Monoflex 250 not performing well on game?

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zach.trumble

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I really like the monoflex as far as how it shoots out of my Optima. But I'm not having good performance on game. I have shot a few deer and not recovered them. I'm not getting any blood.

I'm shooting 84 grains by weight of BH 209 and getting 2060 fps.

Am I pushing the bullet too hard? Do you think it's going through without expanding?

The gun is very accurate out to 150, probably further but I can't shoot very well past that. But I've made a number of shots inside of a hundred that have not ended well. I know I hit the deer. And I get tiny little drips of blood. But not much at all. And I'm not recovering them within a hundred yards. Usually losing the trail somewhere in there.
 
Ive never used the monoflex but it sounds like your shooting them fast enough, but not too fast. Maybe hitting deer too high? I have had that problem before, i’ve high lung shot deer and they went far far away before dying. Its easy to misjudge the distance and hold too high.
 
Sounds like they are penciling thru. Not expanding. Probably due to not contacting any bone. They should still expand though. Especially at the speed you are shooting them with 84 gr weighed of BH209. I know a few guys that use them and like them. They definitely have no problem punching thru bone. Maybe you got an overhardened, bad batch.
I shoot the TEZ's out of some of my in-lines and they perform as advertised.
FWIW,
I tried sizing some of the MonoFlexes years back to fit in my smokeless Encore. I gave up. They were so hard that I was afraid they were going to ruin my sizer. I have no problem sizing the TEZ's.
 
If your hitting the deer thru the vitals they should be dead in 100 yds or less expansion or not..my neighbor had a deer that was eating his plants around his house took his 38 snub nose out to scare her off and shot toward her at about 35 yds, found her a week later down over in the ravine dead had hit her dead thru the lungs on accident... bullet was a target load he reloaded going about 800fps so no expansion or hi power needed, shot placement is key.. your deer were dead if you hit them good if not then there are other issues.
 
There’s definitely something odd going on here. Your velocity is are fine and the monoflex expands almost identical to the Barnes flower of death. I’ve never known anyone to have an issue with expansion, even on double lung shots.

Greg
 
No doubt could be bad shots.

At 100yds off the bench I'm getting this. The one on the right is clean barrel. I hunt with dirty barrel.
PXL_20221111_195011371.jpg
Of course hunting situations are different and I've missed my fair share of deer.

I'm saddle hunting and I'm resting the gun on the tree and on my bridge rope so I have 3 points of contact and feel very stable.

The shot that prompted this post was 62 yards ranged with a rangefinder before shooting.

Got all this fur at the impact sight and that was it. No blood.

Followed tracks for 100 yds and found the little clump. Then nothing.


PXL_20221129_141226124.jpg


PXL_20221129_143537317.jpg
 
No doubt could be bad shots.

At 100yds off the bench I'm getting this. The one on the right is clean barrel. I hunt with dirty barrel.
View attachment 28196
Of course hunting situations are different and I've missed my fair share of deer.

I'm saddle hunting and I'm resting the gun on the tree and on my bridge rope so I have 3 points of contact and feel very stable.

The shot that prompted this post was 62 yards ranged with a rangefinder before shooting.

Got all this fur at the impact sight and that was it. No blood.

Followed tracks for 100 yds and found the little clump. Then nothing.


View attachment 28197


View attachment 28198
Brisket hit, that deer is fine.

I don't want to come across as a butthead but why are you ranging an animal at 62 yards?

Are you having to purposely hold low at closer ranges, if so what range is your rifle sighted in that you have to range and hold low?
 
I'm ranging because I've shot and not found 3 deer in a row this season and I have lost all faith in my weapon and myself shooting it man...

I can hit paper but apparently can't hit deer..

I'm sub 1/2" high at 50, on at 100, 2" or so at 150. All tested and verified by shooting.

I'm not a lazy hunter. I practice and test my gear.

It's driving me crazy that I'm not recovering animals 😢
 
A friend of mine got "Buck fever" so bad that on several occasions he did not know he had even shot, and sometimes shot more than once. If it was a jackrabbit or a target he was good, but when seeing a buck he was not in control of himself.
I am not saying zach has this problem but have witnessed another actually get the shakes.
 
You need to get away from the bench and practice field positions.You’re pulling your shots.Do some dry firing a lot of dry firing
 
Not trying to be offensive but this sounds more like shot placement..especially after seeing the white hair clumps, it’s always best to “sight in the rifle” off a bench with a good rest…but you also need to sight in the hunter…get familiar with off hand shooting..odd tree stand/saddle positions..and most importantly when a deer comes in and of it’s not alert and you have the time…watch them..take deep breathes..calm yourself..then prepare for the shot..the Monoflex is one of hornady best bullet in my opinion and I rank it right with the Barnes..the monoflex will actually open up at lower velocities than most of the Barnes lineup..84 grains is a thump
To shoulder as well. Make sure you aren’t getting recoil shy when taking a shot..good luck and keep up posted if you take another shot on an animal.
 
"I'm saddle hunting and I'm resting the gun on the tree and on my bridge rope so I have 3 points of contact and feel very stable."
Your Rifle Position May Not Allow for "Free Recoil" & Causing Low Hits?
Would have to agree with 10gaugemag, Probably Low Brisket Hit with those Clumps of White Hair.
 
I've shot and not found 3 deer in a row this season

That's not good. It ain't the bullet.

If your hitting the deer thru the vitals they should be dead in 100 yds or less expansion or not..

This!!!!!!

A deer shot in the heart lung area is a dead deer: Doesn't matter that the bullet failed to expand.
 
I recently took a nice doe 90gr bh-209 250gr monoflex. 40 yard shot through the ribs. Good expansion and pass threw. It went about 15 yards and dumped. Your shot looks like brisket hair.
 
Do some Free standing shots..then take a look at your group size..don’t over think it..just pull up and shoot. If your groups are fairly open then ya know what to work on
 

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