243 Solid Shank (50-units)
These are bond-core bullets with a drilled hole in the front part of the bullet and it features a solid copper shank at the rear, which is indestructible. The thick wall jackets attempt to keep petals intact, and expansion gets arrested where the drilled hole stops. The net result is that it ensures a high weight retention ratio. The copper jacket is made from solid bar stock and then drilled. Bigger caliber bullets are given thicker jacket walls, so as to be able to withstand higher impact forces.
The bonded bullet with its thicker than normal copper jackets is what translates into stronger petals and ensures a high weight retention ratio typically 98% plus at typical practical hunting ranges. However, impact velocity, be it higher or lower at the range, will vary the percentage of bullet weight retained. The frontal expansion of the bullet (“mushroom”) is more than 2 twice its diameter and also varies in range, mostly in the range of 2.2 to 2.4 times diameter.
Here we have an example where a 286 gr Rhino Solid Shank bullet was shot into a Rhinoceros at point blank range of 10 paces. The bullet retained 267 grains or 93.4% and opened up to 2.3 times the original diameter.
The copper jackets get annealed to increase their malleability; making the bullet stronger, so the petals don't shear off so easily. The lead core that is bonded to the copper walls also strengthens the petals during the expansion process, as it flows together in unison. The copper jacket tapers towards the front, although less so on big bore calibers so that bullets can expand more easily.
All bullets come with a 'protected point' design to avoid deformed lead tips in the magazine under recoil. All bullets go 3 times through a finishing die at the end to ensure that they are within the CIP specification and to ensure consistency of all bullets produced.
- Chris Bekker
