Cutting Edge MTH Bullets for Leopard

[MMAL]

Heading to Namibia to hunt Leopard in May of this year. As we all know bullets are hard to get. I know leopard needs a "softer" bullet, so I have been getting my hands on some other bullets. What I have now are: Cutting Edge MTH, their softest bullet in that 3/4 pellets break off and more important the thermal shock is suppose to be great. Recognize I am not using the Raptor. It is on back order and I may or may not get it in time. Other loads I have for my Blaser R8 .300 Win Mag are as follows:

I have the 150gr CE MTH bullet with 79gr of H4831 going 3,019 FPS. .43 inch 3 shot group at 100 yards.
I have the 180 gr. accubond bullet with 71 gr of H4831 going 2,789 fps. .94 inch 3 shot group at 100 yards.
I have the 200 gr. Hornady ELX bullet with 69 gr of H4831 going 2,650 fps. .49 inch 3 shot group at 100 yards.
I can not get swift A-frames to group for shit. It might be that I love H4831. I have other powders but not really enough to work up a new load.

I want to take the MTH bullets for the leopard and the Hornady bullets for the bait (probably zebra) and all others.

So my question is, 1) I know cutting edge bullets get good reviews here, but I have not read anything about the MTH bullet, just the raptor. Does anyone have any actual experience they can share? 2) Thoughts on the other bullets I have?

As always, I really appreciate the advice and knowledge on this site. Thank in advance for your words of wisdom

 

[eloudamy]

I’m really glad to see this thread because I’ve been also looking for info on the same bullet in a 338-06. Here’s what little I found.
After a LOT of searching I found only a couple reviews from long range hunters. I can’t recall the details of caliber and such, but I do remember they were shooting elk at like 700 yards. (Let’s not get sidetracked on that discussion) and reporting good performance with these bullets. Although I don’t plan to shoot African game at long distances, think these are valuable reports because the impact velocity was low. The challenge with any solid is opening at low velocity, so these reports gave me confidence that they would indeed expand in my non-magnum 338 with maybe a 400-450 yard shot, if needed.
This isn’t first hand experience but I thought I’d at least share what I have discovered.

 

[autofire]

Try using tsx 150gr FN. They open up much easier and pass energy much faster to drop leopard. You should be able to find some online. Good luck.

 

[MMAL]

Try using tsx 150gr FN. They open up much easier and pass energy much faster to drop leopard. You should be able to find some online. Good luck.

Auto fire. I would respectfully disagree on the Barnes tax bullet. I like the bullet a lot but I consider it a harder/tougher bullet. It would not expand well on the light boned thin skinned leopard.

 

[TucsonFX4]

I’ve not shot a leopard not hunted in Africa, but based on my internet knowledge from this forum and other sites regarding ballistics, I feel like the Accubond or possibly Accubond long range may be good options based on your post. You’ll be shooting over bait, right? Not 300+ yards away. I’m not sure grouping is a critical ingredient for success with this, so a proven performer for leopard that doesn’t group 1/2 moa in your rifle may still be a good option. For the bait (zebra) and others, I think the Accubond or TTSX would be good options.

 

[autofire]

Auto fire. I would respectfully disagree on the Barnes tax bullet. I like the bullet a lot but I consider it a harder/tougher bullet. It would not expand well on the light boned thin skinned leopard.

MMAL, Perhaps you should speak to the Leopard I shot with this projectile. Destroyed its lung and broke it shoulder. One shot knocked it out of tree and it expired within 5 minutes about 20 foot from the tree .

 

[autofire]

Auto fire. I would respectfully disagree on the Barnes tax bullet. I like the bullet a lot but I consider it a harder/tougher bullet. It would not expand well on the light boned thin skinned leopard.

MMAL, I'm glad that the leopard I killed with one shot using tsx 150 gr FN wasnt aware that the projectile wouldnt work. It knocked him out of the tree, destroyed one lung and broke one shoulder. He died in 5 minutes only 20ft from tree.

