rjm158
Handloader
- Oct 15, 2009
- 675
- 492
In August, 2011, I bought myself a birthday present, a used Model 700 in 35 Whelen. I developed several loads that all shot well under MOA but the 225 AB's seemed to be the best of the best.
I hadn't hunted with the rifle but decided this season I would try it out. I always have 2-3 rifles sighted in for deer season so there is some variety and spare rifles in case something happens to one I am using. I started out using a Browning A-Bolt in 7mm WSM because I wanted to see how the 120 BT performed but did't get a chance to find out.
My oldest stepson visited us last weekend after hunting and was showing us the very nice 8 pt buck and doe he had killed with his hunting rifle, a British 303. It had obviously worked, but he was underwhelmed by the results he got on the buck although the shot placement was excellent. We were discussing this and I offered him the use of my Whelen. He accepted and I briefed him on where/how it was zeroed (200 yds) and gave him 20 rounds of my ammo, 225 AB's over 58.0 gr of RL-15.
The next day I got a text telling me he needed another tag because the one he had was filled. I asked how the rifle worked and he said the deer, a button buck, had dropped like a rock. He then called me and explained. He initially tried a shot at about 250 yds but missed. The deer didn't spook but turned and walked straight away from him, offering nothing but a Texas heart shot until it was a lasered 447 yards away. He went prone, held crosshairs over the back, and squeezed the trigger. The deer hit the ground and had a blood spatter area behind it the diameter of a 55 gallon drum. When he got to the deer he used his range finder to measure the distance back to his location when he fired and confirmed the yardage. He skinned it out later that night and took photos. The bullet hit behind the left front leg and, due to the quartering angle, exited mid right side rib cage. The exit hole was the same diameter as a beer bottle. To say he was impressed with the rifle/ammo performance is an understatement.
Two days later I got to hunt again and decided to try the Whelen for myself finally. I got to my stand and about a half hour later saw something dark in the grass on the far side of the field. I looked through my binoculars and saw it was a coyote. It started trotting off and didn't offer a shot but it kept looking back so I thought there might be more. Sure enough, 30 seconds later I spotted another one. My first shot barely missed it's left ear as it sat to bite a flea and it took off running. I tracked and led it in the scope, then squeezed off the shot. The coyote hit the ground biting at it's flank for a few seconds then flopped on the ground and didn't move again. As I worked the rifle bolt, another one ran past close by my stand and looked up at me as it went by. I again led the moving target in the scope and squeezed the trigger. The animal hit the ground hard, biting at it's hindquarters. I watched through the scope as it attempted to push itself up and at that point it presented me with a between-the-shoulders shot at which point the songdog was slammed to the ground and didn't move again.
I was afraid my shooting might have spooked any deer that had been in the vicinity but I settled down to wait. About 40 minutes later a spike buck appeared and offered a great shot at 113 yards but it was not a legal deer so I could only watch as he paraded by. Nothing happened for the next hour.
Then I happened to glance over my shoulder and saw a very large bodied buck that had appeared from nowhere and was grazing. I looked through my binoculars and at first believed it was a nice 8 point. I had already ranged various points around the field and knew he was in easy range and settle down for a shot. However, there was a slight breeze from the southwest and I believe he scented me because he stopped grazing and moved off a short distance and stopped. When he did, I squeezed the trigger and saw him "hump up" so I knew I'd hit him solidly. He walked about 8-10 steps and stopped again. I fired another round at which time he took a few more steps and stopped, facing me, but parallel to a dry streambed lined by a few trees. As I watched, he fell over on his left side and lay still. I watched through my scope for a few more minutes but it was apparent he was down for good.
I went over to him and found he was actually a 10 point, the best buck I've ever shot in my life!!! Field dressing revealed my first bullet had entered behind his left shoulder, traversed through his left lung, then through his liver, finally exiting through his ribs on the right side. Going to where the buck was standing when I fired the first shot and ranging back to my stand, I found the distance was 190 yards. My second shot had grazed his underbelly.
I also examined the coyotes. I found that I had shot the first one at 89 yards and the second at 55. The damage from the 225 AB's was significant to say the least. My lead on the moving targets was a little short and I had hit both in the hindquarters.
The Whelen cartridge, and the AccuBond bullets, definitely made an impression on my family this week. In reading other posts, I see that others have had recent successes using this caliber/bullet. My stepson is now researching rifles/calibers to replace his 303 but he definitely wants to use Accubonds.
