30-30AI is vicious!

[KYODE]

yes, vicious and ferocious! i killed me another doe this morning with the G2/30-30AI/2x7 burris. yet another offhand shot from 75yards. somewhat offhand, as i used my 1" sling around my left elbow to steady the shot again.
i seen a blackened area on the grassy hillside. i thought "dang that looks like a deer". i picked up my cheapish but functional 7x35 bushnell powerview binoc's. as soon as i scanned that dark area, i immediately seen that indeed it was a deer. after looking closer, i seen it was a doe. thats ok,(i said to self),i want another one to have ground, and 1/2 mixed with bacon, then 1/2 mixed with beef. she was probably 300 yards or more out at this point. i went for the shooting stix, but she started moving down hill toward me. i thought(to self) maybe she will come down that hill and stop about 200 yards out and give me a good rested shot. no such luck. she started running down hill right toward me. about 125 yards out in front of me, was some high weeds, and a few briar bushes. she made it into that stuff before i could get a good shot. things happen so quickly sometimes,and it's hard to tell what they are gonna do. i lost her sight as soon as she went in the high grass, but at least she had slowed to a walk. the shooting stix were useless to me now. i wrapped my sling around my left elbow, so as to be prepared in case she came into view again. she did, so i then adjusted my scope to 5x, which seemed to be about right. i lined up the crosshairs, and let her rip. the trigger is so sweet on this jewel of a G2, even offhand, i hit where i aim, or so it seems anyway. at the crack of the gun, she went down. i could see the weeds wiggling, so i gave her a few minutes to expire. i eased over to check it out, and seen she was laying there with her head up, but could not move. i put another round into the neck, so meat damage would be minimal. it appeared that the 130gr hornady ssp had again completely exploded, and this time, no exit at all. she had been hit high in the front shoulder. this bullet seems to be acting like a varmint bullet at the velocity this 30-30AI pushes them(2588fps). must have been some spine damage, but i did not see any visible.
now i'm worried about this 130gr hornady ssp in the 30-30AI. it kills, but inside 100 yards, it may be a little soft. i have about 400 of them in stock, and they shoot great. should i look for something with a little more controlled expansion, or use these up first? two dead deer, with little tracking trouble, but not perfect bullet performance. any thoughts?

 :music:  :music:  :sniper:

[Duffy]

Kyode;
Had basicly the same senerio as you this year only with a buck. They started off 300 yards away across a road and eventually walked to within 75 yards of me. I had no rest high enough besides a sagebrush (no rest) and used my sling. The 140 Ballistic tip leaving my 708 at 2600 fps hit a little low behind the shoulder but did the job as he only traveled about 10 yards and expired. On the entrance side the wound was about .4 but the blood shot area was about 4" in diam. The exit wound was about an inch in diam but the blood shot was around 6" in diam and spattered with lead and jacket material.  I was thinking of trying the Hornady bullet's because of the results that most have had on this board but now I'm thinking a bit different. Shure we both have meat in the freezer but there's always the "what if" and the meat damage to think about. My hunting partner uses Speer 150 SPBT in his 06 because they are cheaper and so far he hasn't lost a animal.  His wound channels are usually the perfect golf ball sized and it always has exited. I have some Sierras and Speers with also some Partitions that will be tested extensively before the next deer season.

BTW congrats on #2!

Ryan

[Dave1]

Kyode

Congratulations on the kill and meat in the freezer.  Even though the bullet may not have performed exactly as you would have expected it did do the job.  I have experienced similar performance on loaded rifle bullets and always wondered if there was a better choice.  It seems that no bullet expands well at all ranges and velocities.  A bullet's expansion rate may be completely dependant upon whether the bullet hits only soft tissue such as behind the shoulder between ribs or whether it hits heavier muscle and/or bone such as a shot thru the middle of the shoulder.

Debate of the perfect performing bullet will rage on but in my opinion bullet placement is the key to success.  You did well.

Dave1
davisalf@aol.com

[CWG]

I wish Ohio would let us use that caliber! With an 8 or 7 twist barrel it will really do a number with 220 grainer's.
Have to live with my 375 14" SS until then.  Just sighted it in. Cant wait.

[drags]

Hi Kyode
I use the 125 gr serria sptizer 3031 powder in my 30-30AI it's accurate but I haven't shot anything with it yet, I'm going to try varget this spring. Could you share your loads with us, also how do you use the sling on your left elbow? I'm assuming you are using a 14" contender as I am.
Joe

[RWG]

Congratulations again!
A dead deer is a dead deer. But I like a bullet that will push through and exit even if it has to push through heavy muscle, bone etc. But like you said you can't argue with success. Two shots 2 dead deer. Sounds pretty darn good to me.

Ronnie

[KYODE]

pm sent drags
i use a 1" nylon super sling made by outdoor connection. i adjust it short, then grasp the forearm with my left hand. let the sling droop over and hook on your left elbow, then push out with your left arm untill there is pressure between your elbow, and your grip on the forearm. this is amazingly steady, and i think i can be as steady as i can hold a rifle offhand. :shock:
and yes mine is 14", as are all my contenders, and my encores are 15"