Got my 40 cal roundball deer

[sduve]

Made it out with my new GM .40 cal barrel today with great success. Shot a button buck at 20 yards in front of shoulder. Deer traveled 150 yards across open field. Roundball was recovered on opposite side just under skin after passing thru far shoulder. Lungs were torn up a little. The recovered ball weighed 76.5 gr. 60 gr of 777 3F was the propellant. Picure below.

 

[gmww]

Congradulations! Beings I'm not familiar with the original weight of the .40 round ball, what was it originally? :hmm:

 

[sduve]

original weight of the .40 round ball? :hmm:

94 grains

 

[roundball]

Excellent shot...congratulations!

Is that a GM drop-in barrel in a TC Renegade stock pictured there?

 

[sduve]

Is that a GM drop-in barrel in a TC Renegade stock pictured there?

Yes, it is.

 

[Catof9tails]

That's one way to get'er done. Good job!
Cat9

 

[howdydoit]

congrats, the 40 looks like it has a good buisness end. :grin:

 

[Ron LaClair]

DANG!, that hole looks like it was shot with a .62, congratulations :thumbsup:

 

[CrackStock]

.40 cal
Shot at 20 yards
Deer traveled 150 yards

 

[sduve]

.40 cal
Shot at 20 yards
Deer traveled 150 yards

My other roundball-kill 3 years back was with a .54 cal out of same gun with 80 gr 2F. Shot a field dressed 137 lb doe just behind the shoulder 1/4 towards me at 67 yards. Ball lodged just behing far rear leg under skin. Found deer 2 hours later 200 yards away. Followed blood trail in reverse direction with 3 other people,(i'm colorblind)blood trail was only 70 yards long. So deer travel about 130 yards before blood exited body. Anything can happen no matter what setup you use. I probably won't use the .40 cal for deer size game any more unless I go with some kind of conical. In fact, my last dozen deer kills the past 5 years have been with muzzleloaders, I may go back to pisol hunting. Loading my Encore pistol's 45-70 with blackpowder has been on the back burner for several years. I use the same .458 405 gr bullet in my 50 cal muzzleloader and it always penetrates thru.
On the other hand, I have 3 bowkills where the deer never took a step. One was with a 60 lb recurve bow 20 years ago. One deer shot lifted its head just as a tree rat jumped into the frozen leaves. I was aiming between the shoulders at 28 yards, when the arrow arrive, the deer was struck between the eyes and the broadhead ended up in the spine. DOA.

 

[CrackStock]

I am not trying to be rude to you or to detract from your enjoyment of your success. I am glad thatr you were successful and hope that you enjoy your venison as much as I have been enjoying mine.

I simply hold firmly to my opinion that the .40 is not enough gun for deer. One might be capable of taking one if the shooter is an expert in both shooting that weapon and in shot placement for deer. Even then, there are far better choices in caliber.

Please understand that I currently own 3 .40s and enjoy them all greatly, I just use them for small game and target shooting. I will not say that I will never take a shot on a deer with one, but it is not likely unless perfect conditions exist and I am very hungry.

CS

 

[mikee51848]

Yeah, that's what I thought too. His gun's cal. is actually illegal in PA. Glad he recovered it. In the type of woods around here, a deer that travels 150 yds is usually not recovered unless it leaves a good blood trail.

 

[gmww]

.40 cal is the minimun in Wa. State for deer. If I was to go with the .40 I think I'd use a conical for the added weight. Or if I had to use a roundball, I'd hope to be within 30 yrds. Bottom line though it all depends on where you put that shot. Seem to work well for him!

 

[guncobbler]

I agree with you Crackstock that there are far better choices than a 40 but if someone told me I could only hunt deer with one I wouldn't stop hunting. Probably use a flat nosed cylindrical bullet. When hunting deer on the snow a single 40 cal double lung shot would be just fine. Sort of like hunting with a 41 magnum but with much longer sight radius. That said I have a 45 cal rifle but this year I'm hunting with my rifled 75 Thumper. GC

 

[CrackStock]

A .40 is legal for deer here in South Carolina.

You are likely right -- I would likely use it if that were all that I had available.

I also applaud the tracking ability required in recovering a kill at 150 yards. That is dedication.

CS

 

[sduve]

I also applaud the tracking ability required in recovering a kill at 150 yards. That is dedication.
CS

This .40 cal deer was shot along a small river and after the hit, it headed for the woods that was 350 yards away separated by a cut soybean field. I watched it from start to finish and there was no need for tracking. I had other shot oppurtunities that were not meant for the small 40. One deer was about an 18" wide 10 point about 60 yards away. Different rifle and I would have taken that shot, but we had put 13 deer in our 2 freezers and I wasn't that hungry to carry heavier balls and just wanted to try something different. It was agreat day all around. My 15 yr old took 3 tree rats that morning sitting beside me and it was just a blast getting to talk and share our thoughts. I have been Blessed with 2 fine sons, 15 and 10. Both shoot anything and everything, and a wife who also does 4H shooting sport instruction with me as well as taxidermy and is a fine cook.

 

[crgabel]

Good job Man :applause:
Craig

 

[sduve]

Thank you.

 

[KyFlintlock]

It aint on how big it is, it is how you use it?

NICE JOB on the deer!
Wess

 

[bigbang1]

Wess I agree on it aint how big it is. Three important factors. range,bullet speed/energy and most important shot placement. A well loaded 32cal that punches a hole thru both lungs at close range will take down most any deer. How many millions have been shot with 30/30 in the past hundred years? but all said I will stick with my 62cal prb and 90gr ff swiss, they dont go far and I aint into following them any farther than I have to In the thick stuff I hunt in Alabama. :yakyak: