7mag to fast for deer?

[Coyote Hunter]

I have never and will never use Barnes X- bullets because I saw the same thing happen to my buddy using a 25-06 Remington and 100 grain Barnes X-bullets.  He shot the antelope lengthwise from chest to tail and the bullet failed to expand.  There was the same size hole from entrance to exi
t….
yooper77

yooper77 –

The bullets I used were XLC’s, the older ‘X’ bullet with a blue coating.  The newer TSX bullets have a redesigned hollowpoint and are, by most reports, far more reliable.  Although I developed handloads for several rifles with TSX bullets, I have never used them on game, preferring the Norht Fork bullets instead.

When North Fork went out of business I developed some  loads using the TTSX bullet.  So far all I’ve taken was a single antelope with a 168g from my .308 Win.  Muzzle velocity was a sedate 2650fps and range was 125 yards, give or take a couple.  That range corresponds to the point of maximum rise for that load, a fact I neglected to take into account.  I aimed for the shoulder and almost overshot the buck.  Instead I hit above the spine, taking out a process (one of the vertical bones sticking up from the spine).  The buck dropped and I needed a finisher to the head, but the important part is that there as evidence of rapid expansion – the bullet track from entrance to exit was only about 5 inches.  (I told you I almost missed…)  I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to use them in the future and in fact will probably do so this fall in at least two different rifles.

I guess what I’m saying is don’t judge the TTSX or MRX by the performance of the older X bullets – they are constructed very differently and behave accordingly. 

[Coyote Hunter]

Oops, double post.

[yooper77]

I have never and will never use Barnes X- bullets because I saw the same thing happen to my buddy using a 25-06 Remington and 100 grain Barnes X-bullets.  He shot the antelope lengthwise from chest to tail and the bullet failed to expand.  There was the same size hole from entrance to exi
t….
yooper77

yooper77 –

The bullets I used were XLC’s, the older ‘X’ bullet with a blue coating.  The newer TSX bullets have a redesigned hollowpoint and are, by most reports, far more reliable.  Although I developed handloads for several rifles with TSX bullets, I have never used them on game, preferring the Norht Fork bullets instead.

When North Fork went out of business I developed some  loads using the TTSX bullet.  So far all I’ve taken was a single antelope with a 168g from my .308 Win.  Muzzle velocity was a sedate 2650fps and range was 125 yards, give or take a couple.  That range corresponds to the point of maximum rise for that load, a fact I neglected to take into account.  I aimed for the shoulder and almost overshot the buck.  Instead I hit above the spine, taking out a process (one of the vertical bones sticking up from the spine).  The buck dropped and I needed a finisher to the head, but the important part is that there as evidence of rapid expansion – the bullet track from entrance to exit was only about 5 inches.  (I told you I almost missed…)  I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to use them in the future and in fact will probably do so this fall in at least two different rifles.

I guess what I’m saying is don’t judge the TTSX or MRX by the performance of the older X bullets – they are constructed very differently and behave accordingly. 

If I need a no-lead bullets which I dont, I would choose the Nosler E-Tip or Hornady GMX.

yooper77

[nomosendero]

I have never and will never use Barnes X- bullets because I saw the same thing happen to my buddy using a 25-06 Remington and 100 grain Barnes X-bullets.  He shot the antelope lengthwise from chest to tail and the bullet failed to expand.  There was the same size hole from entrance to exi
t….
yooper77

yooper77 –

The bullets I used were XLC’s, the older ‘X’ bullet with a blue coating.  The newer TSX bullets have a redesigned hollowpoint and are, by most reports, far more reliable.  Although I developed handloads for several rifles with TSX bullets, I have never used them on game, preferring the Norht Fork bullets instead.

