Doe was at 100, dropped were she was hit. Buck at 50, went maybe 25 yards with the bottom 1/3 of his heart missing. Ruger compact ranch .350, bear creek 140gr, and DA wolfman. Love the wolfman, but it is kinda big and heavy. Have an otter creek lithium in jail to replace it for hunting.This will be almost my exact setup this year - do you know your actual muzzle velocity?
Thats good to hear. I'd agree I think the bullet makeup is a big part of the issue. I'm on the rampage for some good ammo.I have a Savage 110 Apex Hunter XP and use Bear Creek Ballistics 140 grain with the polymer tips. I shot two whitetails in the last month, both at around 100 yards. In both cases, the round passed all the way through the animal and did a bunch of damage on its way through. The first was a heart shot, the second double lung, and both had the biggest blood trails I've seen.
Based on what I've read in these forums, I suspect the quality of ammunition makes a big difference in the outcomes.
I highly recommend the Bear Creek stuff!Thats good to hear. I'd agree I think the bullet makeup is a big part of the issue. I'm on the rampage for some good ammo.
I got some bear creek 140s just before our second firearms season. Tell me about how they've worked for you.I highly recommend the Bear Creek stuff!
They worked great! Both deer I killed were mature adults that I shot broadside. The rounds did what they are supposed to - penetrate and expand - leaving a big exit wound and a blood trail that looked like someone had poked a hole in a can of red paint and then walked into the woods for a few dozen yards.I got some bear creek 140s just before our second firearms season. Tell me about how they've worked for you.
excellent!They worked great! Both deer I killed were mature adults that I shot broadside. The rounds did what they are supposed to - penetrate and expand - leaving a big exit wound and a blood trail that looked like someone had poked a hole in a can of red paint and then walked into the woods for a few dozen yards.
I will say definitely sight in again with the new rounds. My rifle was new, so I sighted in at first with FMJ target rounds (just because it's cheaper). When I switched to the Bear Creek to do the final sight in, the Bear Creek rounds were a good 3 inches higher than the target rounds at 100 yards. The groupings got much tighter with the Bear Creek, too.
It's really a pleasure to shoot.
Seems like those were the problems Bear Creek was trying to fix. I hope the next go works out much better for you. Looking forward to hearing about it!excellent!
I actually was able to slip out to the range today to get the guns final tuned on these new rounds before tomorrow. They did hit high and I adjusted out of that.
I like big blood trails. That's been my complaint on the factory ammo and even my FTX reloads.
I'm curious, which variety of Bear Creek 140 grain did you use? With or without the pointed ballistic tips?I’ve kkilled two with the 140gr from Bear Creek. Both bullets ended up being caught by the far side hide.
I didn’t. miss having a blood trail. I did high shoulder/base of neck shots and they dropped where they stood.
One stayed intact and one shed a petal avter. going through neck bone and shoulder bone. The petal was found right next to the rest of the bullet.
I am not buying that they can get that performance in a straight wall that fits in a 1.8” case length. If they can, that’s a lot better than any other offerings out there.Apparently there's a new straightwall cartridge in the works. The .41 great lakes is moving a 180 grain bullet at 2650 fps based on the video I watched last night. I'm interested.