cronhelm
Well-Known Member
Yesterday I had the opportunity to kill three Mulie does using the 168gr, .30 cal Nosler J4 Match bullet. While each of the deer died reasonably quickly, the terminal performance of this bullet has me a bit confused. Hopefully some of the more experienced board members can enlighten me.
Deer #1: This was a 575yd shot and the swirling wind blew the bullet about 20" back from the aiming point. The bullet blew through the hips, leaving a large exit hole. I think this would have been a fatal wound as there was evidence of arterial spray in the grass where the deer was hit. A cut femoral artery would result in death within a few minutes. The deer went down but was not immediately dead so I put another round into her chest (this time with the right wind dope). The second bullet did not exit.
Deer #2: From 400 yds I was able to put the bullet into the deer, just behind "I think" the diaphram. The deer walked about 50 yds before going down. This bullet left a dollar coin sized exit hole. Once again I decided to give the animal a humane end with a second shot. Once again there was no exit hole.
Deer #3: This deer was wounded by my hunting partner. I dispatched it with a shot to the base of the neck from 300 yds. There was no exit hole.
I can't help but wondering why the first round hits all exited but all the bullets that hit a frightened or wounded deer did not exit. The only thing I can think of is that a frightened animal tenses up and this increase in muscle tension is enough to cause the bullet to open up and not be able to exit.
Is this bullet terminal performance comparible to that of a .30 cal 168gr Sierra MK or is the Nosler too thin jacketed for this sort of use?
My feeling is that as long as one can place the bullet properly, the Nosler J4 will do the job. A .30 cal 168 bullet carries a lot of Oomph inside 1000 yds.
Our biggest enemy that day was the wind swirling down the coolees in unexpected ways. Next time I will wait for a windless day.
Peter Cronhelm
Deer #1: This was a 575yd shot and the swirling wind blew the bullet about 20" back from the aiming point. The bullet blew through the hips, leaving a large exit hole. I think this would have been a fatal wound as there was evidence of arterial spray in the grass where the deer was hit. A cut femoral artery would result in death within a few minutes. The deer went down but was not immediately dead so I put another round into her chest (this time with the right wind dope). The second bullet did not exit.
Deer #2: From 400 yds I was able to put the bullet into the deer, just behind "I think" the diaphram. The deer walked about 50 yds before going down. This bullet left a dollar coin sized exit hole. Once again I decided to give the animal a humane end with a second shot. Once again there was no exit hole.
Deer #3: This deer was wounded by my hunting partner. I dispatched it with a shot to the base of the neck from 300 yds. There was no exit hole.
I can't help but wondering why the first round hits all exited but all the bullets that hit a frightened or wounded deer did not exit. The only thing I can think of is that a frightened animal tenses up and this increase in muscle tension is enough to cause the bullet to open up and not be able to exit.
Is this bullet terminal performance comparible to that of a .30 cal 168gr Sierra MK or is the Nosler too thin jacketed for this sort of use?
My feeling is that as long as one can place the bullet properly, the Nosler J4 will do the job. A .30 cal 168 bullet carries a lot of Oomph inside 1000 yds.
Our biggest enemy that day was the wind swirling down the coolees in unexpected ways. Next time I will wait for a windless day.
Peter Cronhelm