Ron
I hadn't hunted with the rifle but decided this season I would try it out. I always have 2-3 rifles sighted in for deer season so there is some variety and spare rifles in case something happens to one I am using. I started out using a Browning A-Bolt in 7mm WSM because I wanted to see how the 120 BT performed but did't get a chance to find out.
My oldest stepson visited us last weekend after hunting and was showing us the very nice 8 pt buck and doe he had killed with his hunting rifle, a British 303. It had obviously worked, but he was underwhelmed by the results he got on the buck although the shot placement was excellent. We were discussing this and I offered him the use of my Whelen. He accepted and I briefed him on where/how it was zeroed (200 yds) and gave him 20 rounds of my ammo, 225 AB's over 58.0 gr of RL-15.
The next day I got a text telling me he needed another tag because the one he had was filled. I asked how the rifle worked and he said the deer, a button buck, had dropped like a rock. He then called me and explained. He initially tried a shot at about 250 yds but missed. The deer didn't spook but turned and walked straight away from him, offering nothing but a Texas heart shot until it was a lasered 447 yards away. He went prone, held crosshairs over the back, and squeezed the trigger. The deer hit the ground and had a blood spatter area behind it the diameter of a 55 gallon drum. When he got to the deer he used his range finder to measure the distance back to his location when he fired and confirmed the yardage. He skinned it out later that night and took photos. The bullet hit behind the left front leg and, due to the quartering angle, exited mid right side rib cage. The exit hole was the same diameter as a beer bottle. To say he was impressed with the rifle/ammo performance is an understatement.
Two days later I got to hunt again and decided to try the Whelen for myself finally. I got to my stand and about a half hour later saw something dark in the grass on the far side of the field. I looked through my binoculars and saw it was a coyote. It started trotting off and didn't offer a shot but it kept looking back so I thought there might be more. Sure enough, 30 seconds later I spotted another one. My first shot barely missed it's left ear as it sat to bite a flea and it took off running. I tracked and led it in the scope, then squeezed off the shot. The coyote hit the ground biting at it's flank for a few seconds then flopped on the ground and didn't move again. As I worked the rifle bolt, another one ran past close by my stand and looked up at me as it went by. I again led the moving target in the scope and squeezed the trigger. The animal hit the ground hard, biting at it's hindquarters. I watched through the scope as it attempted to push itself up and at that point it presented me with a between-the-shoulders shot at which point the songdog was slammed to the ground and didn't move again.
I was afraid my shooting might have spooked any deer that had been in the vicinity but I settled down to wait. About 40 minutes later a spike buck appeared and offered a great shot at 113 yards but it was not a legal deer so I could only watch as he paraded by. Nothing happened for the next hour.
Then I happened to glance over my shoulder and saw a very large bodied buck that had appeared from nowhere and was grazing. I looked through my binoculars and at first believed it was a nice 8 point. I had already ranged various points around the field and knew he was in easy range and settle down for a shot. However, there was a slight breeze from the southwest and I believe he scented me because he stopped grazing and moved off a short distance and stopped. When he did, I squeezed the trigger and saw him "hump up" so I knew I'd hit him solidly. He walked about 8-10 steps and stopped again. I fired another round at which time he took a few more steps and stopped, facing me, but parallel to a dry streambed lined by a few trees. As I watched, he fell over on his left side and lay still. I watched through my scope for a few more minutes but it was apparent he was down for good.
I went over to him and found he was actually a 10 point, the best buck I've ever shot in my life!!! Field dressing revealed my first bullet had entered behind his left shoulder, traversed through his left lung, then through his liver, finally exiting through his ribs on the right side. Going to where the buck was standing when I fired the first shot and ranging back to my stand, I found the distance was 190 yards. My second shot had grazed his underbelly.
I also examined the coyotes. I found that I had shot the first one at 89 yards and the second at 55. The damage from the 225 AB's was significant to say the least. My lead on the moving targets was a little short and I had hit both in the hindquarters.
The Whelen cartridge, and the AccuBond bullets, definitely made an impression on my family this week. In reading other posts, I see that others have had recent successes using this caliber/bullet. My stepson is now researching rifles/calibers to replace his 303 but he definitely wants to use Accubonds.
Ron
