100 Gr BT vs 12ga copper solid slug @50 yds

cloverleaf

Handloader
Sep 10, 2006
4,318
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So, I was rummaging around in the garage tonight abd found this 1/8 inch think piece of plate. The hole in the piece is from a 100 Gr BT out of my 250-3000 Savage. The other three shots were taken with Federal Premium Barnes Expander 12 ga slugs. If you look at the left side of the pic you can see that the steel was bent significantly by a couple of the shots (marked with a green sharpie). The Remington slug is there for comparison. However they were ineffective compared to the BT! The rust is from riding around in the trunk so I could "prove" my little 250 was more effective than a 12 ga slug. All shots were taken at 50 yards. MV on the 1 oz slug was @1400 fps. MV from my 250 is @ 2800 fps.
If I find some armor plated pronghorn I am good to go..... :) CL

SLUGVSBT.jpg
 
cloverleaf":24ma07go said:
......
If I find some armor plated pronghorn I am good to go..... :) CL

Yes you are good to go!
 
Haven't seen many of those armor plated antelope running (or is that walking) around. However, should you see them, they cannot depend on their armor plating.
 
Very nice. Good info, too. I think folks discount the 243Win/250Sav/257Rob class of cartridges too often as suitable for only varmints, and marginal on deer/antelope. I'd take a 243Win for white-tails any day. I'd have no qualms carrying it for pronghorn or muleys, either. With the right bullets, of course.
 
DrMike":13ih94ip said:
Haven't seen many of those armor plated antelope running (or is that walking) around. However, should you see them, they cannot depend on their armor plating.

Um...., Yup I was bored one day and thought it would be interesting. couldnt believe how perfect that hole was. No tear-out just like I drilled the hole, maybe better. Thought the Slugs would actually do better than they did. CL
 
cloverleaf":1w950bu9 said:
DrMike":1w950bu9 said:
Haven't seen many of those armor plated antelope running (or is that walking) around. However, should you see them, they cannot depend on their armor plating.

Um...., Yup I was bored one day and thought it would be interesting. couldnt believe how perfect that hole was. No tear-out just like I drilled the hole, maybe better. Thought the Slugs would actually do better than they did. CL

Troy,

Nicely done. Looks like velocity is your friend, it just drills a hole through the steel.

JD338
 
Actually, the slugs did better than I would have imagined. I'm really not terribly surprised by the BTs drilling through the plate. Pretty good demo, I'd say.
 
Now you guys are making me question my decision to sell my .243 in hopes of getting a ????
 
These tests really get one thinking man.....

This stuff makes no sense especially to a beginner that sees this (ie me as a 6th grader when I got hooked, and had more questions than answers)

Based on this (in a beginners mind) what would you choose for brown bear?

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
I've done a similar thing in the past but used a 223 and a 12 ga/30-06 for comparison. Some friends didn't believe a 223 would out penetrate a 30-06 because its bigger in every way. That, however, is exactly why it didn't penetrate better. I used some old scrap metal and FMJ's from both calibers. The proof was in the performance.

I've had to puncture propane tanks for our local fire department when they were confiscated as part of a meth lab. 12 guage slugs and handgun rounds wouldn't get the job done. 223 and 7.62x39 FMJ's went through like a knife through butter. These were normally shot at 75-100 yds. I also experimented with a tank that had nothing in it using a slug at 25ish yards. It put a tremendous dent in it but didn't break the metal at all.

The smaller caliber projectile concentrates it's energy in a much smaller area and is able to force its way through. The larger one is concentrated over a larger (comparatively) area and won't always get through as well/at all.

There are numerous variables to consider, of course, such as the type/thickness of the test medium, ballistics of the given rounds, specific type of projectile, etc.

Ron
 
I'm sure Brian can post the pics but we shot my 264 and his 300 RUM at some steel. I think 1/2" stuff. Both the 140 PTs out of the 264 and the 200 ABs punched neatly through. Impressive stuff
 
Back in about 1980 I seen a side by side shots of a 30-06 armer percing bullet and the 55gr accereator sabot on a 3/8" cold roled steel plate. The 55gr @4000fps was better!

The 250-3000sav is a very nice killer of deer (sweet) but thats not a fare comparitor between the 12ga and the 250savage. I know which I would rather have in hand if I was 20 yards from a 800lb animal be it a elk or brown bear.

I said sweet! the 250 loaded with todays bullets and powder is a very over looked deer cartridge and inside of 275 yards or so a deer would never know the differance between it and a 25-06.
 
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