Ok Guys
I've shot many barrels out with the 223. I could have solved the problem by simply head shooting but don't have a clue why I didn't try that, but the shot had to be quick. I'd heard all the pros about using the SMK for hunting. I always feel that shot placement is the true key. In this instance something was hit that was not seen. So I was not able to control placement. Had I shot for the head it would have most likely been a clean miss. Which would have been much better.
You've answered what I wanted to know. MK but only the larger ones. No one ever clarified that and I paid the price for it last weekend. I've shot so many 69s in matches I should own stock.....
I was just curious since so many say the MKs are so good. And in my experiences they normally DON"T expand so I was somewhat taken aback by what appeared to be the result of a varmint type hollow point. I've shot a bunch of deer out to insane distances with the 75 amax. Thats probably what I should have stuck with but I wanted a mag full of ammo.
BTW for those interested in my feeble thought train, I'd suspected the chances were much higher to run into a large group of feral hogs in that bottom and wanted something fit for knocking out a few before the group got away....... and since we were going so far off the road, that M4 clone with its dot scope and only weighing about 5 pounds seemed much better than a 10 pound shotgun or deer rifle..... Not expecting a deer really.
And then there are those that argue the 270 is enough for Elk and larger...... Comparisons are similar, size vs caliber. My suspicions are the deflection somehow started the expansion early before the bullet hit.... I do know that on an elk I'm uncomfortable with anything less than 338 diam.......
I'm kinda hoping all the above is an excuse to sell something and end up with a 50 beowulf upper.
PS thought I posted distance-- it was 50 yards or so. Only about 2700 fps though. And yep, i've got a couple of 300 Wtbys I could have drug into the swamps. After it was all done I wished I'd taken the 590 and slugs like I almost did to start with. It was my poor choice but a well learned lesson. I won't argue that at all. It just seemed foolish to drag a 300 with a big scope into the swamp.
Thanks for the input, and all the civil replies. Its a rare sight that allows that all the time. Jeff