Bullet Loss - As it enters an animal.

[Greyfox]

The most consistent expansion I have seen was with the traditional lead nosed Nosler Partitions. that ran around 50%. The rear end of the bullet behaves like solid. With the non-partition, lead core designs retained weight seem to be dependent on the bullet path through the animal.
Shown: was an angle, rear rib entry, front far rib landing, under the hide of a big bodied mule deer, DRT. A 142 JLK VLD from my 6.5x284, impact velocity about 2000FPS. Retained 61%. I have had performance with this bullet range from core separation to +60% as shown when retrieved. Pass through are generally 1" entrance, 2-3" exit. Regardless of the degree of expansion it's been a very consistent killer with good placement to 1700FPS impact velocity.

 

[lancetkenyon]

.300 RUM, 215 Hybrid, 432 yards, bull elk, entered top of crease uphill broadside, shattered vertebrae, bullet under offside skin.

 

[Greyfox]

While this may not be relevant for most LR shooters reading this thread, I thought it might be interesting. The is a .458, 480gr Woodleigh SP(handload from a necked down 470 case) shot from an old 500-450H&H Double express rifle at 2100FPS. Back in the early 90's I shot a big male Lion at 21 Yards. It was a frontal chest shot. The slug was retrieved from under the hind quarter hide. This lion absorbed the full 5000ft/FP of energy. The retrieved slug weighed 475gr, about 98% weight retention....diameter the size of a quarter. This was the second shot. The first, behind the shoulder, had full penetration, no bullet retrieval.

 

[trumperman]

By now you should know that you gonna get all kinda response based on this topic but IMHO, weight the before before and after the hunt is the only way to be sure, results will vary with different rifles and bullet.

 

[jrock]

I've recovered several .243 Hornady 100 grain SPBT interlocks with 50% retention. Shots under 200 yards on deer.

 

[Pdvdh]

While this may not be relevant for most LR shooters reading this thread, I thought it might be interesting. The is a .458, 480gr Woodleigh SP(handload from a necked down 470 case) shot from an old 500-450H&H Double express rifle at 2100FPS. Back in the early 90's I shot a big male Lion at 21 Yards. It was a frontal chest shot. The slug was retrieved from under the hind quarter hide. This lion absorbed the full 5000ft/FP of energy. The retrieved slug weighed 475gr, about 98% weight retention....diameter the size of a quarter. This was the second shot. The first, behind the shoulder, had full penetration, no bullet retrieval.
View attachment 89947

Woodleigh fits the alphabet rule of thumb to a tee. Was thinking of it with prior post. Nice pic & performance.

 

[memtb]

I recently had a friend come into my store who retrieved a bullet from an animal he had killed in Spain, in early January. He seemed a little excited to see what the actual bullet weighed. Either of us even knowing what to expect. He was shooting a 175 grain Accubond LR from a 28 Nosler 360 yards at an Ibex, the recovered bullet weight was 77.9 grains. We know that all bullets are made a little different. Just wondering how much weight is lost when a bullet impacts an animal? Has anyone ever retrieved a bullet? what are your findings? what is the industry standard?



I am new to these types of threads so I hope you haven't already created this topic, Thanks.

I'm pretty disappointed if I recover a bullet....I like exit wounds. The last bullet ( early production Barnes X) I recovered weighed 95% of original weight. This was recovered after going full-length ( a total of 3 hide penetrations, and shattering the pelvis)through a small bull elk. One petal had broken off....thus the reduced weight. Considering the distance it traveled through the animal, with the 3 hide ( usually offering the most resistance due to it's elasticity)penetrations...I was pretty pleased! This was my only elk shot lengthwise...All other's have been from the side or at an angle! memtb

 

[Pdvdh]

I'd show my VLD bullets after expansion, but there's nothing to show. It's either 1) tiny shards of powdered lead or 2) the bullet passes thru the game animal completely intact with no expansion (again nothing to show). The 2nd occurence leaves both the game animal and I looking around trying to figure out what just happened.

I know the game looking around for the explanation after full VLD penetration prefers the VLD.

 

[7stw]

With all the deer and game, I have killed with the Barnes, LRX, or TTSX, I hsve only recovered one. It is a textbook specimen, if I ever saw one. That was a 120TTSX, shot from a .280, at 3300. Deer was at 340 yards, facing me. Full frontal shot, ended in right hind quarter skin. Weight, 118 grains. DRT.
All others were pass throughs.