Recently I posted about the fun I had hunting 6 cows at Africa Maximum Safaris in North West Province, South Africa and there were many great comments posted in response.
I should mention more about my experience with terminal performance of my .577NE on that hunt.
As mentioned I was using an excellent monolithic bullet, the Peregrine Bushmaster VRG3. It is a controlled expansion bullet that should be fired at a minimum of 2000 fps. MV. if proper expansion is expected.
I was testing them at a muzzle velocity of only 1,720 fps. at ranges of 45 yds to 80 yds. I fired 7 shots, 6 of them were broadside centre of the shoulder hits that all passed through completely with straight line penetration.
One that I hit twice was kinda interesting. When she was hit broadside in the centre of the shoulder with the first bullet she went straight down without taking a step. Then as we were walking up to her she got up again and just stood there, so I shot her again at about 20 yds. and she went down for good in exactly the same place.
Another cow was running toward us, when she stopped for a moment at 75-80 yards I shot her. My green dot sight was a bit blurry at the moment due to my astigmatism but I was lucky and the bullet went right where I hoped it would go, half way up the shoulder right beside the neck the bullet went straight through all the way to the root of her tail, she dropped instantly on the spot. That's a lot of straight line penetration!
That was the only bullet that I could recover. It showed no expansion or distortion. It had performed exactly like a perfect solid.
I learned three things about .585 bullet terminal performance on that hunt.
1. Peregrine Bushmaster bullets are excellent, tough bullets and as advertised they need at least 2,000 fps. MV. for good expansion.
2. Very deep straight line penetration can be expected from a well designed .585 solid bullet.
3. Calibre makes a difference.
I thought that comments based on actual experience about terminal performance of a .585 bullet would be fitting.
Brian
I should mention more about my experience with terminal performance of my .577NE on that hunt.
As mentioned I was using an excellent monolithic bullet, the Peregrine Bushmaster VRG3. It is a controlled expansion bullet that should be fired at a minimum of 2000 fps. MV. if proper expansion is expected.
I was testing them at a muzzle velocity of only 1,720 fps. at ranges of 45 yds to 80 yds. I fired 7 shots, 6 of them were broadside centre of the shoulder hits that all passed through completely with straight line penetration.
One that I hit twice was kinda interesting. When she was hit broadside in the centre of the shoulder with the first bullet she went straight down without taking a step. Then as we were walking up to her she got up again and just stood there, so I shot her again at about 20 yds. and she went down for good in exactly the same place.
Another cow was running toward us, when she stopped for a moment at 75-80 yards I shot her. My green dot sight was a bit blurry at the moment due to my astigmatism but I was lucky and the bullet went right where I hoped it would go, half way up the shoulder right beside the neck the bullet went straight through all the way to the root of her tail, she dropped instantly on the spot. That's a lot of straight line penetration!
That was the only bullet that I could recover. It showed no expansion or distortion. It had performed exactly like a perfect solid.
I learned three things about .585 bullet terminal performance on that hunt.
1. Peregrine Bushmaster bullets are excellent, tough bullets and as advertised they need at least 2,000 fps. MV. for good expansion.
2. Very deep straight line penetration can be expected from a well designed .585 solid bullet.
3. Calibre makes a difference.
I thought that comments based on actual experience about terminal performance of a .585 bullet would be fitting.
Brian
