Backcountry Hunting Podcast: HOW BULLETS KILL: Monometal vs. Lead-Core

HOW BULLETS KILL: Monometal vs. Lead-Core

Mar 24, 2023

This episode takes a deep dive into the mechanics of various types of hunting bullets. We define:

On-impact performance characteristics
Shot angles, and what it takes to successfully destroy vitals
- Broadside
- Quartering to
- Quartering away
- Facing straight on
- "Texas heart shots" (facing away)
Bullet types
- Cup-and-lead-core
- Bonded-lead core, partition, and hybrid
- Monometal
Big game sizes and bullet requirements:
- Deer & pronghorn
- Mid-size game such as caribou and elk
- Big-bodied game such as moose and bison
- African game
Types of wound channels, and which most bullets most effectively create:
- Hydrodynamic affect
- Temporary wound cavities
- Permanent wound channels
- Frontal diameter and cavitation
- Weight retention and penetration
How to pick the most versatile bullet type for your purposes
- Game size considerations
- Caliber and acceptable shot angles