When North Fork went out of business I developed some  loads using the TTSX bullet.  So far all I’ve taken was a single antelope with a 168g from my .308 Win.  Muzzle velocity was a sedate 2650fps and range was 125 yards, give or take a couple.  That range corresponds to the point of maximum rise for that load, a fact I neglected to take into account.  I aimed for the shoulder and almost overshot the buck.  Instead I hit above the spine, taking out a process (one of the vertical bones sticking up from the spine).  The buck dropped and I needed a finisher to the head, but the important part is that there as evidence of rapid expansion – the bullet track from entrance to exit was only about 5 inches.  (I told you I almost missed…)  I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to use them in the future and in fact will probably do so this fall in at least two different rifles.

I guess what I’m saying is don’t judge the TTSX or MRX by the performance of the older X bullets – they are constructed very differently and behave accordingly. 

That is exactly right. I had bad results with the first X, but it is gone & Barnes got it right with the TSX.

[rickt300]

I tried several variations of X bullets in their early days and was way unimpressed. I got tired of wasting money working up loads for the next "better" variant and the early ones would really copper up a barrel.  I will say that I never signed on to be part of a product testing group at my own expense. This is why, no matter how good the Barnes bullets get I will never buy another product from them.  If I have to go monometal Nosler will be who gets my business.

[yooper77]

I tried several variations of X bullets in their early days and was way unimpressed. I got tired of wasting money working up loads for the next "better" variant and the early ones would really copper up a barrel.  I will say that I never signed on to be part of a product testing group at my own expense. This is why, no matter how good the Barnes bullets get I will never buy another product from them.  If I have to go monometal Nosler will be who gets my business.

100% agree Barnes will never get any of my money.  Just to name a few Nosler, Hornady, Sierra, and Speer have been doing it right for many years, so there is not a need for Barnes on my reloading bench.  Hornady Interlock's are my bullets I use most, if I need a premium bullet then I look no further than the Nosler Partition.

I understand that Barnes may have fixed their X-bullet problem, but the word failure always comes to mind when I think of Barnes bullets.

yooper77

[Coyote Hunter]

100% agree Barnes will never get any of my money.
...
I understand that Barnes may have fixed their X-bullet problem, but the word failure always comes to mind when I think of Barnes bullets.

yooper77

Your loss as far as I’m concerned.

The TTSX, TTSX and MRX have all provided excellent accuracy in my rifles and while I’ve developed loads for all of them the TTSX in particular are what I load these days. 

In my water jug tests they hold up very well and the wound track on the one animal I’ve shot with one showed signs of very fast expansion.

No problem, though, use what you like and are comfortable with – as long as it works.  I took my first elk with a Hornady Interlock and haven’t hunted with them since – talk about bullet failure...

[yooper77]

100% agree Barnes will never get any of my money.
...
I understand that Barnes may have fixed their X-bullet problem, but the word failure always comes to mind when I think of Barnes bullets.

yooper77

Your loss as far as I’m concerned.

The TTSX, TTSX and MRX have all provided excellent accuracy in my rifles and while I’ve developed loads for all of them the TTSX in particular are what I load these days. 

In my water jug tests they hold up very well and the wound track on the one animal I’ve shot with one showed signs of very fast expansion.

No problem, though, use what you like and are comfortable with – as long as it works.  I took my first elk with a Hornady Interlock and haven’t hunted with them since – talk about bullet failure...

I am sure the newer Barnes bullets with improvements from the failed old Barnes X-bullet work fine for you, but the bullets I use work perfect for me and have never failed me.

The Hornady Interlock performs perfectly for me and has never failed, but then again I don’t push it beyond its limits.  There is something to be said for a standard copper cup lead core bullets pushed at medium 2700 FPS velocities.  30-06 Springfield with 180 grain standard copper cup lead core bullets come to mind, sweet recipe for Elk.

If a standard copper cup lead core bullets are used in some magnum rifle cartridges they will most certainly fail do to the higher velocities if the hunter misplaced the shot.

yooper77

[azmike]

I was talking to a buddy of mine about my new 7mag and he said that he lost a lot of deer with a 7mag because its so fast that it goes right thru them and he never found them so he dont have any use for a 7mag anymore. Was wondering if anyone else felt that way?

