Hornady Precision Hunter

MSCHEVYZ71

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
9
Location
Mississippi
Hello all.

I was wondering if someone could help me figure out an issue I had while hunting a few weeks ago.
I was able to harvest a doe on opening day gun using my 308 and Hornady Precision Hunter. The shot was broadside and tucked behind the front shoulder under 75 yards and I heard her crash soon after.
My problem is that there was no blood trail. I couldn't find a single drop of blood. I eventually just walked in the woods and found her 15-20 yards in, but even upon inspection, there was hardly any blood. There was a small entrance hole, but no exit.
While cleaning, I found out that the insides were shredded...almost like it exploded on the inside. Is this type of performance from Precision Hunter normal? I'm worried that if the deer ran farther, I could have ran into the possibility of loosing her due to lack of blood trail. If this is normal, what would be a better choice of ammo to use? I live in South Mississippi so the deer are smaller and most shots are under 100-150 yards.
Thanks for the help.
 
The ELD-X bullets used in Hornady Precision Hunter are soft and designed mainly for 300+ yard shots. They can still work for closer range stuff, but as you found out they open really fast and don't penetrate as well up close.
Thank you. Do you know of a better option for my range? I know ammo is hard to find right now but I would like to know what to start looking for.
 
Thank you. I will give it a try if I can find it. What about Nosler Trophy Grade Accubond 165 grain or Sierra Game King 165 grain TGK? I was able to come across a box of each?
 
Which ever one shoots best in your rifle, all 3 will work for your use I have shot a lot of whitetail with cup and core federal blue box.Now if you want 2 holes in and out ,it will vary with shot placement and distance.The accubonds shot well for me in my Tikka and provided 2 holes on Texas whitetail. My .02
 
I have taken a dozen or so whitetails at 40-100 yards with plain old cup and core Sierra GK bullets. A majority out of a 30-06 with 165gr GK loaded up to almost 2900fps and everyone was a through and through. Heck I even had one shoot at 50y that smashed through both shoulder blades clipping the heart on the way with a good sized exit wound. I do recall one Sierra bullet that did not exit, a 140GK out of a 270win at barely 40y. That bullet was up against the hide and was mushroomed like you would expect. BTW the doe dropped dead in her tracks. Also another dozen or so whitetails taken with Hornady 140gr SST Superformance and mostly 200-300 yards, all with exit wounds. Only experience with ELD-X was a 270 shooting at 350y and that bullet angled from just behind near side shoulder angling across to exit at diaphragm on the far side. It is quite surprising to me that a 308MV 178gr cup and core could not exit a whitetail. A non exit wound with 30cal ammo is rare, if you absolutely need an exit wound the partitions or copper monos might be what you need. Also Federal Fusion ammo is bonded, accurate and affordable.
 
As mentioned above, Federal Fusions and Hornady American Whitetails are both great choices, and reasonably priced.
Both perform very well on deer and pigs
 
I've shot 3 mule deer, 4 or 5 prong horn and a couple whitetails with 7 mag 162 edlx factory ammo. As best as I remember all were pass though. Closest was last year mule deer, 150 yards. Went through both shoulders, 3 " exit hole and either part of bullet or bone went into neck. Longest was 350 on pronghorn, though lungs ran about 100 yards. But hunting in the south at home i use .243 or 7mm-08 and when I used hunt in south Carolina used 308. All cup and core factory rounds on whitetails. For the range your talking about don't need expensive high bc bullets.
 
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