Author Topic: Bullet failure (Read 2957 times)

deerman12 · « **on:** November 24, 2009, 10:50:55 AM »

I shot a doe last thursday morning. I shot her with a 300 Model 7 300 saum. I did not have time to make up a bunch of different loads. I had some 150 grain hornady SP interlocks. I have had good luck out of hornady bullets. I loaded them up with a close to max load of RL19. I shot this does broad side about 60 yards through the boiler room. When I skinned her out, the bullet never exited, the entrance wound was as big as football!!! Wow, too much damage. I found the copper jacket a piece of the bullet that weighed just 42 grains! I am not complaining but i have never shot a deer with a rifle of that size and not had a exit wound. I think I will look into some premium bullets before hunting with this rifle again.

Varmint Hunter · « **Reply #1 on:** November 24, 2009, 01:48:40 PM »

150gr Accubond - problem solved

Lone Star · « **Reply #2 on:** November 24, 2009, 01:56:44 PM »

If you are shooting deer at 60 yards you do not need a max load in any .300 magnum. Either load it down, use a heavier bullet, or use a tougher one. Your performance is pretty typical of the 150 Hornady SP at high impact velocities. Personally I believe a 150 is a waste in any .300 magnum. The minimum bullet weight should be 165 to 180 - IMO. Shoot just as flat but with better overall terminal performance.

.

3006softpoint · « **Reply #3 on:** November 24, 2009, 04:25:44 PM »

That must have hit like a sledge hammer! Think of all that psi that deer absorbed! Was it bang flop! I thought you were going to say you didn't get any expansion and it went threw like a fmj! Maybe you hit some brush that made the bullet expand and slow down! That thing should be smoking at 65 yards

? Very interesting result! Dale

Savage · « **Reply #4 on:** November 25, 2009, 02:52:02 AM »

If your shots are typically under 100yds, you definitely need a tougher bullet and/or less velocity! A 300 magnum is not designed to be the optimum close range deer gun.
Savage

Steve P · « **Reply #5 on:** November 25, 2009, 09:08:07 AM »

Too fast. Bullet didn't fail, the load did. It's like putting a v-8 in a volkswagon. Just doesn't belong. A buddy of mine used accubonds in his 300WSM for antelope, but we knew shots were going to be 300 yards +. 300 mags work best with 165-180s for typitcal hunting. 150s will work for varmints, but usually for long range.

Steve

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #6 on:** November 25, 2009, 09:30:23 AM »

Son shot a doe last weekend with a 308 , 150 gr. BT loaded to the max . destoried both shoulders , front half of the backstraps . He found the plastic point . Deer was 30 yards away . He said the bullet failed , I say to both of ya'll ya got the deer with one shot . How did the bullet fail ? They did work like they do at 150 yards , so what ?

cwlongshot · « **Reply #7 on:** November 26, 2009, 02:18:31 AM »

As stated, this bullet was designed with the 308/30-06 in mind, not your 300 mags and certainly not for top velocitys at hair singing distances!! Get yourself a prem bullet of you must load lite bullets. Very common problem with people using these big guns.

IMHO your better off with a heavier bullet, save those liteweights for longer distances.

CW

Grumulkin · « **Reply #8 on:** November 26, 2009, 02:22:52 AM »

The deer died. Why are you complaining?

cwlongshot · « **Reply #9 on:** November 26, 2009, 03:03:05 AM »

Quote from: Grumulkin on November 26, 2009, 02:22:52 AM

The deer died. Why are you complaining?

Ultimately this a correct.

deerman12 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 28, 2009, 07:46:01 AM »

No complaining a bit. Just a observation. I have shots out 400 yards from that same stand. I guess I should have asked her to move out a couple of hundred yards in the opening between the trees before I shot.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #11 on:** November 30, 2009, 04:13:56 AM »

nope , it worked be thankful . I do agree that a heavier bullet would have been better in a mag.

Brithunter · « **Reply #12 on:** November 30, 2009, 05:28:17 AM »

Quote from: deerman12 on November 28, 2009, 07:46:01 AM

No complaining a bit. Just a observation. I have shots out 400 yards from that same stand. I guess I should have asked her to move out a couple of hundred yards in the opening between the trees before I shot.

yeah your could have tried that but somehow I doubt it would have worked

however I have to agree with deerman12 the OP that the bullet failed but there our ideas diverge as in my opinion it was not the bullets fault but the users

. This is not new of course but what is new is that if this had happened some decades ago the cartridge would have been blamed such as happened with the .280 Ross. Shooters used the wrong bullets on the wrong game but instead of blaming themselves it was the cartridge which was blamed. However that was some 100 years ago and further more the cartridge was foriegn one and not American

.

