Shot Placement and Terminal Performance

[Geewhiz]

With general rifle season about to get rolling here in Montana (and well underway in other states), I thought it might be interesting and educational to showcase some data on shot placement and terminal performance of the bullet you are shooting.


I would be interested to hear:

Species
Distance
Caliber
Bullet used
Shot placement
A photo of the exit (if the bullet did exit)
End result i.e. DRT, down in 50, never found him, etc.



Mostly just for kicks and giggles, but also thought it might be helpful to see some data points based on real world performance.

 

[Rieckman]

Species - Antelope
Distance - 400, 425, 650
Caliber - 6.5CM
Bullet used - 143 ELD-X
Shot placement - 400 broadside shot 1/2 behind shoulder above heart
- 425 quartering to, shot through center of shoulder exit through 3-4 rib from the back
- 650 broad side in front of rear quarter below loins
No photos of exit wounds but all exited
End result - 400 DRT
- 425 DRT
- 650 Dead within 10 yards

Hope that's what you were looking for.

 

[Whhood]

Species - Whitetail
Distance - 75
Caliber - 308win
Bullet used - Sig Sauer EHT 165
Shot placement - broadside behind the right front leg and through the heart.
A photo of the exit - no photo
End result - ran 15 yards and piled up

 

[RaggedHunter]

I like the thread, good stuff so far. I don't think shot placement and bullet performance can be emphasized enough. I have kept a some notes the last few years on some of the shots myself and friends or family have taken that I have been a part of. These animals were taken at a good variety of yardages and shot angles. I have some pictures and even a few good phonescope videos that I'll have to dig around for and try to upload to go along with each.

Here are some quick over views of each, I'll track down and upload the pics and videos when I get a chance.

1.
Species - Antelope
Distance - 60 yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - Broadside, behind shoulder heart lungs.
Photo - Will upload photos & video later.
End Result - Ran very short distance, piled up. No track job.

2.
Species - Antelope
Distance - 540 yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - slightly quartered away. entered ribs, exited offside shoulder. Dropped immediately.
Photo - Will upload photo and video later.
End Result - DRT.

3.
Species - Elk
Distance - 350 yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - Facing straight on, frontal. Bullet entered perfect right in the sweet spot for a frontal shot. Bull flipped over backwards and kicked a few times.
Photo - No photo, will try to upload video later
End Result - DRT

4.
Species - Mule Deer
Distance - 600 yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - Broadside. Hit right behind shoulder. Buck ran about 30 yards and piled up in site.
Photo - No video. Will post pics of entrance & exit wounds later.
End Result - Buck down, no track job.

5.
Species - Elk
Distance - 175 yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - Broadside. Hit right behind shoulder. Bull ran about 50 yards and piled up in site.
Photo - No video or pictures. Solo hunt.
End Result - Bull down, no track job.

6.
Species - Mule Deer
Distance - 640 yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - Broadside. Bullet hit heart, broke offside shoulder. Buck took a few hops and then rolled about 15 yards down hill.
Photo - Will upload phot & video later
End Result - Buck down no track job.

7.
Species - Mule Deer
Distance - 650 yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - Broadside. 1st Bullet hit back of ribs, exited back of ribs/guts. Buck stood there, never took a step. Accounted for more wind, 2nd shot hit right behind shoulder, golfball sized exit on offside shoulder, buck went down immediately after 2nd shot.
Photo - Will upload photos & video later.
End Result - Buck down no track job.

8.
Species - Mule Deer
Distance - 735 yards
Caliber - 300 RUM
Bullet - 230 gr Berger
Shot Placement - Buck quartering to. Bullet hit high shoulder, dropped immediately & rolled down hill. Buck was still alive and required a finishing shot when we got to him.
Photo - No photo, will try to upload video later
End Result - Buck down no track job.

9.
Species - Antelope
Distance - 350 yards
Caliber - 6.5 PRC
Bullet - 147 ELDM
Shot Placement - Broadside. Bullet hit heart. Buck went down immediately.
Photo - Will try and upload photo & video later.
End Result - Buck down no track job.

10.
Species - Mule Deer
Distance - 475 yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - Quartering away hard. Hit back of rib cage, a little high, buck dropped immediately, kicked a few times, did not require follow up shot.
Photo - No photo, will try to upload videos later
End Result - Buck down no track job.

11.
Species - Elk
Distance - 441 Yards
Caliber - 6.5-06 Ackley Improved
Bullet - 140 Berger Elite Hunter
Shot Placement - Broadside. First shot hit right behind shoulder. Bull ran in a small circle and stopped, I think he was about to go down, but due to close proximity of private land I opted to shoot again to anchor him. 2nd shot hit high shoulder and bull piled up.
Photo - Will update with photos and video later.
End Result - Bull down no track job.

