Solids for Dangerous Game: what do you use and why?

[enysse]

I think the reason you see round nosed bullets in big bores is because they are easier to feed into the rifle. Some guns have to have a good gunsmith to get the flat nosed to feed every time into the chamber. I know people are going to say it shouldn't make any difference but in my limited experience some factory guns need work to feed correctly every time....especially CZ 550.

 

[CTDolan]

The reason flat-nosed solids tend to penetrate better has to do with stability in tissue. This is also why Art from A-Square always cut 1-10 rifling in his rifles (to help stabilize the round-nosed solids he loaded in his line of ammunition...for one, hoping they would "fall asleep" sooner, knowing the short range under which such projectiles are used).

There are so many good solids today, it's staggering. We're so spoiled, that way. I read John Taylor's words on the then-splendid solids Rigby loaded for their 416 and think, if only John could see what's available to us now.

 

[CTDolan]

If I were tackling elephant there is only one solid I would choose, the Woodleigh hydrodynamically-stabilized solid (they refer to it as hydrostatically stabilized, but such is a misnomer as it is most definitely a dynamic environment, that of a bullet traversing tissue...bone, flesh, sinew, etc.).

Further, with the plastic cap now fitted to the bullet, feeding issues (mentioned with regard to flat-tipped solids) should be minimized.

 

[CTDolan]

http://www.africahunting.com/index.php?threads/monolithic-solids-or-monometal-bullets.14525/

 

[CTDolan]

 

[enysse]

I agree with CTDolan , when they came out, I thought that's one hell of a bullet. It's expensive, but gets job done.

 

[matt85]

id be willing to try the woodleigh hydro solid if they would make it in a proper weight for my heavy rifle. the only hydro they make for the 505 Gibbs is 525gr which in my opinion is too light for the cartridge.

-matt

 

[CTDolan]

It's not only too light, it's unexplainable as:

1. The 505 has no need for regulation, as in a double (hence, nearly no consideration as to bullet weight).

2. The 505 has ample case capacity for more mass, and then some (too much case capacity, in fact...in other words, make the bullet as heavy as you want, as it'll only translate into less filler).

Anyway, I agree, there's no need to have settled on 525 grains in the 505 Gibbs.

 

[CTDolan]

@enysse , the Woodleigh is expensive, yes, but compared to the cost of an elephant hunt it's absolutely, positively dirt cheap.

 

[matt85]

It's not only too light, it's unexplainable as:

1. The 505 has no need for regulation, as in a double (hence, nearly no consideration as to bullet weight).

2. The 505 has ample case capacity for more mass, and then some (too much case capacity, in fact...in other words, make the bullet as heavy as you want, as it'll only translate into less filler).

Anyway, I agree, there's no need to have settled on 525 grains in the 505 Gibbs.

if your trying to push a 525gr bullet at 2300fps or a 600gr bullet at 2100fps then the 505 Gibbs has way too much case capacity! however if you wanna shoot a 600gr monometal bullet at 2250fps then the case capacity isnt as much of an issue. ive bee playing with the 600gr Peregrine copper solids at 2250fps and the case capacity is made good use of by the long copper bullet. peregrine also makes a 600gr brass bullet for the .505" which would likely work even better because brass is lighter then copper and would take even more space assuming it would stabilize with the standard twist.

-matt

 

[CTDolan]

Off topic a bit, but I can see the day when, due to legal restrictions, lead-free bullets are the only option, for all hunting (in North America, anyway). Therefore, I've stayed away from cartridges of marginal case capacity (even though many would argue that a lighter monolithic is the equal to a heavier lead core...165 grains Barnes X being an identical performer to a 180 grain Partition, for example). Call me alarmist, stupid, or anything you like but there's been a lot of talk amongst game departments regarding such a move (no more lead).