Hammer vs Barnes question???

[Addicting]

I've internally debated whether all-coppers are better suited for breaking down bone structure rather than punching holes in squishy organs. My standard aiming point is just behind the shoulder but I'm considering moving forward and up to break the scapula or lower to center punch the heart.

Not all coppers, the LRX I use now will liquidate internal organs without hitting a rib. It will leave a quarter to half dollar sized exit and blood trail. Each manufacturer’s composite of copper is different and so are the results.

 

[Elktrack]

I've shot and like both Barnes and Hammer bullets. They are the only hunting bullets that I use in my .300 Wby and .375 RUM.

What are you shooting in the 375?

 

[std7mag]

I've internally debated whether all-coppers are better suited for breaking down bone structure rather than punching holes in squishy organs. My standard aiming point is just behind the shoulder but I'm considering moving forward and up to break the scapula or lower to center punch the heart.

The Hammer or Cutting Edge will work fine if not going through heavy bone.
They are both designed to go in about 3", then the petals open and shear off, radiating outwards.
Essentially turning one bullet into 5, or 7.

But I've shot through the front leg bone with a 115gr, 25 caliber and 140gr & 168gr 7mm Berger VLD bullets.
While breaking the bone, they still did a lot of internal damage!
With the lighter weight bullets, I did notice that they didn't penetrate quite as deep.
Deer still died within 20 yards.

 

[buffybr]

What are you shooting in the 375?

I staarted with 300 gr TSX for a Cape buffalo hunt (my avatar), then 270 gr TSX for an Eastern Cape PG hunt, and a few years ago 281 gr Hammers for an Alaskan brown ber hunt.

 

[buffybr]

I've internally debated whether all-coppers are better suited for breaking down bone structure rather than punching holes in squishy organs. My standard aiming point is just behind the shoulder but I'm considering moving forward and up to break the scapula or lower to center punch the heart.

For about 20 years my favorite elk bullets were 180 gr Partitions from my .30 Gibbs. In 2009 I built my first Weatherby rifle, a .300 Wby vanguard. New gun, new bullets and since I had had very good results with Barnes TSX bullets in my .375 RUM I decided to try TSX bullets in my 300 Wby.

For many of those years with my .30 Gibbs the behind the shoulder shots would leave about a 1' diameter bloodshot mess in my elks shoulders. My first elk with my new .300 Wby put a 168 gr TSX bullet just behind the bull's shoulder and exited behind his off shoulder. This picture shows the .30 caliber hole in the bull's hide and a very small amount of bloodshot meat on the entrance side.

Then the second pic shows about a 1" exit hole in the bull's hide and also a small amount of bloodshot damage through the ribcage.

This was only a fraction of the damage that my 180 gr Partition bullets had in the previous years.

So a couple of years later I had another 5x5 bull standing quartering to me on my side of a fence where I didn't have permisssion to hunt. And because my previous TSX bullet had not made a big mess inside of that elk, I then broke my rule of not shooting an elk in the shoulder and I put that 168 gr TTSX bullet right on the point of that bull's shoulder. That bulllet shattered the bull's upper leg bone right at the shoulder socket, making a bloddy mush of half of that shoulder meat, then went through the body cavity and stopped in the ham of the opposite back leg.