Shot Placement / Mono Bullets

[Salavee]

Hopefully this post won't turn in to a cluster job like some others but I'm seriously looking for the real reason many hunters are choosing Mono projectiles when their preferred shot placement is the heart-lung area of BG animals.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Salavee

Hopefully this post won't turn in to a cluster job like some others but I'm seriously looking for the real reason many hunters are choosing Mono projectiles when their preferred shot placement is the heart-lung area of BG animals.

Good question. I've sworn off them myself. The only problem is that all my rifles have loved them, that might be part of the answer.

[Scott N]

I've only used them (Barnes TSX) in my 270 WSM and chose them because I sometimes hunt elk with what is normally my "deer" rifle. I just wanted a bullet that would hold together at magnum velocity on larger game than deer, if I need to. Could I use just about any other bullet? Yes. The Barnes shoot great out of my rifle too, so why change?

[ghostguy6]

I try to treat every shot as if I'm shooting an not expanding bullet. I can not 100% guarantee the bullet will expand on impact so I aim for the area with the greatest change of cleanly harvesting the animal. When the bullet expands, it just adds to the effectiveness of the shot. Most times this is the lung/ heart areas. Regardless of penetration, I will not intentionally shoot through bone like the shoulder because I want the animal to expire without suffering. I currently do not use mono projectiles but it will only be a matter of time before they become our only option with our snowflake hippy governments.

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Originally Posted by Salavee

Hopefully this post won't turn in to a cluster job like some others but I'm seriously looking for the real reason many hunters are choosing Mono projectiles when their preferred shot placement is the heart-lung area of BG animals.

I can get to the heart/lungs of big game animals at all angles with a mono bullet that has over 36” of penetration. That’s why I use them.

[DiabeticKripple]

Because 2 holes are better than 1. Plus no lead contamination in the meat, or metal fragments.

[Mountain Guy]

For the cool factor and/or they have some extra cash laying around

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Salavee

Hopefully this post won't turn in to a cluster job like some others but I'm seriously looking for the real reason many hunters are choosing Mono projectiles when their preferred shot placement is the heart-lung area of BG animals.

Many hunters are swearing off cup and core bullets because of the lead issue .
Personally for me, the cartridges I shoot work as well or better with cup and core rather than mono metal bullets because of the velocities they generate.
I have shot animals with more than a few Barnes bullets and did not see any big difference in killing power , etc, than when using cup and core bullets.
Put the bullet where it is supposed to go and stuff will die quickly .
Cat

[tony d]

I generally use what shoots best a lot of the time it turns out to be a ttsx not always though accubonds and hornady sometimes win I even have 1 big game rifle that loves the winchester power points

[oilngas]

see what cat said, but I now use TTSX or TSX, or the Nosler Ballistic tip in all my rifles mostly because they like em.

Also remember an X-ray of a cup n lead bullet results (Condor folks??) and fragments were all over in the flesh. in addition my own autopsies I often found bullet had lost significant mass.

I have had no issues with the Barnes or Noslers.

[Nova316]

I use mono (Barnes TTSX and TSX) because I save most of the offal for human or pet consumption, prefer not to worry about lead fragmentation. It is more expensive to shoot monos but at the end of the day the bullet is a minor fraction of the cost for a hunting weekend.

[calgarychef]

For me it's the lead contamination issue. I've had lead core Bullets hit bone and spray lead a surprising distance through the meat that I want to eat. These are just the pieces that I can see, "micro" pieces could be in my steaks and I wouldn't know.

I shoot animals with a rifle like I'm using my bow broadside or quartering away, so I'm not trying to plow through 3 feet of muscle and bone but taking out the lungs with any projectile will kill any animal fast. I see no downside to mono Bullets, except cost.

[Pathfinder76]

Animals tend not to pose for shots. Angles are never ideal, so I feel I have more options with a mono bullets. And I’ve never lost a Deer, Elk, Moose, Bear etc to one yet.

[JustBen]

In my experience, they kill deader. Part of the reason being that I can go to a lighter bullet due to the increased weight retention.

[Norwest Alta]

Originally Posted by chuck

Animals tend not to pose for shots. Angles are never ideal, so I feel I have more options with a mono bullets. And I’ve never lost a Deer, Elk, Moose, Bear etc to one yet.

X2. I can't say the same for hornady sst's.

[Slicktricker]

Ever since i switched to ttsx and tsx groups went smaller. Haven't tracked an animal yet all were drt on the spot. I'll keep using them in my 7mm rem. No plans on changing. My back up rifle in shooting the 165 game kings no plan on changing from how stupid accurate they are in my 06

[Battle Rat]

I use triple shock in some guns and they work very well.
I use what ever works best and sometimes that is cup and core.
The concern about lead fragmentation is way over exaggerated.
My self and a lot of others that have eaten large amount of game shot with lead for the 50 years without any effect.

