GPMD

Ok so I'm on the quest to finally find "my bullet" for this upcoming season. I'm just having trouble getting good blood either from little expansion or no pass thrus. Years ago I tried Powerbelts. Complete garbage. Super accurate but I'm positive I lost at least 2 deer due to these. Zero blood. I recovered a third only because I saw him drop 100 yd away but there was no blood and bullet was in a zillion pieces. Tried shock waves 250 gr. recoverd 4 out of 4, they never went too far but again, blood was just blah. I figured last year I'd go to he Barnes expander in 300 gr. Got a nice doe at 80 yds, she went 60 yd but again I was shocked at how little blood and her insides were a mess. I'd stick with the 250 gr for same blood and less mush when I gut.

I aim at lungs each time, shoot 100 gr (used to be 150) and avg shot 50yd. A few were inside 30 and I think that May have been some of he problem although my 2-3 deer at 75-100 yd still wasn't great.

I think maybe I'm just spoiled due to the great blood I get via archery kills? I'm much more experienced with that and maybe this is normal gun shot blood?

This year I just got a new CVA Accura V2 LR and plan on shooting 110gr blackhorn. Avg shot 50-75 yd with potential for 100-125. What does everyone suggest I go with? I was thinking of trying the new Federal muzzleloader bullets but have only really read range reports on them and not performance on deer.

Maybe give Barnes expander one more shot but in 250 gr? Any and all suggestions and input appreciated. Thanks!

sabotloader

GPMD

If I could make a suggestion I would highly suggest you look at the Lehigh/Bloodline from Knight or wait a few weeks and Lehigh will have ML bullets available on there site.













They work extremely well but also there other very good choices out there - but I will stick with these.

BarnesAddict

I'll throw my 2¢ in on this...........

I'd suggest you shoot lower on the body. High lung shots with any bullet, will give you the least amount of blood. Drop your POI down on the animal, which will allow the body cavity to fill quicker to the entrance/exit holes and the animal will lose more blood faster.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a Barnes expander, which will work as designed every time. Its all about shot placement.

t.shaffer

another good choice would be the barnes 290 tez & yes hi shots take time to fill with blood everything i've shot with the 290tez was drt & i've shot deer with the 300 expanders & all have been recovered with in 10 yds i've tried the bloodlines 250"s but very hard to load in my tc triumph still searching for a different sabot for it to load easier

nchawkeye

Nothing wrong with the Barnes except the price...

You simply don't always get good blood trails, no matter what the bullet, even centerfires don't always leave a good blood trail...

If I am in an area where I don't want the deer to run, I take a high shoulder shot or if the deer is quartering to me or looking straight at me, I shoot them in the neck, a few inches above where it meets the body, so they drop...

My Knight loves the 300gr Barnes MZ but I went to the .429 Hornady XTP in 300gr so I can shoot more, they work just fine...

lemoyne

High hits do not bleed until the whole body cavity is full of blood, I use a tree stand , not because I can't get a shot from the ground but the angled hit from a tree stand 20 feet high give a MUCH better blood trail, even then a real high hit will not bleed for a long way.
All the bullets mentioned will work well on deer I have used them and many others, I have come to believe that exact placement of the bullet into the knot of arteries right at the top of the heart is the best answer with all of them. With bigger heavier game such as elk and moose and bear I suggest one of the premium bullets such as Lehigh or a bonded bullet such as the bonded Shock Wave.

falcon

i have tracked numerous wounded deer and elk for other hunters. BTW: Most were gut shot.

Deer that are shot through both lungs seldom travel over 200 yards after being shot. Usually they die within 100 yards of the place where they were shot. Sometimes they bang flop.

The lungs of a game animal are fragile and easily destroyed. i've killed numerous wild hogs with .22 magnum full metal jacket bullets through the lungs.

It matters little what .45-.50 bullet you use; put the bullet through the lungs and you have a dead animal. Shoot it in the guts and you have a long tracking job.

Couple years ago i got back into conventional muzzleloaders and patched round ball for some of my hunting. A .50 or .54 round ball through the lungs of a deer or hog are just as effective as about anything else: The lungs are destroyed and the animal will not go far.

cayugad

While all of us look for the magic bullet.. and indeed some expand and penetrate better then others.. what we need to look at is "the magic spot." Where we actually place that bullet will matter a great deal on the blood trail, penetration, and even bullet expansion. I never shot a deer yet with a sabot. I have shot thousands of sabot combinations on the range, but every time I hunt with a sabot combination, the deer disappear. Yet I have killed a LOT of deer with a simple roundball, or conical bullet.

If I want to "plant them" its a high shoulder shot to break them down, neck shot, or the risky spine shot. That normally puts them on the ground, but maybe.. not dead. If you high lung them, you're right.. they die but don't leave a great blood trail. Even with an in and out hole. Go lower on the body, through the heart and they tend to bleed a lot better. For dropping them in their tracks I really found a conical bullet in a vital area will plant them extremely well. And if they do run, normally its not far and they bleed.

Your Barnes from all the testing I did on the range .. I believe is a superior bullet to most. The Lehigh I have tested... again, great penetration and they made a mess of most things I shot them into.

What I am saying is, a simple round ball.. placed will cause a blood trail and kill a deer. So take a projectile that is accurate, and try shooting in different spots. Aim for heavy blood concentrations like the heart or neck, and you get a blood trail. It sounds to me like you're an excellent shot and can pull a shot like that off. And you have good tracking skills, having shot that many deer. So I would just try a different spot on a deer. But it don't hurt to try other bullets. Good luck.

bronko22000

As some of the posters have said, a high hit normally results in a less than ideal blood trail. Same as hitting a deer high lungs with a broadhead (at ground level) as the animal tends to bleed internally.
Again aim lower on the body or like Cayugad said high shoulder which may take out the spine.
With my Accura V2 it liked 90 gr of BH209 when I used it and a .429" 300 gr Hornady XTP with a Harvester green crush rib sabot. Not quite MOA but very close. So your 50-75 yard shots would be a slam dunk if you do your part.

GPMD

Thanks for the input guys. I'm nervous about going shoulder or next as I'd like as big as target as possible. My fear would be just bring off an inch or two and having to finish the deer off. I think my fear in this comes from always being taught aim for heart/lungs so those are the only spots I've ever aimed. Not quite sure I know where to pinpoint the shot if I were to take a neck/shoulder shot.

With that being said, I'll aim a bit lower next time. My aim point now is mid lung with thoughts of if I'm off in elevation 2" either way, i still have a killing shot.

Here's a question, does anyone see a huge difference in a deer hit in vitals with a 300 gr vs a 250gr.? I've only got one with the 300 and it seemed to run the same distance, maybe 75yds. All the difference was the cranberry mush on the inside. I was thinking 300gr would pile up the deer after a few steps but I'd rather stick with 250gr if it means a "cleaner" gut job.

Everyone is right, my bullets I've tried are working. I've shot at and recovered about a dozen blackpowder deer in the last 6 or 7 years
with 100% recovery all within 100yds so I can't complain. I'm just worried about when I do pull a shot and have to track, the blood won't be there. Also one location is pretty thick and swampy, 100yds not on a trail mine as we'll be a mile so just looking to be proactive. Thanks for all input, I'll follow the advice!!