Here's the Granddaddy of all bullet failures I've heard of to date. A 300gr .338 OTM Burger failed to penetrate the shoulder of a doe antelope. I would doubt the story... except I talked with Ray enough to respect his hunting experiences. He had hunted alot. Africa. Alaska. I haven't heard from Ray for years now. Hope he's OK and still hunting. It doesn't look like he's posted on this Forum since 2018. Last contact I had with him, Ray led me to believe his preferred hunting bullet for his 338 Lapua Improved rifles was the 300gr Sierra Match King.
Bullets sometimes misbehave, like teenagers. Here's a copy and paste from Ray's 2015 Post:
"Well, I have never shared this publicly before tonight. I'm the guy that shot a doe Antelope and the bullet never entered the vitals that I could see. Before I explain I need to back up a little.
When Berger came out with the 300g Berger I bought 250 of them. Shortly after we heard about the slump nose problem, so I did not shoot them. They are still in my cabinet as a matter of fact. A little while later they came out with the OTM's and I purchased 250. Don't remember what year that was?
In 2014 I used them exclusively that year. The Doe (antelope) was 800+yards out. Wind was full value 8-10mph. When I shot the doe went straight down. My 12 year-old grandson and I drove my utv up to what we thought was dead animal. When I pulled up next to it she picked up her head. When I got out to finish it, she tried to get up and run but could not. She actually made it 1/2 way into my Ranger then fell out. I could not believe what I was seeing and all this in front of my grandson!
When I gutted it, I was looking for damage to the vitals and could not find any damage at all! The bullet hit her square in the shoulder. Yea, yea I know! I was aiming for crease but was off about 3" hitting shoulder squarely. When we skinned it, looked like bomb went off on entrance side. It was blood shot badly all the way up to head. Don't think we saved any meat from that front quarter. Opposite side was perfectly fine?
If you wanna read Ray's entire Post, here's a link to the Thread. See Post #195.
about 5 or so years ago there was a guy here (Jim) who could not get his bullets to shoot well out of a 264, he called berger and they got him to walt. walt was flying to somewhere do not remember where, but he change his flight next air port and came here to teach him how to load thevld...
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