Neither of these shots were really long range but interesting (and discouraging) things happened.
The rifle is a Savage FCP-K in .308 Win topped with NF 5.5-22x56. It's best 5 shot group was 1 3/16" at 340 yards with 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips driven by 46.7 grains of Varget at just over 2900fps. On average it shoots right around .5 MOA with the occasional ridiculously small group. I'm zero'd at 200 and confirmed that zero just last week by putting 20 rounds downrange from that distance. I did not clean the bore afterwards and ALL my shooting with this rifle is from the bipod. I've got about 900 rounds down range with it at present.
I'm wondering if it's the bullet. They're older Ballistic Tips from back when they came in 100 count boxes and some people have reported those old ones tend to splatter on bone and just generally act more like a varmint bullet.
Monday: This one was truly into trophy territory - an old wide racked 13 or 14 point who's body was approaching the size of a mule deer. He was at a mere 212 yards and quartering slightly away. I aimed the bullet just behind his shoulder and so as to hit his opposite shoulder, watched him shudder, stumble, run a few yards, stumble, and then dart into the woods. There was no blood trail but his tracks were huge and I tracked him for some 5 hours before he crossed a river and was gone. He refused to jump fences.
Tonight: I just got in from tracking a nice 10 point Whitetail. Not a trophy but respectable anyway. He was at about 290 yards. This time there was no shudder or stumbling around and running. Rather, the deer was bowled over on his side... then, with some effort, he got back up and ran into the woods. I expected to easily find him but he wasn't in the edge of the woods and there was no blood trail (again!). After a short time the flashlights had to come out and the search continued for another hour or so but there was no way to tell where he went. I'm going back out at first light to look for him some more.
I'd like to hear from those of you with significant experience seeing what bullets do on game concerning what you think the bullet did on impact and why. I'm truly discouraged since this is my first season shooting a "premium" bullet and the results have been so poor. I've had quite a few DRT experiences with 100 grain Corelokt's from a .243 over the years. The longest of which was measured at 160 yards.
The rifle is a Savage FCP-K in .308 Win topped with NF 5.5-22x56. It's best 5 shot group was 1 3/16" at 340 yards with 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips driven by 46.7 grains of Varget at just over 2900fps. On average it shoots right around .5 MOA with the occasional ridiculously small group. I'm zero'd at 200 and confirmed that zero just last week by putting 20 rounds downrange from that distance. I did not clean the bore afterwards and ALL my shooting with this rifle is from the bipod. I've got about 900 rounds down range with it at present.
I'm wondering if it's the bullet. They're older Ballistic Tips from back when they came in 100 count boxes and some people have reported those old ones tend to splatter on bone and just generally act more like a varmint bullet.
Monday: This one was truly into trophy territory - an old wide racked 13 or 14 point who's body was approaching the size of a mule deer. He was at a mere 212 yards and quartering slightly away. I aimed the bullet just behind his shoulder and so as to hit his opposite shoulder, watched him shudder, stumble, run a few yards, stumble, and then dart into the woods. There was no blood trail but his tracks were huge and I tracked him for some 5 hours before he crossed a river and was gone. He refused to jump fences.
Tonight: I just got in from tracking a nice 10 point Whitetail. Not a trophy but respectable anyway. He was at about 290 yards. This time there was no shudder or stumbling around and running. Rather, the deer was bowled over on his side... then, with some effort, he got back up and ran into the woods. I expected to easily find him but he wasn't in the edge of the woods and there was no blood trail (again!). After a short time the flashlights had to come out and the search continued for another hour or so but there was no way to tell where he went. I'm going back out at first light to look for him some more.
I'd like to hear from those of you with significant experience seeing what bullets do on game concerning what you think the bullet did on impact and why. I'm truly discouraged since this is my first season shooting a "premium" bullet and the results have been so poor. I've had quite a few DRT experiences with 100 grain Corelokt's from a .243 over the years. The longest of which was measured at 160 yards.