ORIGINAL: gt2003
Ok, let me tell you about the 2 bullets.
The one on the left was shot into a deer at about 30 yards. It traveled all the way through the deer and was recovered just under the skin on the far side. The dimensions of the mushroom are 5/8 inch x 3/4 inch as measured across the mushroom. If you measure the height of the bullet after it mushroomed, it is 3/8 inch tall. Originally, the bullet was 3/4 inch tall not including the polymer tip. So, basically the bullet is now 1/2 the height it was originally and it still has a good bit of its base left. And, this was only at 30 yards. I would expect less of a mushroom if this bullet was shot at 75-100 yards.
Now, bullet 2 is a whole different story. I was facing north and this buck and doe snuck in directly underneath me from the south/southwest. This was the 1st deer I had ever shot with this bullet and was trying to "get the monkey off my back" as far as bad ML luck/performance. So, I shot him, probably at 20 feet. The amazing this is, although the mushroom is huge, 1 inch, the bullet held together and didn't fragment. It too was recovered under the skin opposite of where it entered. Impressive performance in my opinion.
Just thought some clarification might help. Thanks, Greg
It sounds like you got adequate penetration (>12"), but would the bullet have fragmented on hitting bone? I know the XTPs do, I am not sure about the Dead Centers. They are all lead, so they are soft, but maybe the wrap around themselves. Weight retention keeps penetration going the big mushroom is good for initial expansion, but all the enery was used pancaking the bullet instead of penetration thru the animal. Most "balanced bullets" have long shanks. Craig Boddington calls long shanks and perfect mushrooms "a thing of beauty" (May 2008 of Peterson's Hunting--Tipped and Bonded was the article) as do several other gun writers. Now he shoots a solid as his second shot for Cape bullalo, but an expanding bullet for his first. Folllowing that logic and apply i tto ML bullets we conclude "hard casts" shoot thru leaving little hole with not a lot of tissue damage. Pancake bullet expend all their energy mushrooming the bullet. Perfect bullet is like Nosler Partition or Barnes with the 6 expanded petals, perfect mushroom, long shank for weight retention and driving forward. Yawing or going sideways in the deer is also a no no, no penetration.
Those were very close shot but would would expect a shoot thru at that range. Actually that is desireable, not "all the energy in the animal".
Chap