The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Has Anyone Taken a Deer with PMC Starfire 30-30 Ammo?

Long Path · December 21, 1999, 05:29 PM

Dogger--

With all due respect, sir, the fault lay not in the ammo, but rather in the shot placement. You make it clear that you recognize that the neck shot was not optimum placement. Okay; we all take on assigned risks. But realize that a .416 Rigby that misses the spine in a neck shot will yeild the same results. So the deer ran, and you did exactly the right thing (good!), and waited a bit, and then stalked up to within shooting distance again. And you did what I probably would have done, too-- you took the very first shot presented to you, in an attempt to anchor him. But you missed the pelvis and the spine, and he left.

Dogger, do you really believe that there's something in that Starfire ammo that would have brought that deer down that the nice heavy Remington CoreLokt 170 didn't have? Frankly, for that second shot, I'd rather have the 170g core-lokt bullet, or one of Paul B.'s hard-cast 190g bullets-- when you're trying hard to anchor a wounded animal, you want PENETRATION first, and PENETRATION last. There's not a deer in the world that will not die in its tracks when hit properly with the Remington 170. The only drawback to it is that it has a sloping tragectory that makes it a little more of a trick to exactly hit longer (120yd+) shots. Once you've gotten the bullet there, though, it's the preferred projectile.

I've heard some good things about the Starfire round. But nothing I've heard about it would have saved your deer. For the record, it sounds like you're an ethical and thoughtful hunter, who tries to do right by the game he hunts. I applaud you, sir.

We both however recognize that, ultimately, the #1 correctable item in your story was the initial shot placement, not the ammo.

------------------
Will you, too, be one who stands in the gap?

Matt

[This message has been edited by Long Path (edited December 21, 1999).]

December 21, 1999, 05:29 PM	#2
Long Path Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: N. Texas Posts: 5,899	Dogger-- With all due respect, sir, the fault lay not in the ammo, but rather in the shot placement. You make it clear that you recognize that the neck shot was not optimum placement. Okay; we all take on assigned risks. But realize that a .416 Rigby that misses the spine in a neck shot will yeild the same results. So the deer ran, and you did exactly the right thing (good!), and waited a bit, and then stalked up to within shooting distance again. And you did what I probably would have done, too-- you took the very first shot presented to you, in an attempt to anchor him. But you missed the pelvis and the spine, and he left. Dogger, do you really believe that there's something in that Starfire ammo that would have brought that deer down that the nice heavy Remington CoreLokt 170 didn't have? Frankly, for that second shot, I'd rather have the 170g core-lokt bullet, or one of Paul B.'s hard-cast 190g bullets-- when you're trying hard to anchor a wounded animal, you want PENETRATION first, and PENETRATION last. There's not a deer in the world that will not die in its tracks when hit properly with the Remington 170. The only drawback to it is that it has a sloping tragectory that makes it a little more of a trick to exactly hit longer (120yd+) shots. Once you've gotten the bullet there, though, it's the preferred projectile. I've heard some good things about the Starfire round. But nothing I've heard about it would have saved your deer. For the record, it sounds like you're an ethical and thoughtful hunter, who tries to do right by the game he hunts. I applaud you, sir. We both however recognize that, ultimately, the #1 correctable item in your story was the initial shot placement, not the ammo. ------------------ Will you, too, be one who stands in the gap? Matt [This message has been edited by Long Path (edited December 21, 1999).]