Absolutely Correct
Un expected results.
- Thread starter Rosebud
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Howdy, I had a similar experience years back, with a little higher shot then I wanted. Using my 264.WM, using 127 LRX Barnes bullet. 125 - 130yd shot, penciled right through. Not the bullets fault, it was my fault, making a high shot.
That deer ran around 250yds, luckily it was up a gas line clear cut. And seen him swaying back and forth then drop.
I guess it's Human Nature to want to blame our equipment, then admit I Made A Bad Shot.
That deer ran around 250yds, luckily it was up a gas line clear cut. And seen him swaying back and forth then drop.
I guess it's Human Nature to want to blame our equipment, then admit I Made A Bad Shot.
ButterBean has the right theory with monos I do believe.
Drop a size or 2 (or 5) and drive them fast.
Drop a size or 2 (or 5) and drive them fast.
snox801
Well-Known Member
I've shot lots and lots of stuff with light weight hammers. It's just a weird deer. Sometimes they do amazing things. Saw one this week get whacked by a 500SW double lung never bleed and went a decent distance.
victor3ranger
Well-Known Member
I agree I like to run mine fast for that reason
Toecutter
Well-Known Member
Ironically i shot a pretty cool buck yesterday with a 180gr AB out of the 300wm (doing about 3k). 25 yds head on (defensive shooting
). By his reaction, i would have thought i missed. Never heard him crash either. Immediately walked up to the spot as no one takes that and lives. Looked for hair and blood at the spot, none. Started walking the trail he took, 2 spots about 15yds. Assumed he was moving since i didnt hear him fall. Decided to back out and gave him 45 mins. Came back, no blood at all. Just following direction. Thankfully dead at about 40yds. Strange part is that bullet went in slightly rt of center and exited rt side of spine by the scapula. Straight in and straight up. Massive damage throughout and then left a hole you could throw a cat through out the top.
Super tough animals. Not sure how he took a step at all after seeing the damage. Obviously a good bullet and good placement.
The take away from all that is Im constantly in awe of their toughness.
Last year I shot a 6pt walking straight at me. I had been glassing it for about 170yds as it grazed up a dozer trail straight as an arrow to me. It was getting really dark so I decided that I had to shoot it soon or the opportunity would be gone. At 80yds I put the cross hairs square center on his chest and squeezed. He immediately sat back on his hind legs and looked like he was going over. I ejected the empty, caught it in the air, and looked up saw the buck walk into the woods. W*F was my remark. I gave him 5 minutes and got down from the stand and with a flash light found a bit of blood behind where the deer was when I shot. I looked along the woods edge and found a few more sprinkles and found the buck 30 yards in the trees. When he was cleaned there was not one identifiable organ in it. The ENTIRE inside was jelly and mush. The round entered just right of center chest, traveled all the way through and out the back end. 30-06 shooting 47.5gr 3031 with 165gr Nosler Partitions. In my opinion that deer should never have gotten up at all. But it did.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
The reaction of some animals after a fatal hit just defies explanation. I shot a small buck at just over 200yds with a 124HH from my 6.5 PRC. The bullet centerpunched his heart and blew out a silver dollar size hole out the far side. That buck zig-zagged through the woods for over 100yds. Fortunately, there was plenty of blood to follow but I never would have thought an animal could get that far with such a devasting hit.
Good shot, high velocity impact, good bullet performance, and that buck just wouldn't give up the ship. Several other bucks hit with the same load just face-planted.
Good shot, high velocity impact, good bullet performance, and that buck just wouldn't give up the ship. Several other bucks hit with the same load just face-planted.
85 grain Hammer Hunter, 6.5 Grendel at 3000 fps. Can't stuff another smidgen of powder in it.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
I ran those bullets at 3,700fps from a 26" Creedmoor. But it was all for fun and never shot any critters with that particular load.
ATH
Well-Known Member
As others said high chest hits sometimes don't bleed if they don't have anything to push it out with, and sometimes fat can seal it up. Shot my 11pt this year at 30 yards with a crossbow. He took off into some nasty hilly steep stuff but I heard him go down solid. Went to track him....no blood. I was sweating it as I tracked him by tracks and disturbed leaves for 50-75 yards before I found modest blood, coming out one side only. Finally found him, ran 100-150 yards.
I was surprised to see only one wound, I was disappointed in my Ravin R26 because it didn't exit. But as I was boning him out on the spot and skinned the far side low and behold there was a nice broadhead shaped opening in the hid, the bolt had gone thru and thru. He was just a fatty and it had closed up well enough -- despite the kind of opening a broadhead makes -- that it didn't bleed a drop through that side.
I was surprised to see only one wound, I was disappointed in my Ravin R26 because it didn't exit. But as I was boning him out on the spot and skinned the far side low and behold there was a nice broadhead shaped opening in the hid, the bolt had gone thru and thru. He was just a fatty and it had closed up well enough -- despite the kind of opening a broadhead makes -- that it didn't bleed a drop through that side.
What is your COAL?
I almost picked the 85gn HH for my grendel but went with the 97gnAH and its also at 100% case fill, Im getting only 2800fps.
I've not used that particular bullet but I have seen them.
My opinion is the bullet is pretty short. By the time it sheds the petals (which are going to be smaller) there isn't much base left to do damage.
