# Solid copper bullets and penetration?



## trackerputnam (Dec 21, 2014)

My son shot a cow elk last night just before dark with my .50cal Thompson. The cow dropped where she stood. It was a very bad spot and I was a couple hundred miles away. He went home and got his wife and my youngest grand daughter and a bunch of rope and a snatch block, and after four hours he had in whole in the road. Cutting it in half, he and his wife got it in the truck somehow. I went straight to his house on my way home and at least was able to supervise getting it hung up in the garage for skinning. Nice to know they were able to handle a real nasty retrieval without the old man.

Anyway this morning he sent me the pictures of the bullet. Its a solid copper , 296 grain bullet I believe he said. He shot the cow in the neck and found the bullet on the other side next to the skin. It did its job but I would have thought it would have gone all the way through? 100 grains of powder. Normal?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

What distance was he shooting at? 

You also have to figure that the neck has a lot of dense meat in it.

I shot a bull with a 300 grain Thor bullet and had 2 bullets completely pass through and one that lodged on the far side under the hide. This was at 120 yards.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Out of 5 shots, I've never recovered a 300gr xtp from any elk ever. One through a neck, all others through shoulder / ribcage area... in one side and out the other. 


-DallanC


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## trackerputnam (Dec 21, 2014)

He was at about 60 yards!


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I think I wouldn't worry about the bullet not going through. Neck, or body mass shot, that bullet performed excellent IMO. If the bullet stays in the animal it is receiving 100% of its energy. Years ago I shot a spike bull at 250yds. with the 300 gr. XTP and it was lodged opposite side of shot entrance between the skin and rib cage.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I'm with taxidermist on this one. Gun, powder, primer, bullet, and shooter all performed just as designed on this one from my vantage point. 

Congrats to them! Elk are awesome, even the ones without head gear.


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## trackerputnam (Dec 21, 2014)

The kid lost his glasses during the retrieve and went back two days later and found them. What he didn't find is any evidence that an elk had died. Gut pile and al were gone. Nearly no hair was left. So he took the bones back up today and put a camera up to see what we might see. Maybe time to shoot a kitty.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

More than likely coyotes


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Yes between birds and critters about all you find is the rumen if you take the bones.


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