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Hell of a Hunt! #176551 12/19/2016 7:14 PM
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Zee Offline OP
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We finally had a cold snap (for my area anyway) and it dipped into the 30s! So, it was time to go hunting! So, went out yesterday evening to a place I'd hunted last Friday evening. It was much warmer then and I'd seen 12 does and a small 8 point. Just didn't feel like shooting anything that evening. But, now that it was cool............game on!

When I arrived at 3:45, there were already 5 deer in the field. 3 does, a spike, and a 4 pointer. Of course, when I got out of the truck and walked into the field, they jetted into the brush. Hopefully they would be back and bring some friends. I was sitting on a cement slab that was the pivot point of an irrigation system. The grass was grown up around it and provided good cover. On the south side of the slab was a fence corner where I set up a little blind (A). The previous hunt had resulted in most of the deer being on the south section of the field, so that was my primary field of fire. Of course, nothing happened until about 5:30 when a doe and her two yearlings came out with a bigger spike..........on the EAST side of the field. So, I crawled over to the other side of the slab, about 5 yards, and hid behind a big pivot tire (B) to get a better look at them.

With me this evening, I had a trio of guns. Since a friend was kind enough to send me some 80gr A-Max for the .223 Remington some time back...............and has been nagging me like a HAG to shoot something with them ever since...........I figured it was time to give them a go. I had them loaded in my 13" MGM barrel for my Contender with a 4.5-14x Leupold scope on top. Next up, if given the chance, would be the CVA Scout Pistol in .243 Winchester running 85gr Sierra HPBT-GameKing bullets and a Vortex 2-7x Scout Scope. Strictly as back-up and because I don't go anywhere without a defensive gun, I had my 4" Ruger Redhawk in .45 Colt with 250gr XTP handloads.

Well, the doe, yearlings, and spike were too far for the .223 Remington. They were feeding around 250 yards and I'd set a personal limit of 150 yards for the 80gr A-Max out of this gun. Just because I didn't know it's terminal performance as of yet. They weren't cooperating and never came any closer than 200 yards and I didn't want to use the CVA first, so I waited.

Finally, looking to my right and back to the south, I saw some deer entering the field and one looked like she would come within range!! Crawling on my hands and knees back to (A) I set the Contender back on the Spec-Rest and set up the camera to record. She slowly fed towards me at an angle a broke the magic range line. I aimed in and, at 140 yards, sent an 80gr A-Max on it's way towards the quartering away doe. On impact, she jumped about 8 feet in the air and took off! I could see through the scope that her off side leg wasn't working. She made it approximately 75-80 yards and fell over. SCORE!!!!

Here is the video.

http://vid26.photobucket.com/albums/c106/lovinmycaitlynn/Hunting/DSCN4189%203_zpsytub3zib.mp4

And here is the set-up with the arrow pointing at her POI location.



To say I was impressed with the little .223 is an understatement. It did pretty well, I think.

So, I'm sitting there enjoying the moment and look to my left towards the east side of the field. Hmmm, there are more deer out there now. Hey, there is a buck coming my way!! I grab the Scout Pistol and crawl back over to (B). Set up the Spec-Rest and lean against the pivot tire. He just keeps coming closer and closer. Then, starts moving to my left. I pan the rest and realize, if he keeps going, I'm going to run out of left motion when I hit the tire. But, he ain't stopping! So, I pan with him and at the last moment, send an 85gr Sierra HPBT-GameKing into his quartering towards chest. On impact, he sits back on his butt and falls over on his right side........done. A few kicks and it's over. The shot was 56 yards with the arrow pointing at the buck.



Allrightythen! Two down!

I look to my right and see more deer entering the south side of the field. in the binos, I see a pretty good buck walking my way! Crawling back to (A), I set up the CVA again and start digging for a round in my ruck. Keeping an eye on the buck........he's getting CLOSER! Get a round.....load the CVA.......sucker ain't stopping! At "danger close", I say screw it and draw the Ruger from behind the blind. As I bring it over the blind, he sees me and stops dead. Cock the hammer and "BOOM"!!! He leaps in the air and runs.......right AT me! Banzai!!!! About 10 yards away, he turns to my right, makes it about 5 more yards and his head goes down. Ramming his antlers in the dirt, he flips end over end and lands in a heap.