Nope.  I think it is too much gun for most deer hunting, though, which is why I leave mine at home until elk season.  Why punish yourself with the extra recoil, or your wallet with the expense of magnum ammo, when a 7mm-08 or 7x57 would do just as well under most circumstances?

Too fast?  Maybe, if you hit a good sized bone with a lightly constructed bullet (say, 140 grain or lighter in a 7mm Remington Magnum) at less than 150 yards or so, you will see the 7mm magnum NOT zip right through, but rather, make a  huge mess of that end of the deer.  In my opinion, the 160 grain bullet is a decent compromise for deer at long range, plus elk and black bears.

[jro45]

I shot 20 threw my 416 and it took me a good half a day to get all of the copper out. There for I don't shoot any barns. Like what was all ready said all the other factorys manufactureing bullets doesn't have this problem.

[Coyote Hunter]

I am sure the newer Barnes bullets with improvements from the failed old Barnes X-bullet work fine for you, but the bullets I use work perfect for me and have never failed me.

The Hornady Interlock performs perfectly for me and has never failed, but then again I don’t push it beyond its limits.  There is something to be said for a standard copper cup lead core bullets pushed at medium 2700 FPS velocities.  30-06 Springfield with 180 grain standard copper cup lead core bullets come to mind, sweet recipe for Elk.

If a standard copper cup lead core bullets are used in some magnum rifle cartridges they will most certainly fail do to the higher velocities if the hunter misplaced the shot.

yooper77

Couple of comments...

1.   If I only wanted to drive bullets to 2700fps I wouldn’t have chosen a 7mm RM.
2.   There is no requirement for a “misplaced shot” before standard cup and  core bullets can fail at high velocity.  I’ve had it happen on a broadside to a bull elk, about 110 yards, 7mm RM, 162g Interlock, MV around 2950fps, calculated impact at 2756fps.

If does, of course, matter what you consider a “failure”  The elk died but the bullet retained less than 50% of its original weight.  The bullet hit a single rib, not much of a challenge to its integrity.  Haven’t used Interlocks since.

[yooper77]

I took my first elk with a Hornady Interlock and haven’t hunted with them since – talk about bullet failure...

I was thinking the bullet expanded on the shoulder and never penetrated and I was thinking you didn’t harvest the Elk, but you did!
 
yooper77

I am sure the newer Barnes bullets with improvements from the failed old Barnes X-bullet work fine for you, but the bullets I use work perfect for me and have never failed me.

The Hornady Interlock performs perfectly for me and has never failed, but then again I don’t push it beyond its limits.  There is something to be said for a standard copper cup lead core bullets pushed at medium 2700 FPS velocities.  30-06 Springfield with 180 grain standard copper cup lead core bullets come to mind, sweet recipe for Elk.

If a standard copper cup lead core bullets are used in some magnum rifle cartridges they will most certainly fail do to the higher velocities if the hunter misplaced the shot.

yooper77

Couple of comments...

1.   If I only wanted to drive bullets to 2700fps I wouldn’t have chosen a 7mm RM.
2.   There is no requirement for a “misplaced shot” before standard cup and  core bullets can fail at high velocity.  I’ve had it happen on a broadside to a bull elk, about 110 yards, 7mm RM, 162g Interlock, MV around 2950fps, calculated impact at 2756fps.

If does, of course, matter what you consider a “failure”  The elk died but the bullet retained less than 50% of its original weight.  The bullet hit a single rib, not much of a challenge to its integrity.  Haven’t used Interlocks since.

Isn’t that amazing what a copper cup lead core bullet can do at your calculated impact of 2752 FPS perfect medicine?

