Least fussy mono-metal bullet?

[Wedgy]

Barnes need to hit something with resistance to reach full potential in my experience.

That is one of the reasons I don't shoot the harder monos, I shoot heart and lungs, not bone.

 

[Equalizer]

That is one of the reasons I don't shoot the harder monos, I shoot heart and lungs, not bone.

I used to take the "meat saver shot" myself. but after seeing the difference between a mono lung shot vs a mono shoulder shot there's no comparison. The instantaneous death and zero tracking far outweigh the meat loss. I mean i shoot corn fed Indiana deer but the meat on the front shoulder isn't much to begin with. After seeing so many hunters lose deer or complain about a cartridge or bullet failing them what's a couple pounds of meat for a bang flop? Would you trade 2 pounds of front shoulder for total incapacitation?

 

[ButterBean]

I used to take the "meat saver shot" myself. but after seeing the difference between a mono lung shot vs a mono shoulder shot there's no comparison. The instantaneous death and zero tracking far outweigh the meat loss. I mean i shoot corn fed Indiana deer but the meat on the front shoulder isn't much to begin with. After seeing so many hunters lose deer or complain about a cartridge or bullet failing them what's a couple pounds of meat for a bang flop? Would you trade 2 pounds of front shoulder for total incapacitation?

That's one of the advantages of the Hammers, it makes no difference if you hit bone or not

 

[Wedgy]

I used to take the "meat saver shot" myself. but after seeing the difference between a mono lung shot vs a mono shoulder shot there's no comparison. The instantaneous death and zero tracking far outweigh the meat loss. I mean i shoot corn fed Indiana deer but the meat on the front shoulder isn't much to begin with. After seeing so many hunters lose deer or complain about a cartridge or bullet failing them what's a couple pounds of meat for a bang flop? Would you trade 2 pounds of front shoulder for total incapacitation?

We are kind of getting off topic with shot placement but it is the reason I shoot the softer monos like Hammer & Cutting Edge where the petals break off because I shoot for the heart & lungs. It's a big target, center mass, and lethal. Probably has the most room for error if I'm off on my wind call.

 

[IHFarmer07]

I used to take the "meat saver shot" myself. but after seeing the difference between a mono lung shot vs a mono shoulder shot there's no comparison. The instantaneous death and zero tracking far outweigh the meat loss. I mean i shoot corn fed Indiana deer but the meat on the front shoulder isn't much to begin with. After seeing so many hunters lose deer or complain about a cartridge or bullet failing them what's a couple pounds of meat for a bang flop? Would you trade 2 pounds of front shoulder for total incapacitation?

Exactly my thoughts!! Our saying is, we'll just shoot another deer, plenty of tags and deer destroying our crops.
At that point is it even worth the extra coin for monos?? Shoulder meat is all tendons and that silver slimy stuff anyway. Only when pore shot placements happen are when meat waste goes up a bunch. I found out the hard way this year about too hard of a bullet. Those badlands first gens through both shoulders didn't bleed out hardly at all, didn't even have to wash the bed of the SxS off, plenty damage inside but not near big enough exit on the outside, that shoulder should've had a substantially bigger hole for all that it hit.
The more I read the more I would like to try the hammers but I like the "ballistic tip" type more to initiate the expansion better and bc.

 

[Totoro]

Wow, thanks to all those that replied.

Lots of information for me to digest and process.

I've been shooting cup-cores for a long while and recently forced to shoot non-leads so now I need to figure out how to cook the pie and eat it too!

But at a glance, it sounds like the PVA Cayuga/Hammers/Badlands are the most "popular" for least fussy so far.

As an aside, just for clarification; the Cayuga are designed to tumble on soft tissue impact but how about bone?

I am not against "aim for bone bring it home" to worry about some meat loss but since these monos, for the most part, create two holes for hydraulic loss do they also kill via hydrostatic shock?

 

[codyadams]

As an aside, just for clarification; the Cayuga are designed to tumble on soft tissue impact but how about bone?

I am not against "aim for bone bring it home" to worry about some meat loss but since these monos, for the most part, create two holes for hydraulic loss do they also kill via hydrostatic shock?

As far as terminal performance for the cayuga, go to the link below. I linked the 4th page of this thread, this is where the first pictures of terminal performance begin. The thread kinda starts out like garbage.

Anyone using PVA Cayuga bullets?

How have you found the Cayuga projos relative to the Badlands Gen II for pressuring up? I run the 7mm 150 Badlands Gen 2's at 3,711 fps. Could I expect the Cayuga 151's come out about the same? From what I have found, the Cayuga's are more similar to a standard lead core bullet, I have actually...

