Went out saturday to fill my deer tag, nothing like procrastinating.

Blow by blow:

I was about 2 miles/2k ft. lower from the truck

I saw some does coming out from some willows and followed a game trail into them untill I had to crash my way through.  Got about 75yds from this buck when I heard him flush & head for the does.  I had a good shot at 120yds when he cleared the willows.  I only had a few moments to spot antlers before he'd be in the trees.  I had to stop myself from using the binocs. and swing the 300WSM from my shoulder and use the scope to see antlers.
The shot wadded him up like nothing I'd ever seen.  He was running away from me,  bullet entered the spine and traveled up 3 or 4 vertebrae and ending up under the skin on the left elbow.  spine shrapnel shredded his heart & lungs...catastrophic.

Bought a box of federal FUSION 165 gr., and I got 19 left for the next range trip, so spiff, you can shoot a few if you want

He should make for some good eating.

Nice!!

Where were you at?

You used a 300WSM for a tiny buck like that!?



I bagged a fat yearling buck, and my buddy got a nice little one too. Didnt see very many big bucks, except for the friday before the hunt opened I saw a nice three point. Season opens and I think he went to Idaho to hide out.

Hey man, good shooting!! I don't know how I missed this post yesterday. I was on arfcom all day yesterday while prep'ing .223 brass to feed into my Dillon (damn my fingers are sore).

Did you shoot it in in area 39? Guy in the office next to me went up there and saw nothing.


ETA. The guy who did not get any deer is the same one who had me sight in his rifle couple of trips ago. Showed him the pics you posted and now he's lathering at the mouth over your rifle/scope. The scope is a Leupold right?

Post the specs to your rifle Luckypunk. How much did you pay for everything?

Quoted: You used a 300WSM for a tiny buck like that!?

Heck, I don't hunt much anymore but when I was a kid every deer I killed was killed with a .30-06 ('cept the first one, shot it with a 30-30).

However, Luckypunks 300WSM kicks worse than any .30-06 I've ever shot. Its a very lightwieght rifle, this coupled with the punch that cartridge has and believe you me, your sight picture goes all to hell when you pull the trigger.

I use a sporterized 1903 Springfield. My grandfather purchased it, along with a nice semi-inletted Fajen stock back in the 60's or 70's, and never put it together. The barreled action was ready to go, but the stock needed some inletting, 9 coats of tung oil, and a glassbedding job... shoots pretty good with cheap Winchester 165gr pointed soft points. It has accounted for a freezer full of venison for the last two years.

Its such a pretty gun, I almost hate to take it hunting. One of these days I'm giong to pick up a Winchester 70 with the controlled round feed in '06 to replace it... hopefully something light, short, and synthetic stocked.

Quoted:
I use a sporterized 1903 Springfield. My grandfather purchased it...quote]

I knew it!  I read your first post and figured you had granpappys 30-30 that served him well and was "all you need" for deer,   naw, I like them xtra-dead...and besides there is a lot of open country, you can shoot as far as you feel comfy.

I was in unit 39.  

Here is "the" gun specs from winchester.  The gun listed for $709 and the scope was $299, although I only have about $500 in her, due to quality time spent at proper moments befor xmas with the G-parents and in-laws  MUAHAHAHA!  man do I know how to suck-up

I put a leupold VX-II 3x9 scope on her.



they are leupold rings and uncle mikes makes a sling in the "mossy break-up" (cause those things gotta match and look pretty for the deer)


Spiff is right, the recoil will shy people away, I think you can find more 300 mags and the like in the "used" section because folks are used to a 30-30 and then get "magnumitis" and buy one before shooting them<- scope eye.

BUT I'll tell you, the 10 sec. she was in my hand...nay, an extension of my body, sighting in and harvesting a deer, Ya don't feel a thing, and only the sensation of a riflecrack (without earplugs)


The 165gr. bullet doing 3100fps sure made an impressive hit, wasted some meat but I had only moments to "drop it like it's hot"  or that deer would have been in the trees.  It powdered 4" of spine and rib ends into what looked like "glitter and hamburger" blown down into the H&L.


ETA:  I just love the Duratouch finish on this rifle, I think it's the best feeling/quietest synthetic stock there is. and the fact that the rest of the gun is stainless...there was lots of blood, sweat...a few tears, willow brush-busting and hail, put on that rifle but she looks showroom new.


And with the bloodlust subsiding, I took my 3 y.o. out for halloween (her first time).
She got the trick or treat! out on the first couple of houses....but then it was just "I want candy" HA!

Quoted: Quoted: I use a sporterized 1903 Springfield. My grandfather purchased it...quote] I knew it!  I read your first post and figured you had granpappys 30-30 that served him well and was "all you need" for deer,   naw, I like them xtra-dead...and besides there is a lot of open country, you can shoot as far as you feel comfy.

Dude!! I believe them '03's shot 30-06!! Well at least mine does!! Not to mention my Garand. Which is convenient.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I use a sporterized 1903 Springfield. My grandfather purchased it...quote] I knew it!  I read your first post and figured you had granpappys 30-30 that served him well and was "all you need" for deer,   naw, I like them xtra-dead...and besides there is a lot of open country, you can shoot as far as you feel comfy. Dude!! I believe them '03's shot 30-06!! Well at least mine does!! Not to mention my Garand. Which is convenient.