Yep, your 284 caliber 162 grain Hornady Interlock did not fail.  They are designed to do as you described.  Congrats, that is perfect bullet performance which killed your Elk = Success!  Nosler Partitions perform the same way; the front section is supposed to wipe away, but the rear section keeps penetrating.

yooper77 

I shot 20 threw my 416 and it took me a good half a day to get all of the copper out. There for I don't shoot any barns. Like what was all ready said all the other factorys manufactureing bullets doesn't have this problem.

Yes along with the non-expanding old Barnes X-bullets failure the copper fouling is another down fault, plus the high pressures they develop and hard to find seating dept accuracy.  I still see these old Barnes X-bullets being sold on auction sites just waiting for a sucker that doesn’t know what he is going to discover.

I feel Barnes should have recalled all of them and sent their customers the improved replacements for free.

yooper77

[Graybeard]

Hornady bullets like most of the major brand bullets DO NOT use a copper cup. I think only Barnes and one other company uses pure copper. All others regardless of whether of cup and core design or mono metal bullets use something other than pure copper.

[Coyote Hunter]

I was thinking the bullet expanded on the shoulder and never penetrated and I was thinking you didn’t harvest the Elk, but you did!

yooper77

Yes, I harvested the elk, thanks to good placement.  But the Interlock bullet lost over 50% of its original weight, a fact I was not at all happy about.  The next year I switched to 160g Grand Slams and it was 20 years before I recovered one.  That one destroyed both shoulder joints of a 5x5 bull and retained over 70% of its original weight, even though the challenge to its integrity was far greater than for the InterLock.  The muzzle velocity and range were virtually identical.

Given the two as my only choices, I would take the old-style Grand slams (softer core up front, harder core in back) every time.  Given my choice of ANY bullet, I’lll take one that provides controlled but positively limited expansion – solid shanks with bonded lead cores up front like the Trophy Bonded and North Fork, A-Frames, solid copper/gilding like the Barnes TSX/TTSX/MRX (NOT the old X, which I refuse to use on anything), Partitions (which although not bonded up front are still much better than cup and core bullets), and bonded core bullets like the AccuBond and InterBond.  The only place I use cup and core bullets are in my .30-30 and .375 Winchester.  Other than cast lead that is all that is available for the .375 Win and I don’t care for the idea of a solid copper TSX in a tube magazine which leave me pretty much with the same cup and core or cast options.  Fortunately the .30-30 and .375 Win are both slow enough that cup and core is an acceptable option.

Isn’t that amazing what a copper cup lead core bullet can do at your calculated impact of 2752 FPS perfect medicine?

Yep, your 284 caliber 162 grain Hornady Interlock did not fail.  They are designed to do as you described.  Congrats, that is perfect bullet performance which killed your Elk = Success!  Nosler Partitions perform the same way; the front section is supposed to wipe away, but the rear section keeps penetrating.

yooper77 
...

By your standards the 162g InterLock may not have failed, by mine it failed miserably. 

Some people are happy with the Berger VLD bullets, which are advertised to penetrate a couple inches and then basically blowing up.  Nothing but big varmint bullets in my estimation and I won’t use them, either.

With the exception of the 160g XLC bullets, every bullet I’ve put in game put the animal on the ground, and even they stopped the animal in its tracks.   Some required finishers, including the InterLock.  Of the few that I have recovered, the InterLock performed the poorest.  Thanks, I’ll stick with what I consider better bullets.

[yooper77]

Hornady bullets like most of the major brand bullets DO NOT use a copper cup. I think only Barnes and one other company uses pure copper. All others regardless of whether of cup and core design or mono metal bullets use something other than pure copper.

Yes I know, but Hornady does use a drawn cup design, just not pure copper.

I tried to simplify the conversation other than saying it’s a copper and zinc alloy otherwise know as gilding metal

I was thinking the bullet expanded on the shoulder and never penetrated and I was thinking you didn’t harvest the Elk, but you did!

yooper77

Yes, I harvested the elk, thanks to good placement.  But the Interlock bullet lost over 50% of its original weight, a fact I was not at all happy about.  The next year I switched to 160g Grand Slams and it was 20 years before I recovered one.  That one destroyed both shoulder joints of a 5x5 bull and retained over 70% of its original weight, even though the challenge to its integrity was far greater than for the InterLock.  The muzzle velocity and range were virtually identical.

