I'm a lousy shot, spined her

[JPH45]

with a Nosler 180 Partition from a box I bought from Ditch Digger in the spring. Load was 33.7 grains of WC 846 (close to H335/Bl-C2), I haven't chronographed it yet, will tommorow, but my guess is 2100ish.

I have now shot 4 deer in three years from this same location. The yearling doe today was very similar to the spike buck I killed last year in this spot as to how she entered the area and such. From 25 yards, the shot hit her hard, she dropped like a rock. I would too if I had two inches of my spine missing. A coup de grace (SP?) to the head ended it. I was dissapointed with myself. Not good shooting at all. The load is fine, shoots 1.5" at 50 yards, this is propping against a tree, not off my rest. Group came together more uniform than Hornadys 150 SST though. It was raining earlier today, so I didn't take my rest and other gear out, just a target, staple gun and ear muffs. Decided the load shot well enough for a quick walk. The load certainly does shoot well enough, but I don't. She looks like she was hit with a 150 from a 30-06. Exit wound in the hide was size of a quarter. The holes in the hide didn't give any hint of what I was going to find inside. The 357 Maximum didn't ruin this much of the front shoulder of that spike last year.

Well there is fresh meat in the freeze. I am going to chronograph some tommorow and perhaps later in the season I will be able to make a better shot and be able to have a better idea of how this bullet performs at the lower end of it's velocity range. Gonna call Nosler next week too.

As to the load, I started out with 31 grains of WC 846, the primers were still rounded on the edge and protruded from the case slightly and the neck was slightly smoked. The case didn't streach enough to reseat the primer after firing. So I moved up to 33.7 grains. This is the same load I use under 150 grain bullets, which show the primer condition described. The 150's and that load (33.7) will give a very consistant 2360 fps. The group impact shifted from right of POA by 2" to 1.5" high of POA. Primers now had noticably flattened edges and were flush with the case. The case showed no smoke on the brass. Will post more tomorrow. JP

[Deadeye47]

Don't brow beat yourself for the shot JPH45...we have all made less than perfect shots....at least she went down...not run for a half mile and slowly bleed out. Meats in the freezer...nothing wrong with that....when I used to hunt more I always did some "goofy shooting" before the season opened. sat on a stump and twisted around and shot at a target..Propped against a tree...off hand...different positions and ranges...It helps. tNow if we're talking about bad shots there used to be a young kid on my old lease...big mouth and too big a gun....we always had to help him find the deer he shot...usually tore up or one time the front leg hanging on by a piece of hide...another hunter knocked him down for him. Glad I didn't have to deal with that adrinilin pumped meat. Another time the deer was gut shot and jumped in a pond!!! We were looking for the deer and saw antlers sticking up out of the water!!  I think he was just flinchin cause the gun kicked so bad...plus buck fever... :-)

[jeff223]

good job JPH45  :toast:

i been wonderng how you been doing this year deer hunting

[v8r]

deadeye47 ,there is a guy i used to work with that hunted whitetail with a .338 Winchester Magnum.He complained that deer would frequently run several hundred yards before they would die.He had to start doing only shoulder shots because the bullet wouldn't expand any behind the shoulder.I guess more gun isn't always needed.He let me shoot that cannon one time,and it sure felted like it was too much for anything in north america short of a pissed off grizzly bear.

[Sourdough]

v8r: I carry one of those .338s from May to Oct, just for those pissed off grizzlies.  The rest of the time I carry a 30-06.  

jph45: Don't feel too bad, at least you dropped the animal, and it did not get away.  Two weeks ago my partner and I were out hunting Cow Moose, I was carring my Handi 30-06 with a Shepard 6X18 scope.  I shot my Moose at 250 yards using a Nosler 180gr Partition.  She was lying down, and had raised her head to look at us as we approached.  I laid my gun across the handlebars and shot her in the forehead.  Next day my partner tried to do the same thing with one of those super Weatherby Magniums.  His first shot at 60 yards missed the head.  His second shot hit her high in the neck, missing bone, and putting her into high gear in get away mode.  His third shot finally broke her spine, he was trying to hit her shoulder.  I keep telling him he needs a smaller gun, one he can shoot well.

[DanielWGriggs]

meat in the freezer is a good thing.  JPH45 do you practice 1shot cold barrel and does it shoot the same after warming. Had you cleaned it and not shot fouling shots. this I always try to remember.  Have a steak and thank mother nature for the bounty.  I am glad you have a concience many people I no longer hunt with wouldn't have cared... I would hunt with you and be glad of it.

[fish280]

yeah, jp, don't fret over that. i doubt the doe was feeling a thing when you had to finish her.
not that i don't fret myself when such things don't go perfectly.
still another reason they call it hunting and not shopping.