Nice Doe With New Smokeless/Arrowhead 300gr NSR Bullet

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Hunted hard yesterday here in Eastern IA- a couple inches of snow fell, while hunting the morning in the woods. Started out around 5 degrees I think. Spooked several on my way in around 6, crunchy snow. I didn't see any after that during the morning hunt. Went over to another farm for the afternoon- hunted out of the old cattle trailer with my friend's boy. He spotted several does about 30 min before dusk 185 yrds out. I put the new gun, powder, bullet combination to the test, and it didn't disappoint...78grns oh H322 and a 300gr Arrowhead NSR bullet put the biggest exit hole in her I have ever seen. She was just slightly quartering to, ran into the woods about 30rds. Check out this exit wound....is this typical of the Arrowhead NSR bullet? Anyway, headed back out this morning in about an hour trying to fill my buck tag.

Update: Ended up taking another doe a couple days ago since my time to hunt in IA was running short. Again, the NSR Arrowhead bullet devastated the doe. I didn't take a picture because the cold had killed my phone. It was like a softball blew through the top of her. I would say it was a spine shot, but it took out a good portion of her entire back. Anyway, I ended up getting a rare chance to do some still hunting through the snow. Fortunately, after moving about 50 yards in 30 minutes I saw a couple of small bucks sparring and milling around were a few does. I didn't have any shot on the does, so I got on my knees and shuffled along about 10yrds, braced my gun against a tree and waited. Eventually, a nice doe walked in from the left and offered a shot. Needless to say, she dropped on impact (about 100yrds). I didn't get a buck, but some exciting hunting this season in IA with the cold temps and the snow, which is just what I wanted. Back in IL now for CWD firearm season/taking my daughter bow hunting on a state leased property. Weather isn't very good now, but we will see what happens.
 

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Thanks for the posting the harvest update! I've had exit wounds look like that. Given what I have seen with led bullets during ballistics testing, it is not hard to imagine why the wound looks like it does.
 
Congrats Harley.

Thanks for the load info. I'm just starting to get my feet wet with this smokeless stuff and H322 is one of the powders I hope to try in the near future. I think I'll be sticking with 200 grain, .40 XTPs though. My shots will seldom be 100 yards so I plan on moderate loads.
 
Hunted hard yesterday here in Eastern IA- a couple inches of snow fell, while hunting the morning in the woods. Started out around 5 degrees I think. Spooked several on my way in around 6, crunchy snow. I didn't see any after that during the morning hunt. Went over to another farm for the afternoon- hunted out of the old cattle trailer with my friend's boy. He spotted several does about 30 min before dusk 185 yrds out. I put the new gun, powder, bullet combination to the test, and it didn't disappoint...78grns oh H322 and a 300gr Arrowhead NSR bullet put the biggest exit hole in her I have ever seen. She was just slightly quartering to, ran into the woods about 30rds. Check out this exit wound....is this typical of the Arrowhead NSR bullet? Anyway, headed back out this morning in about an hour trying to fill my buck tag.

Update: Ended up taking another doe a couple days ago since my time to hunt in IA was running short. Again, the NSR Arrowhead bullet devastated the doe. I didn't take a picture because the cold had killed my phone. It was like a softball blew through the top of her. I would say it was a spine shot, but it took out a good portion of her entire back. Anyway, I ended up getting a rare chance to do some still hunting through the snow. Fortunately, after moving about 50 yards in 30 minutes I saw a couple of small bucks sparring and milling around were a few does. I didn't have any shot on the does, so I got on my knees and shuffled along about 10yrds, braced my gun against a tree and waited. Eventually, a nice doe walked in from the left and offered a shot. Needless to say, she dropped on impact (about 100yrds). I didn't get a buck, but some exciting hunting this season in IA with the cold temps and the snow, which is just what I wanted. Back in IL now for CWD firearm season/taking my daughter bow hunting on a state leased property. Weather isn't very good now, but we will see what happens.
Bullet is not up to the horse power your usin , I would call that failure on the bullets part . Kind of like using target ammo for hunting . Pushing 223 ammo results in that on the incoming side and yours is on the exiting side .Tells you something/Ed
 
Looks like my results with Pittman bullets 2 years ago. Scaled my powder charge way down. Used same grain Hornady SST this year(250) and got super results. Will go back to Pittmans next year or several other types I have yet to try.
 
So do you guys think this is due to the bullet, the amount of powder, or both? My builder uses 80grns of H322 and said he gets similar results. The deer is definitely dead, and the accuracy is there, but that is quite a bit of damage. I wish I could get my 300gr Furys to perform at longer range, but they simply don't for whatever reason-they destabilize for me and are all over the place. Have tried 78grns of H322 and 72grns of 4198. Any suggestions??? I'm first and foremost looking for accuracy of course, and then less meat damage.
 
