?? Wonder if I made a bad choice

7sand8s

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I normally shoot Hornady ELDX 200gr. I was out of those and couldn't find any at all…my buddy the shoots long range recommended the bullets I have pictured BERGER 208gr long range hybrid…I bought them and found a good load for my gun. I shoot deer out to 500 so I'm puzzled at the shot I took with this new ammo. Deer was perfectly broadside 290yrds…I was in box stand using bags. Made what thought was a perfect shot. Deer ran off. I haven't found one ounce of blood anywhere. Did I make the wrong choice in bullet? Should I not shoot these at deer?
 

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Did you clean the tips out? Do you manage recoils well enough to spot your impacts? Did you hear the report of the bullet impacting the animal? Where do you like to aim for point of impact? Did you impact heavy bone? Personal experience with Berger I have not seen them pencil at high impact speeds. Only lower. I personally have seen what I call the Berger delay which is the animal is hit shows minimal signs of a hit but it's really dead on its feet. Another member just had a very nice buck run a long ways after a good shot they can and are very tough. I don't think you made a bad choice in bullets. I think what your seeing is a different reaction to a bullet you have not shot game with before theorfore every bullet I have ever shot game with has its own character.
 
I normally shoot Hornady ELDX 200gr. I was out of those and couldn't find any at all…my buddy the shoots long range recommended the bullets I have pictured BERGER 208gr long range hybrid…I bought them and found a good load for my gun. I shoot deer out to 500 so I'm puzzled at the shot I took with this new ammo. Deer was perfectly broadside 290yrds…I was in box stand using bags. Made what thought was a perfect shot. Deer ran off. I haven't found one ounce of blood anywhere. Did I make the wrong choice in bullet? Should I not shoot these at deer?
What cartridge are you shooting? What was your impact velocity?
 
That is a target bullet, you most likely penciled him with that bullet. No expansion = no damage to inside vitals.
That's what I'm wondering. Deer was perfectly broadside. I aimed behind shoulder with a slight rise of my crosshairs (I'm shooting 2" high at 100) when I shot deer spun around and head back to where he came out of woulda at. I'd shoot that same shoot 1,000 times again. It felt good. Just wondering if bullet went in and out and didn't expand leaving pencil size entrance and exit holes
 
That's what I'm wondering. Deer was perfectly broadside. I aimed behind shoulder with a slight rise of my crosshairs (I'm shooting 2" high at 100) when I shot deer spun around and head back to where he came out of woulda at. I'd shoot that same shoot 1,000 times again. It felt good. Just wondering if bullet went in and out and didn't expand leaving pencil size entrance and exit holes

Most likely penciled him. If you hit him where you aimed he'll eventually bleed out, just a slow death.

For hunting I would recommend a VLDH, and you have to clean out the tips to make sure they aren't clogged by lubricant.
 
I don't think it's the bullets fault. I've personally never used this particular hybrid but typically you wanna hit bone as what your actually trying to do is get the bullet to tumble and come apart with a berger.
 
Most likely penciled him. If you hit him where you aimed he'll eventually bleed out, just a slow death.

For hunting I would recommend a VLDH, and you have to clean out the tips to make sure they aren't clogged by lubricant.
I know I didn't miss him….that shot was spot on…I'm not bragging but it was an easy shot for me also. I still feel good about it even after not finding blood
 
I think you have a dead deer out there.

A 210 HVLD vs a 208 LRHT...not buying it. I don't think the bullet failed. Lots of folks claim no blood on a Berger, but get to watch the animal die in their site.

Crazy things happen when you get stung by a bee and don't know it. OR you just grazed him enough to spin him around and not put him down.
 
That is a target bullet, you most likely penciled him with that bullet. No expansion = no damage to inside vitals.
Are you sure? Typically the issue with target bullets is over expansion due to jackets being too soft.

I would guess you double shouldered him due to wind and it didn't exit. Entrance wounds rarely bleed much. Is that possible?
 
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