OTMs vs Bonded SP

[JB2000]

I have been storing and shooting OTMs for a long time but need to resupply. Bullets, like some OTMs, that fragment (with the fragments leaving the main bullet path working in conjunction with the temporary stretch cavity) have the potential to create large permanent cavities. In unobstructed shots, these bullets seem to offer the best potential to produce rapid incapacitation. However, I have seen some comments about inconsistent performance from OTM loads when hunting hogs (not sure how valid this is). Are OTMs still the best option for unobstructed shots or are barrier blind bullets like the Federal 62 gr. TBBC JSP providing similar performance?

Thanks!

[gaijin]

My preference, if hog hunting, is the bonded bullet or monolithic solid, like a Barnes, if I'm using a long gun.

The OTM is relatively thin skinned to try and penetrate gristle plate and heavy bone.

[Vegasshooter]

Bonded all day and twice on Sunday. The new bonded bullets are shooting incredible now days. Our duty ammo is Speer Gold Dot 75gr. It shoots damn near as accurate as Federal GMM in my SPR. The issue with OTM is just that, they are built to be accurate "match" rounds. Yes they kill, but the results can be sporadic. They take longer to open, sometimes they don't open well, and any intermediate barrier can make them very unpredictable.
Bonded/barrier blind ammo has really come into its own in the last 5 years or so, and I think you'd be pleasantly surprised with the accuracy, and the performance.

[Todd.K]

OTM does not perform as consistently as barrier blind. So OTM may work great most of the time. I'll take more consistent and put the barrier blind cherry on top with a bonded load.

[MegademiC]

Depends on use, i choose to run fed fusion 62gr as it's great performance and good ballistics out to 300yds. I can use the same load for hd and hunting and it's low cost. It shoots 1.3-1.5moa 10 shot groups out of my Cr lined centurion barrel.

The marginal gain in terminal performance with otms is not worth the tradeoff. Someone filling a sniper role or true long range shooting may prefer otms , but even then the 75gr gold dot looks really good. But that's outside of my lane at this point.

[Kdubya]

I prefer the bonded types; Fusion, GD, CLUB, TBBC. Not necessarily because they are remarkably more effective than open tip. If they perform as designed, the difference in terminal effect is negligible. With that being said, I personally believe the bonded rounds perform a little more consistently.

[BufordTJustice]

Federal fusion, TBBC 62gr, CLUB, Hornady GMX, Barnes TSX.

I've watched small hogs get heart shot at almost point blank ranges just walk away (to be lost) using hot 5.56 pressure OTMs. And I've taken absurdly large hog with GMX, fusion, and TBBC from much further away, using an SBR....
And had them be DRT. Anecdotal, I know.

What you get with bonded rounds and homogeneous solids is a LACK of variability. I go with that.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

[JB2000]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I appreciate the input and experiences. I'll head down the bonded road.

[moonshot]

Interesting observations, and it mirrors what I have read and seen before. I've begun moving away from OTMs and into SPs (62gr GDSP), but now what do I do with my existing stash of OTMs? I have a fair supply of 68gr and 75gr Black Hills Match HPs (their name for OTM), all in .223.

As a self defense round, what purpose do they now serve? SPs have a longer effective range and are barrier blind. Have OTMs become little more than expensive training ammo?

What should be done with them? Keep them for the proverbial rainy day? Use them for range and training ammo? Try and sell them for whatever I can get to increase my supply of SPs? I don't know what they would bring, but I know I could ever make enough to buy a like number of SPs.

[ST911]

Interesting observations, and it mirrors what I have read and seen before. I've begun moving away from OTMs and into SPs (62gr GDSP), but now what do I do with my existing stash of OTMs? I have a fair supply of 68gr and 75gr Black Hills Match HPs (their name for OTM), all in .223.

As a self defense round, what purpose do they now serve? SPs have a longer effective range and are barrier blind. Have OTMs become little more than expensive training ammo?

What should be done with them? Keep them for the proverbial rainy day? Use them for range and training ammo? Try and sell them for whatever I can get to increase my supply of SPs? I don't know what they would bring, but I know I could ever make enough to buy a like number of SPs.

Both loads you list have high accuracy, high fragmentation, and low(er) penetration. They are very good at what they do. There are pictures of 16" barrel gel shots on the BHA webpage for both of those loads, here: http://www.black-hills.com/shop/new-...23-remington/#. The 68 and 75 are not barrier rounds, a SP or copper solid is a better choice for those needs. Check out the 50 or 62 TSX.