Agree with the bulk of your points and totally agree that the issues are generally due to the person pulling the trigger. Just dont think that head shots should be ruled out ...appreciating you should only take them if your capable. I know that Roy Lupton did a video many years ago saying if you couldnt hit an apple at the range you were taking a shot then you shouldnt head shoot and i totally agree. However, hitting a normal sized apple at say 100 yards shouldnt exactly be a challenge in my eyes/
Sako lead free 6.5 x 55 ammo
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big ears
Well-Known Member
Fair point. Roy does make a lot if sense sometimes
If you can do it constantly and under all conditions then it might be considered OK at sensible distances (100m max?)
However, range work is fine and does teach you to know your rifle and trigger control but off sticks in the wind and a you have just walked across a wet field and are a bit out of breath? That’s when it’s a judgement call. That comes with experience.
I have head shot in past, had deer move just as I squeezed trigger. One I glanced side of neck. There was a blood trail as hit neck artery but was a concerning follow up I don’t want to repeat. It could have been so worse. I now choose to chest shoot. Others I’m sure will have similar stories. Like the OP!!
Agree and please dont take it that Im advocating head shots over chest shots..just not ruling them out without context.
I used to shoot a site in Dorset where there were a lot of Sika and due to the terrain, and game dealer, the instruction was head and neck only...or dont pull the trigger. Right or wrong we had to stick to that...fortunately I have never had an injured animal get away...but also appreciate that I dont shoot 100s every year so sure my "luck" will run out at some point.
Scipio
Well-Known Member
i was just out to buy 120 grm non lead 6.5 projectiles the other day, and the gentleman who serviced me, said it was his impression that the sakos were a bit tougher than the hornady cxs, and needed a bit more force to expand. Then again he was also out of the sakos, and was trying to sell me the cx'es, so bear that in mind. 
In the gell tests i have seen ( and yes yes i know, gell is not the same as a live animal) the cxes expands pretty quickly even with nothing but gell to aid expansion at non very high Vimpact. So perhaps some of the newer mono designs accomodates the classic heart lung broadside shot better than the earlier ones?
But as already suggested, aiming a bit further fwds than what was typical with leads, might still be over all opportune, with most non frangible non leads.
In the gell tests i have seen ( and yes yes i know, gell is not the same as a live animal) the cxes expands pretty quickly even with nothing but gell to aid expansion at non very high Vimpact. So perhaps some of the newer mono designs accomodates the classic heart lung broadside shot better than the earlier ones?
But as already suggested, aiming a bit further fwds than what was typical with leads, might still be over all opportune, with most non frangible non leads.
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TringSaint
Well-Known Member
I’m using Ecx in my 308 (150’s) and if you hit bone then they drop it on the spot, but for chest shots in smaller deer, I have found they don’t expand much leaving little damage and a deer that does run but soon drops dead.
I’m flipping to 135gn CX once this batch is done.
Ecx were apparently designed for bigger stuff on the continent
Yes the animal was laid down and was a very clean hit square in the back the head it just ran round the scull not penetrating it. Plan was to take more than one. I just don’t like the ammo had once again same problem through the shoulder and walked away and just been scratched with a stiff shoulder. Next head shot did the job. They just don’t seem to be expanding.
This
Nothing worse then not trusting the ability of ammo to do what you need of it. I'm just moving to homeloads in the Gaymoor (123 gr Fox) so fingers crossed it will give the the accuracy and terminal performance I need.
The main thing is the animal didnt get away
Dorset Shakari
Well-Known Member
I've shot plenty of sika and fallow with the 6.5x55 120gr Sako Blade and never had a problem with it providing I put it in the right place. Both factory and homeloads.
Cloverleaf at 100m, and very seldom shot quarry over 200 metres, since I'm mostly stalking in woodland, and I'll try to creep closer if possible.
Sounds like you didn't have the rub of the green with that first shot.
Cloverleaf at 100m, and very seldom shot quarry over 200 metres, since I'm mostly stalking in woodland, and I'll try to creep closer if possible.
Sounds like you didn't have the rub of the green with that first shot.
big ears
Well-Known Member
Out last night. Roe doe at 120m, face on for 15mins. Eventually turned and presented broadside shot. 120gr Sako blade, hilar shot dropped. Minimal damage to carcass. Exit wound £2 coin size.
Could have taken neck shot but there was a fair breeze so elected to wait. 15 mins is a long time but worth it for a safe clean kill with no suffering to the animal.
Sako blades work as said before it’s usually the fault of the shooter when they don’t.
We had an old phrase at work which was, “It’s not the tool but the tool with the tool”
Could have taken neck shot but there was a fair breeze so elected to wait. 15 mins is a long time but worth it for a safe clean kill with no suffering to the animal.
Sako blades work as said before it’s usually the fault of the shooter when they don’t.
We had an old phrase at work which was, “It’s not the tool but the tool with the tool”
a good result , yesterday 5 munties 2 headshot 1 neck shot and 2 chest shot , ranges varying from 20 yards to 120 all dead on the spot 140 gr soft point in 7 mmOut last night. Roe doe at 120m, face on for 15mins. Eventually turned and presented broadside shot. 120gr Sako blade, hilar shot dropped. Minimal damage to carcass. Exit wound £2 coin size.
Could have taken neck shot but there was a fair breeze so elected to wait. 15 mins is a long time but worth it for a safe clean kill with no suffering to the animal.
Sako blades work as said before it’s usually the fault of the shooter when they don’t.
We had an old phrase at work which was, “It’s not the tool but the tool with the tool”
That will certainly do the job mate, good result
thanks bud there were 5 of us out a couple of lads didnt get anything but i think the cold wind was keeping them in heavy woodland the 5 i shot were all in woodland 10 munties and a roe doe in totalThat will certainly do the job mate, good result
Even better result there ...and always nice to be able to shoot half (near enough) the total bag yourself
big ears
Well-Known Member
No munties down here yet. Thank goodness
youll know when you do shot 58 since november
Happy when they arrive near me...lovely little deer to stalk and shoot and easy to extract
devon deer stalker
Well-Known Member
And ....my limited experience on them....a PITA to skin!Happy when they arrive near me...lovely little deer to stalk and shoot and easy to extract
Agreed ... happy to put up with that ...better a PITA to skin then not having anything to skin...unless I have to travel down to your fine county to shoot
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
As others have said, that first shot into the back of the head was a bit low hence you missed the brain. You would caused massive dump of adrenaline into the body.
2nd shot into the heart and lungs would normally work quickly and effectively, but the beast is full of adrenaline and thus effectively bullet proof and will keep going until in runs out of blood pressure.
Once an adrenaline fuelled, any animal will take an awful lot of stopping. Only completely out The central nervous system will it drop dead on the spot.
There plenty of stories about taking many shots all into the kill zone and showing little response.
Red deer are a lot bigger and tougher than Roe. I have had Red Stags take three bullets that criss crossed the heart and still remain standing.
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