like i said, there ain't really a bad bullet, if you use it right. i've been in on several hundred elk kills. just got home from a trip that resulted in 3 real nice 6x6's. one was shot 5 or 6 times with an '06 using some kind of premium hotshot bullet. took him forever to die. had to chase it nearly a mile. like i've always said, a gutshot is a gutshot, don't matter what gun it is. once he finally hit it in a good place, it died. the 2nd one was shot with barnes bullets from a .300 win. bullet holes going out were about the same size as where they entered. i wasn't imressed, with the guys marksmanship or with the bullet. wasn't real long range or anything. but he hit it twice in the lungs and a couple other places, and it took off and then he broke it's back. had to shoot it again. real big bodied bull. old tough fighter for sure. can't say if a lead bullet would have done any better, but it damn sure wouldn't have done any worse. the 3rd was dropped with one shot from a .338/.378 with a barnes bullet. hit it in the spine in the hump of the shoulder, angling from left to right. dropped it dead. so would a lead bullet in the same place. any bullet out of that cannon would have dumped it. this guy did a considerably better job shooting than the other 2. some time at the range would have made a lot more sense than expensive ammo, on this hunt. before they shot their elk, there was a lot of talk about how great their ammo was. ammo doesn't make much difference if you can't shoot. i don't know a better shot at game than me. might be some guys that are as good, like my ol'man or my buddy earl. at least like my ol' man used to be. he's pretty old and shakes a little. there's probably guys that are better now, but really, at one time, on running game, i'd have bet on me against anyone i know. to me, shot placement, and the ability to do it in adverse hunting conditions, is the whole story. and if you use a good bullet, it doesn't matter. shoot any animal in the lungs, any animal, and it will die soon. like in just a few seconds. even a big ol' bull elk won't go far. 100 yards or so maybe. about as far as he can hold his breath. i've said it before, when someone says they shot center and it ran off, they're lyin'. they gutshot it. and if you gutshoot something, it doesn't matter much what you're shooting. i've shot through big bulls, full length, from the front and the rear. and they all died real quick. and i used lead bullets. i don't know how much more penetration you can get than shooting from windpipe to bunghole. didn't hit a bone to slow the bullet down and they passed on through. copper bullets are fine. but for me, i'll use my ol' cheap lead hornadies. i've made dozens upon dozens of kills with them, and have never had one come apart. have never been disapointed in the bullet. no matter what the range. and if a bullet does come apart, like the sierras i used to shoot seemed to, i don't see a big problem. as long as they do it inside and not on the skin like some of the plastic tipped ones seem to do. especially on deer. caliber, bullet weight and type, speed, high dollar rifles, fancy scopes, none of it matters if you can't shoot. i usually shoot a 55 year old rifle with a 25 year old scope when i'm real serious about hunting. both are top of the line, good stuff, especially for their day, but they ain't stainless or synthetic or any of that. i own dozens of rifles in all kinds of calibers and configurations. target rifles, varmint rifles, cannons to popguns. when i'm serious, i take my .270. i've shot it so many times that it's an extension of me and i can pick it up and shoot it anytime. and there ain't nothin' in the lower 48 that scares it. and in 2 weeks it's gonna be my turn. hope i can still hit.