Now as has already been said the bullet needs to be changed for one which will not blow up and there are several available now which are claimed to have such properties

yooper77 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 30, 2009, 06:05:13 AM »

Quote from: deerman12 on November 24, 2009, 10:50:55 AM

I shot a doe last thursday morning. I shot her with a 300 Model 7 300 saum. I did not have time to make up a bunch of different loads. I had some 150 grain hornady SP interlocks. I have had good luck out of hornady bullets. I loaded them up with a close to max load of RL19. I shot this does broad side about 60 yards through the boiler room. When I skinned her out, the bullet never exited, the entrance wound was as big as football!!! Wow, too much damage. I found the copper jacket a piece of the bullet that weighed just 42 grains! I am not complaining but i have never shot a deer with a rifle of that size and not had a exit wound. I think I will look into some premium bullets before hunting with this rifle again.

I use Hornady Interlocks more than any other bullet. You experienced perfect Hornady Interlock performance. If you would have used a 308 Winchester or 30-06 Springfield then the bullet would have exited and wouldn’t have blown a hole in your deer.

yooper77

Larry Gibson · « **Reply #14 on:** December 01, 2009, 03:45:36 PM »

Let us reflect; a doe shot at 60 yards with a gawd awful magnum with a max load using a bullet that was designed for the .308W/30-06 level of performance and we complain that the bullet "failed"? Perhaps we should ask our congressmen why the doe didn't have her body armor on? Or I could ask if you are capable of 400 yard shots then why the shot to the "boiler room" at just 60 yards? Would not a neck shot have made much more sense? I just finished a hunt where I shot two does from my stand at 40-60 yards with an '06 using the 165 gr Interlok. I shot them in the neck to avoid excessive meat damage using the '06. I shot a 8 point buck using a M91 Mauser rebarreled to .35 Remington with a cast RCBS 35-200-FN bullet at 90 yards and it killed it with minimal meat damage. If someone thinks I'm being somewhat facetious then you are correct; using such a bullet for such a shot and then claiming "bullet failure" deserves a facetious remark.

Larry Gibson

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #15 on:** December 01, 2009, 03:51:45 PM »

Nothin like a quality, premum bullet.

For me that means a Nosler Partition.

Yes, I know there are now other quality bullets available, but the Nosler has been my first choice for 40 years.

I am presently shooting and carrying a RUGER Hawkeye in 300 Win. Mag., out of which I am shooting a 165gr. Nosler partition right at 3200FPS.

I never feel over gunned and of the four deer taken in the last two seasons, the most distant was about 125yds.

Do I have more then I really need, probably, but I tend to hunt with one rifle and that rifle may do service for deer, elk, bear and possibly even moose and at ranges beyond the 125yard distance.

Besides, there just ain't no such thing as too dead, unless I have excessive distruction because of poor bullet choice.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

deerman12 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 02, 2009, 10:50:09 AM »

Jes, I was just making a observation. I have only being harvesting whitetails for 25 years. I had no idea I was so stupid. As I stated, I had little time to work only loads other than what I had on hand. I think some of you self proclaimed experts need to be a little less judgemental. Maybe I did not have a shot at the neck? It was a new gun and wanted to use it. Crap, makes me sorry I said anything. It always seems funny how unless someone does it exactly like you did it they are wrong!

. By the way, this same idiot did manage to harvest a very nice 9pt with a different rifle. I think I will go back to just reading others post instead of posting myself. Good thing about opinions...they are like buttholes..everyone has them.

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** December 02, 2009, 11:27:19 AM »

Wow you sure are sensitive aren't ya? Develop a tougher hide. If ya post then someone's gonna disagree with ya for sure even if ya say that the sky is blue and the grass is green. Someone is gonna have a different opinion on it. Learn to live with those differing opinions and take what you wish from them and then move on to the next topic.

As for me I'm not much of a fan of magnums of any persuasion and my only one is a .257 Whby. Mag. I'll be using only premium bullets in it.