Given the two as my only choices, I would take the old-style Grand slams (softer core up front, harder core in back) every time.  Given my choice of ANY bullet, I’lll take one that provides controlled but positively limited expansion – solid shanks with bonded lead cores up front like the Trophy Bonded and North Fork, A-Frames, solid copper/gilding like the Barnes TSX/TTSX/MRX (NOT the old X, which I refuse to use on anything), Partitions (which although not bonded up front are still much better than cup and core bullets), and bonded core bullets like the AccuBond and InterBond.  The only place I use cup and core bullets are in my .30-30 and .375 Winchester.  Other than cast lead that is all that is available for the .375 Win and I don’t care for the idea of a solid copper TSX in a tube magazine which leave me pretty much with the same cup and core or cast options.  Fortunately the .30-30 and .375 Win are both slow enough that cup and core is an acceptable option.

Isn’t that amazing what a copper cup lead core bullet can do at your calculated impact of 2752 FPS perfect medicine?

Yep, your 284 caliber 162 grain Hornady Interlock did not fail.  They are designed to do as you described.  Congrats, that is perfect bullet performance which killed your Elk = Success!  Nosler Partitions perform the same way; the front section is supposed to wipe away, but the rear section keeps penetrating.

yooper77 
...

By your standards the 162g InterLock may not have failed, by mine it failed miserably. 

Some people are happy with the Berger VLD bullets, which are advertised to penetrate a couple inches and then basically blowing up.  Nothing but big varmint bullets in my estimation and I won’t use them, either.

With the exception of the 160g XLC bullets, every bullet I’ve put in game put the animal on the ground, and even they stopped the animal in its tracks.   Some required finishers, including the InterLock.  Of the few that I have recovered, the InterLock performed the poorest.  Thanks, I’ll stick with what I consider better bullets.

I have recovered Hornady Interlock bullets and every time they are expanded to at lease twice their size and performed as designed.

I also like Speer Grand Slams, and Nosler Partitions never tried a Nosler Accubond or Hornady Interbonds but I am sure they are stellar.  If I need more heavily jacketed bullet then Nosler Partition I would use the Swift A-Frame for my needs.

I am certainly glad there are lots of bullet choices, so we may select the perfect bullet for the job.  I will also stick to my proven bullets producing one shot kills on humanly harvested game.

yooper77

[Graybeard]

By your standards the 162g InterLock may not have failed, by mine it failed miserably.

 

The bullet was not the problem your unrealistic expectations were. Standard cup and core bullets like the Hornady are not designed for high percentage weight retention. If that is your goal then select bullets that are designed with that in mind.

Regular cup/core bullets do fine when held to around 2700 fps muzzle velocity and not shot into heavy bone. Exceed that velocity or shoot them into heavy bone and you are asking for a failure by your standards. I prefer an exit but so long as I am able to recover the animal I shot I don't figure the bullet failed me.

[Coyote Hunter]

By your standards the 162g InterLock may not have failed, by mine it failed miserably.

 

The bullet was not the problem your unrealistic expectations were. Standard cup and core bullets like the Hornady are not designed for high percentage weight retention. If that is your goal then select bullets that are designed with that in mind.

Regular cup/core bullets do fine when held to around 2700 fps muzzle velocity and not shot into heavy bone. Exceed that velocity or shoot them into heavy bone and you are asking for a failure by your standards. I prefer an exit but so long as I am able to recover the animal I shot I don't figure the bullet failed me.

There was nothing wrong with my expectations and in fact the Grand Slam bullets I switched to, basically a fancier cup and core bullet, provided very satisfactory performance for the next 20 years.  While I didn’t expect 100% weight retention with the InterLock I certainly wasn’t expecting less than 50%, either.

