Choosing a Hawk Bullet

Bullet Design

All of our round tip and spitzer bullets are designed with the longest ogive practical in that caliber. For a good ballistic coefficient, the length of the ogive is much more important than the nose design. Bullets designated as flat point are for tubular magazine applications, and are designed similar to older Winchester shapes. (Note: Ogive refers to the curved portion of the nose of a bullet, and is measured in diameters. The larger the number, the higher the ballistic coefficient.)

We do not make any boattail bullets, as they have several disadvantages and no beneficial effect until velocity drops below 1100 F.P.S. (speed of sound).

The round tip and round nose designs expand more reliably over a wider velocity range and are less sensitive to what they hit.

For those interested in learning more about bullet performance on game, we recommend that you read John Taylor’s books, African Rifles and Cartridges and Pondoro. Perhaps no other man has shot more game under hunting conditions with a wider variety of rifles and cartridges. For reliable expanding bullets, he found those with a large amount of lead exposed to be the most dependable, the heavier the better. His experience with copper or protected point bullets was that they performed erratically. Elmer Keith made similar comments in some of his books. We all would do well to listen to the voice of such extensive experience.

Many customers have asked if we "bond" our cores. Our tests have shown that "bonding" (soldering) is detrimental to accuracy. We have developed a proprietary process that gives the same results with superb accuracy. You can depend on our bullets to hold together. Even with 2-3 diameters of expansion, 85-95% weight retention can be expected. (Ref. Independent Test Reports)

Our bullets do not automatically come with a cannelure. Because of our soft jackets, many of our customers find that crimping is sufficient. However, if you would like a cannelure, we can add this feature at an additional cost. Just tell us where to locate it for your particular application. Many like using the Lee Factory Crimp Die to crimp the Hawk bullets as it does not require a cannelure and works exceptionally well with the soft copper Hawk bullets.

Guidelines for Bullet Selection

Bullet choice is at best a compromise, and no single selection will serve in all situations. However, here are a few basic concepts to consider. The weight of a bullet that you can use in any barrel is limited by the rate of twist and velocity. Poor accuracy will result from an inappropriate choice.

For lower velocities (under approximately 2300 fps), a bullet with more lead exposed is almost always required for adequate expansion. At higher velocities you need to be a little more selective, depending on the game and distances involved. Heavier bullets with better sectional density are almost always the better choice for larger game. Of course accuracy is the overriding requirement within these concepts.

All bullets listed with .025 jackets are designed for use in low velocity rifles and single shot pistols, and deliver good expansion. Select a thicker jacket for higher velocities or larger, tougher game.

In smaller sizes the .030 jacket works well on deer at medium velocities. The .035 jacket performs very nicely on heavier game and small to medium caliber high velocity magnums. For instance, our 7mm x 175gr x .035 and .308 x 200gr x .035 are perfect for the hottest magnums, yet will still expand at long ranges. The larger calibers with .050 jackets are suitable for the largest game and highest velocities. The .065 jackets are appropriate for only the very toughest applications.

We carry a large inventory at all times. However, we do have stock outages on particular items. Please order in advance of your needs to insure availability. Most out of stock items can be shipped within 3-4 weeks.

When ordering, please specify quantity, weight, jacket thickness and shape (i.e. RT, RN, SPZ, FP, HP). It is helpful to let us know as much about your application as possible so we can be sure to provide you with the best bullet for your specific needs. The reason we offer such a wide selection is because no single bullet is ideal for all applications. If you’re not sure which bullet will work best for you, we are always more than happy to assist you.

Don't forget to check out the sections on Terminal Ballistics and Hunting with Handguns before making your selection.