BULLET CROSS SECTIONS & PENETRATION DATA

[hm1996]

These pictures of sectioned bullets should be a sticky, beautifully done. It really settles the discussions on bullet construction

Thanks to Dirty Hippie, who started the thread BULLET CROSS SECTIONS in 2017 and all those PM members who contributed to the thread. Most of those members have followed the PM migration and are still active. Unfortunately, many of the pictures were lost in the migration. I have many of the bullet pictures, which I will add in following reply.

The following interesting data, was posted by JTPinTX in that thread.

JYPinTX
OK, things weren't all just the way I remembered, imagine that. My data was not all put together the way I thought so I had to go back and re-compile it. I can't find my third test I did that had all the data from the CEB Raptors and Non-cons, plus some other bullets. I will see if I can find it and add it later. For now this is what I have.

I did the original test with just standard wet newsprint. It worked out great. On the second test I had some expanded PVC sheet that was 1/8" thick. I thought it would be good to try and add some hard resistance into the test so I added a sheet in at 1.5", 5.5" and 8.5". That PVC sheet really changed things up. The Barnes load I used as standard, it reduced penetration by about 20%. Keeping that in mind, I really think that would have placed the 63 Sierra SMP and 60 Horn HP in the same class as the 60 Nosler Solid Base and 64 Win PP from the first test.

As best I remember the penetration of the CEB bullets was on par with the Barnes 53, but the damage pattern was much wider. The deer I shot with the CEB showed that same star pattern from the detached petals that showed up in wet newsprint, and in the videos of the ballistics gel tests they used to (and may still have) up on their website.

Also note that on the second test, those little 40 NBT's actually did pretty dang good, considering. Better than some of the varmint bullets in the first test, AND they were having to bust through that PVC sheet. I had it on fairly good authority that any of the NBT's in varmint offerings actually penetrate much better than most other varmint bullets due to the solid base on them. It did prove true in this test.

FullSizeR by Jeff Powell, on Flickr

 

[hm1996]

.224 BULLETS

6mm BULLETS

Nosler no longer makes the Solid Base line, but believe they are using same jackets in the NBT

 

[hm1996]

.338

I'm sure there are some duplications here due to different arrangements, but lots of folks put a lot of time in the project and didn't want to miss any that I have.

 

[hm1996]

Next question is what to do with all those bullets

Figured this was better than dropping them in a drawer

ETA labels:

 

[spotstalkshoot]

First time I have seen the Nosler AB cross section, very distinct lead core shape.

 

[hm1996]

Yes it is. I've used NP's almost exclusively for deer on up since I started reloading 70 yrs ago. The AB is a very close 2nd IMO and a bit more accurate than the partitions most of the time. That thicker jacket half way up the bullet and bonded core really holds things together. Shot quite a few of both in my 338 (210NP & 200 AB) and the two POI is no more than 1 moa apart @ 100 w/identical powder charge. Used mostly the NP's on Nilgai and the AB for scimitars w/excellent results.

 

[Hunter55]

fantastic write up and thanks for sharing. I just loaded up some 40gr. NBT for my .204 and zeroed yesterday can't wait to get on a coyote with them. Also loaded up some 39gr Speer TNT HP, and 40gr Berger BT Varmint HP. So I have a lot of testing ahead of me.
There is ALOT of difference in size of the hole in the HP's the Speer is considerably larger. The pic of the cutting torch tip cleaner gives a good visual.

 

[BleedsBlue]