Correct. The 1903 Springfield rifle is chambered in .30-06... and can and will kill any game on the North American continent, including GRIZZ.

The 165gr loads I use punched a 3/4" hole in one side and about a 1 1/2" hole on the other. Both lungs in my deer were basically bloody mush floating in the chest cavity, and the heart was missing a chunk. He fell with ten yards of where I shot him.

As far as open country, thats what i generally hunt... open sage hills. .30-06 will do the job at all reasonable ranges. I promise that .300WSM dosnt make you a better shot at 500 yards... and the whole point of hunting is to get as close as you can to make a clean kill.

(keep in mind I've considered buying a .300WSM or .325WSM before next fall... and the )

Quoted: The gun listed for $709 and the scope was $299

Thats actually a bit more than I thought it would be. I told Todd here at work it was probably around $500 - $600. Actually I guess I wasn't to far off.

Your little girl is cute as the dickens, she looks much more excited than she did at the gun show!! Nick is our four year old, he went as a Ninja Turtle, I should post some pics, pretty sure Susan took some. This little guy is our boo-boo.........Susan was careless..............

Quoted: Correct. The 1903 Springfield rifle is chambered in .30-06... and can and will kill any game on the North American continent, including GRIZZ.

It will certainly get the job done!!

Though in all honesty I suppose it is a bit too much cartridge for most Mulies and White Tail. When I was younger my Dad and I used to hunt in the Bell Mountain area, which is by Ketchum Idaho (close to Haily/Sun Valley). I shot a little forked horn like Luckypunk got, hit him in the neck, the bullet removed so much meat from the exiting side that his head was just flopping around like one of those bobbing heads you put in the back seat of your car!!

I actually think that a .243 would be the perfect deer rifle. You might have to place your shots a bit better, but like you said, that's the name of the game!!

...alright bitches.

next year I'm using this

Quoted: ...alright bitches. next year I'm using this

Gee, I want one to!!

Quoted: ...alright bitches. next year I'm using this tinypic.com/f9kwzn.jpg

What kinda scope you gonna mount on that thing?

OK, In all seriousness

I am toying with the thought of taking the AR with some of the 64gr. winchester PP which I think is their load for deer or hornady tap 75gr. next year for deer and save the 300wsm for elk.

Sounds like an excuse to buy ammo and head to the range for testing!

Using a surgical strike instead of a WMD...hmmm

I think you need to buy the same model of rifle chambered in .243.

Either that or just keep using the 300 WSM. You have to admit, it was damn effective!!

Boise Gun has the Armalite in .243, it's real sweet,(like $1300) with OD furniture but on the AR10 frame I'd rather have 7.62.


although I believe those are #s heavier than the 300WSM  

Too bad the 6.8SPC seems to be so slow catching on, I would think that would be nearly perfect as well ( about the same as a .270, IIRC)

If prices would come down and ammo became available I would be all over that like stink on shit.

Quoted: I think you need to buy the same model of rifle chambered in .243. Either that or just keep using the 300 WSM. You have to admit, it was damn effective!!

They don't make that rifle in anything but a WSM/WSSM. Convenient huh?
If they'd made it in a "conventional" cartridge I'd would have chose .308.

This 300WSM would be the cartridge to get me into reloading, so I could shoot it more.
I'm loving this rifle. Did I tell you it's freefloated

free floated eh?   So is there a noticeable gap between the barrel and stock?

...I wouldn't call it noticeable but it's 2 pcs. of printer paper wide down to the action

Nice.

Are you doing your own butchering?   I've heard that is the best way to go, since you know what deer your eating and can do all the cuts you want.  Plus you dont have to wait to get it.

butchering...um, yeah...i guess that's what you'd call it

I cut the largest prime chunks for steaks to grill.
the rest I will be making into jerky, infact I just got back with some teriyaki for marinade

no grinder for hamburger/sausage ect.

I'll get better, It is alot of work doing it on my patio table.  I did plumb in a sink "rough in" in the garage for a sweet "food prep" sink

Nice shooting Lucky Punk!  I shot one earlier with my 7mm.  It too seems a little over powered for deer.  Dropped the poor guy right where he stood.  However, I was out looking for elk at the same time so I didn't want to use anything smaller.  I am heading back up to unit 35 tomorrow in hopes of finding that elusive MONSTER bull.  Looking like I will be snowed on hard...much better than what it has been however.

When are we shooting again!  I have too much  plenty of ammo on hand!

Thanks BiggSlic,

some buds pulled some elk out of stanley...50 ft. off the road ....he was able to back his truck up and slide the beast right in.

I don't know if I have relayed the harrowing journey of me,  my gun, my pack, and 1/2 a deer up from the bottom of danskin mtn. (The missing spine was a perfect place to bisect) and pack that biatch out by myself I felt like a damn sherpa.  

FWIW The 300WSM bullet slug remaining was 92.5 gr.!  

Bump for shortmag

reliving the glory