choice)
2. Terminal performance(internal contruction)
3. Ballistic performance(only an issue for long range)

#1 is first and formost by a large margin. Putting that bullet on the mark is far more important then any other factor. Most bullets will harvest game if places properly but even the best bullets will fail if placed incorrectly on game.

So on your poll, I guess you know what I picked as my #1. This would be for long to extreme range hunting. For close range hunting, Terminal performance would be #1.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Buffalobob]

You must have had a lot of fun on the last thread in order to crank the subject up again.

If you look at SS7mm's 200gr thread I think you will see the answer to your poll. All (or at least some) of us 7mm shooters are delerious with delight with his report.

 

[4ked Horn]

[ QUOTE ]
You must have had a lot of fun on the last thread in order to crank the subject up again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just trying to make something good out of something that wasn't so good by going at it a different way. But the subject of this survey is designed to show what long range hunters focus on as opposed to focusing on only one subject. It was inspired from the post you mention but is not necessarily a branch of that discussion. It may have been a decent way to have dealt with the exit wound question as well.

Besides, we haven't had a survey for a while. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[41mag]

Well adding to my vote on several of the other issues, I do still hunt stalk which ever you want to call it, as well as air some out across wide open fields. Sometimes it is also up close and personal within 5 yds or so depending on what I am hunting as well as where.

When I start to develope a load for a specific rifle or pistol, I generally have some criteria in which that said bullet will have to perform. So if it is out across the back 40, it would be something that I can drive as fast as possible, while also being heavy enough to accomplish the task I need it to when it gets there, as well as being the most accurate load I can use.

For the up close and personal stuff, I need something not necessarily moving at the speed of light, but heavy enough as well as fragil enough to stop whatever the intened target is, in a realitively short space. In other words, it needs to be able to go from the in-hole, to the out-hole, if need be and take out as much stuff in between as it can. Accuracy need only be within the realm of hitting 6" at 100 yds. with this type. However it is generally much less.

For general ranges, out to 200 yds. or so, the velocity and penetration is generally dependant on the quarry. I have several loads for each of my hunting rifles which can be used for just about anything I will ever hunt by simply just switching ammo.

For BT's I generally keep the starting vel. somewhere in the 2800 range for all my rifles.

For the Barnes and Partitions, I generally crank them up to top velocities.

For revolver loads I generally use Remington bulk bullets in the heavier weights for caliber. They just seem to work out fine for most of my needs. For the heavy duty stuff I use the Speer Gold Dot or Oregon Trail cast bullets with big flat meplats. No problems running them full mag velocities.

Yes the other topics were a little to much for me to jump into, hopefully this one I can handle.

 

[4ked Horn]

Just bumping this back to the top for one last go around before it slips into oblivion. Just thought that with hunting season around the corner some of the new members might benefit from it.

Happy hunting guys.

 

[sullijr]

Mike/Tx your "my photo" puts an immediate spam for spyware on my machine