Well, there ya go.
3 Deer
3 Guns
15 Minutes

That's a first for me. And .............the work began.

.223 Remington w/ 80gr A-Max



.243 Winchester w/ 85gr Sierra HPBT-GameKing



.45 Colt w/ 250gr XTP



The bucks ain't huge, but they are all good size bodies. For straight up handgun hunting.............I'm a happy camper.





Science post later this evening. I got's stuff to do.

Here is an overhead view of the field and my blind location.



Doe - 1
Eight Point - 2
Six Point - 3



"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Zee] #176552 12/19/2016 7:27 PM
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Wow! That's definitely a hunt to remember! Awesomeness all the way around! Looking forward to the science post!

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Zee] #176553 12/19/2016 7:30 PM
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very nice hunt. that's good success in quick succession.

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: tradmark] #176554 12/19/2016 7:41 PM
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Mark Hampton Offline
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Congrats on your successful handgunning -- well done!

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Mark Hampton] #176555 12/19/2016 8:35 PM
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Ernie Offline
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I am so pleased.
That is the way to use everything you have with you.
Well, you didn't use your knife......This time
\:\)


Ernie the Un-Tactical
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Zee] #176556 12/19/2016 8:53 PM
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rougerocco Offline
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Awesome! Nice shooting.

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: rougerocco] #176558 12/19/2016 9:16 PM
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dhom Offline
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WOW!

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Zee] #176562 12/19/2016 9:49 PM
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Zee Offline OP
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Thanks guys. My back is still yelling at me from all the work afterwards.


"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: dhom] #176563 12/19/2016 10:02 PM
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PsTaN Offline
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Nicely done ... Looking forward to the Science!

Remember the intro to the tv show "Quincy"? ... I can just see Zee pulling that sheet off the corpse and some of us passing out. Hahahaha


PsTaN

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Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: PsTaN] #176564 12/20/2016 12:30 AM
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racksmasher1 Offline
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WELL DONE Zee!

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: racksmasher1] #176569 12/20/2016 1:44 AM
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Handgun400 Offline
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Great story and congrats. That 85gr Sierra is a beast from a .243. It's all I load in my daughter's rifle.


My filter is broken.
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: racksmasher1] #176570 12/20/2016 2:20 AM
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Nice!

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: ScoutV2] #176571 12/20/2016 2:23 AM
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Zee Offline OP
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Science!

Gun: TC Contender 13" MGM Barrel
Cartridge: .223 Remington
Bullet: 80gr A-Max
Muzzle Velocity: 2,475 fps
Distance: 140 yards
Angle: Quartering Away
Impact Velocity: 2,210 fps (est)
Distance Traveled: 75-80 yards (approx)

Entrance






The bullet broke 1 rib on entrance.



Thoracic Cavity







Exit Lungs and Chest. Broke 1 rib on exit.



The bullet struck the right lobe, penetrated the esophagus and aortic arch, and exited the left lobe.



Exit Chest



Exit Off Side Shoulder



Bullet struck edge of scapula.



Off Side



Exit Off Side



I am very impressed with the 80gr A-Max. It proved more durable than I expected it to be. Especially considering the three bones that were struck and it still exited a quartering away animal apparently intact. I understand that it was a lower muzzle velocity and resulting impact velocity. But, it still proved effective out of a pistol length barrel and it's terminal performance was decidedly effective.

Yet another A-Max I approve of for hunting. Imagine that!


"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Zee] #176573 12/20/2016 2:58 AM
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Zee Offline OP
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Science!

Gun: 14" CVA Scout Pistol
Cartridge: .243 Winchester
Bullet: 85gr Sierra HPBT-GameKing
Muzzle Velocity: 2,875 fps
Distance: 56 yards
Angle: Quartering Towards
Impact Velocity: 2,726 fps (est)
Distance Traveled: 0 yards

Entrance










Broke 1 rib on entrance.

Thoracic Cavity







The bullet passed through the left front lobe, windpipe/esophagus, aortic arch, and exited the middle of the right lobe.

The bullet then penetrated the diaphragm.



I did not intend to open the abdominal cavity to look for the bullet. But, I looked at the off side..........



Saw the location of the bruising and thought it couldn't be that far back. So, I stuck my finger through the hole in the diaphragm and into the liver. Pushing deeper, I felt the jacket in the liver. Therefore, I gingerly removed the liver without disturbing the rest of the entrails.



