The Hornady ELD-range of bullets is available in our market, which brings a number of questions about the different types of bullets and the advantages and disadvantages of each one. To make it even more difficult, Nosler's new RDF-bullets are now also available in South Africa. The questions regarding new and better bullets could keep us occupied for days. Let's discuss a few bullet characteristics, which may help to make next year's hunt even better than this year's excursions.
A large variety of good bullets are available in South Africa. Some are manufactured in South Africa, but most of them are imported. Since we use bullets for different purposes, a wide spectrum of bullets is available. Let's look at a few applications and the best bullet for each application.
Most bullets are used for target shooting. Due to the application of these bullets, manufacturers have to design and sell very accurate bullets. Manufacturers use their best technology to design and manufacture such bullets. Target shooting bullets are therefore the most accurate bullets. However, they are designed to shoot paper game and not the real thing.
These bullets are mostly manufactured with a softer jacket than bullets used for hunting purposes. Should you shoot a buck with a target shooting bullet, it could become a very long day in the veld. In most instances soft jacket bullets will not penetrate as well as hard jacket bullets. They break up easier and could result in a lot more damage to the meat as a result of the softer jacket.
Bullets are also used for hunting purposes. A number of different hunting bullets are available. Hunters hunt in different areas and different bullets are therefore required. A hunter hoping for a head-shot to a Springbok over a distance of 200 m, needs a different type of bullet than the hunter who wants to shoot a charging buffalo over a distance of 30 paces. Let's look at the different types of bullets used for hunting purposes.
Most manufacturers sell bullets made from a solid piece of metal. Hunters who wish to hunt big game, need a bullet which can penetrate properly. They usually prefer using a solid bullet. The bullet point is relatively expensive and is not the most accurate hunting bullet available. Some of the bullets do not mushroom and the ones which do, do not cause a large wound cavity. This type of bullet is mostly used for close-up shots and for animals with a large bone structure which needs to be penetrated.
Hunting bullets made of lead and a jacket, which mushroom and penetrate well, are mostly what hunters want to use. These bullets retain most of their weight when they mushroom and penetrate right through the target. They make a large wound cavity and limit meat damage. The jacket is normally much harder than the jacket of a bullet used for target shooting. Some manufacturers use a process by which the lead and the jacket of the bullet are attached to each other. For this reason, the bullet can penetrate effectively and retain its weight. The manufacturing process of these bullets is more expensive and the bullets are more expensive as a result.
Some hunters also use bullets which are not meant to penetrate and which are meant to lose their weight when they hit their target. The hunting of problem animals requires such bullets, which do not penetrate well and which result in a lot of meat damage. Bullets used for such purposes are also available. This type of bullet usually has a softer jacket than other hunting bullets and are more accurate over longer distances.
Since different bullets are used for different situations, a hunter's choice of bullet is very important. Should a bullet meant for target shooting purposes be used to hunt a lion, it would not have the desired effect. A solid hunting bullet would also not have the desired effect on a problem animal at 300m. Most bullets are of a good quality if they are used for the purpose for which they were designed.