Hollow point question

[Kwaynem]

I came across some .264 bthp bullets for my 6.5 creedmoor 140 grain I believe he said has anyone loaded some of these or a similar hollow point and deer hunted with them? Just wondering if they are worth messing with the eldx’s I normally load are MIA

 

[memtb]

What are the BTHP bullets......typical cup and core or a mono bullet? memtb

 

[buck460XVR]

.....are those the Hornady "match" bullets? If so, Hornady does not recommend them for hunting.

 

[Kwaynem]

No they are Sierra game load the box said

 

[Captcurt]

No they are Sierra game load the box said

Shoot em. Not my first pick, but they will work.

 

[jmr40]

Many bullets today use an "open" tip. It isn't technically a hollow point although it does look somewhat like one. It is just a part of the manufacturing process. It does nothing to help with bullet expansion like a true HP bullet.

Those bullets were initially designed to improve the bullets ballistic coefficient by making them longer than a "normal" bullet of the same weight. While they were designed for target shooters, many of them have proven to be very effective on game. Some manufacturers don't recommend them for hunting, some do. But from what I've seen most do a very good job as a hunting bullet. They tend to penetrate several inches before rapidly expanding causing massive damage. A HP bullet will begin to expand as soon as it makes contact and often won't penetrate enough.

While technically not a HP, the nose of the bullet is in fact hollow. But the open tip does not aid expansion. This just makes the bullet longer and more aerodynamic. Your Sierra bullets should be very similar to this Lapua Scenar. This is all I use in my 308 and 6.5 CM anymore for both hunting and target shooting.

.




Your ELDX bullets are a very similar design. They just use a plastic tip to aid expansion

 

[buck460XVR]

No they are Sierra game load the box said

The only .264" 140 gr HPBT bullet Sierra makes, is their Match-King, and they do not recommend it for hunting. https://www.sierrabullets.com/product/6-5-mm-264-caliber-140-gr-hpbt-matchking/



You're welcome to do what you want, but I would go by the manufacturer's recommendation. Is there something you will be hunting that you need ammo for now, or do you have the 5-6 months like most of us do, before deer season comes along? I'd wait and see what else comes along unless you are down to nuttin'....maybe get a box and use 'em for practice and then if nuttin' else comes along you can always hold out for a neck shot.

 

[memtb]

Personally, I’d avoid a match bullet. They were not designed for hunting......their performance on game is rather unpredictable. Sometimes they work great, other times fail miserably! For hunting.....I want a bullet that has a proven track record on game! memtb

 

[Kwaynem]

I will avoid it like the plague I’ll get more info on the bullet he is sending all information Wednesday

 

[Chuck R.]

Personally, I’d avoid a match bullet. They were not designed for hunting......their performance on game is rather unpredictable. Sometimes they work great, other times fail miserably! For hunting.....I want a bullet that has a proven track record on game! memtb

I agree, it would be my last choice.

I've seen OTMs (Open Tip Match) go through and through coyotes. They fragment depending on the yaw angle at impact. They're better than FMJ which is why the MK262 round gets positive reviews, but nowhere near as good as a controlled expansion bullet. You'll note in the pics above the difference in the jacket thickness. The OTMs have a thinner jacket and no cavity in the lead or tip to aid expansion. The hunting bullet has a tapered jacket to control expansion.

Bottom line, there's a reason why the bullet manufacturers don't recommend them on use on game.

 

[natman]

Designers of hunting bullets spend a lot of working on jacket thickness, various lead alloys and bullet construction in order to get a bullet that will expand but not come apart and will penetrate deeply.

Designers of match bullets don't care about any of the above. They are concerned with getting the last few hundredths of a inch accuracy out of the bullet, period. All it has to penetrate is a piece of paper.

Use a hunting bullet for hunting.

 

[Grumulkin]

On a trip to Wyoming I used Berger BTHP bullets before they made a hunting version. They worked just great on three Pronghorns.

Several years ago I took three deer with Berger VLDs. These were the hunting version. Each dear was DRT.

So, to the OP, I would use them without a second thought.

 

[Kwaynem]

I’m supposed to hear more from him tomorrow as far as what they are I’ll post pictures when I get them

 

[Random 8]

I would personally avoid them for hunting, but they could be used if you practice very strict shot discipline. They will absolutely kill deer sized game effectively with a clean heart/lung hit or CNS without heavy bone. Avoid shoulders like the plague. Expect meat damage both from hydrostatic shock and secondary missiles with any impact vector near edible parts.