At the back of the liver I found the bullet's jacket sans core. At the impact velocity and depth of penetration, I am still pleased with the performance of the bullet. Sufficient damage was caused and ample penetration to bisect the vitals.

Yeah the jacket and core separated. So what. This has occurred with every animal I've shot with this bullet and there have been a sufficient number of pigs and deer. Dead.........pigs and deer. I'm ok with that. You want a bullet that will stay together.............pick a different one. Simple as that.


"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Zee] #176578 12/20/2016 3:40 AM
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Awesome! !

Great autopsy photos too.

Good job!

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: minnesotahunter] #176579 12/20/2016 3:48 AM
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Zee Offline OP
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Thanks.


"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Zee] #176589 12/20/2016 1:29 PM
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KRal Offline
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Very eventful evening! Congrats!


It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger squeeze.
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: KRal] #176596 12/20/2016 2:44 PM
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Whitworth Offline
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Nicely done! Congratulations, Zee!


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Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: racksmasher1] #176600 12/20/2016 3:07 PM
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Gregg Richter Offline
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Zee: excellent photography, story, layout of story, and hunt. As usual.

You gotta be an editor, a magazine graphics/layout designer, a surgeon, or more than likely a combo of all of these!

;\)


PS: With all due respect, IMO you should write a book re-capping your stuff here/adding new stuff. The title: "Zee's Handgun Hunting,Terminal Ballistics on Game, and How to Butcher What You Kill."







Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Gregg Richter] #176607 12/20/2016 5:35 PM
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Ernie Offline
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 Originally Posted By: Gregg Richter
Zee: You gotta be an editor, a magazine graphics/layout designer, a surgeon, or more than likely a combo of all of these!


HA!
;\)


Ernie the Un-Tactical
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Gregg Richter] #176609 12/20/2016 6:15 PM
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Zee Offline OP
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 Originally Posted By: Gregg Richter
Zee: excellent photography, story, layout of story, and hunt. As usual.

You gotta be an editor, a magazine graphics/layout designer, a surgeon, or more than likely a combo of all of these!

;\)


PS: With all due respect, IMO you should write a book re-capping your stuff here/adding new stuff. The title: "Zee's Handgun Hunting,Terminal Ballistics on Game, and How to Butcher What You Kill."


Ha! Nah, I just stayed at a Holiday Inn the night before.

In truth, the pics are sub par from what I like. I had so much stuff with me, I didn't bring my good camera. So, just used my phone and a little pocket camera for the field photos. Not the best quality.

I do all this for fun and knowledge gained. It's enjoyable to me. A book just sounds like work.

;-)


"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Zee] #176612 12/20/2016 9:32 PM
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jamesfromjersey Offline
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time is on your side...... shoot `em up....


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Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: jamesfromjersey] #176616 12/21/2016 1:49 AM
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Seminole Wind Offline
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Zee, I hope you are going to show us how the 45 Colt 250 XTP performed.

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: racksmasher1] #176617 12/21/2016 2:10 AM
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RidgeRaider Offline
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That's very cool! Thanks for sharing

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: Seminole Wind] #176618 12/21/2016 3:57 AM
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Zee Offline OP
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 Originally Posted By: Seminole Wind
Zee, I hope you are going to show us how the 45 Colt 250 XTP performed.


By the time I got to the third deer (.45 Colt buck), I was scienced out.

I shot one with the .45 Colt last year about the same distance and did an autopsy on him and posted it here.

I hit this buck square in the chest as he faced me and I'm pretty sure the bullet ended up in the guts.

I did NOT want to open him up and deal with that so late in the evening and after the other two.

I skinned, quartered, removed the backstraps and neck meat, and never even opened the body cavity on him.

He looked like a butterfly chrysalis when I was done.

Sorry.........


"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: racksmasher1] #176665 12/22/2016 2:21 PM
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SChunter Offline
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That is AWESOME

Stack em up!

Re: Hell of a Hunt! [Re: SChunter] #176696 12/24/2016 7:43 AM
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B-dog Offline
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Always interesting to hear how someone's hard work in load development performs in real test media. Excellent reporting Zee and as I said in your Gallery post "Keep them coming!"

Last edited by B-dog; 12/24/2016 7:45 AM.

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