[CF8889]

This post is going to be over flowing with "following the trends" vibes... but....

Anywhere in or around Calgary to find mono rounds for a 6.5creedmoor?

Ps. I don't handload.

[1bowhunter12]

And here I thought everybody uses Winchester super X’s..

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by 1bowhunter12

And here I thought everybody uses Winchester super X’s..

Funny! Those are the ones that used to explode for me

[Mountain Guy]

Guys use mono's for health reasons?
Funniest thing I heard all week....
You guys are kidding right?
I'll bet good money that everyone has ingested plenty of lead from sources other than a tiny fragment from a bullet.
Not to mention that the jacket usually breaks up more so than the lead core.

[Beeman3]

I thought about trying the Barnes 127 LRX in one of my 6.5x47's but it didn't shoot very good. Ended up going with the 130 Accubond. What has worked very good for me is heavy for caliber Berger bullets. If Hammer bullets shipped to Canada I would try them out as the design and reviews have all been positive from what I have seen.

[BuckCuller]

I shoot the barnes ttsx because I can shoot a little lighter grain bullet and get similar results. Every animal I’ve shot with my 30-06 and 150 gr ttsx have dropped immediately. Always good shot placement.
The 243 with 80 gr ttsx have all been short tracking jobs with a couple instant dirt naps.
I like the fact of a hole out each side of the criter for easier tracking and if I do misplace a shot and hit heavy bone it will still do the job.
All bullets will kill but I like my ttsx.
As for the lead I’ve never really worried about it but the lead does disperse through the meat more than I ever thought after watching some studies on the old YouTube.

PS if I was shooting distances where the bullet velocity would be dropping bellow 1950 ftps I would not be shooting mono’s.

[elkhunter11]

I prefer lung shots myself, and They work well as long as the impact velocity is adequate.

[KodiakHntr]

Personally, I use mono's so that I don't have to worry about perfect shot presentation as much. I like to be able to drive a bullet into the heart or lungs from any angle that is presented, if I need and/or want to. That said, I'm also a pretty dedicated shoulder shooter, as I like my hunting to end when the gun goes off. Using mono's has given me pretty minimal meat loss when shooting for shoulders on elk and moose, so I tend to prefer to knock them down where they stand if possible.

When I use cup'n core bullets, I try to treat them more like a broadhead as far as shot presentation angle goes.

[getatmewolf]

Originally Posted by KodiakHntr

Personally, I use mono's so that I don't have to worry about perfect shot presentation as much. I like to be able to drive a bullet into the heart or lungs from any angle that is presented, if I need and/or want to. That said, I'm also a pretty dedicated shoulder shooter, as I like my hunting to end when the gun goes off. Using mono's has given me pretty minimal meat loss when shooting for shoulders on elk and moose, so I tend to prefer to knock them down where they stand if possible.

When I use cup'n core bullets, I try to treat them more like a broadhead as far as shot presentation angle goes.

BIG X2
Ive been a "shoulder puncher" for the last couple seasons and am happy with the immediate ending of my hunts, having a premium bullet knock out both shoulders and the lungs has been great. You lose maybe a pound of meat. I shoot both Barnes TTSX and LRX and Hornady GMX with great results, ZERO tracking jobs so far.

[leo]

Most of my hunting is with magnums, I like pushing TTSX in all my magnums because they are extremely accurate, don’t deform in the magazine from recoil and provide dependable penetration and one shot kills from nearly all angles when I do my part. I also load Accubonds, Partitions, Ballistic tips and Sierra Game Kings.

[shooter12]

I like mono bullets too, when they are pushed well over 3000f.s
Usually it will be a fast kill in the heart/lung area , and shoulder will be not destroyed if hit there neither.
Plus 2 holes in and out,that is a bonus
S12

[West O'5]

I use monos for a buncha reasons already listed(accuracy/weight retention/penetration/exit wounds)......,lead contamination is not one of them though.
After near 40 years of eating big game killed with cup n core bullets and literally thousands of gamebirds fell with lead shot.a wee bit of lead fragments potentially in the meat is the least of my worries at this stage.

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by Battle Rat

I use triple shock in some guns and they work very well.
I use what ever works best and sometimes that is cup and core.
The concern about lead fragmentation is way over exaggerated.
My self and a lot of others that have eaten large amount of game shot with lead for the 50 years without any effect.

I would be in this camp. Due to the larger calibers I shoot, I stay mainly with stout cup & cores. My speedier rifles seem to like the monos. So far, no issues with lead after decades of trying to digest that stuff.