HatchieLuvr

No offense taken here to the guys who said "TX heartshots" aren't for them! I realize it's a personal choice and many don't. I honestly only became comfortable with it after years of experience (and yes experimentation) with Barnes in both smokepoles and centerfires. I'm in west TN where we've had nearly 2 decades now of "3 does per day, everyday of the season from bow in Sept thru gun which runs into Jan. So I and many of my hunting buddies have had ample "testing opportunities" to make sure what we're saying is factual. To date I've NEVER lost a deer I took a "TX heartshot" on! But I've NEVER taken a "questionable" TX heartshot. (SURE I've lost deer, especially as a youngster when I just "put the crosshairs on hide and let fly" but that's not the arguement here) If I'm not comfortable or something else isn't right in the equation, then the deer will live another day.

In my personal case the farthest centerfire shot I have on record with a TX heartshot and a Barnes is 306yds (lasered) on an average sized doe. I was shooting a 30cal 150grn Lazerhead (Barnes Tripleshock) with a muzzle velocity of just under 3800fps. (Via my Sako Lazzeroni Warbird) She was DRT when the bullet "cleaned her out". The bullet entered her "in the crack" and exited just above the brisket, centered between her front shoulders. She didn't have a clue what hit her and she fell so quick in the sage she was standing in, I didn't see her go down, she just "disappeared". But I found her piled up right there were she was standing at the shot. I've had several "full length" shots (some head on, some "rear on") with that gun and numerous other guns of mine (again ALL using Barnes) and the results have all been the same. But let me say that I would NOT recommend trying such shots with say a 243, 25-06, 260 etc, regardless which weight Barnes you had! The weight, speed and "umph" just aint there IMHO. The lightweight 150 works fine in my Lazzeroni because it's going double aught warp speed. I don't shoot the 150s in my 30-06s, I shoot the 180s in them because they don't have the speed either so I rely on momentum/S.D. IMHO if you don't have the speed then you need the weight. If you have neither, you have no shot!

Muzzleloader wise, the farthest TX heartshot I've done was on a 220# 130inch 8pt that was 187yds (again lasered). He was walking down a lane, following a doe. It was getting darker and he was getting farther and farther away. I was in a shooting house, I knew my guns trajectory, I have supreme confidence in the 300 Xpander and my Savages ability to deliver that bullet anywhere I want it inside of 250yds so with a steady rest on the window sill, I set the crosshairs 4" above the bucks tail & I squeezed the trigger. The bullet entered about 1" below his rectum (and stopped in front of the lungs, just above the brisket). At the shot he staggered back and tripped over himself 5-7yds flat of his back to his left and into some tall sage grass/NWG. He then regained his footing and ran 30yds into the woods (downhill) where he piled up in a heap.

Again, I ONLY take these shots when these are the only ones presented, I KNOW the distance and I know my rigs abilities at those given ranges. I have all the confidence in the world in my rigs and the loads I've chosen for them after years of successful results. I agree with many, it's not simply a matter of "sticking a bullet up their butt" because in most cases you've then lost a deer and more importantly you've made life MISERABLE for that animal! If you can't kill them in seconds then give them another day!!!