Every bullet design has strengths and weaknesses, it's important to know how your bullet performs and the shots that ideal for that type of bullet. I personally have had incredibly good luck with Berger elite hunters. I have yet to have to track an animal with them, that's not to say there aren't shots out there that they wouldn't be ideal for, but for the majority of my intended purposes, I prefer them over a bonded or monolithic style bullet.

 

[Geewhiz]

Species: cow elk
Distance: 530 yards
Caliber: 338 rum
Bullet used: 300 elite hunter
Shot placement: broadside, low lung behind the shoulder
Result: ran 200 yards and put another one in her at 734, then DRT.

Interestingly I found most of the jacket from the first round crumpled up against the far side hide and the meplat was stil perfectly intact. Something made it expand and come apart but expansion did not originate at the tip.

 

[Geewhiz]

Species: Wolf
Distance: 900 yards
Caliber: 338 RUM
Bullet used: 300 elite hunter
Shot placement: behind front shoulder, exited in front of far shoulder
A photo of the exit (if the bullet did exit): bullet did not expand much if at all
Dropped immediately but put a follow up shot in it at 30ish yards as it was still breathing.

 

[zrodwyo]

Elk
7mm WSM
162 eld-x @ 3,005 muzzle velocity


530 yard impact through meaty part of shoulder destroying lungs and there was no impact with shoulder bone. The bullet was stopped by the offside hide. Elk covered about 20 yards and was shot a second time in the neck.

Bullet expansion stops at “interlock ring” as advertised

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Here is some info for Coues whitetail from the past 12 months.

Species - Coues Whitetail
Distance - 750 yards (no wind)
Caliber - 6.5 PRC
Bullet used - 147 gr ELD-M
Shot placement - heart (shot from wash to top of hill)
A photo of the exit - No photo but similar to photo at bottom
End result - DRT

Species - Coues Whitetail
Distance - 840 yards (10 mph crosswind), 650 yards (10 mph crosswind)
Caliber - 6.5 PRC
Bullet used - 147 gr ELD-M
Shot placement - high shoulder (cross-canyon shot with deer above me)
A photo of the exit - See photo at bottom (650 yard); all look similar to it
End result - DRT

Species - Coues Whitetail
Distance - 350 yards (12 mph crosswind)
Caliber - 6.5 PRC
Bullet used - 147 gr ELD-M
Shot placement - front of chest (cross-canyon shot with deer straight in front of me)
A photo of the exit - no photo
End result - DRT (buck was bedded facing me and his head just dropped)

 

[CC11]

Species-Elk
Distance-405 yards, slight downhill, strong quartered to
Caliber-7mm
Bullet-168 Berger Hunting VLD
Shot placement-Upper third of shoulder, on the line of dark and light hair. Tipped over backwards. No exit

Species-Deer
Distance-220 yards, strong downhill
Caliber-7mm
Bullet-168 Berger Hunting VLD
Shot placement-Broadside shot, right on the crease of the shoulder, 10 yards and piled up. Baseball size exit hole behind the shoulder

Species-Deer
Distance-189 yards, slight downhill
Caliber-7mm
Bullet-168 Berger Hunting VLD
Shot placement-Broadside shot, just above the knee and just inside the shoulder crease, rolled off the hill. Baseball sized exit through the opposite shoulder

Species-Elk
Distance-120 yards, flat
Caliber-7mm
Bullet-168 Berger Hunting VLD
Shot placement-Broadside shot, couple inches behind the shoulder crease, 20 yards and tipped over. Golfball sized exit hole behind opposite shoulder

Species-Deer
Distance-360 yards
Caliber-7mm
Bullet-168 Berger Hunting VLD
Shot placement-Broadside shot, hit high shoulder and rolled down the hill. Baseball sized exit hole through top of opposite shoulder

 

[mtnwrunner]

6.5 prc, 147 eldm at 287 yards. Quartering away and never took a step. Destroyed lungs and everything all the way into the throat. No exit.

Randy

 

[KelsoBrowny]

Species: Mule Deer
Distance: 440 Yards
Caliber: 7mm Mag
Bullet: 168gr Berger VLD (2980 FPS @ Muzzle)
Shot Placement: Close to Level, Virtually Head-On
End Result: Immediate Rolling. Destroyed everything from the throat to part of his hind quarter.

I will say first shot was 590, bedded, hard quartering away. He stumbled up and sprinted hard downhill and stopped at 440 for the final shot - The entrance hole for that shot is somewhere in this mix.

 

[nksmfamjp]

Species
Distance
Caliber
Bullet used
Shot placement
A photo of the exit (if the bullet did exit)
End result i.e. DRT, down in 50, never found him, etc.

Mule Deer
280 yds
300 Sherman
Berger 180 EH
Behind shoulder, about 2” above COM….so about 4” high; hit 1 or both lungs and clipped the bottom of the spine; exited high and back a ways….deer was not as sideways to me as I thought. Really good bullet performance.
DRT