L Ross
Well-Known Member
A lot of us suffer from OTS,( over thinking syndrome). When I was a kid I was convinced that a .30-30 was a marginal deer cartridge. Of course at the time we were mandated to use shotguns with slugs so what empirical knowledge did I have?
Years later I shot deer with .250-3000, .257 Roberts, .348 Winchester, .30-30, .30-06, .270, 7x57, 8x57, .35 Whelen, 7.62x39, and .308 all with jacketed bullets. Then I used cast in .40-70 SS, .45-70, .45-90, .44-40, .35 Whelen, ,.30-30, .32 WS, .30-06, and 50 caliber RB, and probably a couple more.
In my most recent hunts I have returned to jacketed bullets of the cup and core variety, down loaded to no more than 2,600 fps. I don't have anything else to use the jacketed up on and my odds and ends will out last my needs.
The funny thing is, there really isn't a lot of difference in what happens after you pull the trigger. Either the critter runs a little ways, (typically less than 50 yards), or falls down at the shot, (rarely). The exception being two different deer wherein 175 grain Sierra Game Kings in an 8x57 pencilled through with zero expansion and resulted in 200 yard plus tracking escapades complete with finisher shots. Sierra and I had words, and they had a lame excuse involving the advent of the 8 m/m Remington Magnum. I personally think 8x57s outnumber 8 m/m Remington Magnums by about a bazillion to one, but if the only result was losing one customer, well so what?
Years later I shot deer with .250-3000, .257 Roberts, .348 Winchester, .30-30, .30-06, .270, 7x57, 8x57, .35 Whelen, 7.62x39, and .308 all with jacketed bullets. Then I used cast in .40-70 SS, .45-70, .45-90, .44-40, .35 Whelen, ,.30-30, .32 WS, .30-06, and 50 caliber RB, and probably a couple more.
In my most recent hunts I have returned to jacketed bullets of the cup and core variety, down loaded to no more than 2,600 fps. I don't have anything else to use the jacketed up on and my odds and ends will out last my needs.
The funny thing is, there really isn't a lot of difference in what happens after you pull the trigger. Either the critter runs a little ways, (typically less than 50 yards), or falls down at the shot, (rarely). The exception being two different deer wherein 175 grain Sierra Game Kings in an 8x57 pencilled through with zero expansion and resulted in 200 yard plus tracking escapades complete with finisher shots. Sierra and I had words, and they had a lame excuse involving the advent of the 8 m/m Remington Magnum. I personally think 8x57s outnumber 8 m/m Remington Magnums by about a bazillion to one, but if the only result was losing one customer, well so what?