Magnums for deer...You say overkill I say so what - Page 3

N.H. Yankee · January 13, 2010, 07:22 PM

Nightsleeper; I have to agree about most slugs. About 18 years ago I shot a 8pt buck that dressed out at 190lbs. I shot him while he was moving briskly at 120 yards away, had to take the shot off my shoulder. To make it I aimed just below his right ear, ( was sighted in for 70 yards) by the time the 12 ga got there I caught him just back of the shoulder mid level. I found blood about 75 yards deep in the tick stuff and darkness hit. Next day we get 18 inch's of snow by daybreak. I finally found the deer at noon about 400 yards away next to a stream. Yup, federal sabot slug made a nice hole, no expansion, and all internal bleeding. No meat damage to speak of, and I was damn lucky to find the deer in the thick N.H. woods.

I have had the same thing happen with a 50cal muzzleloader using the Barnes 300gr copper HP. Shot a 120lb dressed doe in the neck, she went 600 yards and had a nice hole in her neck, no expansion and no exit wound. Also found this one next to a stream beside a boulder after 3 hours. I have never had this happen with a 30-30 or any other rifle I have shot deer with. I now use Winchester Platinum tip for my 50cal blackpowder, EXCELLENT bullet but I believe they stopped making them. I have seen many slugs and muzzleloader bullets that didn't live up to the hype.

The one bullet I wouldn't use in the 30-30 for deer would be the 125gr Sierra Hollowpoint. I have used it on coyote and wasn't impressed, very explosive when it hit the shoulder. I now use the 130gr Speer Flat-nose loaded at 2575fps in my 336 and it has anchored a few deer.

N.H. Yankee · January 13, 2010, 07:32 PM

Nicknitro; I loaned my Vanguard 30-06 to my best friend and he shot a deer at 450 yards with it. I loaded 165gr Nosler ballistic tips and sighted it dead-on at 100yards. He shot at an 8pt across a sand pit at 450 yards. I got a call from him, he said that he didn't find blood or hair but swore he heard the deer stumble on the other side of the hill when he got there. I went to the pit and crawled on my hands and knees in the briars and found white hair and a couple drops of blood.

I headed for the nearest water and jumped the buck soaking in a swamp. I shot him in the shoulder after the wall of water subsided when he jumped. Well my friend neutered the deer and there was a 3/8 inch area from the scrotum to the front shoulder that looked like it was shaved with a razor!

I found out my friend had aimed at the base of his tail, well I was sighted for 100 yards, not 450! I often ask him why he didn't aim for the back of the neck, as the deer was facing away, even with bullet drop he may well have gotten a spine hit.

Brian Pfleuger · January 13, 2010, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicknitro71

Not a humane way of killing in my book but that's why I don't hunt!

Fascinating. May I ask what is so mystical about the heart? A deer, or any other animal, shot through both lungs will die as quick, sometimes quicker, than one shot through the heart. The heart is not a magic off switch. Loss of blood pressure and oxygen to the brain is what kills. The lungs produce a kill that is every bit as humane as the heart.

hickstick_10 · January 13, 2010, 08:57 PM

Quote:

When you shoot it prone in a mountain weight rifle.

:barf: I really gotta pay attention to the new gun racks, I didnt think such an animal existed:barf:

semi_problomatic · January 13, 2010, 10:17 PM

N.H. yankee I'd of asked him why he shot at all. 450 yards up the rear with someone else's rifle.... yeah sounds like a stupid idea.

I'm not really sure what the point of this article is, except for a "why is everyone picking on me?" Which would go for one of your reasons up as to why you shoot a mag...

.

I had a Rem 700 SPSS 300WM. Hated it. Gave me all sorts of bad habits, wasn't fun to shoot, cost too much to shoot, made my shoulder hurt. I bought it when I was younger, dumber, and had more money than sense. And I justified it because I was stationed at Ft. Lewis and I might go Elk hunting (went all of 0 times).

I mean really, IF you can only have 1 rifle, might want to make it one you can afford to practice with so you can shoot it well, not one that makes a bigger bang when you miss. Might scare the rest of the deer away you could've shot at. (Just kidding) Though I didn't reload at the time, maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I coulda ponied those rounds down some.

I do pick on my dad something fierce though. He likes to shoot ridiciously large rifles at small deer and at fairly close ranges. He's a pretty good shot, for a lefty. Can hit an 80 lb spike at about 100 yards at a dead run, from a tree stand. (anybody get that?)

