Well first off, current circumstances prevented me from making it out for Deer Opener. That Sux!
This story is what developed for my son, ending up tagging a yearling eater. Normally he would be looking for a little more headgear.
But as the story goes,,,two days before, he decided to use a handgun this year. I said he could use one of mine, but he wanted to check out the gun shop anyhow.
Going with him just in case he wanted my input, first thing he spotted, was a 12" Encore barrel. He asked what I thought, being we hadn't even had somebody get it out for a closer look, all I knew at first glance it was custom, being a bull barrel. As it turned out, it was a FoxRidge .308 Win., with Bushnell Elite in the 3 rings on a SSK base. Price seemed more than reasonable at $329 I figured. Closer inspection, showed hardly any wear normally associated with TC's.
I said, "you really can't go wrong on this deal", so he bought it. I loaned him a frame. He would have bought a frame that was there also, but he also bought a stnls RSBK in a .44 mag., stretching his funds.
Now with 2 days to go until hunting and him working, didn't leave a lot of time for load work up, and testing. The bore was spotless, so we didn't bother with any normal cleaning ritual. Having dies and a small selection of bullets, I just went to the middle of the book load with 165 gr. NBT's and 165gr Sirocco's (original). We didnt run them over the chrono, but guessing 2250-2300 fps in that chamber, which had a throat long enough to seat out .060" beyond spec, and not overly tight. I was confident starting in the middle was safe, with this chamber,,,it ain't no OTT chamber, lol.
The BT's proved most accurate, and we didn't mess with it beyond shooting enough to feel comfortable. They were shooting well enough for 4" PBR at 200, allowing for some range beyond. He had taken a few at 275 on milk jugs, and was comfortable to that range. Good to go for limited load work I figured.
Well yesterday morning, they had a group of doe's come by, with this little guy bringing up the rear. Matt happen be standing by a fence post, leaning the pistol and followed the lil buck. They were in a trot, and he figure 70-75yds. Now I'm not sure which, but either he stopped his follow, or the deer were moving faster than he thought, or both. He's good at range, so I didn't question that.
Upon seeing the deer, I said, " I thought you told me it was broadside." It looked like a hard quartering away seeing a neck exit.
He said it was, and on impact, the deer spun a 180 and went down right there, with a brief attempt to get up, but colapsed and was dead.
Well seeing an exit wound in the neck, evidently when the bullet impacted the last rib, it had to have had core seperation. And with that, it turning nearly 90 degrees, through the lungs and out the neck just in front of the shoulder. There was also and exit, likely the jacket, directly behind the entrance. Now core seperation, isn't all that uncommon, but this would be the first were I seen the main core changing course!!! There is no other explanation for the neck exit, as Matt fired the only round. At least he also learned, that even at under a 100 yds, a moving target presents issues. Again, either he stopped his tracking, or the animals were moving faster than figured.
But I do belive, I am going to load 150 gr. PT's in it, with some complete load ramps, and see how it likes those. He was lucky to a point with a hit that far back, although, fragments had taken out the artery running under the spine, so it was a lethal shot regardless. But I was very suprised that the 165gr. BT seperated with an estimated 21-2200 impact velocity however. Sometimes "stuff happens", that goes beyond explanation. Dead is dead I guess.
Normally I don't use BT's for hunting, prefering PT's, but like having them on hand for testing a rigs inherent accuracy. But seeing happened, I won't use anything lighter in a BT for this caliber. Matty is sold on the Encore however, and I forsee his own Encore collection growing. That and he said, never again a slug gun.
Although he did have a little guilt, not letting his wife take the first shot. I just told them, that would have been pushing her 20ga. smooth bore,,,she's got more time ahead.
This story is what developed for my son, ending up tagging a yearling eater. Normally he would be looking for a little more headgear.
But as the story goes,,,two days before, he decided to use a handgun this year. I said he could use one of mine, but he wanted to check out the gun shop anyhow.
Going with him just in case he wanted my input, first thing he spotted, was a 12" Encore barrel. He asked what I thought, being we hadn't even had somebody get it out for a closer look, all I knew at first glance it was custom, being a bull barrel. As it turned out, it was a FoxRidge .308 Win., with Bushnell Elite in the 3 rings on a SSK base. Price seemed more than reasonable at $329 I figured. Closer inspection, showed hardly any wear normally associated with TC's.
I said, "you really can't go wrong on this deal", so he bought it. I loaned him a frame. He would have bought a frame that was there also, but he also bought a stnls RSBK in a .44 mag., stretching his funds.
Now with 2 days to go until hunting and him working, didn't leave a lot of time for load work up, and testing. The bore was spotless, so we didn't bother with any normal cleaning ritual. Having dies and a small selection of bullets, I just went to the middle of the book load with 165 gr. NBT's and 165gr Sirocco's (original). We didnt run them over the chrono, but guessing 2250-2300 fps in that chamber, which had a throat long enough to seat out .060" beyond spec, and not overly tight. I was confident starting in the middle was safe, with this chamber,,,it ain't no OTT chamber, lol.
The BT's proved most accurate, and we didn't mess with it beyond shooting enough to feel comfortable. They were shooting well enough for 4" PBR at 200, allowing for some range beyond. He had taken a few at 275 on milk jugs, and was comfortable to that range. Good to go for limited load work I figured.
Well yesterday morning, they had a group of doe's come by, with this little guy bringing up the rear. Matt happen be standing by a fence post, leaning the pistol and followed the lil buck. They were in a trot, and he figure 70-75yds. Now I'm not sure which, but either he stopped his follow, or the deer were moving faster than he thought, or both. He's good at range, so I didn't question that.
Upon seeing the deer, I said, " I thought you told me it was broadside." It looked like a hard quartering away seeing a neck exit.
He said it was, and on impact, the deer spun a 180 and went down right there, with a brief attempt to get up, but colapsed and was dead.
Well seeing an exit wound in the neck, evidently when the bullet impacted the last rib, it had to have had core seperation. And with that, it turning nearly 90 degrees, through the lungs and out the neck just in front of the shoulder. There was also and exit, likely the jacket, directly behind the entrance. Now core seperation, isn't all that uncommon, but this would be the first were I seen the main core changing course!!! There is no other explanation for the neck exit, as Matt fired the only round. At least he also learned, that even at under a 100 yds, a moving target presents issues. Again, either he stopped his tracking, or the animals were moving faster than figured.
But I do belive, I am going to load 150 gr. PT's in it, with some complete load ramps, and see how it likes those. He was lucky to a point with a hit that far back, although, fragments had taken out the artery running under the spine, so it was a lethal shot regardless. But I was very suprised that the 165gr. BT seperated with an estimated 21-2200 impact velocity however. Sometimes "stuff happens", that goes beyond explanation. Dead is dead I guess.
Normally I don't use BT's for hunting, prefering PT's, but like having them on hand for testing a rigs inherent accuracy. But seeing happened, I won't use anything lighter in a BT for this caliber. Matty is sold on the Encore however, and I forsee his own Encore collection growing. That and he said, never again a slug gun.
Although he did have a little guilt, not letting his wife take the first shot. I just told them, that would have been pushing her 20ga. smooth bore,,,she's got more time ahead.