Failure is measured by a set of standards.  Sorry, but when I’m behind the trigger I’ll set the standards I judge by, and the Interlock failed miserably. 

I don’t consider unacceptably poor bullet performance and the death of an animal to be mutually exclusive events.  On the contrary I think it is perfectly possible for a bullet to fail and for the animal to die anyway, as happened not only in this case but with 160g XLC’s as well.

We do agree on one thing, I also prefer an exit but don’t require one.  A bullet that holds together, however, will provide exits more often than a bullet that does not.  What I do look for is controlled but limited expansion in a reliably consistent manner.  A harder core in the interlock might have provided this.

[Graybeard]

No I still say your expectations were unrealistic and had you read up and understood the design characteristics of the bullet you'd have known before firing it that it was not going to meet your expectations. I can expect that I'll wake up a billionaire tomorrow morning but my expecting it ain't gonna make it happen cuz it's not realistic same as you assuming you can bust thru that critter at that velocity with that light of a Hornady Interlock, just ain't happening in this life time.

The Speer Grand Slam is and since it's beginning been listed as a premium bullet not a standard cup and core bullet even tho of cup and core design. Like other hot core bullets it is a more or less bonded bullet and has an other than pure lead core as well as a thicker jacket designed to retain more weight than the Hornady. Use bullets within their design limits and they will do as promised. Use them outside the design limits and with expectations that are not realistic and you'll not get the results you expect. That doesn't constitute bullet failure merely unrealistic expectations. Knowing the difference: Priceless.

[Coyote Hunter]

No I still say your expectations were unrealistic and had you read up and understood the design characteristics of the bullet you'd have known before firing it that it was not going to meet your expectations.

If we go to the presumed experts on the Hornady 7mm 162g BTSP , Hornady themselves, we find that they classify the bullet as suitable for both “Medium” and “Large” game and Hornady loads their 7mm RM ammo with this bullet to 2940fps, only 10fps slower than my load.  “Large” game, same bullet, same velocity...  Yeah, my expectations were WAY out of line...

If the 2700fps you cite is the magic number for that bullet, the Hornady ammo is NFG inside 135 yards...

I can expect that I'll wake up a billionaire tomorrow morning but my expecting it ain't gonna make it happen cuz it's not realistic same as you assuming you can bust thru that critter at that velocity with that light of a Hornady Interlock, just ain't happening in this life time.

If you expect to wake up a billionaire tomorrow, I’d say those expectations are completely ungrounded in reality. 

On the other hand, I had seen that same bullet “bust through” several critters, both deer and elk, before I took my elk two years after I started hunting with the group – my mentor and a couple others in my hunting group were using it and recommending it.  My mentor was using exact same the same load I used - in fact that’s where I got it, so I had a solid basis in reality for my expectations.   Besides, I wasn’t concerned about an exit to begin with – I just thought the InterLock bullet would hold together better.

The Speer Grand Slam is and since it's beginning been listed as a premium bullet not a standard cup and core bullet even tho of cup and core design. Like other hot core bullets it is a more or less bonded bullet and has an other than pure lead core as well as a thicker jacket designed to retain more weight than the Hornady.

There is no law that required Hornady to use soft lead as the core material for their bullets, and if you’ve ever peeled a Grand slam apart, as I have, you will find there is no bonding between the cup and the core.

The Hornady InterLock retained its jacket so the big difference was in weight retention.

Use bullets within their design limits and they will do as promised. Use them outside the design limits and with expectations that are not realistic and you'll not get the results you expect. That doesn't constitute bullet failure merely unrealistic expectations. Knowing the difference: Priceless.

Apparently Hornady doesn’t understand the limitations of their 7mm 162g BTSP as they load it to essentially the same velocity I did, circa 2950fps, in the same cartridge, the 7mm RM.  Next time I go to the store I’ll see if Hornady has  a label on their ammo warning hunters not to take shots inside 135 yards...

