Recovered Bullet Photo Gallery

[Deleted member 107796]

Hey All,
I though I'd start a thread where we can show images of recovered bullets. I hear a lot about failed bullets and why folks thought they failed. I figure here would be a collection of bullets that show the nature of their expansion and other characteristics, for bullets that mostly did not fail. An example of this is the stories of monos not expanding.... something I have never experienced yet on standard to magnum rounds.

Hornady 130gn GMX / Taken from a pronghorn shot with a 270win at about 225-250 yards with muzzle velocity about 3000fps, quartering away thru vitals. Almost all weight retained and 2x expansion:

Nosler Partition 150gn / Taken from my first elk shot from quartering, bedding cow, thru the chest with a 270win at about 150 yards. This bullet blew thru her heart and crossed the chest where the bullet was recovered on the far hide. As usual, the nose disintegrates and the rear is left intact, almost 2x expansion. Note the peelback is quite different from the mono:

 

[LVJ76]

I have not recovered a bullet in who knows how long.

This is a 160gr Nosler Partition from a 7mm SAUM, recovered from a coues shot at around 300 yds by my brother

 

[MagnumManiac]

Wish I could add, I have so many recovered bullets from 22 through 505. Every pic I have ever tried here has failed, lol.

Can't wait to see all the pics.

Cheers.

 

[LVJ76]

Wish I could add, I have so many recovered bullets from 22 through 505. Every pic I have ever tried here has failed, lol.

Can't wait to see all the pics.

Cheers.

I find it easier to load through my phone

 

[Plinker147]

Left is 129 LRAB out of 6.5-06 3000fps cow elk 125 yards

Right is 115 ballistic tip 25-06 3080fps cow elk 80 yards.

Same bullets both pictures

 

[lancetkenyon]

.308 215 Hyb, 3100MV, 432 yards, bull elk, recovered under off side hide, 88.4gr






.308 175 SMK, 3300mv, 160ish yds, bull elk, recovered under off side hide



6mm 105 Hyb, 3101mv, 445 yds, pronghorn, recovered under off side skin, 51.9gr

 

[Lab rat]

1) 130 partitions 270 win.mule deer 60yds
2) 129 sst 260 Remington 100 yds blacktail deer
3)129 sst 260 Remington 138yds blacktail deer
4) 129 sst 260 Remington 210 yds blacktail deer

 

[Plinker147]

2 more LRAB 129 close range shots can't what critter, think it was a bear

 

[Greyfox]

My favorite 6.5 hunting bullet, a 142gr JLK VLD from my 6.5x284 at 2975MV. Recovered from a mule deer a bit over 500 yards. He was angled facing away with entry behind the rib cage ending under the hide in the front chest. 62% retained weight. The DRT. I have taken a few dozen mule deer, white tail, and antelope with this bullet. Generally they penetrate fully, most game DRT, a handful dead within 25 yards.

Thought this would be an interesting one. Shot a lion in Botswana about 30 years ago.
480gr Woodleigh SP from my 450 H&H Nitro Express at 2150MV. Entered the front chest and recovered under the hide of the hind quarter. Distance 21 yards. 95% retained weight. This was the 2nd shot, the first, behind the shoulder broadside, was full penetration. While the first shot would have been fatal, he turned facing me for the second shot which put him down instantly.

 

[codyadams]

Got a couple

First is a .264 cal 140 VLD recovered hanging in a 1" exit hole on a bull elk shot at 713 yards with my .260 AI. This is the only one I have ever recovered, with around 30ish animals taken with them.

This next one was a .30 cal 200 grain ELD-X that was recovered under the off side hide of this bull, shot at just over 500. Muzzle velocity was 3000 fps.

Here is a .284 180 VLD, muzzle velocity 3060 fps, recovered from an elk after it turned at the shot around 550, entering the point of shoulder, going through vitals, ponch, hind quarter, and stopping just under the hide in the off side rear quarter.

And my least favorite and least consistent, for me. Here is a 147 ELD-M recovered from under the off side hide of a bull elk shot at 813 yards. When these bullets work, they seem to perform decent. But other times, I had them just poke through and do very little damage. This one performed well, dispatching the bull quickly.

 

[Rick Richard]

180 grain Berger Hybrid shot from 7LRM on bull elk at 650ish yards (bull in avatar). Bullet was recovered from under the hide on opposite side.

 

[Ingwe]

Zebra at 180 yards. 7mm Rem Mag-175gr ABLR at 2815fps-broadside shot that broke shoulder, penetrated both lungs, under skin on off side.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

162 eld-m fired at 3146 fps from my 7mm mag. Whitetail buck @ 80ish yards. Retained weight 62 grains

I have other pics of bullets somewhere I just have to dig them up

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Here's one from another whitetail buck. 140 eld-m My personal favorite hunting bullet and I believe the only one I've ever recovered. Mature whitetail buck shot from a 6.5 creed. Direct shoulder shot at 50 yards. Went less than 30 yards.