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[Pdvdh]

We are kind of getting off topic with shot placement but it is the reason I shoot the softer monos like Hammer & Cutting Edge where the petals break off because I shoot for the heart & lungs. It's a big target, center mass, and lethal. Probably has the most room for error if I'm off on my wind call.

All correct, and it doesn't shread edible meat. When my season bag is one dall sheep, one Rocky Mt. goat, one caribou, I prefer to minimize meat damage and loss. In many scenarios, it makes no difference if the animal drops at the shot, or runs 100yds before pile driving into the ground.

If a guy's performing crop damage control on a herd of marauding deer at less than 300yds, that's another story. Can head shoot those animals with a grenade and no big deal.

 

[codyadams]

All correct, and it doesn't shread edible meat. When my season bag is one dall sheep, one Rocky Mt. goat, one caribou, I prefer to minimize meat damage and loss. In many scenarios, it makes no difference if the animal drops at the shot, or runs 100yds before pile driving into the ground.

If a guy's performing crop damage control on a herd of marauding deer at less than 300yds, that's another story. Can head shoot those animals with a grenade and no big deal.

I think range plays a lot into shot placement as well. Nothing wrong with "aiming for bone" on sub 300 yard shots. However when your taking an 800+ shot, your aiming center vitals, and want the most room for error. Having both the accuracy and precision to make a hit every time on a specific bone at that range in field conditions simply isn't practical, aim center vitals, and you have a fair chance of hitting bone. If you don't, the bullet still needs to perform.

But ya, at 300 yards or less, most of our guns shoot groups that will fit inside the bottom of a pop can or less, and wind isn't usually doing enough that it can't be easily accounted for, at those ranges I take full advantage of picking my shot to the enth degree if I'm down on a solid rest, and I usually save myself some work on the butcher table and try to aim behind the shoulder. Or put it through the neck.....

Then again, most of my closer shots like that are pronghorn. There are no trees, and if they run 150 yards, it doesn't matter, we are in open desert or big fields. I prefer to anchor elk, if I could pin point my shot every time, it would be through the heavy shoulder muscle, in the corner of the humorous and scapula on a broadside shot. Impacts hard, doesn't shard bone everywhere, and drains the pump house.

 

[FEENIX]

Wow, thanks to all those that replied.

Lots of information for me to digest and process.

I've been shooting cup-cores for a long while and recently forced to shoot non-leads so now I need to figure out how to cook the pie and eat it too!

But at a glance, it sounds like the PVA Cayuga/Hammers/Badlands are the most "popular" for least fussy so far.

As an aside, just for clarification; the Cayuga are designed to tumble on soft tissue impact but how about bone?

The goal (or at least it should be) is not to convince you what is the best bullet for your intended purpose but to present the facts/information for you to synthesize and formulate a sound decision.

I am not against "aim for bone bring it home" to worry about some meat loss but since these monos, for the most part, create two holes for hydraulic loss do they also kill via hydrostatic shock?

Having a bullet pass through or not (energy dump) is another issue that will post controversy.

 

[Equalizer]

Sorry to drift off topic and Cody was right I wasn't thinking about longer shots. Guess I should play around with some new projectiles and see what all the fuss is about

 

[Tiny Tim]

That's one of the advantages of the Hammers, it makes no difference if you hit bone or not

While I only have a half dozen kills so far with the 80 gr Hammer Hunter, the last was the "most difficult" tracking job. Deer was running full tilt and made it about 20 yards after impact. All soft tissue.

 

[FEENIX]

Sorry to drift off topic and Cody was right I wasn't thinking about longer shots. Guess I should play around with some new projectiles and see what all the fuss is about

Agreed! It is one of the primary reasons I followed @codyadams posts on Cayugas and Badlands is because of the 600Y+ tests and successes on game harvests. He is making my decision a lot easier. Choice, choices, choices ... GSC Customs, Cutting Edge, Hammer, Badlands, Cayuga, Peregrine, Maker, Lehigh Defense, Apex Outdoors (soon), etc., and major bullet manufacturers' monolithic bullet offerings.

 

[snox801]

I used to take the "meat saver shot" myself. but after seeing the difference between a mono lung shot vs a mono shoulder shot there's no comparison. The instantaneous death and zero tracking far outweigh the meat loss. I mean i shoot corn fed Indiana deer but the meat on the front shoulder isn't much to begin with. After seeing so many hunters lose deer or complain about a cartridge or bullet failing them what's a couple pounds of meat for a bang flop? Would you trade 2 pounds of front shoulder for total incapacitation?

Why is it a trade when you can shoot the meat saver shot with a hammer that doesn't need bone and have the best of both. Hence why I keep telling Barnes guys to give them a try. You get best of both worlds hit bone who cares don't who cares