[Doc Holiday13]

Where I live here in VA we have extended doe hunting season, so this is legal.

Saturday i killed a mid sized doe at about 90 yards with my 6.8. I'm using 115 grain Sierra Match kings with 28 grains of H335. the Doe dropped on the spot. I wanted a head shot but her head wasn't clearly visible so I took a slightly high chest shot so I didn't hit the shoulder. Zero meat damage YAY!. No tracking YAY!!. Only one hole. hmmmmmm?? This makes me wonder. I know the deer I killed last year retained the bullet because it was a 210 yard shot with a 100 grain bullet. Is this normal?? Or do I need to get my chamber re-cut so I can bump my load a bit?

 

[paulosantos]

The Sierra SMK generally fragment so they are not the best choices for hunting, especially if you want an exit wound.

 

[marinesg1012]

Pr hunters or accubonds would be a better choice, as paul said the SMK's arent designed to hunt.. they are a target and a mil round

 

[Doc Holiday13]

Thats pretty much the answer I was looking for. I didn't know they fragment, As long as it puts the deer down fast I'm happy. i have some pro-hunters sitting on my shelf I just haven't bothered to open them up yet. I moved at the beginning of hunting season and haven't gotten my bench back up yet(gotta organize the garage first).

So switching over to pro-hunters and accubonds will give me an exit? I kinda like the idea of the fragment as long as its in the head or clean chest shot, simply for the full energy transfer factor

 

[jasonpeterson]

I've had excellent results with the Pro hunters!!!!

 

[marinesg1012]

The problem with the OTM's is they dont always frag consistently..they were made mostly for the .mil and LE to use becuase the OTM bullet is "legal" to use in land warfare but frags a lot better then traditional green tip.

Now a pro hunter or the accubonds both are designed to expand and continue pushing through the animal. this is better for a few reasons one you will probably get better penetration, and that destroys more tissue, and gives you an exit, you want two bleeding holes more then one bleeding hole if it decides it doesnt want to die today even after a perfect shot. it also allows some room for error if you make a slightly bad angled shot and need to poush up through the guts of the animal into the chest cavity or if you hit to far forward and hit the shoulder... a lot of lighter bullets like the Vmax wont punch through the shoulder where the tougher hunting bullets have a better chance.

 

[Doc Holiday13]

Now a pro hunter or the accubonds both are designed to expand and continue pushing through the animal. this is better for a few reasons one you will probably get better penetration, and that destroys more tissue, and gives you an exit, you want two bleeding holes more then one bleeding hole if it decides it doesnt want to die today even after a perfect shot. it also allows some room for error if you make a slightly bad angled shot and need to poush up through the guts of the animal into the chest cavity or if you hit to far forward and hit the shoulder... a lot of lighter bullets like the Vmax wont punch through the shoulder where the tougher hunting bullets have a better chance.

Which is why I like head shots

 

[marinesg1012]

unless you miss and shoot off a jaw.. I always try to take high probability hits when hunting

 

[BillBond]

Whats your penetration?

Not much the last few years.

8)

 

[Jamesb74]

Whats your penetration?

Not much the last few years.

8)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[pdm25150]

what part of va. are you in????

 

[Doc Holiday13]

what part of va. are you in????

Loudoun County

 

[Oneb]

Doc.

What rifle are you using?

I'm from Reston, Just got a Mini-14 in 6.8 that I'll use on close-in deer next season. I had my smith set the trigger pull at 3 lbs and next week I'm off to the Loudon IWLa range for break-in.

I also am looking at building a lite stalking rifle on a Ruger #1 donor in 6.8 as a low recoil deer gun for my grandson -- and me.

1B

 

[tritium]

Oneb,

Who rebarreled you Mini 14 to 6.8? I have one that I never shoot and would never part with I love the gun and I love whitetail hunting even more!

Any adivce would be appreciated.

Tritium

 

[TemplarSC]

Ruger just started offering the Mini-14 in 6.8 in late 2008.