Cutting edge bullets on elk results

[Huntinman57]

I want to say this is a one kill test so it may vary for others. I built a 30/06ai on a tikka action and wanted to shoot a mono an be able to open it reliably out to 800yrds. Now I’m not sure those two things go hand in hand after this. But I loaded up 165 Maximus and man they are crazy accurate out of my gun. So last week on a general Utah early rifle hunt I had the opportunity to kill a decent bull for the area. I called this bull in hoping my dad could shoot him but unfortunately from his angle he couldn’t see him. So when the bull didn’t see another elk in the brush he turned and moved off. I decided I better not let him go stopped him at 210yrds sent it 1/4 away in the last rib he disappeared in the juniper and oak brush I thought he went down. He just went into a ditch I couldn’t see from my vantage he popped out on the other side moving very slow. I ranged and dialed he was 470yrds second shot broadside basically 6” forward of the first so middle middle of the ribs. Bull went down immediately. All is well so now for the important stuff I work towards the bull on his tracks zero blood none. Mind you I can see him dead in front of me. I’m a little concerned about my shot placement possibly at this point. After inspection I hit exactly where I wanted both shots. No blood on the bud or ground just .308 entrance in the ribs x2. After working him up internal damage was massive and no exit only slight off side rib damage. It looks to be complete explosion on impact which I didn’t completely expect especially from a mono. I know these bullets fragment petals but are supposed to maintain a solid base. Needless to say I’ll probably go a different route. All in all I have a dead elk so it’s not complete failure.

 

[hiker270]

I would be concerned with no blood trail. With a somewhat marginal hit where your bull goes several hundred yards before expiring it would be a difficult time finding him. Glad it worked out for you on a nice bull.

 

[Huntinman57]

I completely agree

 

[Quicksilver]

What was impact velocity for both shots?

 

[Huntinman57]

What was impact velocity for both shots?

Around 2500 on 1st and 2100 on 2nd

 

[Mike D Texas]

The Lazers seems to give less violent expansion than the Maximus but a mono will typically never give the same blood trail as a good cup/core bullet.


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[ldmay375]

Most Interesting, and most unusual for a solid copper shank to disintegrate / disappear.

The CEB folks returned from Africa not long ago. They used a 30-06 with the 165 grain Maximus. Their results were very different.

Several pictures are posted on their website under Terminal Performance Collection / Terminal Performance on Game.

 

[Huntinman57]

Most Interesting, and most unusual for a solid copper shank to disintegrate / disappear.

The CEB folks returned from Africa not long ago. They used a 30-06 with the 165 grain Maximus. Their results were very different.

Several pictures are posted on their website under Terminal Performance Collection / Terminal Performance on Game.

I will say the lungs took extreme damage but it wasn’t on the ground he coughed up the only blood before he expired.

 

[ldmay375]

I will say the lungs took extreme damage but it wasn’t on the ground he coughed up the only blood before he expired.

Bang flops are nice. But certainly never guaranteed. Lots of factors can influence blood on the ground or the lack of. Each animal and shot reaction is an entity. Seems there was ample internal damage, so appears the bullet certainly functioned in that respect.

I am not sure that the field conditions and size of animal allowed for a thorough remaining bullet parts search. A .308. 165 grain remaining shank is pretty small in the purée of internals of a large animal. I have never heard of nor suspected copper solid shank disintegrating at common velocity. If that is the case, I would be in touch with CEB. That bullet is definitely not designed as a frangible / disintegrating base nor are the break away petals.

I shoot various monolithic / solid shank bullets. Granted larger calibers, but I have recovered several shanks from intentionally busting rocks and rock containing impact areas, at lower & higher impact velocities than 2500 fps. I have seen compressed shanks, mangled shanks, and shanks sheared lengthwise from rock contact. I have never had reason to suspect total shank disintegration in those not recovered.