3 Different Cartridges, Same Weight & Velocity Terminal Performance

[Zen Archery]

Looking for .med, .edu, and/or .pdf resources that discuss terminal performance running the same bullet weight and velocity but in different cartridges. For example: the thought exercise was a 130 grain bullet at 3000 FPS in .264, .284, and .308. Tried using the Google and Chat GPT4.5. The terms I am using are too broad of a search for both engines.
Only interested in terminal performance differences.

 

[PopNFresh]

look for something on sectional density in terminal performance, big holes or deep holes kind of argument maybe

 

[Hand Skills]

I think this is a hard question to answer because there is so much variability in bullet construction.

Take for instance;
-FMJ,
-Bonded bullet that retains 99% of its weight (interbond or A-Frame)
-mono that retains 100% of its weight (Barnes)
-mono that retains 60% of its weight (CEB)
-Varmint bullet that totally fragments

Bullet construction varies a lot, and my opinion is that the wound channel depends more on BULLET PERFORMANCE (what the bullet actually does when the metal hits the meat) vs the size of the hole it came out of (caliber).

To say it another way, without isolating a 'type' of bullet, the signal will get lost in the noise.

This is the most comprehensive study that I am aware of on 'expanding bullets'

Terminal Ballistics: Main Page

 

[Doom2]

Looking for .med, .edu, and/or .pdf resources that discuss terminal performance running the same bullet weight and velocity but in different cartridges. For example: the thought exercise was a 130 grain bullet at 3000 FPS in .264, .284, and .308. Tried using the Google and Chat GPT4.5. The terms I am using are too broad of a search for both engines.
Only interested in terminal performance differences.

Since your interest is in terminal ballistics from different calibers your choice of muzzle velocity is the wrong variable of interest. Terminal velocities will vary at any fix range. So what is your interest. Terminal ballistics at a specific terminal velocity or terminal performance at a specific range?

EDIT: It also will matter what the target is.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Sectional Density wins every time, even if velocity is lower.
There is a real thing with bullets that many do not discuss or consider, regardless of weight, if a bullets diameter increases, penetration, generally, is less. Also, construction is a direct contributor to this, bonded bullets will outperform cup & core bullets for penetration. Solid copper bullets will outperform both of the others depending on weight and design.
In DG terms, large calibres of 50 cal and above, using soft points, suffer the parachute effect, which causes lower penetration due to size of the expanded area. Woodleigh bullets addressed this by introducing the Protected Point, this bullet does not expand as large as it's Round Nose counterpart and penetrates further.

Cheers.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

It would seem to me that the terminal performance differences will vary depending on the impact distance.

 

[Vern396]

It's not scientific, but I did see a YouTube video that showed empirical proof of the concept. A guy was comparing the 270 Winchester to the 30-06 using hunting ammunition by the same manufacturer. Though loaded with the same weight bullets, to nearly identical velocities, the 270 would punch through a steel plate, but 30-06 would not. When looking at the sectional density, the sectional density of a 270 bullet exceeds that of a 30 caliber bullet of the same weight. An Army engineer studied the effects of sectional density in artillery long ago. Perhaps sectional density played a role in the Army's selection of the 270 Furry cartridge. The Furry is purportedly to be loaded with a 135 gr otm at a velocity in the neighborhood of 3000 fps. Essentially, it has the ballistics of a 270 Winchester in a short action cartridge.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

The smaller caliber with same weight is almost always going to have a higher BC (still bullet dependent and a lot of variables in bullets) so even if you drive them at the same velocity the smaller caliber will perform better at distance. It will also have higher sectional density.

You don't need a PDF document to realize this, it's pretty simple but feel free to copy and paste it into a document and read it again.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The smaller caliber with same weight is almost always going to have a higher BC (still bullet dependent and a lot of variables in bullets) so even if you drive them at the same velocity the smaller caliber will perform better at distance. It will also have higher sectional density.

You don't need a PDF document to realize this, it's pretty simple but feel free to copy and paste it into a document and read it again.

Are you totally discounting the terminal benefit of a larger frontal mass of the larger diameter bullet?

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Are you totally discounting the terminal benefit of a larger frontal mass of the larger diameter bullet?

The larger frontal mass that makes the bullet lose velocity and energy faster and drop fast and be effected by the wind more? LOL

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The larger frontal mass that makes the bullet lose velocity and energy faster and drop fast and be effected by the wind more? LOL

The original poster asked about "Terminal Performance" not aerodynamics.

 

[Ua26fitter]

@fordy
This is right up your neck of the woods discussion.

Kris

 

[Dmagna]

The original poster asked about "Terminal Performance" not aerodynamics.

Terminal performance will be effected. A 130 gr 6.5 mm bullet or even a 25 cal bullet will have a higher sectional density and BC than a 130 gr 30 cal bullet.

 

[26Reload]

"Only interested in terminal performance differences"....

All subjective....mainly to which bullets are being used....but also distance of shot...
Terminal ballistics..well.. a 130gr bullet from a .264 should out distance a bullet of same weight from a .284 & .308....just by wind resistance....a slightly smaller .284 shouldnt drop as much as a .308 at longer distances....
But overall..I'd believe the .264 is going to be better terminally at longer distances
...being each to start at the same velocity..at same poa starting distance...with same structured bullets...

But as much as you shoot....and kill piggies.....you should know this....