Meat Damage/Destruction

[375rifleman]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if what I heard is correct or not, that a larger heavy projectile moving slower like say a 50 caliber (.510) 750gr Hornady Amax at 1900fps does less meat damage/destruction than a smaller lighter projectile moving faster like say a 22 caliber 58gr Federal Trophy Bonded at 3800fps ? Thanks in advance for any thoughts, opinions, or answers.

Regards,
375rifleman

 

[J E Custom]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if what I heard is correct or not, that a larger heavy projectile moving slower like say a 50 caliber (.510) 750gr Hornady Amax at 1900fps does less meat damage/destruction than a smaller lighter projectile moving faster like say a 22 caliber 58gr Federal Trophy Bonded at 3800fps ? Thanks in advance for any thoughts, opinions, or answers.

Regards,
375rifleman

High velocity bullets produce more shock that destroys tissue. It turns to a jell type consistency

Lower velocity bullets normally produce less shock But much more energy. also heavy bullets normally have much heavier jackets that don't fragment as easy.

I have shot deer with my 416 and you can eat the flesh around the bullet hole much like that of an arrow wound.

I never killed anything with my 50 BMG so I could not comment on it's performance on game.

J E CUSTOM

 

[memtb]

If you want to eat your game, a well placed, low to med velocity bullet with most any reasonable caliber, brings home more meat than a very high velocity bullet, of the same caliber with the same placement. You will throw away far less meat with a factory 45-70 with equal placement, than equal placement with a 22-250! memtb

 

[deerhunt01]

I'm of the opinion that a chambering having an upper end velocity combined with a lighter and/or more frangible projectile will tend to cause more damage than the same chambering having a standard velocity with a heavier and/or stouter constructed projectile. I've seen several combinations of light for caliber bullets loaded to higher velocities take down game animals like a lightning bolt. But those I've used and observed turned most everything near the bullet path into jelly when shot within a normal hunting range. Flip side, using standard velocity heavier for caliber projectiles, such as a 150gr-270win, 180gr-30-06, etc., I've experienced a tendency for clean kills with less waste.
It depends on where you hit them. If the bullet strikes where there is little editable meat, such as the rib cage on a heart- lung shot it won't destroy much editable meat, because there is very little editable meat in that location.
Yes, a hit in the hind quarters will destroy meat, whether from a .300 or a .270 or a 7mm Mag. Especially a 7mm Mag.
The lighter 30 cal bullets at 32-3400 fps were simply bombs for me. Different shot angles - didn't matter, the perceived increased killing power came at a cost...lost meat and though rib shots as somebody mentioned were not as bad the bloodshot was still severe.

 

[memtb]

As never having shot anything with a 50 BMG....can't say. I can with conviction attest to the fact....that with equal placement, at similar ranges, a 130 grain 270 Win. will create much more bloodshot meat than will a 375 H&H with a 270 or heavier bullet! memtb

 

[therifleman556]

Following. I've heard the 9.3mm is a good "meat bullet" and am debating having an 8x57 bored to it.

 

[dfanonymous]

JE pretty much hit it. The only caveat is that the bigger bore cartridge with double the weight of projectile then almost any "standard cartridge" will obviously have more momentum and will probably just pass through a deer without a massive exit. Until it doesn't. Since bullets are unpredictable. If it was to dump all it's energy tor act as a expanding projectile, I reckon some folks would consider the other side of the animal not to be much use.

 

[dfanonymous]

Like this

 

[memtb]

JE pretty much hit it. The only caveat is that the bigger bore cartridge with double the weight of projectile then almost any "standard cartridge" will obviously have more momentum and will probably just pass through a deer without a massive exit. Until it doesn't. Since bullets are unpredictable. If it was to dump all it's energy tor act as a expanding projectile, I reckon some folks would consider the other side of the animal not to be much use.

This is not meant as a personal attack....I just lack the formal education to articulate my response in a more pleasing vernacular! With today's technological advances with bullets, the better ones are not as "unpredictable" as those of our predecessors. If anyone considers "their" bullet unpredictable....they may need to look at a different bullet! memtb

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Bullet construction plays a huge role in what happens after impact at various velocities. As JE stated correctly, higher vel impacts will radiate shock out from the impact point. Lead bullets that come apart on impact radiate small particles with that shock causing much more meat loss.

 

[Texanjohn]

And don't forget that high speed bullets that fragment also leave a much wider path of lead for you to trim around.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Like this

What made that mess?

 

[dfanonymous]

What made that mess?

A .50 bmg. Ball. If you're on the hide, there's a whole thread on dudes who umm, hunted deer, with .50s with posted pics.

 

[dfanonymous]

This is not meant as a personal attack....I just lack the formal education to articulate my response in a more pleasing vernacular! With today's technological advances with bullets, the better ones are not as "unpredictable" as those of our predecessors. If anyone considers "their" bullet unpredictable....they may need to look at a different bullet! memtb

Well if bullets where so predictable I suppose 100% of self defense ammo would expand, penetrate and retain weight as designed. So the better predictable bullet is still kind of hokey.

The angle of deflection (bullet) would be perfect and when you aim at a windshield if would perfectly go straight into a medium 100% of time. I also suppose with their predictability people wouldnt have questions like what a .50 cal does to a mammal.

Why would a 7.62. X 39 go through my buddies shoulder, but exit his torso? What I mean is it's not a bullet thing based on tested results of what it "should do." It's when it does things that were never tested or you didnt think it could do.