143 ELD-X blew up on the shoulder?

[pathnz]

Unusual results, insufficient information to draw any conclusions. Doesn't mean much who cares. Plenty of 143s in the world that have done what you'd expect.

 

[Timberline001]

View attachment 782985

There’s zoomed in pictures showing there’s no holes in the cavity.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

After more thought, the squib load theory is the most plausible presented so far. If that bullet hit at like 1200 fps the whole thing makes sense.

 

[Bowfinn]

He said zero tissue damage to lungs or vitals, the lung from the impact side looked bruised but there were no holes or lacerations.

My opinion is that the bullet traveled parallel to the rib cage, and was not a perpendicular impact into the rib cage as described. I believe this due to the elongated horizontal intercostal muscle contusion, rib contusions(bone bruise) on the 1st-7th ribs(circled on rib pictures), possible fracture of the 5th rib(thin line), and the stated bruising on the lung tissue without lacerations by the OPs friend. These cannot happen without significant trauma.

I wonder if a small hole on the front of the shoulder was missed because the tissue damage behind the shoulder was so obvious.

Also if the bullet actually hit broad side as described. When looking at the location of the heavy damage is not around or through any areas of heavy bone (humerus and the spine of the scapulae). I find it unlikely that a bullet would fail to penetrate the body(thin) part of the scapula and a ribs.

To wrap this all up my opinion is that the deer wasn’t as broad side as thought by the shooter. It’s happened to me several times.
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[mxgsfmdpx]

My opinion is that the bullet traveled parallel to the rib cage, and was not a perpendicular impact into the rib cage as described. I believe this due to the elongated horizontal intercostal muscle contusion, rib contusions(bone bruise) on the 1st-7th ribs(circled on rib pictures), possible fracture of the 5th rib(thin line), and the stated bruising on the lung tissue without lacerations by the OPs friend. These cannot happen without significant trauma.

I wonder if a small hole on the front of the shoulder was missed because the tissue damage behind the shoulder was so obvious.

Also if the bullet actually hit broad side as described. When looking at the location of the heavy damage is not around or through any areas of heavy bone (humerus and the spine of the scapulae). I find it unlikely that a bullet would fail to penetrate the body(thin) part of the scapula and a ribs.

To wrap this all up my opinion is that the deer wasn’t as broad side as thought by the shooter. It’s happened to me several times.
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Bowfinn looked harder.

 

[Wrench]

I've seen enough critters catch bullets to know that it takes more than 2" of soft tissue to disrupt a bullet like that. If he had a piece of rock stuck to his side, I might buy it or if the bullet had literally exploded....but a perfect mushroom, you lost me.

 

[svivian]

My opinion is that the bullet traveled parallel to the rib cage, and was not a perpendicular impact into the rib cage as described. I believe this due to the elongated horizontal intercostal muscle contusion, rib contusions(bone bruise) on the 1st-7th ribs(circled on rib pictures), possible fracture of the 5th rib(thin line), and the stated bruising on the lung tissue without lacerations by the OPs friend. These cannot happen without significant trauma.

I wonder if a small hole on the front of the shoulder was missed because the tissue damage behind the shoulder was so obvious.

Also if the bullet actually hit broad side as described. When looking at the location of the heavy damage is not around or through any areas of heavy bone (humerus and the spine of the scapulae). I find it unlikely that a bullet would fail to penetrate the body(thin) part of the scapula and a ribs.

To wrap this all up my opinion is that the deer wasn’t as broad side as thought by the shooter. It’s happened to me several times.
Edit-deleted duplicate picture

This was along the lines of what I was thinking based on the bruising. It’s also, in my opinion, the most reasonable explanation.