Bullet Dissections- what I’ve done and what I haven’t, so far.

Petey308

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
1,312
Location
Missouri
As many of you likely know, bullet construction and terminal ballistics is a bit of a fascinating subject to me, and I'd consider it a passion. Several years ago, I started doing my own research on this stuff, and did a few bullet dissections and recorded the construction and composition of them, to include jacket thicknesses.

I've since started discussing these things a lot more in forums like this and other places. It's gotten a lot of interest and I've slowly had more interest in doing more bullets, which I've always wanted to do anyways but didn't have the resources to justify it. Due to all that, I've had an overwhelming amount of support and generosity with many people sending me a few samples they have of many different bullets. It's been pretty amazing.

Well, fast forward to now… after posting several threads of different bullets and topics regarding them, it was requested that I make a separate thread for all the bullets I've so far dissected, and also a list of bullets I haven't done, nor have any on hand anymore/yet.

I've started a new standard of how I do these too, with using 3 samples for cup and core varieties, and 2 for monolithic varieties. I have one unaltered, then one halved to show the core and/or cavities, and then one with just the halved jacket.

Here are a couple examples:

2B02D8E6-61E7-4CE1-8295-9F09726336C8.jpeg
D64C4A4C-33DE-446F-9D89-1DCEFD053C78.jpeg


So here are those lists:

Bullets sectioned so far to new standard:

Nosler:
  • .284"/7mm 160gr Nosler BT
Hornady:
  • .308" 200gr Hornady ELDX
  • .308" 208gr Hornady ELDM
  • .308" 178gr Hornady AMAX
  • .338" 300gr Hornady A-tip
  • .308" 230gr Hornady A-tip
  • .284"/7mm 190gr Hornady A-tip
  • .257" 75gr Hornady VMAX
Sierra:
  • .308" 168gr Sierra SMK
  • .308" 195gr TMK
  • .284"/7mm 160gr TMK
  • .284"/7mm 165gr TGK
  • .257" 90gr Sierra BlitzKing
  • .257" 90gr Sierra Hollow Point Game king
  • .224" 77gr SMK
Berger:
  • .308" 215gr Berger Hybrid
ALCO:
  • .308" 180gr ALCO Rebated Boat Tail Aluminum Tip (RBAT)
  • .308" 175gr ALCO Rebated Boat Tail Steel Tip (RBST)
Badlands Precision:
  • .264"/6.5mm Badlands SBD 1
  • .264"/6.5mm 125gr Badlands SBD 2
Hammer:
  • .308" 214gr Hammer Hunter
Patriot Valley Arms:
  • .308" 178gr Cayuga
GS Custom
  • .264"/6.5mm 110gr HV Hunters
Barnes:

  • .308" 200gr LRX
  • .264"/6.5mm MatchBurner
Dynamic Research Technologies:
  • .308" 200gr Terminal Shock
  • .308" 135gr Terminal Shock
Swift:
  • .257" 100gr Scirocco II

On hand, but yet to section:


Hornady:
  • .308" 180gr SST
  • .308" 165gr Interlock.
Berger:
  • .308" 210gr VLD Hunter
  • .308" 185gr Juggernaut Target
  • .308" 185gr Classic Hunter (hybrid)
  • .308" 155gr VLD Hunter
  • .284"/7mm 195gr EOL (Hybrid)
  • .284"/7mm 175gr EOL (Hybrid)
  • .264"/6.5mm 140gr VLD Hunter
  • .264"/6.5mm 156gr EOL (Hybrid)
  • .264"/6.5mm 130gr VLD Hunter
Sierra:
  • .308" 165gr TGK
  • .308" 150gr SMK
  • .308" 165gr HPGK
  • .308" 150gr SPGK.
Nosler:
  • .308" 180gr Accubond
  • .308" 180gr Combined Technologies
  • .308" 210gr RDF
  • .264"/6.5mm 130gr Accubond
  • .277" 140gr Accubond
  • .277" 130gr Ballistic Tip
  • .277" 1??gr Partition
  • .284"/7mm 160gr Partition
Speer:
  • .308" 150gr SBT.
  • .264"/6.5mm 120gr Gold Dot

BULLETS NOT ON HAND, THAT I'D LIKE TO DISSECT:

