Mysticplayer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2001
- Messages
- 1,459
I took a few days off last week and connected on a mulie buck. Set up looking over a cut block, got up before sunrise and started glassing. As the light came up, voila, deer in opening. Ranged a nice, mid size 3X3 at 330yds. Adjusted scope, waited for a broadside shot, and squeezed off. The deer staggered a bit with the rear legs splayed and I figured it would only take a few seconds for it to fall. Chambered another round anyways. The deer started to "recover" so a put another into the other side - knocked it over.
During the gutting, I noticed a lot of "food" in the cavity. Funny for a broadside shot. The lungs were soup. Easy drag to the truck.
During skinning, I noticed a gapping hole next to one of the back legs (explained the splayed stumbling) and lots of damage where the tenderloins once were. Bizarre. It looks like the first bullet hit broadside, then turned about 80deg and went out the opposite hind leg. The second went straight thru and exited where the first bullet entered.
The 165gr SST that "hung a left", went thru about 3ft of internals before blasting a 4"X2" hole out the back. The second shot did the typical 1" hole going in and 2" hole going out. Really not sure what caused that first bullet to act so weird. At least penetration was superb.
Processed the deer yesterday and it happily sits in the freezer. Will make some smokies too. Except for loosing the tenderloins, it went very well. The gun used was my Gibbs and am very happy with the package - scope, ammo, rifle set up. Muzzle vel was 2950fps with an estimated impact vel of around 2500fps.
So the SST (165gr, 30 cal) has good expansion and penetration for mule deer anyways. The performance is what I have seen from my Interlock shooting. A great moderate vel impact bullet. Should still open at slower vel and penetration would also increase.
Jerry
During the gutting, I noticed a lot of "food" in the cavity. Funny for a broadside shot. The lungs were soup. Easy drag to the truck.
During skinning, I noticed a gapping hole next to one of the back legs (explained the splayed stumbling) and lots of damage where the tenderloins once were. Bizarre. It looks like the first bullet hit broadside, then turned about 80deg and went out the opposite hind leg. The second went straight thru and exited where the first bullet entered.
The 165gr SST that "hung a left", went thru about 3ft of internals before blasting a 4"X2" hole out the back. The second shot did the typical 1" hole going in and 2" hole going out. Really not sure what caused that first bullet to act so weird. At least penetration was superb.
Processed the deer yesterday and it happily sits in the freezer. Will make some smokies too. Except for loosing the tenderloins, it went very well. The gun used was my Gibbs and am very happy with the package - scope, ammo, rifle set up. Muzzle vel was 2950fps with an estimated impact vel of around 2500fps.
So the SST (165gr, 30 cal) has good expansion and penetration for mule deer anyways. The performance is what I have seen from my Interlock shooting. A great moderate vel impact bullet. Should still open at slower vel and penetration would also increase.
Jerry
