Success In The Field

As our spike and doe season was drawing to a close my handgun rotation plan was thrown out the window. Not that I had actually stuck to it from day one, but what do you expect from a mental list of firearms that haven't drawn blood yet. I determined that one more doe would be be good insurance for the time when we would make sausage and hamburger, so a brief look in the safe revealed several arms that hadn't been used to take a game animal. Most of the one's I had in mind hadn't drawn blood but there was no question that they could, so then I went down the list of those that I considered questionable. Near the top of that list was my S&W 625-8 with a 5 inch barrel. I had done some load work earlier in the year using a Zero brand 230 grain JHP loaded in Starline 45 AR brass. I wasn't looking for a plinking or target load, but I was interested in a possible hunting load even though I wasn't certain of the success using a rimmed 45 ACP. After a few range sessions I settled on a load using the above mentioned bullet loaded to 1.210 in OAL, 7.0 gr of Universal, and a Fed 150 primer. This load would shoot into less than 2 inches at 50 yards and more often than not would hold 1 3/4 inch 5 shot groups with a 2X scope mounted and shooting from the bench. My notes from the session stated the load was clocking right at 997 fps, which to me meant that it was at or near 45 Colt territory. After the tests and being somewhat satisfied that this might work, I pulled the scope and mounted a Vortex Venom with 3 MOA dot and sighted it in at 50 yards. It hung on the safe door always saying "pick me, pick me" when I was rumaging around deciding which of it's brethren I would take hunting. Finally, as the last days of the season approached and I was putting several guns back in the safe, ones that had traveled with me to the ranch and even to the blind, the little Auto Rim was saying once more "pick me, pick me". I took it off the hook and checked the sight for proper function and then slipped it in the pocket of my range bag. I gathered up my two speed loaders and the box of ammo and loaded up my truck with all of the other things I needed for a day spent feeding cattle, some chores, and hunting in the evening. Things didn't go quite as planned concerning the cattle, eating up a significant amount of time, so by the time I reached my final destination, "The Ranch", I barely had time to feed the cattle, check the water, and walk to a blind. As I was gathering my things I determined I wouldn't be able to get to the "Fancy Blind", or the "Big Tripod" prior to the feeders going off, the only option was the "West Blind". This blind has very short openings with the feeder at a mere 40 yards and the furthest shot might be 80 yards. The last thing to do before heading off to the blind was choose my weapon(s). My range bag contained both the 45AR and a S&W 629-3 with a 8 3/8 inch barrel and my Contender bag held a 15 inch 357 mag, and a 15 inch 45 Colt, either one would work at the ranges allowed, so I choose the 357 mag loaded with 180 graing XTPs and stuck it in the bandolier holster. I kept hearing "pick me, pick me", so I grabbed the AR, stuffed some ammo in it and tucked it into the pass through pocket of my hoodie. A couple of extra rounds for the 357 and a speed loader full of 45AR in my pocket and I'm off to the blind. I get there about 10 minutes before the feeder throws the corn, and settle in for the wait. About 5 minutes after the feeder goes off I have movement to my left that turns out to be a doe heading towards the feeder. She finally breaks cover and is eating the corn directly around the base of the feeder, never giving me a broadside shot. After watching her for 10 minutes and never getting an opportunity, a 9 point buck decides to join her in this "cake walk" around the feeder. After another 5 minutes or so she breaks the routine and gives me a good broadside presentation at 40 yards. By this time I've got the S&W up on a bag in the window with the hammer cocked and I'm putting the dot of the Vortex Venom tight behind her right shoulder. She stops eating long enough to get the shot off and all I see is her rear up on her hind legs then take off into the brush. I couldn't see her but I could hear her stumbling through the rocks and brush and then a crash. I waited about 10 minutes to go check and the whole time that buck was still eating, in fact I had to chase him off in order to see where the doe was standing when I shot. About 8 feet from point of impact I found a bit of lung, and 3 feet from that was blood spray on the rocks. I ducked down to look under the cedars and saw a white belly about 30 yards in. I duck walk into the brush/cedars and snap a quick picture and drag her out. I roll her over and find that the bullet did indeed exit, something I wasn't sure about considering the size of the hollow point in the bullet. During the cleaning process I was shocked by the amount of blood displaced into the membranes under and surrounding the entrace side shoulder. It was very similar to a higher velocity round expanding quickly upon impact.

The bullet passed through the lungs and exited the left side. I didn't find any bullet fragments except a small piece of jacket material from a petal, and it was between the hide and the ribs on the exit side.

I was more than happy with the performance given the distance and shot placement. It is a sample size of one, so more testing is needed, and I'm not certain I could recommend taking anything other than a lung shot with that particular bullet. For next year I might try a 255 grain LSWC or LFN/WFN at a similar velocity to see the difference in damage.

"Pick me, pick me"