Originally Posted by T_O_M

Give or take, I guess. I can't argue it one way or the other. I don't know how to tell those apart, two possible variables, just one equation which says "this didn't work."

What I know for sure was the carcass, when the buzzards lead me to it a couple days later, had a nick on a rib on the on-side and what looked to be a 2" diameter gap on the exit side so I presume the bullet expanded. A line between the two should have intersected the aorta. 120 grain partition, just over 3000 fps at the muzzle, 150 yards or a hair less.

I've shot quite a few deer with .25-'06 and especially .257, had a couple other close calls, but that was the only definitely hit deer I ever lost and it left me sorta sick at my stomach. frown That was one of two times in the last 30 years I've had to sit down and seriously think about whether I really wanted to keep hunting or give it up.

Tom


Sorry to hear about that. Nobody likes to lose animals, but every now and then you get either a really tough deer that runs further than it should be able to with no internal clockwork, or just bum luck with regards to bullet placement. You make what should be a good shot, only to have the bullet narrowly miss (or just graze) the lungs, heart, AND spine, and leave you with a long tracking job. I'm not sure which of the two options happened in this case, but I do know that a 120gr PT moving along at nearly 2700fps at impact is more than enough to completely destroy the contents of the boiler room.

In any case, you have to use whatever gun YOU have the most confidence with. Almost any high-powered rifle will kill deer. What matters most is where you put the bullet (and which bullet you choose!), and you have the best chance of putting the bullet in the right place when you shoot it out of the rifle you have the most confidence in.