 

[MMAL]

MMAL, I'm glad that the leopard I killed with one shot using tsx 150 gr FN wasnt aware that the projectile wouldnt work. It knocked him out of the tree, destroyed one lung and broke one shoulder. He died in 5 minutes only 20ft from tree.

Autofire, I did not mean to get you upset and my choice of words were entirely wrong. What I meant to say was that, in my belief, the TTX is not the best choice for leopard because of its toughness. As we all know we get really technically on bullet type, weight, speed, SD etc and with a well place shot the animals could care less, they are dead. I believe we do all the these things to increase our chances when things to not go as well as planned. Congrats on your leopard.

 

[M McDindi]

MMAL - I think maybe perhaps you mis-read Autofire's post. He mentioned .308 150gr TSX FN. Maybe you only saw the TSX part and missed the FN part. Here's a link to a pic of the projectile and so happens to have them in stock.

BARNES TSX FN .308" 150GR (30-30 WIN) - PER 50 BOX

shop.vfirearms.com

This particular TSX has a large and deep hollow pint cavity. It is/was designed for the 30-30. Autofire used them in a 308 Win at a velocity a good bit higher than the faithful dirty-thirty. At the higher velocities they open VERY rapidly.

I think he told me his cat was quartering slightly. Bullet made a small .308 entry hole and stopped just under the offside quartering shoulder hide so, no exit wound damage. Internals were supposedly pretty messed up.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@MMAL all your various loads look amazingly good, congratulations! If you are uncertain on the CE MTH (which I know nothing about), why not get some 150 or 165 gr Hornady SST or similar. Heck, for a 100 yard leopard shot, Remington Core-Lokt factory ammo is a viable, but the high tech bullet snobs might look down their nose on them.

A side comment on your 200 gr ELD-X load velocity of 2650 fps. Your velocity looks a bit low, even compared to published data. I have worked up a 300 WM load using this bullet and Alliant 4000-MR (because I have 8lbs of it) and my accurate load is 69.0 grs and getting 2850 fps from a 26 inch A-Bolt and 2800 from a 24 inch Ruger. Another node occurred with 72.0 grs and gave me 3000 fps from the 26 inch barrel.

Good luck with your continuing bullet selection process and preparation for your hunt. I know all of the AH community looks forward to reading your hunt report.

 

[michael458]

it expired within 5 minutes about 20 foot from the tree .

He died in 5 minutes only 20ft from tree.

Dear God... Please, if you are Listening to a Lowly Sinner such as me, give me strength to keep my mouth shut.............

 

[CoElkHunter]

Dear God... Please, if you are Listening to a Lowly Sinner such as me, give me strength to keep my mouth shut.............

Should've used a 6.5 Crudmoor! Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[jwp475]

Hammer bullets are available and they blow the front off and the petals follow along with the shank. Very devastating bullets. They are all copper

 

[Tanks]

I'd say go for it with the Raptors, but I don't know anyone that has used MTHs for hunting. They are advertised for long distance hunting on their site. I doubt the leopard blind will be much over 50 yards.

That being said if you hit a leopard with a 150 grain pebble going at 3,019 fps it is going to expire assuming shot placement is good. You are overthinking it.

I'd also use the same bullet for bait. No need to complicate things.

PS. I also like Accubonds I am using 200 grain one in my .300 RUM and would not have hesitated to shoot my leopard with it last August (it was my backup gun).

 

[MMAL]

Thanks all, And yes I have never heard of a Barnes tx fn bullet. Could not even find on there webpage. Yes tanks I am totally overthinking it. But it was an excuse to try new stuff and new bullets.

Yes my Hornady Elx bullets are slow. 4 grains under max charge but that is the best grouping. I love the blaser but the 1 in 11 twist rate is a little long and thus does not like heavier bullets. I am going to use the accubonds for leopard just because it is a known quantity. I will bring the other loads just to do some testing on bait animals and other plains game.

 

[Luvthunt]

I would use and have used a Nosler part. The design gives you great up front expansion with the rear acting like a solid for penetration.
Reloading International did have in stock.