Trophy Bonded Tip vs. Terminal Ascent

Federal Premium Terminal Ascent and Trophy Bonded Tip—they’re two of the best big game bullets of all time, trusted by countless hunters worldwide. But what differentiates these two proven projectiles, and which is the best bullet for you?

Best Bullet Background

To answer the Terminal Ascent vs. Trophy Bonded Tip question, we first need to delve into their origin story. For both bullets, it began in the early 1980s, when an entrepreneur named Jack Carter headed to Africa and tangled with a Cape buffalo that took seven hits with conventional cup-and-core bullets fired from a 375 H&H and several others from a backup gun before finally admitting death.

Back home, Carter went to work on a tougher, deep-penetrating expanding bullet design: the Bear Claw. His creation featured a rear half made of pure copper, with a lead-filled cavity in the front half. The bonded lead frontal core ensured immediate expansion. Because of the bonding, it couldn’t separate from the copper shank; as a result, weight retention averaged 90 percent or more. Combined with the all-metal shank, these features meant the bullet couldn’t fragment, couldn’t pancake on impact, and always drove deep. Purchased not long after by Federal, the design went on to become one of the best dangerous game projectiles of all time, under the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw name.

How The Best Bullets Began

In the years that followed came another breakthrough that built on the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw concept: Trophy Bonded Tip, a superb polymer-tipped bullet that performs in stellar fashion on impact and is very accurate. Available in a vast spectrum of big-game cartridges, the Trophy Bonded Tip is one of history’s all-time great hunting bullets.

And in 2020, after years of research and development, Federal introduced Terminal Ascent, another descendant of the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw.

The Differences

The short answer to the Terminal Ascent vs. Trophy Bonded Tip question is that Terminal Ascent is simply the better bullet—in fact, it’s the best all-range projectile across the industry. Almost everything the Trophy Bonded Tip offers, Terminal Ascent does too—only better. Wherever you are, whatever big game animal you pursue, and however long—or short—your shots might be, Terminal Ascent will give you the best result.

The key benefits shooters will notice are that Terminal Ascent provides better accuracy and performance at long range, with less wind drift and drop, and better, more consistent expansion at the lower velocities typical of extreme-range hits. Terminal Ascent accomplishes this through a longer, sleeker, more aerodynamic profile and higher ballistic coefficient than Trophy Bonded Tip. It also features the more-advanced Slipstream polymer tip, for even better flight characteristics and expansion initiation at 200 fps lower velocities. Terminal Ascent’s AccuChannel grooving on the bullet shank further enhance accuracy across rifle platforms while minimizing drag.

With these advancements, why would a hunter still go with Trophy Bonded Tip? One reason is simply what cartridge your favorite big game rifle is chambered in. Trophy Bonded Tip is (as of this writing) available in 15 loads, including the full range of classic calibers. Terminal Ascent has fewer options, and though traditional favorites such as 30-06 Sprg. occupy the Terminal Ascent realm, the line is focused on top-performing modern cartridges such as 7mm Backcountry.

Also, many of the effective range benefits Terminal Ascent offers might be harder to see at the distances some hunters typically need to make shots. For example, if you hunt whitetails in big woods, where shots will be under 200 yards, Trophy Bonded Tip, remains an excellent option. But if hunters want the very best performance at all ranges, Terminal Ascent is the ultimate choice.