Hahahaha! 😂 No worries about being argumentative. No myths to dispel. The bullet killed the ram, no doubt. Whether anybody likes what I say or not, the bullet failed to penetrate a 200 poundish 😉 ram, over expanded, lost it's core, and left a relatively small exit wound (core). That sucks. Plain and Simple. Like it or not 😉😆😂
A couple of thoughts. First, not a huge fan of the .44 Magnum -- I know hold the hate mail, I have .44s (just had a custom built), hunt with them, and will continue to into the future. I have always felt it to be a bit of an underachiever. It will get it done when loaded properly, but I like its bigger brothers more.
Secondly, you have displayed clearly why I am not a huge lover of jacked expanding bullets at revolver velocities. Very hit of miss, although there are better bullets available -- a lot better, like the mag versions of the XTP -- much tougher. James might be onto something with his comment about the wool possibly filling the hollow-point. I don't know. Clearly the bullets didn't perform well in the animal despite the fact that they did kill it.
Thirdly, each and every animal is a law unto itself. Some take a lot of killing to give up the ghost, others not so much.
I would hope, David, that you don't give up on revolvers because of this performance -- I understand your reluctance, but these aren't bottle-necked rifle cartridges and we have to work within the limitations of the revolver cartridge.
JMHO.
Oh, and I really wish I could have made this trip. I had intended to go, but a book manuscript deadline clashed with the hunting dates.
