Name: Jim Giacolone
Ammunition used: Remington 700 in 300 Ultra Mag, J36 126 grain bullet
I shot this deer with a Remington 700 in 300 Ultra Mag. This particular rifle has a stainless steel action with 28”stainless steel barrel, a laminate stock, and a muzzle brake that extends the barrel about 1.5”. I use only the J36 126 grain bullet. Our load is 98 grains of Reloader 19. I only re-use a case one time, as we have witnessed some deformity just above the rim after 2 to 3 uses. We size and trim each case. Most of our shots in this area are long yardage. My rifle is sighted in at 3” high at 100 yards, and it is extremely accurate. We shot this load through a chronograph and recorded 3,978.00 per second from my rifle.
This was the first mule deer I shot with a J36. This particular shot was at approximately 445 yards. I missed high the first shot. I lowered my aim point to within about 2” of the top of the deer’s neck, thinking that would place the shot perfectly at that range. The second shot dropped the deer where it stood, but did not kill it. When we approached the deer it was partially paralyzed, as I had hit it almost exactly were I was aiming and serving it’s spine.
I would like to explain why I aimed high, and why I think most hunters make this same mistake when first introduced to the J36. I have taken deer and elk with factory loads. I normally would aim with trajectory compensation based on past experience. I now believe that this simply does not apply to the J36 carefully matched to an efficient powder and load, and the essential knowledge of how a particular rifle performs and its capabilities.
I can tell you that I have witnessed other hunters using the J36 with similar loads and in similar situations repeatedly shoot high in an attempt to place the shot based on bullet drop. I can also tell you that I shot a deer last season at approximately 345 yards that was truly a “one shot” kill. I aimed just above the front shoulder and little forward and hit it in that exact spot. The deer was knocked backwards about 15 feet and was dead on impact.