To me the only real reason to have a .30 mag is to push 200s to the speed the old '06 pushes 180s. But then that's just my opinion and it seems to infuriate magnum fans to no end. Still it is fact that up close light bullets of standard cup and core configuration and magnum rifles don't mix well. Why ammo makes make such is beyond me. But hey that's just my opinion you're not required to agree.

deerman12 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 02, 2009, 11:38:42 AM »

Not really..lol.

, Sorry graybeard I was simply making a general observation and was not expecting the plethora of how wrong I was and how I was complaining. Live and learn. I have always like to hunt with different calibers. I don't need a 300 saum but I just could not turn down another model 7 for $440 shipped. I am a sucker for those. Good thing is now I have whole year to develope different loads. I am a fan of premium bullets, just did not have any in 30 caliber to load at the time. It's all good.

. By the way graybeard, I have been selling cars for 23 years. If you think that won't toughen your skin..nothing will, haha.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #19 on:** December 02, 2009, 04:31:25 PM »

i been married. i didn't know i was dumb either. good thing she let me know.

700xcr · « **Reply #20 on:** December 02, 2009, 06:03:44 PM »

Quote from: deerman12 on November 28, 2009, 07:46:01 AM

No complaining a bit. Just a observation. I have shots out 400 yards from that same stand. I guess I should have asked her to move out a couple of hundred yards in the opening between the trees before I shot.

Or placed the shot in the head or neck that way there would of been no meat wastage.

Brithunter · « **Reply #21 on:** December 02, 2009, 10:04:17 PM »

Quote from: 700xcr on December 02, 2009, 06:03:44 PM

Quote from: deerman12 on November 28, 2009, 07:46:01 AM
No complaining a bit. Just a observation. I have shots out 400 yards from that same stand. I guess I should have asked her to move out a couple of hundred yards in the opening between the trees before I shot.
Or placed the shot in the head or neck that way there would of been no meat wastage.

Hmmmmmmm I take then that you don't use the neck for stewing? My old friend the gamekeeper the neck is about his favorite

stewed slowly with lots of veggies

and I am afraid to inform you a head shot is not a sure thing

again from personal experience

Skunk · « **Reply #22 on:** December 03, 2009, 07:29:53 AM »

Quote from: Brithunter on December 02, 2009, 10:04:17 PM

I am afraid to inform you a head shot is not a sure thing again from personal experience

I agree with Brit on the head shot. That would be the last place I'd actually shoot at. Around my neck of the woods, the head shot is the old poacher shot with a 22lr from out the window of the truck. The poachers would take a shot at the head to get an instant kill. If the deer dropped, then they'd take it, if the shot missed its mark, the poacher would move on to another location and target.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #23 on:** December 03, 2009, 07:41:53 AM »

Would it not depend on shot ? tree stand 20 yards looking down at back of head , why waste meat ? 200 yards looking head on , not a good shot to the head .
Know thy rifle and make the best shot you can with the skill you have .

Steve P · « **Reply #24 on:** December 03, 2009, 07:53:08 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard on December 02, 2009, 11:27:19 AM

If ya post then someone's gonna disagree with ya for sure even if ya say that the sky is blue and the grass is green.

Maybe for y'all in Oklahoma that is correct. I live near Seattle. Here the sky is GRAY!! I can send ya pictures to prove it if you want!!

Steve

Skunk · « **Reply #25 on:** December 03, 2009, 08:58:38 AM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on December 03, 2009, 07:41:53 AM

Would it not depend on shot ? tree stand 20 yards looking down at back of head , why waste meat...

Well, you're perfectly welcome to take the head shot. Myself, a shot at 20 yards would only give me more incentive to shoot the deer in the neck or boiler room. I'd take care of killing the deer first, then worry later about how much meat is left.

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #26 on:** December 03, 2009, 09:02:45 AM »

Well Steve P, at least the sky is gray rather then the air like in Califunnyia.

That was the first place I had ever been where I didn't need faith to breath.

The "air" was clearly visable, kind of yeller as I recall.

Keep em coming!

CDOC from Ideeeeeeeeeeeeeho

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #27 on:** December 03, 2009, 09:08:07 AM »

Skunk , where the neck and head meet would be my target . BTW i don't care for neck roast really .

Pop · « **Reply #28 on:** December 03, 2009, 10:36:34 AM »

Use a 150 Accubond!

+1

Drilling Man · « **Reply #29 on:** December 03, 2009, 12:24:00 PM »

This is the result waaaaaaay too many times, of hunters ? attempting head shots!

Now, i think that's pretty sad!

DM