HPBTs vs SPs

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tahunua001

tahunua001

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hello all,
if you were using a small caliber rifle for hunting would you rather use a hollow point boat tail or a good ole fashioned cup and core soft point? that's what I have on hand and the only thing on the shelves are very light varmint Ptips.
 
i load my .243 for varmint and i prefer the sierra 85gr game kings and they're SP bullets. I love em, as my younger brother puts it, "they're good gopher 'sploders."
 
sorry i thought you were looking for a good rapid expansion, you really need to get down to the contruction of the bullet, the strength of the jacket and what game your going after. What bullets do you have on hand and what caliber?
 
I prefer flat base.

A boat-tail will often spit the core out of the jacket when it expands.

Just like a Jacobs drill chuck when the use the wedge to knock the taper fit bit loose.

rc
 
the soft points are just plain old sierra 64gr soft points. the Hollow points are 69gr hornadys.
 
Knowing the caliber and the exact bullet would help. As a rule I we all sometimes overthink such things. And I'm as guilty as anyone. All bullets generally work exactly the way they were designed. Where we get into trouble is when we use bullets in a way they weren't designed. Some bullets expand very fast, others much slower. Bullets that expand fast tend to give dramatic quick kills as long as you hit vitals. Slower expanding bullets are usually not so dramatic, but give better penetration with less than perfect shots. Put a bullet in the lungs, let the air out and any animal dies within a few yards. Do that and bullet choice is much less of a concern. I'd use what shot best for me.
 
ok for the purpose of clarity.
the bullets are .224 and intended use is for 223 rem. my two options are 64gr sierra soft points and 68gr hornady HPBTs.


I understand that the hornadys are listed as match bullets but my figuring(which has gotten me into trouble in the past) is that most 223 bullets are designed to expand rapidly or to fragment on contact bust since the hornadys are not designed like most 223 bullets it'll have better penetration and slower expansion but since it's a HP will still offer better expansion than FMJs.
 
Just go with the SPs. They are specifically designed to expand, and will expand better and more predictably regardless of whether a specific caliber is "designed" to expand (which I don't believe anyway...). If you want ethical kills, use SPs.
 
I've always loaded bullets in the 50- to 55-grain range for varmints in various .22 centerfires. My favorite has been the Sierra 52-grain HPBT, although the flat-base soft-points do just fine.

Mostly, it has been whatever groups the best in a particular rifle. They all do okay on coyotes.
 
Sieera Matchkings 115 gr .277 bullets out of my 6.8 SPC do a great job on coyotes. Expand and drop them in their tracks. At least the last 10 did...
 
alright so just because a bullet is listed as match grade does not necessarily mean it can't expand. good to know. has anybody used the hornady 68 grainers?
 
bubba15301 said:
match bullets dont expand
Click to expand...
Um......A-Max
Only the nastiest expanding bullet ever built, and yes it is designed and marketed as a match bullet.
SMKs the most used match bullet in existence is known to fragment in very dramatic fashion at high impact speeds.
 
I've used the sierras, and they worked well on deer. If you want a match-type bullet that will expand well use a tripple shock. I've not used them but plan to this year. Mine are 62 grain but I think they have 55 as well. If you don't reload, I believe federal loads them in .223.
 
I do reload and the reason I ask about these two in particular is because it's what I have on hand and there is nothing else in town.

no A max
no Vmax
no TSX
no barnes
no berger
no bullets whatsoever in .224. that's why I am asking about these two bullet types.
 
tahunua001 said:
hello all,
if you were using a small caliber rifle for hunting would you rather use a hollow point boat tail or a good ole fashioned cup and core soft point? that's what I have on hand and the only thing on the shelves are very light varmint Ptips.
Click to expand...

So, of those two choices, I'd go with the "good ole fashioned cup and core soft point."
 
Depends on the distance and weight. I use HPBT for long range and SP for shorter range. If it is for larger game than the heavier bullet is what I would choose.
 
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