Preferred impact velocity?

[BoomFlop]

I am curious to hear what everyone's perfect impact velocity is on whitetails.

If you could pick the impact velocity what would it be? Please list specific bullet with weight and caliber (not cartridge).

I don't want this to be about cartridge or distance, as those specifics get threads side tracked.

Think this will be an informative bullet performance topic.

Steve

 

[LVJ76]

7mm 120gr Ballistic Tip, 139gr SST, 140gr Ballistic Tip and Ballistic Silvertips, with these bullets I am good out to 500 yds, with these soft bullets I preffer impacts between 2,700 and 1,800 fps. I do not Recommend use at magnum velocities, it will blow up on impact under 200 yds. Good for deer sized game. I got the mulie on my avatar at 100yds with the 139gr SST with an impact velocity around 2,700 fps, it dropped on impact, the lungs looked like jello and left a 2" exit hole.
My wife got her first mulie at 350yds with the 140gr Ballistic Silvertip, dropped about 10 yards after impact, impact velocity around 2,200 fps, also left a nice exit hole with the lungs destroyed.

7mm 140gr Accubond or 139gr Interbond, I prefer an impact velocity above 2,000 fps to ensure proper bullet expansion, so keep the shot at under 400yds. At magnun velocities out to 600 yds no problem. These will work great on elk and moose.

150gr Ballistic Tip and 154gr SST, ideal impact velocities are around 2,200 to 2,500 fps, great bullet expansion around this velocities. I've gotten a couple of coues and Javelina with these and they did not know what hit them.

7mm 162gr SST and Amax, the ideal impact velocity on these bullets would be between 1,800 and 2,500, they are more of a long range bullet.

I've taken several desert mulies under 100yds with the 160gr partition, impact velocities are around 2,500

I dont shoot past 500m and I have a large inventory of older 7mm bullets so I have not tried most of the new bullets like the ELD o VLD, and really don't have a need for them right now.

 

[snox801]

I prefer anything above what the lowest velocity for the bullet is.
But if we could choose anything above 3200fps is amazing. The way things react to a 115gr nosler bt at 3450fps from my .257 Roy is Awsome.
I'm a huge fan of speed for the massive shock caused.

 

[LVJ76]

I prefer anything above what the lowest velocity for the bullet is.
But if we could choose anything above 3200fps is amazing. The way things react to a 115gr nosler bt at 3450fps from my .257 Roy is Awsome.
I'm a huge fan of speed for the massive shock caused.

Just and opinion. I'd be careful pushing a ballistic tip to those speeds, an impact at those speeds will most likely cause bullet blow up and poor penetration ending with a wounded animal or a slow kill, this is my experience talking with my 7mm Rem Mag. Or maybe a smaller bullet like the one you mentioned holds together better, but it did not work in my case and I' lve seen other cases woth the same issue

A bonded bullet at your speeds would work awesome, great expansion and penetration causing a quick kill. Like I said just an opinion.

 

[Hand Skills]

Ya, it really depends on the bullet. Big softies don't need a lot of speed, but the smaller and harder the bullet gets, the faster it needs to go.

 

[Don A Parsons]

I'm old school,,, 11 to 1300 ft-lbs for large Deer,,, 15 to 1600 hund for the thick skins,,, of course more is better,,, and that's not saying that less'er won't work either... Ha

I'm not going down that's Rabbit hole...

I like the shot placement idea over everything,,, smash the ribs and hope it takes out some vitals,,, knock on wood since its been working for me over the many years...

Load hot and heavy or light and fast...

The old timer told me,,,,
Your boots will tell you if it's working

 

[HARPERC]

Perfect??? 2750-3250, that means I'm close. Less chance for error on my part.

Realistically, 1800 fps and up generally yields sufficient bullet performance.

 

[Canhunter35]

I prefer anything above what the lowest velocity for the bullet is.
But if we could choose anything above 3200fps is amazing. The way things react to a 115gr nosler bt at 3450fps from my .257 Roy is Awsome.
I'm a huge fan of speed for the massive shock caused.

This is an awesome combo, at 50feet though it's disappointing in my own xperience, the deer died but ran about 90yards.
A 168amax between 2000-2800fps is just as awesome.

 

[BoomFlop]

Canhunter35

I notice you are a huge fan of the Amax/ELD-M. Does it come apart like a Berger or just have massive expansion very quick? I'm really thinking about shooting the 168 ELD-M in my Rem LTR 308 in either the Superformance or standard loading.

I'm thinking of trying either the 120 gr Nosler BT in my 7mm-08 in Nosler factory.

Still undecided on my 223.

Also, considering on just biting the bullet and getting into reloading so I can choose all different kinds of bullets that are not available in factory offerings.

Thanks guys, keep the information coming.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

With our bullets no ceiling for impact vel and an advertised 1800 fps min. When you have a bullet that can handle high vel impacts it changes your thinking. When you can set up a rifle with a bullet running 3500 fps or more it becomes a whole new world. Zero the rifle correctly and have a 500y hold hair big game rifle. Bullets will have no trouble with sub 100y shots and you don't have to worry about destroying the meat. Speed flat out kills.

 

[Canhunter35]

Canhunter35

I notice you are a huge fan of the Amax/ELD-M. Does it come apart like a Berger or just have massive expansion very quick? I'm really thinking about shooting the 168 ELD-M in my Rem LTR 308 in either the Superformance or standard loading.

I'm thinking of trying either the 120 gr Nosler BT in my 7mm-08 in Nosler factory.

Still undecided on my 223.

Also, considering on just biting the bullet and getting into reloading so I can choose all different kinds of bullets that are not available in factory offerings.

Thanks guys, keep the information coming.

They always expand and if you shoot a deer length wise they will shed chunks of brass causing a massive wound channel. I wouldn't use them on elk or moose, but they work well on deer and antelope

 

[snox801]

I actually was worried the first time I went hunting with the 115 at those speeds. Went to Kansas and asked for a 200-300 view. Got max of 80. Bullets worked fine and dropped both. They have seemed to work great for me since. Most are around 100 yards and have been good so far.
That being said I tend to keep those for farther shot and have some accubonds for shorter. Need to load some hammers for it. It's git a 28" tube so it's not something I carry much

 

[J E Custom]

All bullets have a preferred velocity range for performance based on their design and use.

As hunters, we should know the Maximum and minimum velocity recommended by the manufacture. If we go beyond these recommendations, bullet performance suffers.

If you use a bullet like the ballistic tip for thin skin game at the top end of it's velocity design chances are that it will perform like it was designed. If you use the same bullet for thick skinned game at those same high end velocities the chances are far less you will get good results.

The same goes for heavy bonded or mono metal bullets in reverse.
the heavy designed bullets will do good at high velocities on heavy game but may fail to expand on thin skin game.

What is needed is to first pick a bullet of sufficient weight and design for the game, and then find the velocity range of that bullet and stay within that range by limiting the distance with the velocities you will have.

Bullets have a wide range of recommended velocities so in my opinion there is no preferred velocity because of the many different designs.
Most bullets are within the 1800 to 2800 ft/sec impact velocity range and do well if chosen for the right game. Bullets that are designed for high velocity Need that velocity to perform. So if your impact velocity is near the bottom of their range because of the cartridges inability to reach those velocities,they may not perform as well.

Impact velocity is the most important velocity. Muzzle velocity is important only if you are very close to the game or shooting very long distances.

J E CUSTOM

 

[BoomFlop]

I guess what I am looking for is what your perfect velocity is for the bullet you shoot.

For example, J E Custom's favorite .284 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip impact velocity is 2800.