CHOP JOB

killer

Active Member
I moved to .308 for my stalking needs (red and fallow) from .243,the reason was that a couple of big stags that i shot took the round and didnt seem too phased!......If given the chance at 100yds or less i will take a frontal neck shot but with two of these type of shots i had to follow up and take them with a heart/lung shot...I was surprised that a well placed 100g bullet didnt fold them first time at that range.
Now my query!...I had the Tikka cut down and a T8 fitted,i thought this made the gun balance better,i dont know exactly how much came off but the T8 more or less came right back to the fore end,the gun shot accurately and consistantly but i am now thinking after reading about twist rates and calibers that i may have dropped the power of the rifle and using the 100g it may not even have been pushing out enough power to be legal?
Right or wrong???
 
If you'd nailed them properly with the first neck shots then you wouldn't have needed to drive a second round into the chest. Observation, not a criticism. We all mess up at times..
You'll hear for and against .243, but for years I've used nothing else and taken stags and hinds big and small, including some hefty forestry wallahs.
The early .243 Normas I used were quite tough, but then the 105gr round nose I loaded up took over and they'd knock the cr#p out of beasts.
See if you can measure the length of your barrel from end of bolt face (closed action) to muzzle and let us know.
It may have been just below the limit.
Have seen just as many 2nd shots needed for beasts with .308s and other calibres as for the .243. But you need confidence in your rig and yourself.
All the best, Craig
 
killer said:
...but i am now thinking after reading about twist rates and calibers that i may have dropped the power of the rifle and using the 100g it may not even have been pushing out enough power to be legal?
Right or wrong???

Time to invest in an inexpensive chronograph.~Muir
 
Thanks but the .243 is gone now having recently moved up to the .308...it would have been interesting to chrono it though.
Have shot hundreds of deer through the work i do over the past 15 years and at 100 yds or less was more than confident of correct bullet placement and when dressed the carcases showed in both cases the bullet had struck true...lots of bruising but not too much damage to the vertibrae.
Glad to say no such probs with the .308!...if anything its the opposite now,maybe too much power...the first red i shot was ranged at 340 yds,engine room shot dropped it where it stood and i watched in amazement the cloud of dust about another 300 yds into the bank where the round had passed through.
Was hoping there would be some folks on here whom had chrono'd a cut down .243?
 
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