I would prefer to use most any cup and core bullet or one of the premium or mono bullets as a better option.

 

[Laphroaig]

I've never personally used a match bullet for hunting. My only experience comes from my neighbor telling me his buddy shot a buck with a .30 cal SMK and lost the deer. He blamed it on the bullet but who knows what really happened.

Now if those were the only bullets I could get I don't know what I would do. Hopefully our situation will improve before the fall and better choices will be available.

 

[courtgreene]

To laphroaig’s point, I’m starting to see more on the shelves. Once shelves are stocked, eventually prices will come down. With shipping they will not go down nearly to prepanic levels, gas is still high, but at least they are starting to become available again.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I've been using Sierra Gameking BTHP bullets on deer for a while now.
They are poison on whitetails.

 

[LoonWulf]

Ive use match bullets for hunting quite a bit, but stick to the tipped variants. SMKs have killed a lot of....stuff....but they arnt consistent performers from what ive read. The only time i used them was years ago from my 06 and they usually pencil holed, unless put square into bone.....or at least thats what i remember.

Ive also used 69gr hornady bthp match bullets from my 223 with success, but switched to the 65gr sierra game kings eventually.

The older berger match bullets i believe were thinner jacketed, which actually became the "Hunting" versions now sold. The newer Match bullets have a heavier jacket.....or at least thwts what ive gleaned from my reading.
The animals ive shot with them have all splatted pretty good.

 

[buck460XVR]

I've been using Sierra Gameking BTHP bullets on deer for a while now.
They are poison on whitetails.

Game Kings are fine rifle bullets, and they make a couple 140 grainers in .264", but they do not bear the same "HPBT" designation the OP gives us.

In today's market, there ain't much out there, and many times, when one finds something, it ain't what most folks use. Kinda why it's left. Times like this is when you see folks asking for suggestions about using bullets intended for .45ACP for .45 Colt and vice-versa. Could a person use Match bullets to hunt deer? Sure they could. The question is, should they?

 

[Kwaynem]

The only reason I would consider using these bullets is if it were the only ones I could find I have several 129 grain interlock that I would use first after my stock of 143 grain ELDX’s were depleted

 

[archeryrob]

I would personally avoid them for hunting, but they could be used if you practice very strict shot discipline. They will absolutely kill deer sized game effectively with a clean heart/lung hit or CNS without heavy bone. Avoid shoulders like the plague. Expect meat damage both from hydrostatic shock and secondary missiles with any impact vector near edible parts.

I got to agree with this. I bought reduced recoil Hornady SST cartridges in 30.06 when my daughter was younger and wanted to use my rifle to hunt deer. She never shot one with it so I used the ammo. I got a limited view of a doe between two trees and thought I had the spot behind the leg and got the shoulder and hit the leg bone. I had to throw away that shoulder and just tossed it in the woods for the raccoons.The bullet blew up the leg bone and pieces of the bones were just grit and entered the heart and made like a 40 cal hole and the other side of the heart looked like the bullet exploded. The bullet did not exit and I could not find it in the lung cavity area. I was very worried about lead pieces in the meat.

I'd go with a soft point round for hunting, IMO It FB and not BT if that matters. How far are you typically shooting?
https://nereloading.com/6-5-264-140-grain-bonded-core-spitzer-100-count.html

 

[Kwaynem]

About the farthest I would even shoot would be 350 to 400

 

[9x56MS]

No they are Sierra game load the box said

Keep looking Speer hot cores would work well I think. Or even some 140 or 160 grain round nose. I tend to stay away from hollow points for big game. They make work ok under optimal conditions but at close range or in thick drugs bad things can and due happen.

 

[LoonWulf]

Keep looking Speer hot cores would work well I think. Or even some 140 or 160 grain round nose. I tend to stay away from hollow points for big game. They make work ok under optimal conditions but at close range or in thick drugs bad things can and due happen.

The speers are all but impossible to find right now....hell 6.5s are almost impossible to find lol, sps had 121gr etips for about 30 seconds the other day.

Ive been keeping an eye out, as im down to one box of 140 bergers and maybe 50 147eldms.

 

[troy fairweather]

I'm 90% sure the bullets archeryrob linked are hot cors. The buck I shot this year was with the 6.5 140 hc, did it's job. Made about a 1.5-2" hole out the back on the buck, high shoulder.