failsafe bullets

[gordon baxter]

Hi there, has anyone bin using the winchester failsafe bullets? I am thinking on loading some for my 300mag and my wifes 30-06 in 180 gr using imr 4350. One more question i loaded some 140gr nosler for my 270, haven't tried theme yet.Has anyone else loaded any with any kind of luck.I want the 140s but not probably going to use the gun except for deer & antelope any more any suggestions. Thanks for the input.

[Rocky Raab]

FailSafes are excellent bullets. They may be more than you need for most game, but where they're really needed, they excel.

Answer this: if you need extreme penetration on very large and tough game - or dangerous game - then you might need an expensive and exotic bullet like the FailSafe.

If you're hunting deer, antelope and such the Failsafe will certainly work. But it's like buying a Ferrari to haul kids to school. You can get a perfectly adequate bullet for deer without needing a second mortgage. Barnes X, Partitions or bonded bullets are cheaper while being plenty tough enough for that 300 maggie.

That goes for the 140 Noslers in the 270, too. Perfect.

[eldeguello]

Originally posted by Rocky Raab
FailSafes are excellent bullets. They may be more than you need for most game, but where they're really needed, they excel.

Answer this: if you need extreme penetration on very large and tough game - or dangerous game - then you might need an expensive and exotic bullet like the FailSafe.

If you're hunting deer, antelope and such the Failsafe will certainly work. But it's like buying a Ferrari to haul kids to school. You can get a perfectly adequate bullet for deer without needing a second mortgage. Barnes X, Partitions or bonded bullets are cheaper while being plenty tough enough for that 300 maggie.

That goes for the 140 Noslers in the 270, too. Perfect.

I would expect this same evaluation to apply to the Barnes X's.

[Rocky Raab]

I didn't think Barnes bullets would be nearly as expensive as FailSafes...until I looked 'em up.

I stand corrected.

[fabsroman]

Rocky,

I was going to point out that error, but Eldeguello beat me to it. Barnes X bullets cost just as much as Failsafes and the reason I picked them over Failsafes is because they had a higher penetration level in a test I read. I have only used them for deer so far and they do get the job done rather well out of my .300 Win Mag. The reason I decided to use them out of that gun is just in case I decide to hunt bigger game with that gun, I won't have to work on loads and accuracy at a later date. Out of my .30-06 and .270 I use Nosler Ballistic Tips which are much cheaper and also get the job done on whitetails.

[Jack]

I'll agree with the consensus of the others- the Failsafe is an outstanding bullet if you want/need really deep penetration.
For deer, it's overkill- deer aren't that thick.
The Nosler Ballistic Tip is an excellent whitetail bullet, IME, and a 140 in the 270 should work well- I know for a fact the 130 does.
I've done a small amount of testing with Failsafes versus some other bullets. The Failsafe will penetrate more than a Nosler Partition will- which is saying something.
If I were to hunt something quite large- like trophy elk or moose, I'd load 160 Failsafes in my 280 with confidence the bullet would do the job.

[Lycanthrope]

Although, I have never been able to get failsafes to group under an inch in my 7STW. Easier with the Barnes. You never know.

[Cossack]

As to the need for using premium bullets on deer, Barnes X to be specific: IMO there is no such thing as "overkill" where killing game humanely is concerned. (Chasing a deed for 3 miles when a non-premium bullet blew up on a shoulder hit convinced me of that).
I feel it's my reponsibility, out of respect for the game animal, to use the best available materials to do the job. I use conventional bullets to practice. But only Barnes X to hunt with. That's why 18 one-shot kills, never a lost animal, with none going more than 50 yrds after the hit, using relatively small calibers (25/06, 260, 7/08, 284 and 280) speaks for itself.
After all, how much can one shot cost?
To be more specific, I tend to load the X's light for caliber: 100gr in 25/06, 120gr in 260 and 140's in the 7mm'. These give me great trajectory and terminal energy becasue the bullets just don't disintegrate. Have only recoved one from game and it was +95% weight retention.. after passing the entire length of the buck. Anticipating possible squaks about "dumping energy on the ground:" the results still speak for themselves.

[fabsroman]

If you have Barnes' reloading manual, I think the wound channel that they show in ballistic gelatin shows pretty much that a large amount of energy is deposited in the animal and that a ton of damage is done. The wound channel looks like a football with a small entry and exit hole but a large amount of damage that will occur in the chest cavity. As far as I am concerned, an entry and exit wound is the best way to track an animal if you really have to.

[gordon baxter]

Thanks for the input. My main interest in the failsafes are strictly for moose and elk.