Same Ft/Lbs at 500 yards, is heavier grain bullet more effective?

[steffen707]

Lets say you have 2 different bullets that each have 1500 ft/lbs of energy at 500 yards, but one is a 145gr and the other is a 165gr bullet both are .277 caliber I think in this instance the 145gr bullet is traveling like 150-200fps faster than the 165gr bullet.

Which will be more likely to kill an elk?

Lets take out recoil, wind drift. Just assume both bullets make contact on the animal in the same spot.

 

[Send it 284]

This sounds like a bated thread to me, you're going to have a bunch of guys chime in about making spectacular elk kills with 6mms..
What you get with a heavier bullet is more mass, and with similar construction more penetration and larger wound channel.
You'll appreciate the heavier bullets advantage if the shot is in the shoulder

 

[steffen707]

This sounds like a bated thread to me, you're going to have a bunch of guys chime in about making spectacular elk kills with 6mms..
What you get with a heavier bullet is more mass, and with similar construction more penetration and larger wound channel.
You'll appreciate the heavier bullets advantage if the shot is in the shoulder

that's kinda what i was thinking, but wanted to see if there was more of a consensus.

I'm not looking to take an elk with a 6mm or 6.5mm, but i'm thinking if O'connor would do it with a normal 270, a 270wsm, .277 FURY or 6.8 Western may be the answer for me. I was originally thinking 30-06, tons of choices in ammo and under 250-300 yards it's great, but for 300-500 yards it starts being affected by wind a lot more.

This is also going to be my white-tail, pronghorn, ect. rifle. I'm thinking I wouldn't be shooting more than 300yards on elk, but more so with deer, but I really don't know. What a rabbit hole.

 

[GrayCreed]

Lets say you have 2 different bullets that each have 1500 ft/lbs of energy at 500 yards, but one is a 145gr and the other is a 165gr bullet both are .277 caliber I think in this instance the 145gr bullet is traveling like 150-200fps faster than the 165gr bullet.

Which will be more likely to kill an elk?

Lets take out recoil, wind drift. Just assume both bullets make contact on the animal in the same spot.

The solid coper bullet going faster will kill the Elk deader than the hpbt or fmj that is heavier

 

[Wolf76]

too many variables.
if it's a cup n core bullet and they are the same construction, the heavier one with keep it's momentum better at distance. But thin skinned animals aren't hard to penetrate. Also, if it's a berger, go heavier.
if it's a mono, then speed is your friend.. go lighter.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

The only real difference here is sectional density.
The heavier bullet will likely penetrate deeper.

"likelihood of killing" is gonna involve way more variables and speculation.

 

[longestrange]

The answer is fairly simple. If you buy a fast twist rate barrel, you can shoot high BC VLD bullets. Lighter, shorter bullets will be somewhat overstabilized. If you buy a slow twist rate barrel, lighter, shorter bullets will be nice and stable, but you won't be able to shoot high BC VLD bullets at all. That rules out antelope. So getting a fast twist bbl will give you the versatility to play with elk bullets while still being able to shoot antelope.

 

[ButterBean]

If it's a solid copper bullet the 145 will hit harder

 

[WildBillG]

All who said the 165 will penetrate better are right due to its increased mass. If we move this to 600yds the 145 will now be lagging behind in energy and maybe even speed. I should say that is if both bullets are VLD style bullets.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Lets say you have 2 different bullets that each have 1500 ft/lbs of energy at 500 yards, but one is a 145gr and the other is a 165gr bullet both are .277 caliber I think in this instance the 145gr bullet is traveling like 150-200fps faster than the 165gr bullet.

Which will be more likely to kill an elk?

Lets take out recoil, wind drift. Just assume both bullets make contact on the animal in the same spot.

Can't just take out wind or environmental conditions in your scenario. That being said, the heavier, equal BC bullet wins. It wins on contact with the shot. It wins with wind but loses with drop. That loss isn't really a loss, only a click or two on the elevation turret. Always take the heavier bullet option on heavy game particularly when all else is equal.

 

[steffen707]

Can't just take out wind or environmental conditions in your scenario. That being said, the heavier, equal BC bullet wins. It wins on contact with the shot. It wins with wind but loses with drop. That loss isn't really a loss, only a click or two on the elevation turret. Always take the heavier bullet option on heavy game particularly when all else is equal.

i think you missed this part, "Just assume both bullets make contact on the animal in the same spot." which would take out wind, environmental.

 

[VLD Pilot]

i think you missed this part, "Just assume both bullets make contact on the animal in the same spot." which would take out wind, environmental.

Heavier is always better on a big hoved animal whether wind is in the formula or not. I was considering environmental conditions only to say that the heavier bullet being equal in BC WILL defeat the wind better than the lighter bullet. I know theory doesn't prove that but real world shooting does. Unless it's a scope elevation issue or lack of, I'd chose the heavy bullet. Good luck. John

 

[steffen707]

Heavier is always better on a big hoved animal whether wind is in the formula or not. I was considering environmental conditions only to say that the heavier bullet being equal in BC WILL defeat the wind better than the lighter bullet. I know theory doesn't prove that but real world shooting does. Unless it's a scope elevation issue or lack of, I'd chose the heavy bullet. Good luck. John

Okay, i guess I missed YOUR point, but now I get it.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Okay, i guess I missed YOUR point, but now I get it.

Often times hunters chose the lighter bullet in a 6.5 vs 7mm or 30 caliber due to excellent BC and lighter in weight offering less dialing needed at long range. It's kind of what I did deciding on an antelope rifle. I choose the .25-284 vs the 6.5-284. The 115-131 grain bullets are lighter and the ballistics are much better than the 120- 143 class+ in the 6.5 bullets. More so the velocities than energies. Windage in the 10 grain difference won't be huge. The .257 will offer more than enough energy so I wanted less drop and dialing so chose the 25-284 over it's 6.5 bigger brother. Preference really but that was my reasoning behind it.