Bullet is not up to the horse power your usin , I would call that failure on the bullets part . Kind of like using target ammo for hunting . Pushing 223 ammo results in that on the incoming side and yours is on the exiting side .Tells you something/Ed
These bullets are "supposed" to be designed for that kind of speed (I think). I think Pittman, Arrowhead, and Parker all use basically the same bullet design, using those super high BC's with an aluminum tip (being fired at game at 2800-3000fps). And I'm pretty sure these bullets are all intended for hunting, and not just target shooting. I could be wrong though, I'm pretty new to higher-end smokeless hunting. Have used my Savage for a number of years, but that is a completely different league than these .45 custom smokeless bolt guns.
 
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These bullets are "supposed" to be designed for that kind of speed (I think). I think Pittman, Arrowhead, and Parker all use basically the same bullet design, using those super high BC's with an aluminum tip (being fired at game at 2800-3000fps). And I'm pretty sure these bullets are all intended for hunting, and not just target shooting. I could be wrong though, I'm pretty new to higher-end smokeless hunting. Have used my Savage for a number of years, but that is a completely different league than these .45 custom smokeless bolt guns.
Not using smokeless in my muzzies ,I still think a picture is what says it all ! No way would I use that combo other than varmints unless my editable target is a min of 400 yds and that still could be to close . Reasonable yardage preventing that destruction is seen on boob tube is more like (hell I don't know) as I wouldn't ever shoot that long at something live !/Ed
 
I use only 56gr of 4198 because of extreme damage on both ends. I have a Scout so can't go up to 72gr nor would I. I used Pittmans HC bullets designed to not blow up in close....or reasonably close. At 130 yards with 65 grs. of 4198 I blew the off shoulder off a doe. There were pieces of bone all over the ground.....not 30 min prior I had shot another doe at about 80 yards and the entry wound had some organ coming back out of it. Lung or liver. Both these deer ran out of the field and down a hill. Not sure how......interestingly, every buck I have shot the last 2 years has been DRT.
 
I like eating meat. There's nothing wrong with that exit. Most likely hit a rib.

Less work............. LOL

View attachment 29824
If thats your idea of killing stuff , I'd lose my appetite and become a vegetarian and give up hunting ! Lucky for me my ethics will not allow either but I would not allow my kids to see that . And I'm glad big lead at 1300 FPS the way I hunt they never will , you must be proud!/Ed
 
If thats your idea of killing stuff , I'd lose my appetite and become a vegetarian and give up hunting ! Lucky for me my ethics will not allow either but I would not allow my kids to see that . And I'm glad big lead at 1300 FPS the way I hunt they never will , you must be proud!/Ed
First, that's not my harvest. Nor is the following......... which I think we can agree on, is over kill.

1673218931196.png

After these last couple photos, the OP's exit isn't that bad is it?

Might want to stick to the Sidelock/Traditional forum.
 
So do you guys think this is due to the bullet, the amount of powder, or both? My builder uses 80grns of H322 and said he gets similar results. The deer is definitely dead, and the accuracy is there, but that is quite a bit of damage. I wish I could get my 300gr Furys to perform at longer range, but they simply don't for whatever reason-they destabilize for me and are all over the place. Have tried 78grns of H322 and 72grns of 4198. Any suggestions??? I'm first and foremost looking for accuracy of course, and then less meat damage.
What damage to meat is there? Not enough meat on the front shoulders compared to the rest of the doe. I want terminal performance and would love to see exit wounds like that on deer
 
What damage to meat is there? Not enough meat on the front shoulders compared to the rest of the doe. I want terminal performance and would love to see exit wounds like that on deer
Behind the shoulder works for me , if you screw up on placement with that load I'd sooner pick up road kill and look for the Cadillac that hit it !!But maybe your shot is always perfect ?/ I'm done as this goes nowhere , like I said picture says it all /Ed
 
Behind the shoulder works for me , if you screw up on placement with that load I'd sooner pick up road kill and look for the Cadillac that hit it !!But maybe your shot is always perfect ?/ I'm done as this goes nowhere , like I said picture says it all /Ed
Far from perfect. But I’m just saying I personally would rather have that exit wound that a small exit wound. Have a great day cause it’s Monday and y’all survived the weekend
 
Wow, didn't think this thread would stir up any drama. I have my last ML hunt this weekend. Haven't had any time to work up a different load combination, so we will see what happens. Looking for that big buck, but if a nice doe presents herself, I have plenty of friends who could use the meat. I will take some pics and post if I harvest something.
 
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