polishmanmike
FNG
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2024
- Messages
- 37
...this morning around 8, I was sitting in my stand. Out of the woods "colonel" emerges (those are 2 bucks in my area I have been catching on camera, "colonel" and "general", "colonel" being smaller than "general" obviously, but still a decent bodied 7 pointer, maybe 8 depends who you ask, but that's a story for another day). I am wielding my 1986 Marlin 336 cs, loaded with 150gr Barnes VOR-TX, outfitted with a Diamondback on top.
"Colonel" positions himself broadside, bends his head down to eat, he is about 30 yards out, I am in my climber in the tree (I use my 30-30 there, it's a fun gun, no shots over 100 yards). Head lifts, I have my crosshairs right behind his shoulder. I squeeze the trigger.
Before I go on, this was my first time using this bullet on deer, I have read some great reviews about the demolishing power of this bullet, with the petals, weight retention, the works. I used to use the good ol corelokts but started using venison to make baby food, didn't want any lead in there, hence picked up these copper ones (I could be wrong about the lead in deer meat, I could be believing the hoax on the internet, I like using coppers on what I will feed my child, okay? okay.) To make this even cooler, "colonel" stands in front of my camera (with 30 seconds clips setting) so I capture the whole thing on film.
The shot was good, right behind the shoulder (I have film to prove it haha), he jumps, then takes off down hill, jumps over barb wire, tumbles, then runs some more, I lose sight of him. No big deal, I will go to the spot I shot him look for blood trail and follow it.
No blood where I shot him, that I could find. I move on down where I thought he ran, trying to step on rocks to not kick any leaves up, looking for blood, nothing. I finally found a drop, followed it, more drops. Just drops (and I think the first spot was where he tumbled, so that could have been even ground contact trail). I finally followed some more blood drops, looked around and saw him lying there under a tree stump. He probably ran good 75-80 yards maybe, it was all zigzagged so hard to tell.
Point of my novel? Well for your enjoyment first and foremost but also to ask this. When I found "colonel" he had an entry and exit wound, both about size of my pinky, he was shot on the lung entry and closer to shoulder exit (but didn't hit the shoulder).
1. Anyone has any experience with 150gr Barnes VOR-TX?
2. I was expecting a much larger expansion from this ammo, I mean internal damage, exit wound the whole thing. From 30 yards out. And I mean...I didn't think there was going to be an exit wound size of my pinky.
3. I was expecting there to be a better blood trail from this shot considering the distance, type of ammo, etc.
Seems like the bullet just penciled through, hitting the lungs, and eventually killing the "colonel", but didn't seem like what this round should have done. Looking at the hollow point bullet, designed for expansion and damage, websites speak of petals that peel back and wreck havoc...all of that, I would have thought it was going to be a DRT type of a situation especially from 30 yards out, or at least a crazy blood trail, assuming the shot was well placed.
Any thoughts? Suggestions?
At the moment, accuracy wasn't the best out of my Marlin but good enough for deer woods out to 100 yards, real life experience not perfect either, thinking about switching up the ammo. Or did I just miss the whole thing and this ammo does. Just that.
"Colonel" positions himself broadside, bends his head down to eat, he is about 30 yards out, I am in my climber in the tree (I use my 30-30 there, it's a fun gun, no shots over 100 yards). Head lifts, I have my crosshairs right behind his shoulder. I squeeze the trigger.
Before I go on, this was my first time using this bullet on deer, I have read some great reviews about the demolishing power of this bullet, with the petals, weight retention, the works. I used to use the good ol corelokts but started using venison to make baby food, didn't want any lead in there, hence picked up these copper ones (I could be wrong about the lead in deer meat, I could be believing the hoax on the internet, I like using coppers on what I will feed my child, okay? okay.) To make this even cooler, "colonel" stands in front of my camera (with 30 seconds clips setting) so I capture the whole thing on film.
The shot was good, right behind the shoulder (I have film to prove it haha), he jumps, then takes off down hill, jumps over barb wire, tumbles, then runs some more, I lose sight of him. No big deal, I will go to the spot I shot him look for blood trail and follow it.
No blood where I shot him, that I could find. I move on down where I thought he ran, trying to step on rocks to not kick any leaves up, looking for blood, nothing. I finally found a drop, followed it, more drops. Just drops (and I think the first spot was where he tumbled, so that could have been even ground contact trail). I finally followed some more blood drops, looked around and saw him lying there under a tree stump. He probably ran good 75-80 yards maybe, it was all zigzagged so hard to tell.
Point of my novel? Well for your enjoyment first and foremost but also to ask this. When I found "colonel" he had an entry and exit wound, both about size of my pinky, he was shot on the lung entry and closer to shoulder exit (but didn't hit the shoulder).
1. Anyone has any experience with 150gr Barnes VOR-TX?
2. I was expecting a much larger expansion from this ammo, I mean internal damage, exit wound the whole thing. From 30 yards out. And I mean...I didn't think there was going to be an exit wound size of my pinky.
3. I was expecting there to be a better blood trail from this shot considering the distance, type of ammo, etc.
Seems like the bullet just penciled through, hitting the lungs, and eventually killing the "colonel", but didn't seem like what this round should have done. Looking at the hollow point bullet, designed for expansion and damage, websites speak of petals that peel back and wreck havoc...all of that, I would have thought it was going to be a DRT type of a situation especially from 30 yards out, or at least a crazy blood trail, assuming the shot was well placed.
Any thoughts? Suggestions?
At the moment, accuracy wasn't the best out of my Marlin but good enough for deer woods out to 100 yards, real life experience not perfect either, thinking about switching up the ammo. Or did I just miss the whole thing and this ammo does. Just that.
