Bullet Failure?

[PawPawWPG]

Was this a bullet failure or something that just happens? The majority of my hunting has been done with a straight-wall rifle so I don’t have a lot of experience with recovering actual rifle bullets - just shooting them.

This is a Hammer Hunter 143 grain bullet shot out of a .280 AI that hit a cow moose at the base of the ribs. She quartering slightly away and I recovered at the hide on her other side. 85 yards. Chrono’d these rounds at an average of 2995 FPS.

Any input would be great - I’d hate to have to pull the rest of the bullets that I have.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Looks like bullet failure to me. Id talk to hammer.

 

[mevertsen]

Yeah. That's not right. I would call Hammer.

 

[MThuntr]

Looks like something went way wrong. Definitely talk to Hammer. I know at one time they had issues with tumbling media getting stuck in the hollow point.

At that distance, that bullet should look like these which were shot out of a 280AI into a bull moose shoulder at 125 yards.

 

[mtmuley]

Was this a bullet failure or something that just happens? The majority of my hunting has been done with a straight-wall rifle so I don’t have a lot of experience with recovering actual rifle bullets - just shooting them.

This is a Hammer Hunter 143 grain bullet shot out of a .280 AI that hit a cow moose at the base of the ribs. She quartering slightly away and I recovered at the hide on her other side. 85 yards. Chrono’d these rounds at an average of 2995 FPS.

Any input would be great - I’d hate to have to pull the rest of the bullets that I have.

Steve is in the shop right now. Call him. mtmuley

 

[Addicting]

Yep, the tips get a very minute ding in them and they can pencil thru or open very late. Pitch em all and either go to the tipped version or go to a Barnes. I did a bunch of testing when I had that problem and came to the conclusion that they simply were not reliable to open 100% of the time.

Glad you caught it, for the longest time people denied it was happening because the bullet passed thru and there wasn’t evidence.

 

[FREAK]

Some interesting pictures of the copper mono's in that recent recovered bullet thread. I know a lot of guys swear by them. I'll stick with cup and core.

 

[PawPawWPG]

Thanks, everyone. I’ve got a long drive home from Maine so I gave him a call/shot him a text.

 

[PawPawWPG]

I talked to Steve. He’s wondering if the twist rate of my rifle is too slow to stabilize the bullet. It’s a M70 Featherweight I got off Gunbroker so I’ll measure the twist and see if that was the issue.

 

[kiwi hunter]

I'm using a 22 hornet for nite shooting, basically every night the weather is reasonable and my problem is that I can not get a suitable powder to run my 40 VMAX at a decent speed to open the projectiles up. So the question is did you shortchange your powder? Reason I'm asking is that in the last two yrs I forgot to put the powder into two cases, fun times at nite with the projectile stuck in the lands. So anyway if you'd make a mistake like that than its to be expected. Fifty yrs ago I had a cup n core in 270 disintegrate on impact, nothing is certain in life.

 

[nhenry]

Glad you were able to recover the animal even with the failure. The 143 used to be what I used, but I recently switched my rifle over to the 145 HHT to hopefully help with some ballistics, both in flight and terminal

 

[Forkyfinder]

I talked to Steve. He’s wondering if the twist rate of my rifle is too slow to stabilize the bullet. It’s a M70 Featherweight I got off Gunbroker so I’ll measure the twist and see if that was the issue.

Im not seeing how if its shooting well if the bullets not stable.

A faster spinning (rpm) bullet should cause more damage than a slower spinning bullet - but thats not going to be tĥe difference between opening and not - especially that close.

 

[ImBillT]

Was this a bullet failure or something that just happens? The majority of my hunting has been done with a straight-wall rifle so I don’t have a lot of experience with recovering actual rifle bullets - just shooting them.

This is a Hammer Hunter 143 grain bullet shot out of a .280 AI that hit a cow moose at the base of the ribs. She quartering slightly away and I recovered at the hide on her other side. 85 yards. Chrono’d these rounds at an average of 2995 FPS.

Any input would be great - I’d hate to have to pull the rest of the bullets that I have.

Not what I would want to happen.

I think that’s common with low impact velocity, with any bullet design. I’m kinda surprised that happened in your case.

I would contact the manufacturer. They have a good reputation. Hopefully they’ll want your whole box for inspection, and perhaps send you a box or two on the house. I don’t know anything about Hammer customer service, but they have enough of a following that I bet they’re good.

 

[ImBillT]

Im not seeing how if its shooting well if the bullets not stable.

A faster spinning (rpm) bullet should cause more damage than a slower spinning bullet - but thats not going to be tĥe difference between opening and not - especially that close.

Marginal stability can cause tumbling on impact, in spite of being stable in air. The hole has to be pointed forward to expand. If it tumbles on impact you can have limited expansion, and sometimes banana shaped bullets.

 

[LIK2HNT]

Were these bullets ever in your pocket? May not matter with Hammers, but I always make sure the tips in my Bergers are clean. Lint, dirt, etc can plug tip. Tip may of also been dinged at any time during the reloading process. I assumed you inspected each when done. Another possibility if the bullets are long (OAL) is it may catch when racking a round? Just a few thoughts.

 

[BuzzH]

Was this a bullet failure or something that just happens? The majority of my hunting has been done with a straight-wall rifle so I don’t have a lot of experience with recovering actual rifle bullets - just shooting them.

This is a Hammer Hunter 143 grain bullet shot out of a .280 AI that hit a cow moose at the base of the ribs. She quartering slightly away and I recovered at the hide on her other side. 85 yards. Chrono’d these rounds at an average of 2995 FPS.

Any input would be great - I’d hate to have to pull the rest of the bullets that I have.

Why I can't trust all copper bullets.

 

[mtmuley]

Why I can't trust all copper bullets.

I don't trust all lead ones either. mtmuley

 

[Forkyfinder]

I think that’s common with low impact velocity, with any bullet design. I’m kinda surprised that happened in your case.

That bullet was going quite fast at 85 yards (probably 2800+) - basically any bullet designed for hunting should be expanding and shedding energy into the target.

 

[Forkyfinder]

I don't trust all lead ones either. mtmuley

Which ones dont you trust?

 

[mtmuley]

Which ones dont you trust?

Berger specifically. And yeah, I have used them. First ones in 2006. And before you ask, I have no interest in Hornady bullets.
mtmuley