Just got back from deer hunting (warning - dead deer pics)

[jon_norstog]

Skippy,

That looks like the hunt of a lifetime to me. Canoes, no less! Good choice of caliber and load, clean kills. Good on you!

jn

[markjacob]

F A N T A S T I C !!!

Great work dudes. And photography is also very nice.

[jmoore]

Rather than start a new thread, thought I would add a 2010 harvest here.

Deer: Dec 10, 2010
95lb Spike (not nearly so large as the last entry!)
One round, ~60-75yds, entered LH side brisket, traversed fwd RH lung, Shattered RH humerus, exited behind scapula. Minisule entry and exit wounds. Majority of external blood loss through aspiration.

Weapon,ammo: Colt 6920 w/TA31RCOM4, Winchester/Western .223 Remington 64gr power point


More of an average sized deer for these parts, but the smallest I've taken w/ a .223 round.


Some of the humerus bits. Quite a lot of small particles as well.

Of note: Penetration good, bone smashing effect excellent, lung tissue destruction on par w/ lower velocity rifle rounds like .35 Rem but better than a .44 handgun, blood trail non-existant for about 75yds. Total post impact travel ~200 yds, of which the last 50 were VERY labored, apparently, judging by the trail sign.

It reminded me mostly of a hit w/ a .44 Magnum or similar. Reasonably effective but not spectacular. Makes me want to stick to the 20" barrel and 55gr bullets!

The carbine IS much easier to utilize overall. More data needed.

[GRF]

Dear all; the Barnes TSX and Tipped TSX open up better and more consistently than the old X bullet. I have done a far bit of testing into a variety of media; tighlty packed wet glossy magazines behave like bone, loosely packed wet paper behaves like muscle and lung. This conclusion is based upon comparisons to bullets recovered from game. Both my daughter and I have found peices of lung whilst tracking deer we have shot with the newer Barnes bullets. The TSX and the TTSX have been used by us on large and small deer with excellent results. One thing with the high retained weight of the barnes bullets is on can step down in bullet weight therefore gaining velocity which helps with expansion. I load a 120 TTSX in my daughter 7-08 retained weight is greater than that with a 160 Seirra gameking. GRF

[gunner]

Hey, not bad jmoore!

A Buddy had good luck this year on his huntuing tours ( I haven´t)
The rifle is chambered in .300Win mag

[waterdog]

Are you guy's wacking deer with a .223?

[jmoore]

Are you guy's wacking deer with a .223?

 

For several years now! Out of a 1-12" twist Colt 20" barrel, the Sierra 55gr Gamekings are Spectacular! Large (Southern) deer, mostly, too! They penetrate well, couse absolute devestation in the vitals (lungs generally liquified altogether, and break rib bones coming and going. Couldn't be happier w/ the combo.

[jmoore]

I must also state that I don't consider the .223" Remington an "end all-be all" big game hunting cartridge. Would not consider it for game much over 300-400lbs, past 200-250 yards (although it worked fine for me the one time it happened that far), or if the user can't place their shots w/ certainty in the chest cavity, somewhere.

Bullet construction is also of great consideration. Most factory loads aren't designed for big game, but there's a few such as the W-W 64gr power point and probably the Hornady TAP 62gr Barrier round.

I started deer hunting w/ a hand loaded 60gr Partition bullet. That worked fine, never did recover a bullet. The 55gr Gamekings came next, and they are so good that until the deer posted above, that's all I've used.

If you are going to use a 16" barreled rifle, I'm going to speculate on the one example and consider the round to have roughly the same affect on deer as you would find using a traditional 30-30, 35 Remington, or similar round. (Minus some ability on rather larger beasties.) about the same effective hunting range as well~ 150yds max.

Advantages:
1.(Using the 20" bbl 55gr bullet)-Generally far faster incapacitation at close range- often instantly! I mean RIGHT NOW! No deer to track when this happens.
2.Lighter weapon (if done properly)esp. when scoped up.
3.Lower sound levels- This is one of the few deer combos that don't deafen me for any length of time, no ringing, kinda tolerable.
4.Good controls on the AR platform- cold weather friendly- no fumbling. Easy unloading as well.
5.That tiny cartridge seems to keep me more focused on ensuring there is no intervening foliage that might deflect the round. It'll happen w/ ANY round, but I really do work just a little harder to make a clean shot with the .223. Purely psychological, but that's fine.


Disadvantages:
1. Probably not sufficient for elk or moose unless you are really an expert close in stalker w/ nerves of steel. And still not the best choice!
2. Not a long range big game round!
3. Scant availabilty of good big game factory ammo, but this situation seems to be getting less severe.
4. Some folk made consider you some kind of bullet spraying slob hunter w/ an evil assault rifle. Whatever. I've only had to fire twice on one occasion (and not quickly); that was MY fault!




So, used w/in its limitations, its super!

[Ricko]

I love to shoot the 8mm bullet,it will kill anything on the planet.

[Bill Hollinger]

Are you guy's wacking deer with a .223?

I haven't for a while but yes I have. The deer was hit broadside right in the shoulder crease and dropped like a soggy turd from a tall horse! I used a 62 grain Remington Kore-Loc soft point. The insides looked like a mix of grade and strawberry jam!