Varmint bullet

[juke81]

hey, how's it going. I'm going go bobcat hunting soon and I wondering if any of you have had any experience with the speer TNT? I intend to keep the pelt so I don't want an exit hole. Originally I was going to use the 107gr SMK, but then I read good reports about the speer TNT. If there is a better performing bullet that meets my criteria, I would like to know. Thanks.

[stokesrj]

That is a tough one, Bobcats are really lightly built animals, I've even had .17 HMR's exit them. I don't think there is any bullet that can be fired from the Grendel and counted on to not exit a bobcat. The TNT would probably be the most likely to be contained but If it does exit, you are probably looking at a large exit wound.
You might look at the opposite direction and shoot a heavily constructed hunting bullet or a FMJ to keep the exit wound small. A Barns TSX or Norma 120 FMJ.
Bob

[mongoosesnipe]

I would try the TNT or maybe the Sierra varminter and do some load testing with milk jugs but I think it will be difficult to garontee no exit wound with either of these I think I would try for one ov the heavy fmjs with a mild load so you don't tear anything up to bad the just sew both the small holes up before you stretch the pelt with the varmint bullets if there is an exit wound it is going to be substantial

[juke81]

What about sierra's MK? Would they pencil through?

[LRRPF52]

I would also suggest the Lapua 100gr Cutting Edge FMJ, which seems to be designed for this purpose.

[mongoosesnipe]

Yeah the cutting edge has a design the wont cause tumbling like a standard fmj can but the may be hard to come by

[mongoosesnipe]

The match king has a thickish jacket for a match bullet but it may open up in a bobcat I would try to use some sort of full metal jacket

[skyfish]

I agree that there is not a bullet that won't exit a bobcat from a Grendel. Let along a 223. I think any varmint bullet will leave a fist size, or larger, exit hole. Like the TNT, Amax, or blitz. I've shot the 100gr Berger at Prairie Dogs. Pass through, small hole. I would try and go with a more solid match bullet and plan on two small holes in the pelt.

[Azprc]

You mean people shoot bobcats with something other than 22's? I have shot them with 22's (perfect, 2 little holes), 223's, 338's, 6.5's and the grendel. Any of the match bullets will be fine in a thin skinned, small animal and will leave 2 holes. Do not shoot any varmint bullet if you plan to keep or sell the hide, they leave baseball size exit wounds. I have a ton of one sided bobcat pelts for sale if anybody is interested.

[juke81]

I'm going to try the 120gr SMK first and see what happens. If it doesn't workout, I'll try the Lapua FMJ. I can't seem to find any loading data for it using TAC though.

[mongoosesnipe]

I read an article a while back about preserving the pelts while hunting coyotes aparently the 79 grain tungsten drt frag bullet did not penitrate through a coyote it doesn't help if you are going to use the grendel but you may want to think about a differt caliber http://drtammo.com/