Recovered bullets from whitetail deer (pics)

[Eb1]

Here are 4 different bullets that I have recovered from deer I have shot. From left to right they are:

.223 55 grain Black Hills Soft Point from 20" AR-15

.25-06 115 grain Winchester Supreme Ballistic Silver Tip

.30-30 150 grain Winchester PowerPoint from Marlin 336W

.32 H&R Magnum 100 grain XTP Georgia Arms from a Taurus 731 UL (Finishing Shot to the neck) <- I wasn't hunting with this firearm. I shot it after my BIL's wife shot a deer, and broke its back with a 20 gauge slug.

I thought this should go in Handloading because all of these bullets are available as handloading components, and deer season is coming up.

The .223 was from 40 yards broadside shot (broke both shoulders)
The .25-06 was from 300 yards quartering shot
The .30-30 was from 70 yards, and penetrated the full length of the deer.
The .32 H&R Magnum was from 12 yards in the neck.

I hope this is helpful with bullet performance out of different firearms.

 

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I'd like to discuss the results.

Here are my opinions.

The .223 was going so fast that it turned itself inside out. This bullet gave the most meat damage of all three rounds. Everything from the rear haunches to the front hooves was jelly. When I say jelly. I mean totally blood shot meat. All I got were the a few pieces of back strap and the hams.

The .25-06 did exactly what the name implies. It is a ballistic tip. The entrance was the size of a baseball. Well I actually could put my fist in it. The tip exploded, and the rest of the bullet held together tumbling on through. The internal damage was premium. Not one organ survived other than the stomach and intestines. Very ethical kill. The deer was expired before it hit the ground. The penetration was about 24" to 28", and also broke bone.

The .30-30 150 grain Win PP was loaded with 33 grains H4895. It entered the back between the shoulders. It did very well, and ended up with a diameter of .753. The deer dropped, but took about 45 seconds to expire. Both lungs, liver and stomach were gone. Not so much from shock, but just from brute force of a .30 grain bullet. I have respect for this bullet, but it doesn't hold a light to the Sierra 125 grain FNHP for dropping deer on the spot.

The .32 H&R Magnum. Well it wasn't shot from a hunting firearm. I used my CCW to expire a wounded deer. I had chrony'd the round from Georgia Arms from 12 yards before, and knew that it was moving @ 1010 fps from my 2" Taurus 731 UL. It is a 100 grain Hornady XTP bullet. The bullet entered the side of the neck, crushed the neck bone, and was half in and half out of the opposite side skin of the deer at a slight angle. I was please that it opened, and that it penetrated 8" while crushing bone in its path from 12 yards away. I do not feel so under gunned with the .32 H&R Mag from a snubby anymore. I have had reservations, but I was pleased with the performance, and since the revolver only weights about 24 oz loaded or less it is easy to carry.

 

[Sky]

Thanks for the post. So many people do not realize just how potent the 223/5.56 at close range really is. That little round will break bones from concussion ( even femurs) at ranges of 100 yards or less. I am slightly surprised at the extensive jellied meat though.