Handgun Hunting Discussion

I have had a 7-30 waters fox river 15" contender barrel and yesterday I took my first deer with it.

I have worked up loads with both the 120 gr vamx and 120 gr ballistic tips. They both shoot the the same point of impact and I went with the Nosler bullets because I thought they would perform better on whitetails

The shot yesterday was 65 yds,broadside from a tree stand. I held for the top of the heart and that is exactly where the bullet went. Probably 150-175 pound buck.

At the shot he reared up and then ran straight ahead.

I went to the spot he was standing and found no blood or hair. I went back to my stand and waited for my hunting partner and directed him to the spot of the shot to confirm and again no sign.

We started searching in the direction he ran and after about 45-50 yards we found some blood for about 10 yards and then nothing

I began sweeping back and forth in the direction he had been headed and found him about 40 yards from the last sign found

There was an entrance wound that when I field dressed him I could put 3 fingers in from the inside,the aorta on top of his heart was disconnected,there was no exit.

I guess maybe I was hoping for a little more. I would certainly have liked to have another hole for blood to leak from.I had a 140 gr Barnes from my 308 encore penetrate

almost end to end of a buck the same size last fall

I think I may get a 375jdj barrel....