Animal reaction after match bullet?

[hereinaz]

I want to collect some information about “behind the shoulder” shot placement and match bullet performance here, like TMK, ELDm, ELDx, Berger, etc. in the poll. I am not interested in the hunting solids and mushrooming bullets (except do ELDx here) in this thread.

The poll is for animals hit behind the shoulder, only in vitals, with a “match” style bullet. What is the reaction and how far did they go. No bad shot placement. I don’t want that to muddy the responses.

My experience is that animals don’t run after getting hit behind the shoulder and they die within 50 yards. Not a single animal I have hit with Berger or witnessed hit with Berger/ELD has gone more than 50 yards. Most just stand there and then try to walk a little when they start to lose oxygen to the brain.

I also hunt suppressed, so I wonder whether the lack of big boom makes a difference.

Pics and stories are welcome. I especially want the times they run.

 

[kpk]

Antelope shot at 400 and change with a 162 ELDmurder. Heart shot. Ran like hell.
Deer shots at 150-250 with 140ELDmurder. Heart/lungs. Ran like hell.
No suppressor.

 

[bojangles808]

I also hunt suppressed, so I wonder whether the lack of big boom makes a difference.

I think thats a huge variable

 

[Felix40]

I haven’t seen a ton. A blacktail, couple bears, couple sheep, an oryx, a javelina. All with 30 cal or 6.5 eldx. All of them went down in a few yards.

 

[Thegman]

For this to be more instructive, it would help to add:

Dropped at the shot
Ran Between 50-100 yards

 

[Thegman]

I don't know how this would be done, but it would also helpful if answers could be weighted. E.g. maybe someone has seen one reaction the majority of the time, but several other reactions once or twice. They're all weighted the same from that responder.

 

[wapitibob]

Two weeks ago, pronghorn at 450, 195 Berger 6” back, on purpose, bang flop, took about 15 seconds to bleed out and die, 5 port brake.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Not sure if you are counting SSTs and ELDX but I have multiple hundreds of killed big game animals worth of data on those.

It’s very similar to most other bullets with the quicker death generally favoring these type of bullets.

Animal reaction is unique to the animal. Some die right there. Some hunch up and then die. Some act like they haven’t been hit and then die. Some run 10-50 yards and then die. Some run 100+ yards and then die.

I killed a button buck whitetail last year that I thought was a doe. He had half his heart and virtually no lungs left from a SST. He ran 80-100 yards and almost made it to the woods before he finally dropped. Vitals aftermath below…

 

[Tmac]

Two 77 TMK hits, both in ribs behind shoulder. Small blacktail buck, spun at the shot, not suppressed, ran and made it about 30 feet. Medium sized cow elk, dropped at the shot, suppressed shot.

 

[Thegman]

I don't have nearly as much experience with match bullets, but this is the shot I generally take to reduce meat waste. So far in the past year with 77TMKs (from 16" 223) on shots that would qualify:

Dropped at the shot (ran zero yards)
3 deer, 1 moose, 1 bear - 50%
Ran less than 50 yards
2 deer, 1 bear - 30%
Ran between 50-100 yards
1 deer, 1 bear - 20%

 

[Mike D Texas]

Wife’s antelope, 320 yards shot, suppressed.

6.5x47 Lapua, 144 Berger LRHT stood and acted confused after the first shot, dropped quickly after the follow up shot.

Shoot em to the ground.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I haven’t seen a ton. A blacktail, couple bears, couple sheep, an oryx, a javelina. All with 30 cal or 6.5 eldx. All of them went down in a few yards.

I don't believe oryx die within yards.

 

[bnsafe]

larger than what your asking im assume, but 308 with 165 gr ballistic tips, 8 deer all within 100 yds, all dead within 20 yds but all ran 20.
Ive personally not had or seen good luck with eldx. I saw a deer shot at 50 yds from a 3006, hit perfectly, and she ran almost 150 yds. I shot several deer with a 308 eldx and tho they were all dead, they all ran much further than the ballistic tips.

 

[CJ_BG]

Not a ton of experience


2 does w 105 a max (2400fps impact) dropped at the shot though the spine was hit so doesn't really count
1 buck w 120(123?) a max (2700fps impact) high in the back of lungs and liver dropped at the shot, lifted head back up about 10s later, flopped back over dead
Button buck with 105 RDF (2600fps impact) point of shoulder impact, dropped at the shot never got up

 

[hereinaz]

For this to be more instructive, it would help to add:

Dropped at the shot
Ran Between 50-100 yards

I have the distance ran in the poll.

Technically, immediately dropping at the shot, I think, has a CNS component, so I didn’t include it.

 

[hereinaz]

larger than what your asking im assume, but 308 with 165 gr ballistic tips, 8 deer all within 100 yds, all dead within 20 yds but all ran 20.
Ive personally not had or seen good luck with eldx. I saw a deer shot at 50 yds from a 3006, hit perfectly, and she ran almost 150 yds. I shot several deer with a 308 eldx and tho they were all dead, they all ran much further than the ballistic tips.

Ballistic tips going fast are typically more “explosive” than many match bullets, so I like it. The ELDx are not quite as explosive I hear.

Were those eastern whitetail? I wonder if there is a difference with them for some reason, maybe the sound? Do they get shot at more than western game? Interesting question.

 

[Quicksilver]

7mm 180 berger on deer through the bottom of ribs at an uphill angle at 150yds. Dropped like a sack of taters and died within seconds.

7mm 180 berger on bear at 485yds, rib shot but was wounded. Made it about 50yds then finished it off. Right through the vitals but acted paralyzed?

245 berger rib shots

576yds bear ran 200yds then died
200yds bear dropped and rolled, stood up then died
100yds dropped and rolled 10yds and was dead.

 

[Thegman]

I have the distance ran in the poll.

Technically, immediately dropping at the shot, I think, has a CNS component, so I didn’t include it.

I agree, but I've seen it multiple times now with this shot and not hitting the CNS directly. I think sometimes the 77TMK, and other bullets, can do both at the same time.

One shot on a deer, center lungs broadside also put a hole up through the spine perpendicular to the bullet’s path and a good 6 or so inches above the bullet’s path. Certainly can't count on that, but it does seem to happen on occasion.

 

[hereinaz]

I agree, but I've seen it multiple times now with this shot and not hitting the CNS directly. I think sometimes the 77TMK, and other bullets, can do both at the same time.

One shot on a deer, center lungs broadside also put a hole up through the spine perpendicular to the bullet’s path and a good 6 or so inches above the bullet’s path. Certainly can't count on that, but it does seem to happen on occasion.

Thanks, that makes sense, if a fragment travels close enough to CNS. I can see it happening.

 

[BREAKCONTACT]

Elk, 220 yards, 178 eld-x factory hornady precision hunter in 30-06 with a MV of around 2600. Shot hit a little high but still fragmented and hit both lungs. I missed the first shot and the animal was walking away, when hit, she turned and made it about 10 yards before laying down and didn't get back up.
This is my only sample with the match style bullets.