What kind of bullet is this?

[N80]

This is a 7mm-08, Remington case. Bullet type is unmarked and unknown. I do not think it is a reload so probably something standard from Remington but it is different in appearance from all the other Soft Point Cor-Lokt bullets I have. The main thing I want to know is if it is a big game bullet suitable for deer. Any assistance appreciated.



P.S.: I have tried using Remington's web site but it is, and has always been, almost unusably slow. I have no idea why......probably big brother....

 

[nybirdman]

Remington factory hollow point bullet.I have a similar bullet in 25/06 from the factory.Didn't like them for deer;too much destruction.

 

[k0ua]

Without pulling the bullet I cant be sure, but I think it is a type of Full Metal Jacket but it may be have a copper base instead of being open on the base ans showing the lead core. Basically I believe this bullet is built the other way, in that the nose was the open end of the bullet cup and has a lead core but the base is solid copper. So that makes it still a FMJ bullet type and as such is more or less no expanding, so should not be used for Hunting. Plinking/target round only.

James K0UA

 

[Bill 55]

Sure looks like one of Remmington's hollow points. I could never get them to shoot well for me

 

[N80]

Thanks guys. I don't think it is an FMJ. These were mixed in with some of my Dad's stuff and I don't know why he'd have owned FMJ bullets. Plus, at the tip the copper has cut grooves (which don't show up well in the photo) for expansion.

nybirdman, when you say too much destruction do you mean the bullets were coming apart or too much damage to the deer?

 

[N80]

Sure looks like one of Remmington's hollow points. I could never get them to shoot well for me

Well, I pulled this gun out to make sure it was sighted in (it was my Dad's) and I just grabbed these bullets without paying too much attention to what they were, but they shot a super tight group at 100 yards with a 4x scope.

I will run a few of the soft point Core-lokt bullets through it too to make sure they hit close to these since they (the soft points) are in the box (so I know exactly what they are) and I have plenty of them.

 

[sea2summit]

That's not a FMJ, it's a varmit round or a match round. Have to pull it to tell for sure. It has been sitting in a magazine while the rifle was shot stored incorrectly, that's why the nose is deformed.

 

[N80]

No, its been sitting in the factory plastic bullet holder (minus the box) for years. And Dad rarely hunted with this gun, but it may have been in and out of the gun a few times....or bouncing around in a pocket.

But, the bottom line is that it doesn't sound like there is any way for me to be completely sure what type of bullet it is and I would not want to shoot it at a deer unless I knew for sure. So I better mark them 'not for hunting' and just shoot them up for general sighting in and/or plinking. Or coyotes.

 

[k0ua]

Ok, I stand corrected, perhaps it is what Rem. Catalogs as an OTM or open tip match bullet.?

 

[wrooster]

Ok, I stand corrected, perhaps it is what Rem. Catalogs as an OTM or open tip match bullet.?

That is what it looks like. OTM describes the result of drawing the copper jacket from the base up, versus from the tip down. The result is a FMJ with a small aperture at the tip. The prime advantage of OTM is accuracy; this is a result of better base uniformity. As the bullet egresses the muzzle, the more uniform the base of the bullet and the more uniform the barrel crown, the more uniform the gas pressure will be around the periphery of the bullet/crown interface. The resultant homogeneous pressure distribution results in less initial upset of the tail of the bullet, which in turn reduces epicyclic swerve. See this link for a detailed explanation and a video.

Note that OTM is *not* classed as a hollow-point projectile. The aperture left by the bottom-up copper jacket drawing process is generally not large enough to induce "flower petaling" as would occur in a true JHP projectile. Therefore, the wounding mechanism for OTM is very much like any high velocity FMJ projectile: transient yawing followed by fragmentation typically initiated at the cannelure.

Also note that OTM projectiles are currently in widespread use by US military snipers; JAG has ruled OTM usage is in accordance with the Hague Convention.

Wrooster