Went out to one of my hunting places Sunday morning with my hunting buddy. Nice and crisp, very light NNW wind. Perfect for the stand I put up before archery season. Hunted all morning with nothing but slickheads in front of me and one one antlered spike that walked right under my stand.
Came home at noon. Ate lunch and sat down in the recliner to watch some TV. Fell asleep and woke up all of sudden and figured I was not going to see any deer from the chair.
Threw my camo's back on, hit the rode for the 45 min. drive.
Drove in the gate of my hunting area and four large doe took off for the other side of the property. Dang
Walked into my stand and settled in. I have my stand backed into some persimmon trees against a large white oak overlooking about 250yds of open grass pasture and some small thickets of plum trees. Was glassing the far hill when something said check out the tree line. There he stood.
This buck had given me the slip during ealy bow season and blackpowder.
I waited until he cleared the trees and with my forked shooting stick I had cut that day I put the 3x9 Burris on him and touched the trigger. He was down. Used an Encore with a 15" Custom shop barrel in 6.5 Rem Mag. Load was a 120 Speer Hot Core with 52grns of H4831SC. It is moving at 2495fps avg and only 5fps deviation. Use a Fed 210primver.I have one of the old Burris 3x9 w/AO scopes in three Warne Split rings.
Hit right behind the shoulder and left a 2" exit hole. Shot was 115yds. I was hoping to test my shooting at a longer distance but maybe next time. It was BOOM-and down.
I have to thank IKE that is on this site for some of this. He talked me into this barrel while I was visiting Ed's Contenders booth at a gun show. Ike had already shot the barrel in and had a few good loads for it. It sure shoots good.
Here is the photo. Had to use the self timer and was loosing light so forgive the quality.
Mike

Great story and a nice "un' to! Good shooting and tell us a little more about that 6.5mag........

excellent! congrats

sounds like the perfect end to a great huntin day. those recliners do come in handy during midday at times huntin is actually harder than workin

any idea of the velocity of that 120gr speer comin outta the 6.5mag?

Great story and harvest!!!!

Kyode, I read my post again and had the load data in my post for my 260 Rem.
I use 52 grn of H4831SC and Fed 210 primers with a OAL of 2.970 which is in the manual. I'm getting 2495 fps average with 5 fps deviation. This load from the bench is shooting 3/4" groups and under 2" at 200yds. It is smoking. Ernie gave me some yardage points from his exbal on my 3x9 Burris scope and I have them written on a small piece of index card and taped to the tope of the scope.
I'm going to try some Sierra Game Kings in 140grn in this pistol just for funnies. I'm told it will perform even better. I couldn't stand that.

Mike

Darn I knew I should have kept that barrel .....that makes two new Encore pistol length barrels I've played with and afterwards sold for Ed at gun shows that have later gone on to harvest deer.

Depending on where you're hunting I believe you've still got another tag or two you can fill with a firearm between the remaining regular gun season and the special anterless days Dec. 16-18 and Dec. 30-Jan.1.

It looks like my deer season was over before it started, I found out just prior to muzzle loader season that the land I've hunted for several years was posted, by immediate family, after the land owner passed away in late Sept.

Congrats on the deer Mike and good luck with the rest of the season.

Ike

NICE DEER!!! Congrats!!