For myself, I’ll stick with the TTSX, MRX, North Fork, A-Frame, and AccuBond bullets for my bolt guns knowing the bullets are good from the muzzle to as far as I’d care to shoot.

And as I said – when I’m behind the trigger I’ll set the level of expected performance – if a bullet can’t hack it, it fails.  Lots of bullet DO make the grade, though, including TSX, TTSX, MRX, North Fork, A-Frame, Partition, Grand Slam and AccuBond – and those are just the ones I’ve used. 

[john keyes]

I've got some field experience, what its worth or how you guys want to extrapolate/interpret it is up to you (these threads crack me up)

I hunted with a friend of mine in Del Rio a few years back, he shot two deer at less than fifty yards (probably about 30 yards) with my 300 Wby I loaned him.  The load was: 180 gr Hornady Interlock, 82.0 RL 22.
Both deer were shot in the shoulder, IIRC the opposite shoulders were pretty much useless for food.

One of the toughest bullets I have ever seen is a 300 gr sierra sportsmaster?  acts like a .43" drill bit

thats my experience anyway...

[stolivar]

I love my 7mm-08. Killed every deer with only one shot. Now my 7mm mag on the other hand I have shot 6 deer with. Wow, way to much meat damage to them. All shot in the boiler room and through the heart.

With one great big hole coming out the other side. One it even gutted the deer after it hit a rib.  All shot with Federal premium loads 150 grain noslers.

I do not hunt deer with the 7mag anymore. I love the 7-08 though with Sierra's 120 grainers.


steve

[Coyote Hunter]

double post, deleted.

[SHOOTALL]

if a bullet gives two holes for life to bleed out should i expect more ? How do i weigh a bullet that caused a bang flop putting a hole thru a deer . How do i find it ? I don't expect to fill my gas tank take a trip and still have a full tank why should i expect a bullet to kill a critter and not have some of it consumed in the event ? Is not the bullet by breaking up either causing more damage or sheading more energy into the target ?
When i shoot at game i expect a dead critter everything else is not important really . I would still be using Winchester Silvertip ( old style with alum. tip) ammo if it were still aval. CAUSE IT WORKED FOR ME , then i don't drink at Starbucks either !

[John R.]

4 heart shots with a 7mm/08, and a 5th between the eyes to kill it. I will have to call "BS" on this one. Even if you used a FMJ. the deer would have died due to proper shot placement. I've used the 7mm/08 since 1983, in two different rifles, and I've never had but one run off (bad shot placement on my part). If you put a decent bullet in the proper place from the 7mm/08, you WILL have backstrap for supper.

[Coyote Hunter]

SHOOTALL –

You don’t weigh the ones that go through (with rare exception when they are found), but it’s easy to weigh the ones that don’t.

Should you expect more form a bullet that exits?  Can’t speak for you, but for me, sometimes yes, sometimes no.  If the exit would is softball sized and destroyed a lot of meat, maybe so.  (Definitely so AFAIC.)

The bullet breaking up is definitely shedding energy but the questions is “Where?”  If it blows up before it reaches the vitals is it a better bullet than one that holds together and reaches and wrecks the vitals? Not in my book.

I know a lot of folks are perfectly happy with their cup and core bullets and that is fine – they are the ones using them. 

[moorepower]

After reading all the posts, I have two beefs. 1. Why is a partition the perfect bullet when it ends up retaining 50% or less of its weight, when the Interlock is junk when retaining 50% or more of its weight, seriously? 2. Why did swampman shoot it 4 times in the boiler room, when one shot to the head would have kilt it better? That's 4 rounds that could have failed on something else!

[AtlLaw]

Why is a partition the perfect bullet when it ends up retaining 50% or less of its weight,

I think the partition is designed to retain 75% of it's weight.     Rapid expansion up front, foward section and petals break off, rear section continues on course like a solid.

I like it... 

But what do I know... 

I use mostly CoreLoc's nowadays anyway.