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Old April 10, 2009, 02:51 PM   #4
Daryl
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 11, 2008
Posts: 2,350
First of all, I've found meat damage to be more dependant on a bullet's construction than it's weight.

For an example, I get less meat damage on deer from my 7mm mag than I usually get from same brand/type bullets from my .243 Win. The .243 bullets aren't designed to penetrate as much as the 7mm bullets are, I suppose.

So, given decent bullet construction, I seriously doubt that you'll get more meat damage from the 160 grain bullets. With the lower velocity of the heavier bullets from the same cartridge, you'll likely get less.

Additionally, you might have seen similar results with an equal hit from the 160 grain bullets. Strange things happen to bullets at times, and I've seen some freaky things happen. Without making the same shot with a 160 grain bullet, we'll never know for sure. Worse, you'd have likely failed to compansate for the different POI of the heavier slug, and made a worse hit.

That said, I've shot completely through a few buffalo using well constructed 145 grain bullets from that same 7mm mag. I feel confidant that the same load would shoot through a moose, given proper bullet placement.

And yet I've seen a broadside 80 lb coues deer completely stop a 175 grain bullet from a 7mm Rem Mag because of more fragile bullet construction causing what I consider bullet failure, even though the deer was recovered. Nary a bone was hit, yet that bullet failed to exit that broadside deer. It would have been sad to hit a moose with that particular bullet and load, would it not?

Pick your subject from the above, because all are valid, and each could result in a lengthy discussion. All I've said has been my own experiences, yet they're still limited by what I myself have seen. Trying to decide on a bullet based on what you BELIEVE will happen can give frustrating results.

Daryl
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