I put one of my tags on a small buck opening day Saturday, and it was the first buck I’ve killed with a copper bullet (California). I’ve been “reluctant” to make the switch from my Noslers, mainly concerned with the killability of the coppers.
Anyhow, what happened was not really what I expected. I hunt blacktails a lot with with a .243 using accubonds, and while the caliber is known to make a bit of a mess on them the blood shot meat is usually pretty manageable. I shoot for vitals, trying to avoid shoulders with an occasional neck shot.
This buck was shot with an 80g Barnes ttsx. Broadside, uphill, 75ish yards. Bullet clipped the facing elbow, went through ribs and vitals coming out just behind the far shoulder. He attempted to bolt, but made it about 15 feet piled up deader than a door nail so no complaints there. Good entrance wound, and larger exit than I expected. Heart was gone and lungs were jellied when I gutted him so I was impressed with the little bullets performance.
What I didn’t like was all the bloodshot meat! Both shoulders, flaps, and forward half of the ribs were totally blown and no good. I couldn’t believe it. I expected a bit on the front shoulder because of the elbow hit, but man oh man was this thing a mess.
I hunt because I like being in the woods, and I like eating buck meat… Makes me nervous to use copper with this gun again, but it’s been such a great rifle. I have a .270 that used to shoot 140g accubonds, now sighted in with 130g GMX.
Has anyone noticed this issue with the .243 and copper? Would I be better off with the .270? I pack the small gun more often because I love shooting it and it’s stainless, my .270 is not. Rains a lot where I live.
This was supposed to be a meat buck, gonna be a little pickier with the next tag.
You can see in the picture how the bullet just clipped that elbow.
Anyhow, what happened was not really what I expected. I hunt blacktails a lot with with a .243 using accubonds, and while the caliber is known to make a bit of a mess on them the blood shot meat is usually pretty manageable. I shoot for vitals, trying to avoid shoulders with an occasional neck shot.
This buck was shot with an 80g Barnes ttsx. Broadside, uphill, 75ish yards. Bullet clipped the facing elbow, went through ribs and vitals coming out just behind the far shoulder. He attempted to bolt, but made it about 15 feet piled up deader than a door nail so no complaints there. Good entrance wound, and larger exit than I expected. Heart was gone and lungs were jellied when I gutted him so I was impressed with the little bullets performance.
What I didn’t like was all the bloodshot meat! Both shoulders, flaps, and forward half of the ribs were totally blown and no good. I couldn’t believe it. I expected a bit on the front shoulder because of the elbow hit, but man oh man was this thing a mess.
I hunt because I like being in the woods, and I like eating buck meat… Makes me nervous to use copper with this gun again, but it’s been such a great rifle. I have a .270 that used to shoot 140g accubonds, now sighted in with 130g GMX.
Has anyone noticed this issue with the .243 and copper? Would I be better off with the .270? I pack the small gun more often because I love shooting it and it’s stainless, my .270 is not. Rains a lot where I live.
This was supposed to be a meat buck, gonna be a little pickier with the next tag.
You can see in the picture how the bullet just clipped that elbow.