Mixed calibre wet newspaper test 270Win, 30-06, 45-70, 250AI

[bobnob]

I'll say at the outset that I made a big mistake with my testing method on this one. I had 14.5" of wet newspapers, magazines and old documents, that I sandwiched with a lot of dry newspaper as well so the bullets would be really tested hard.

Unfortunately about 7 inches into the wet pack I unknowingly included about 50 pages of waterproof paper from an old instruction manual. This stuff turned out to be incredibly elastic and tough, and as a result it arrested 4 of the six bullets I tested at between 7-7.5 inches of penetration. So I lost a lot of potential data with respect to total penetration but still gathered some relevant data on those 4 bullets regarding retained weight and expanded diameter.

I was looking to test the relative performance differences between the 270 Win, 45-70, 30-06 and 250 Sav AI. I had three different bullets to try with the 250 AI, and one each for the other 3 rifles.

The subjects

1. 270 Win, 150g Speer Hotcor velocity 2900

2. 45-70, 400g Speer Jacketed FP velocity 1800

3. 30-06, 180g Hornady Interlock SP velocity 2780

4. 250 AI, 100g Hotcor velocity 2970

5. 250 AI, 100g Sierra GK velocity 2970

6. 250 AI, 117g Interlock BTSP velocity 2900

It might not surprise that the three 250 cal bullets were among the four that stopped in the stretchy, tough material in the middle of the pack. What might be a little of a surprise is that the 400g Speer out of the 45-70 was the other one.

The 270 cal Hotcor and 30 cal Interlock kept going out the other side of this road block, but no doubt had a lot of wind taken out of the sails by then.

Also a little surprising, the 270 cal, 150g Speer Hotcor penetrated tne furthest. I'd expected the big Interlock to go further.

Some more results:

1. 270 Win, 150g Speer Hotcor velocity 2900fps
Penetration: 10.75
Retained wt: 76g
Expanded diameter: 0.478"

2. 45-70, 400g Speer Jacketed FP velocity 1800
Penetration: 7.5"
Retained wt: 381g
Expanded diameter: 0.910"

3. 30-06, 180g Hornady Interlock SP velocity 2780
Penetration: 9.5"
Retained wt: 108g
Expanded diameter: 0.514

4. 250 AI, 100g Hotcor velocity 2970
Penetration: 7.0"
Retained wt: 56g
Expanded diameter: 0.442"

5. 250 AI, 100g Sierra GK velocity 2970
Penetration: 7.0"
Retained wt: 52g
Expanded diameter: 0.437

6. 250 AI, 117g Interlock BTSP velocity 2900
Penetration: 7.5"
Retained wt: 63g
Expanded diameter: 0.502

In this pic, top from left is the 150g Hotcor; 400g Speer; 180g Interlock. Bottom from left is 100g Hotcor; 100g SGK; 117g Interlock...

So a few take outs; all the bullets lost a lot of weight in the rigorous test media, excepting the modestly paced 400g Speer and the 180g Interlock which retained 108g of its original 180g which isn't too bad. All the rest lost round 50% of their original weight.

The 150g Hot Cor and 180g Interlock did incredibly well getting through that stuff. When I was pulling the stuck bullets out of it, it was like tyre rubber, incredibly strong. I'd feel comfy using these two on the very biggest sambar deer, scrub bull and so on.

Maybe I'll try something similar later and ensure not to sabotage the results like I did here. Not my most interesting bullet test this time. I hope someone got something out of it though.

 

[Rem Jim]

Interesting TEST thks for sharing ! RJ

 

[DrMike]

Fascinating. Interesting that frontal area appeared to have bested the heavier mass of the big 45 caliber.

 

[Rem Jim]

I have shot lots of the 400 gr Speers out of my 45-70 and 450 Marlin into wood etc - they are a soft bullet - a 525 gr hard cast Bear Tooth Pile Driver boolit would have gone CLEAR through that paper i BET ! jmo RJ

 

[bobnob]

Yes Jim, and the wide expansion is what stopped the big Speer in that tough, elasticky stuff I believe. It wasn't far from punching out the other side of it.

I'm quite certain your big Pile Driver if shot in this test, would still be going!

I think the 350g Hotcor I recently tested would have punched through too as it doesn't expand quite as wide.

 

[Charlie-NY]

The fat 400gr Speer bullet typically expands to an inch so I wouldn't expect too much penetration. However, the bears that I took with the 400 JSP all dropped to the shot and none of them was able to catch the bullet. Total penetration every time.

I've read many times how soft this bullet is but it maintained a high percentage of its weight in your test. Maybe being "soft" is just what make this bullet so lethal.

 

[SJB358]

Awesome test Bob!

 

[FOTIS]

Bob I am here to tell you. Great job! As far as the 117 gr Hornady BT in the 25-06 at 3200 fps, goes I have killed more antelope and deer than every other bullet and caliber combined. Shots from 40 to 300 plus yards. Never recovered one!!!


Additionally we have used the 180 Hornady BT 308 cal out of 30-06 300 win and 300 RUM for deer and elk. Never recovered one under 50%........ Keep in mind the bullet featured here is the Interlock SP not BT hence tougher!!!

 

[bobnob]

Fotis both those Hornady bullets you've referenced are faves of mine, the 117g BTSP in .257 and the 180g BTSP in .30 cal. I've not been able to get the 180g BTSP for a good while however, but the FB version as you've indicated has done a great job for me on pigs of all sizes!

This was the last game animal I took with the last of my 180g BTSPs last year... Hope to get a few more like him at some point!