Lapua:
  • Scenar
  • Scenar-L
  • DTAC
  • Mega
Nosler:
  • LRAB/ABLR
  • Custom Competition
  • E-tip
  • Varmageddon
Swift:
  • A-Frame
Hornady:
  • Interbond
  • CX
  • GMX
  • Sub-X
  • Flex-tip (FTX)
  • Match BTHP
  • Mono-flex
  • .338" 285gr ELDM
Barnes:
  • TTSX
  • TSX
  • MPG
  • TAC-TX
LeHigh Defense:
  • Controlled Chaos
  • Controlled Fracturing
Sierra:
  • New secant ogive SMK
  • ProHunter
Speer:
  • Hot-Cor
  • Impact
Federal:
  • Fusion
  • Terminal Ascent
  • Premium Trophy Bonded
Cutting Edge:
  • MTH
  • MTAC
  • Raptor
  • Max-imus
  • Lazer
Hammer:
  • Absolute Hammer
  • Power Hammer
  • Shock Hammer
  • DeadBlow Hammer
Norma:
  • EvoStrike
  • EcoStrike
  • Oryx
  • Alaska
  • Vulkan
  • GTX
  • Diamond Line
Maker:
  • RAX
  • REX
  • TREX
*If I'm missing some, it's not on purpose, and I'd be down for anything not on this list.


To see some of my previous posts on this stuff, look here:

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/eldm-vs-eldx-construction-wise.312650/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/norma-bondstrike-tipstrike-and-j-a-abram-bullets.312663/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/sierra-tmk-vs-tgk-gamechanger.312653/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/bullet-construction.283735/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/berger-hybrid-vs-berger-vld.283905/

I thank you all for your continued support and generosity with this project. It's been overwhelming. I will continue to post results to the forum to continue adding to the knowledge base. Hopefully you find it as useful as I do.

Thanks,

Aaron.
 
Last edited:
Lol, I ordered 100 of them to try out in a 7mm. I read somewhere that they were made to tumble and that's how they do their damage. That hollow point kinda makes me think that's true
Hadn't heard the claim on tumbling yet. I'm personally not a fan of tumbling, as it's very unpredictable and unreliable as far as bullet path and overall wound channel size and amount of damage. Consistency and reliability are key.
 
As many of you likely know, bullet construction and terminal ballistics is a bit of a fascinating subject to me, and I'd consider it a passion. Several years ago, I started doing my own research on this stuff, and did a few bullet dissections and recorded the construction and composition of them, to include jacket thicknesses.

I've since started discussing these things a lot more in forums like this and other places. It's gotten a lot of interest and I've slowly had more interest in doing more bullets, which I've always wanted to do anyways but didn't have the resources to justify it. Due to all that, I've had an overwhelming amount of support and generosity with many people sending me a few samples they have of many different bullets. It's been pretty amazing.

Well, fast forward to now… after posting several threads of different bullets and topics regarding them, it was requested that I make a separate thread for all the bullets I've so far dissected, and also a list of bullets I haven't done, nor have any on hand anymore/yet.

I've started a new standard of how I do these too, with using 3 samples for cup and core varieties, and 2 for monolithic varieties. I have one unaltered, then one halved to show the core and/or cavities, and then one with just the halved jacket.

Here are a couple examples:

View attachment 402169View attachment 402170

So here are those lists:

Bullets sectioned so far to new standard:

Nosler:
  • .284/7mm 160gr Nosler BT
Hornady:
  • .308" 200gr Hornady ELDX
  • .308" 208gr Hornady ELDM
  • .308" 178gr Hornady AMAX
  • .338" 300gr Hornady A-tip
  • .308" 230gr Hornady A-tip
  • .284"/7mm 190gr Hornady A-tip
  • .257" 75gr Hornady VMAX
Sierra:
  • .308" 168gr Sierra SMK
  • .308" 195gr TMK
  • .284"/7mm 160gr TMK
  • .284"/7mm 165gr TGK
  • .257" 90gr Sierra BlitzKing
  • .275" 90gr Sierra Hollow Point Game king
  • .224" 77gr SMK
Berger:
  • .308" 215gr Berger Hybrid
ALCO:
  • .308" 180gr ALCO Rebated Boat Tail Aluminum Tip (RBAT)
  • .308" 175gr ALCO Rebated Boat Tail Steel Tip (RBST)
Badlands Precision:
  • .264"/6.5mm Badlands SBD 1
  • .264"/6.5mm 125gr Badlands SBD 2
Hammer:
  • .308" 214gr Hammer Hunter
Patriot Valley Arms:
  • .308" 178gr Patriot Valley Arms Cayuga
GS Custom
  • .264"/6.5mm 110gr GS Custom HV Hunters
Barnes:

