Flinch,
When did you first start shooting a 7mm-08? I know you used to shoot a 7mm RM and a long barreled .30-06.
I love the 139 Hornady SP. I have only shot them into mulies, but they have never stopped inside. Didn't get good accuracy from the BTSP but the flat base SP has been terrific.
140 btips flat out shoot in my 7mm-08, but I would prefer an Accubond or Partition if elk was on the menu. I do feel better about having an exit hole. Truth be told, I haven't shot enough elk to really know if one bullet is better than another.
I have hunted often, but only killed four. All four took a 160 Accubond launched from my 7mmRM. All four died quickly. One bullet did not exit and that was a really weird experience. I shot a cow quartering hard towards me, but ended up not finding a single drop of blood. Literally, no blood whatsoever, even when I walked up to her. I couldn't even find an entrance wound. Thank goodness for fresh snow, or I may have walked right past her as she ran over the ridge and slid about 30 feet off of the trail.
Once I began butchering her out, the trauma inside was amazing. The bullet definitely did its job, just couldn't have known had I not found her. The only thing I can think of is that the "crease" I hit between the front shoulder and the neck was soft enough not to open up quickly. Once through some flesh it looked like it should. I wonder if the bullet took out the heart and everything stopped pumping and that is why no blood from the mouth etc. I can see blood not making it out to the entrance wound with fat and muscle getting in the way.
FH
