Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized Solid Bullets

[Red Leg]

In another discussion I posted my African experiences using the new Hydro in 300 gr .375. To cut to the chase, it is an exceptionally good solid. In my R8, it was exceptionally accurate, and It seemed to do measurably more damage to an animal along the wound path than a traditional solid. HOWEVER, it is still a solid, and I, at least for my purposes, have concluded it should be reserved for applications where solids are appropriate. Antelope such as waterbuck and nyala, died reliably to chest shots, but all walked off significantly farther than what I would have anticipated from a similar shot from a quality SP. By the time I took my buffalo and eland, I had a magazine full of 300 gr Swift A-Frames. I should note, the Hydros worked well on small animals (duiker - even a suni) just like any other solid. The PH with whom I left them has used them on finishing shots on several elephant, and was greatly impressed. They would likely be my first choice for a tusker.

 

[BenKK]

Having used all three (or four) main styles of Woodleigh projectiles in cartridges from small to large on hundreds of game animals (mostly large bovines), I agree that the new Hydro definitely does not make softs redundant. Perhaps it might make traditional solids redundant, but not when cost is a factor. Traditional solids still work very well indeed. I’ve had incredibly quick kills on buffalo with Woodleigh softs, solids and Hydros - but they can soak-up bullets if the first one isn’t placed quite right. Where the Hydro is far less effective is on pigs - they seem to walk away full of Hydro holes - obviously they work on pigs, but not as emphatically as traditional softs. The same goes for Woodleigh solids from .458WM and .500NE on pigs - they needle through.

 

[bruce moulds]

if you go a little high, you hit the spine, and this has sudden results.
however, it is a poor shot, not a good one.
a good soft like a swift will produce just the same sudden death as a solid, hydro or otherwise with such a shot.
going for heart/lung zone, you need to produce the fastest loss of blood as possible.
here the swift, and to a slightly lesser degree barnesx, have a bigger frontal area, producing greater and more sudden loss of blood pressure.
elephant and hippo not included here.
bruce.