Best premium bullet

[Quaticman]

IMHO the Swift A-Frame is the best premium bullet made. I base my opinion on a 2009 plains game safari to Namibia where the 300 grain A-Frame from my .375 H & H performed flawlessly on 100 lb. Springbok up to 900 lb. Zebra and everything in between.

 

[CoElkHunter]

It’s just me, but I personally don’t have (don’t want to spend) discretionary funds to shoot “premium” bullets for practice? If you shoot a given weight practice (cheaper) bullet with the same powder charge and weight as your hunting bullet, they’re going to print pretty close on paper. Obviously, you would want to shoot a number of your hunting rounds to verify this. My two centavos.

 

[1dirthawker]

oh boy,

i debated with myself on even posting on this subject. mostly, we as hunters know what we like and everyone else is wrong!

that said, i think the swift A frame is right up there, but my personal favorite is the north fork bullet which is virtually indestructible AND opens up nicely even at lower velocity. i think the best solid is likely the woodleigh hydro solid followed closely by a couple of other mono metal solids with flat meplats.

 

[Jeffrey]

A Frame

 

[BRICKBURN]

What's the best beer?

 

[Ray B]

I'm not saying that the Swift A-Frame is not deserving of inclusion as a super-premium bullet- it's just that the retrieved bullets that I've seen (whether fired into a test medium or a large animal) showed a swelling of the portion behind the partition that looked close to rupturing. Now I've never seen one that did rupture- it's just that looking at the belled out shank causes me to wonder if anyone has ever had one rupture. If anyone has, I would appreciate hearing what the circumstances were.

 

[CoElkHunter]

What's the best beer?

FREE!

 

[BeeMaa]

What's the best beer?

The one in your hand.

 

[BeeMaa]

I'm not saying that the Swift A-Frame is not deserving of inclusion as a super-premium bullet- it's just that the retrieved bullets that I've seen (whether fired into a test medium or a large animal) showed a swelling of the portion behind the partition that looked close to rupturing. Now I've never seen one that did rupture- it's just that looking at the belled out shank causes me to wonder if anyone has ever had one rupture. If anyone has, I would appreciate hearing what the circumstances were.

They are designed to do this at the higher velocities.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

What's the best beer?

Cold

 

[Neale]

i think the swift A frame is right up there, but my personal favorite is the north fork bullet which is virtually indestructible AND opens up nicely even at lower velocity. i think the best solid is likely the woodleigh hydro solid followed closely by a couple of other mono metal solids with flat meplats.

@1dirthawker is right on the money with these picks. I would also add Rhino solid shank from recent experience.

 

[fourfive8]

I'm not saying that the Swift A-Frame is not deserving of inclusion as a super-premium bullet- it's just that the retrieved bullets that I've seen (whether fired into a test medium or a large animal) showed a swelling of the portion behind the partition that looked close to rupturing. Now I've never seen one that did rupture- it's just that looking at the belled out shank causes me to wonder if anyone has ever had one rupture. If anyone has, I would appreciate hearing what the circumstances were.

That does seem to be the trademark of that design. I have never seen nor heard of a rupture of the rear compartment on an A Frame either. I've also shot, recovered and inspected a lot of N Partitions that are built similarly but have never seen that bulge. Once in a blue moon a NP will hit something odd or with such force that it will shuck the lead core out of the rear compartment. I have always thought that whatever the reason is for the swell in the rear compartment of the AFs, it does, intended design or not, serve a positive purpose in that it probably helps lock in the core and prevent it from separating from that part of the jacket.

 

[Jeffrey]

Free, Cold, Full

 

[Captain Nwz]

Elk is similar in size to our Bangladesh Sambar Deer. I have had good results for the last thirty years with 250 grain Remington Core Lokt soft nose bullets for my .338 Winchester Magnum . For handloading , l prefer 250 grain Woodleigh soft nose bullets . Woodleigh also makes a 300 grain bullet , but unfortunately l do not have any on hand yet . I plan to purchase some from the States the next time l visit .

 

[Forrest Halley]

Hornady DGS...

I'm building a double rifle in .375 Ruger on the left barrel and 9.3x74 on the right so I can have two second bests forever joined...just kidding.

Free and Cold Beer is the best.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Elk is similar in size to our Bangladesh Sambar Deer. I have had good results for the last thirty years with 250 grain Remington Core Lokt soft nose bullets for my .338 Winchester Magnum . For handloading , l prefer 250 grain Woodleigh soft nose bullets . Woodleigh also makes a 300 grain bullet , but unfortunately l do not have any on hand yet . I plan to purchase some from the States the next time l visit .

If you want to go heavier than 250 you may want to look at the 275grain swift A frame

 

[Ray B]

Elk is similar in size to our Bangladesh Sambar Deer. I have had good results for the last thirty years with 250 grain Remington Core Lokt soft nose bullets for my .338 Winchester Magnum . For handloading , l prefer 250 grain Woodleigh soft nose bullets . Woodleigh also makes a 300 grain bullet , but unfortunately l do not have any on hand yet . I plan to purchase some from the States the next time l visit .

Several years ago a neighbor of my parents would take an annual moose hunting trip to Northern Alberta. His wife was a tribal member so access to game was not an issue. His preference was the 338 Win Mag with 300 grain Power Point bullets. They were very effective within the range limitations.

 

[Major Khan]

Elk is identical to our Bangladeshi sambhur deer in size , so my favorite premium bullet for them based on personal experience , would have to be Winchester Silvertip soft point bullets ( if they were still being manufactured ) . My clients from America used to LOVE Winchester Silvertip ammunition for sambhur deer and other soft skinned game , like Neelgai , cheetal deer , panthers and royal Bengal tigers .
If you were not a Winchester man , then the Core Lokt soft point bullets from Remington were just the sort of thing for you.
For thick skinned game , the heavily steel jacketed metal covered solid bullets from the American company , Hornady were considered to be the best. However , this was all 50 years ago . Modern ammunition choices have made these bullets obsolete.
I have read glowing reports about the Swift A frames now as being THE BULLET for soft skinned game in modern times. Among bullets for thick skinned game like elephants , the solid brass monolithic bullets have completely pushed the old metal covered lead core bullets of my time out of the picture. Recently , l saw a friend bring some Barnes Banded Solids in the calibre : 9.3 × 62 Mauser and l was really impressed by their construction.

 

[Captain Nwz]

If you want to go heavier than 250 you may want to look at the 275grain swift A frame

Wyatt Smith , thank you for suggesting Swift A frames . I have just done a Google search for " Swift A frames " and the reviews look exceptional !

 

[Captain Nwz]

Several years ago a neighbor of my parents would take an annual moose hunting trip to Northern Alberta. His wife was a tribal member so access to game was not an issue. His preference was the 338 Win Mag with 300 grain Power Point bullets. They were very effective within the range limitations.

Ray B , thank you for bringing the Winchester Power Point bullet to my attention . Are these 300 grain bullets still in production ? The .338 Winchester Magnum is my favorite rifle calibre of all time.