Are Heavier Bullets Better?

[Stats Shooter]

Remember,
Energy increases with square of velocity, so lighter faster bullets will have more energy.

BUT!!!!
Momentum = penetration ....and momentum=mass x velocity. Without a squared term. Hence, ALL other things equal, a heavier bullet will decelerate at a slower pace, and penetrate deeper.

Obviously bullet construction and shape matters as well.


However, your setup and expected distance matters. If you are hunting speed goats in Wyoming, you want a long maximum point blank range, speed and a good BC helps with that as common shots are 400 yards plus and it doesn't take much to drop one.

But, do you want maximum penetration? How about a 220 gr participantion out of my .300 wm on white tail deer? Not optimal. I'm leaving a bunch of trajectory advantage on the table with that bullet for that application. Even for elk or moose that is too much.

Once you hit a sectional density of .3 with a tough constructed bullet, you can bring down anything in North America provided it has a large enough wound channel.

 

[reynolds357]

Momentum is not a true measure of damage. Momentum is simply the ability of an object to hold on vector.

 

[Scorch]

This exchange of opinions and relating experiences makes the conversation go on and on and on . . .

My opinion is to choose a bullet weight about the middle of the range for the caliber in question, taking into consideration the velocity and game you will be hunting. Take deer-sized game, for example. For .24", that is about 90 gr. For 7mm it's about 140-150 gr. For .30 it means about 160 gr. And so on.

Now, if you are going to hunt things with claws and fangs that could eat you or stomp you if they wanted to, use a bigger bullet. As frontal area increases, bullets of a given weight transfer energy faster. So, for grizzly or Cape buffalo, use a caliber that starts with a 4, choose your favorite.

 

[OzeanJaeger]

Perhaps, but it is a true measure of penetration all things being equal. "Energy" is not. Just as a spark can burn very brightly but not start a fire, so too can a dark particle be hot enough to do so. "Energy" is often not a very good metric.

 

[OzeanJaeger]

Too true. But, that's not the new math Scorch. They read so many foot pounds of energy on the interwebs, and compare it to those big, obsolete bullets, and don't understand what we see during the autopsy.

 

[reynolds357]

Too true. But, that's not the new math Scorch. They read so many foot pounds of energy on the interwebs, and compare it to those big, obsolete bullets, and don't understand what we see during the autopsy.
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I have seen some pretty nasty autopsies from a wound caused by a 90 gr. bonded Norma spit out of a 257 Roy. I have also tracked a deer a half mile that was shot with a 460 Roy. It left a wound like an arrow with a field point. Proper bullet for the application is essential.

 

[gwpercle]

I side with Elmer Keith...heavy

 

[reynolds357]

I side with Elmer Keith...heavy

I side with Elmers late life philosophy, heavy and fast. (338-378 OKH later known as 338-378 WBY)

 

[Stats Shooter]

I have seen some pretty nasty autopsies from a wound caused by a 90 gr. bonded Norma spit out of a 257 Roy. I have also tracked a deer a half mile that was shot with a 460 Roy. It left a wound like an arrow with a field point. Proper bullet for the application is essential

Reynolds, did you read my entire post? I said bullet construction is also very important. I said, ALL things EQUAL, heavier will penitrate deeper.

But, if you choose the wrong bullet, weight won't bail you out.
Here's a real world example. When hunting hogs, my brother shot a 330 lb boar in the armor (scar tissue behind the shoulder) with a .375 HH mag, 270 gr Speer hot core. It mushroomed beautifully embedding in the armor on the opposite side and knocked the critter off his feet....DRT

With the same gun/load he shot a buck that ran half a mile before falling. Same shot placement. Why? Because that bullet in .375 has too tough of a jacket for thin skinned game if you don't hit bone or something to Open up properly. But, knowing this, he could aim front shoulder and then it would be devastating.

So, proper bullet selection is just as important as accuracy or anything else.

But, again, all else equal, I lean heavy unless I'm varminting or speed goat hunting where I want a long max point blank range.

 

[Danoobie]

I seem to have my best luck with the 180 grain for accuracy
with the 30.06.
That said, I like to use the 110 grain for varmints. Now,
the lighter bullets do shed velocity faster, but who's going
after varmints past 100 yards, anyway?

 

[reynolds357]

but who's going
after varmints past 100 yards, anyway?

Me. A lot further than 100.