  • .308" 200gr Barnes LRX
  • .265"/6.5mm Barnes MatchBurner
Dynamic Research Technologies:

  • .308" 200gr Dynamic Research Technologies Terminal Shock
  • .308" 135gr Dynamic Research Technologies Terminal Shock
Swift:
  • .257" 100gr Swift Scirocco II

On hand, but yet to section:


Hornady:
  • .308" 180 SST, 165 Interlock.
Berger:
  • .308" 210gr VLD Hunter
  • .308" 185gr Juggernaut Target
  • .308" 185gr Classic Hunter (hybrid)
  • .308" 155gr VLD Hunter
  • 7mm 195gr EOL (Hybrid)
  • 7mm 175gr EOL (Hybrid)
  • 6.5mm 140gr VLD Hunter
  • 6.5mm 156gr EOL (Hybrid)
  • 6.5mm 130gr VLD Hunter
Sierra:
  • .308" 165gr TGK
  • .308" 150gr SMK
  • .308" 165gr HPGK
  • .308" 150gr SPGK.
Nosler:
  • .308" 180gr Accubond
  • .308" 180gr Combined Technologies
  • .308" 210gr RDF
  • 6.5mm 130gr Accubond
  • .277" 140gr Accubond
  • .277" 130gr Ballistic Tip
  • .277" 1??gr Partition
  • 7mm 160gr Partition
Speer:
  • .308" 150gr SBT.
  • 6.5mm 120gr Gold Dot

BULLETS NOT ON HAND, THAT I'D LIKE TO DISSECT:

Lapua:
  • Scenar
  • Scenar-L
  • DTAC
  • Mega
Nosler:
  • LRAB/ABLR
  • Custom Competition
  • E-tip
  • Varmageddon
Swift:
  • A-Frame
Hornady:
  • Interbond
  • CX
  • GMX
  • Sub-X
  • Flex-tip (FTX)
  • BTHP
  • Mono-flex
Barnes:
  • TTSX
  • TSX
  • MPG
  • TAC-TX
LeHigh Defense:
  • Controlled Chaos
  • Controlled Fracturing
Sierra:
  • New secant SMK
  • ProHunter
Speer:
  • Hot-Cor
  • Impact
Federal:
  • Fusion
  • Terminal Ascent
  • Premium Trophy Bonded
Cutting Edge:
  • MTH
  • MTAC
  • Raptor
  • Max-imus
  • Lazer
Hammer:
  • Absolute Hammer
  • Power Hammer
  • Shock Hammer
  • DeadBlow
Norma:
  • EvoStrike
  • EcoStrike
  • Oryx
  • Alaska
  • Vulkan
  • GTX
  • Diamond Line
Maker:
  • RAX
  • REX
  • TREX
*If I'm missing some, it's not on purpose, and I'd be down for anything not on this list.


To see some of my previous posts on this stuff, look here:

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/eldm-vs-eldx-construction-wise.312650/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/norma-bondstrike-tipstrike-and-j-a-abram-bullets.312663/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/sierra-tmk-vs-tgk-gamechanger.312653/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/bullet-construction.283735/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/berger-hybrid-vs-berger-vld.283905/

I thank you all for your continued support and generosity with this project. It's been overwhelming. I will continue to post results to the forum to continue adding to the knowledge base. Hopefully you find it as useful as I do.

Thanks,

Aaron.
I have some Speer hot cor and Hornady interbond that I would donate for dissection. PM me if interested.
 
I have some varmageddons Barnes tsx and ttsx and possibly a flex tip too I can send you. Pm me if interested.
 
I'm on the road, but I think I have some 7mm ABLR at the house if you're okay with a .284 donation. PM the address.
 
I have all of the Nosler bullets you need, plus some of the Barnes. The e-tip and varmegeddon are .224, the rest would be .284, I also have some .323 AccuBonds but I don't think I want to give those up.

I have 150 and 175gr ABLRs in the 284 variety and 140gr AB. 145 TTSX LR.
 
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