md7
Member
First season with a 308 Win, and the rifle is a Bergara Ridge with 18” barrel and suppressor.
The goal was a suppressed rig around the same OAL as a non suppressed rifle and capable of lethality on medium size game to 400 yards though my terrain limits shots to 300 yards.
I ran 4 hunting loads, and selected the 308 Win Deer Season XP in 150 gr as my hunting ammo because it consistently will do 3 shot groups under 3/4” at 100 yards. The other 3 would not group well and the 5th I tried grouped excellent but the 168 gr federal gold medal match is not a hunter and I had some concerns with expansion, so nixed it even though it groups amazingly well.
The XP is supposed to enter a deer, come apart, and dump all its energy seldomly leaving an exit. Yesterday, I got to put that theory to the test.
Had a decent 8 point walk out and present a broadside shot at around 70 to 75 yards out.
Aimed just behind his shoulder on the right side of the deer. Upon impact, the buck winced, jumped, and made a wobbly and almost sideways dash to the woodline. He ran no further than 10 to 15 yards and crashed dead.
Can confirm, the bullet worked in this case as advertised. Entrance wound was nasty, and lungs decimated. The jacket of the bullet penetrated and was under the left side of his skin, opposite entrance wound.
Blood was everywhere, for there to not be an exit wound. It was pouring out the entrance and also from his mouth. Drops of blood all the way to where he lay, and significant pool of blood where he fell.
Will attempt to kill more deer, and evaluate performance. This being a small sample size, I can’t tell if this is what to expect moving forward but I’m very pleased with the accuracy, lethality, and overall performance on this one case.
The goal was a suppressed rig around the same OAL as a non suppressed rifle and capable of lethality on medium size game to 400 yards though my terrain limits shots to 300 yards.
I ran 4 hunting loads, and selected the 308 Win Deer Season XP in 150 gr as my hunting ammo because it consistently will do 3 shot groups under 3/4” at 100 yards. The other 3 would not group well and the 5th I tried grouped excellent but the 168 gr federal gold medal match is not a hunter and I had some concerns with expansion, so nixed it even though it groups amazingly well.
The XP is supposed to enter a deer, come apart, and dump all its energy seldomly leaving an exit. Yesterday, I got to put that theory to the test.
Had a decent 8 point walk out and present a broadside shot at around 70 to 75 yards out.
Aimed just behind his shoulder on the right side of the deer. Upon impact, the buck winced, jumped, and made a wobbly and almost sideways dash to the woodline. He ran no further than 10 to 15 yards and crashed dead.
Can confirm, the bullet worked in this case as advertised. Entrance wound was nasty, and lungs decimated. The jacket of the bullet penetrated and was under the left side of his skin, opposite entrance wound.
Blood was everywhere, for there to not be an exit wound. It was pouring out the entrance and also from his mouth. Drops of blood all the way to where he lay, and significant pool of blood where he fell.
Will attempt to kill more deer, and evaluate performance. This being a small sample size, I can’t tell if this is what to expect moving forward but I’m very pleased with the accuracy, lethality, and overall performance on this one case.
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