Jim Taylor
Years ago Robert Smythe-friend of myself and John Taffin
Sunday, November 29, 2020, 18:33

wrote an article about his early days in Cuba and then in Colorado. He wrote about using FMJ military loads for hunting.

In his article titled "A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST" he talked abut hunting in Cuba with a .30-06 and FMJ military ammunition. In one place he said, "I also shot several deer with the .30-06 and the same full-jacketed bullets. Not the best for game shooting, admittedly, but they seemed to get the job done satisfactorily. Since then I have paid little attention when someone would "chant" about the evils of using full-jacketed bullets on game animals. I used them with good effect then (and other times later), and if nothing better was available, would use them again. However, my experience over the years has taught me how to alter these full-jacketed bullets into first-class hunting bullets, so if time permitted, I would now so alter such bullets before I used them on big game."

Later on he wrote:
"I was able to get a Model 1895 Winchester in .30-06 caliber. Learning that Dave had some surplus military .30-06 ammo at a bargain price, I bought 500 rounds of it for some experiments I wanted to make in altering the jacketed bullets for use on game.

Later, I altered the bullets by filing with a thin file, (a jeweler’s hacksaw is better), 3 notches in the nose of the bullet jacket. I made these notches 3/16" back from the point at right angles to the bullet and just short of connecting with each other and just through the jacket at the center of the notch, leaving a little of the jacket solid between the ends of the notches. After testing some 25 loads at the bench rest. I found that they shot as accurately as before and they fed through the magazine good. I shot quite a few coyotes with this altered bullet and found they gave prompt execution. Also using this bullet in the same Model ’95 Win., I shot my first, real good Mule Deer head. All in all, it was a good combination of rifle and load."

The complete article can be found here:
http://leverguns.com/articles/robert_smythe.htm


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