Art Eatman · January 14, 2010, 12:24 PM

More than enough thread-drift...

January 13, 2010, 07:22 PM	#51
N.H. Yankee Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2004 Location: Rural N.H. Posts: 1,586	Nightsleeper; I have to agree about most slugs. About 18 years ago I shot a 8pt buck that dressed out at 190lbs. I shot him while he was moving briskly at 120 yards away, had to take the shot off my shoulder. To make it I aimed just below his right ear, ( was sighted in for 70 yards) by the time the 12 ga got there I caught him just back of the shoulder mid level. I found blood about 75 yards deep in the tick stuff and darkness hit. Next day we get 18 inch's of snow by daybreak. I finally found the deer at noon about 400 yards away next to a stream. Yup, federal sabot slug made a nice hole, no expansion, and all internal bleeding. No meat damage to speak of, and I was damn lucky to find the deer in the thick N.H. woods. I have had the same thing happen with a 50cal muzzleloader using the Barnes 300gr copper HP. Shot a 120lb dressed doe in the neck, she went 600 yards and had a nice hole in her neck, no expansion and no exit wound. Also found this one next to a stream beside a boulder after 3 hours. I have never had this happen with a 30-30 or any other rifle I have shot deer with. I now use Winchester Platinum tip for my 50cal blackpowder, EXCELLENT bullet but I believe they stopped making them. I have seen many slugs and muzzleloader bullets that didn't live up to the hype. The one bullet I wouldn't use in the 30-30 for deer would be the 125gr Sierra Hollowpoint. I have used it on coyote and wasn't impressed, very explosive when it hit the shoulder. I now use the 130gr Speer Flat-nose loaded at 2575fps in my 336 and it has anchored a few deer. __________________ The real danger to America is not abroad but within.. Having an open mind is a good thing, but not so open that your brains fall out! Save America, abort liberalism.

January 13, 2010, 07:32 PM	#52
N.H. Yankee Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2004 Location: Rural N.H. Posts: 1,586	Nicknitro; I loaned my Vanguard 30-06 to my best friend and he shot a deer at 450 yards with it. I loaded 165gr Nosler ballistic tips and sighted it dead-on at 100yards. He shot at an 8pt across a sand pit at 450 yards. I got a call from him, he said that he didn't find blood or hair but swore he heard the deer stumble on the other side of the hill when he got there. I went to the pit and crawled on my hands and knees in the briars and found white hair and a couple drops of blood. I headed for the nearest water and jumped the buck soaking in a swamp. I shot him in the shoulder after the wall of water subsided when he jumped. Well my friend neutered the deer and there was a 3/8 inch area from the scrotum to the front shoulder that looked like it was shaved with a razor! I found out my friend had aimed at the base of his tail, well I was sighted for 100 yards, not 450! I often ask him why he didn't aim for the back of the neck, as the deer was facing away, even with bullet drop he may well have gotten a spine hit. __________________ The real danger to America is not abroad but within.. Having an open mind is a good thing, but not so open that your brains fall out! Save America, abort liberalism.

January 13, 2010, 10:17 PM	#55
semi_problomatic Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2009 Location: Ft. Polk Posts: 883	N.H. yankee I'd of asked him why he shot at all. 450 yards up the rear with someone else's rifle.... yeah sounds like a stupid idea. I'm not really sure what the point of this article is, except for a "why is everyone picking on me?" Which would go for one of your reasons up as to why you shoot a mag.... I had a Rem 700 SPSS 300WM. Hated it. Gave me all sorts of bad habits, wasn't fun to shoot, cost too much to shoot, made my shoulder hurt. I bought it when I was younger, dumber, and had more money than sense. And I justified it because I was stationed at Ft. Lewis and I might go Elk hunting (went all of 0 times). I mean really, IF you can only have 1 rifle, might want to make it one you can afford to practice with so you can shoot it well, not one that makes a bigger bang when you miss. Might scare the rest of the deer away you could've shot at. (Just kidding) Though I didn't reload at the time, maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I coulda ponied those rounds down some. I do pick on my dad something fierce though. He likes to shoot ridiciously large rifles at small deer and at fairly close ranges. He's a pretty good shot, for a lefty. Can hit an 80 lb spike at about 100 yards at a dead run, from a tree stand. (anybody get that?) __________________ Freedom's just a word. If I'm gonna die for a word, my word is jello...

January 14, 2010, 12:24 PM	#56
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	More than enough thread-drift...