a great 8 for the 6.8...taken at WRR

[HTR]

This massive 8 point buck was taken by my client at the ranch this past week. We had been looking for this deer for a while, because he wanted a trophy class 8 point for his wall. In past years, he had already taken a 12 pt., 10 pt, and several other good bucks, but never one with a 130+ B & C score, with only 8 points. My client and friend, is a guide's favorite type of customer. He always follows my directions, and he even asks which deer would be most beneficial to the management program if harvested. He had always used my .308 before, as "insurance" if we saw a trophy. Wow, how things have changed, that he and I both totally trust the 6.8 X 43 mm to put down any deer onto which we can place a good shot.

This deer was shot with the 85 grain TSX, in the shoulder, and the deer literally went down right there, dead instantly. We actually recovered the first 85 TSX since we started hunting with it. The gun was my AR Performance 12 twist 3 groove 20" DMR barrel. It is my "confidence gun" now.

The bullet entered just behind the high left shoulder, and it transected the body cavity, then struck the humeral head on the opposite side. This "ball" is very tough and thick. The bullet lost all its petals ( which had peeled back perfectly) and we actually found them just near the shank. The shank of the bullet had one petal still attached, but the shank itself had expanded, too! The expanded portion of the shank was about .30 caliber.

I have never seen any bullet do this. The energy obviously was deposited in the deer, and it fell over dead. No wonder these things drop huge pigs with one shot.

I think the whole "over-penetration" thing is finally completely dead. Congrats to my excellent client and to Barnes:

The gross score was 138 & 2/8 and it weighed 158 lbs., which is not bad, considering TX just went through one of the worst droughts in its history. Note the huge neck. We aged the jaw, and estimate the deer to have been 6 and a half years old.


http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/dkred5854/TheGreatEight0908h10-20-2009001.jpg?t=1256498211

[marinesg1012]

Nice Deer HTR, and I am glad the 85 TSX is doing so well.......

[arteacher]

Nice buck! I guess I am going to order some 85 gr!

[ccoker]

very nice Chris
thanks for sharing

[mogunr]

Nice buck! 20 days until Missouri firearms season...but who's counting?

[BWilson]

Good job, good deer............

Congrads

[marinesg1012]

HTR am I to guess that your going to be stocking up on 85 TSX's for primary use around the ranch?

[HTR]

HTR am I to guess that your going to be stocking up on 85 TSX's for primary use around the ranch?


I already had loaded 200 rounds for my own personal shooting. That was the load I concocted with SSA's powder. The only difference between mine and theirs is that I really like mine 2.30" and I added 0.1 grains to the charge. One of the does we shot was with the SSA factory load, and the performance was almost identical to my load.

With the 85 TSX and the 90 grain TNT, I am finding that I really don't need any other bullets. Though, I will admit, I would really still love to see an 100 grain TTSX.

[marinesg1012]

A 100 grain TTSX and that 100 accubond available to us reloaders and I will cut down on the bullets sitting on my reloading shelves.....

on a side note I have no idea where our 99 grain GS bullets are.... I have sent numerous emails and no response.

[HTR]

A 100 grain TTSX and that 100 accubond available to us reloaders and I will cut down on the bullets sitting on my reloading shelves.....

on a side note I have no idea where our 99 grain GS bullets are.... I have sent numerous emails and no response.


I couldn't agree more. I am starting to wonder if Customs is not going to allow them in?

[marinesg1012]

H got his and he ordered a week after I did.......

[HTR]

H got his and he ordered a week after I did.......


hmmmmm :confused:

[marinesg1012]

I dont know what else to do besides sending emails....... Maybe I will call the northern trading company and see what he has to say.

[Lucky]

This massive 8 point buck was taken by my client at the ranch this past week.

The gross score was 138 & 2/8 and it weighed 158 lbs., which is not bad, considering TX just went through one of the worst droughts in its history. Note the huge neck. We aged the jaw, and estimate the deer to have been 6 and a half years old.


Nice deer and a great report as usual. You mentioned the huge neck, are they starting to rut down your way ?

[bullseye_10X]

With the 85 TSX and the 90 grain TNT, I am finding that I really don't need any other bullets. Though, I will admit, I would really still love to see an 100 grain TTSX.[/QUOTE]

Great deer HTR.

What have you used the 90 TNT for besides general shooting. Any experience on animals? I know it has a thin jacket, but I would expect that a careful shot in the chest area of a deer would be pretty devastating. I would still opt for a tougher bullet, but I was just curious.

Bullseye_10x

[marinesg1012]

if you use the 90 TNT at range then it will work for softer game. I know H killed a muley at a little over 400 yards with one......

[HTR]

With the 85 TSX and the 90 grain TNT, I am finding that I really don't need any other bullets. Though, I will admit, I would really still love to see an 100 grain TTSX.

Great deer HTR.

What have you used the 90 TNT for besides general shooting. Any experience on animals? I know it has a thin jacket, but I would expect that a careful shot in the chest area of a deer would be pretty devastating. I would still opt for a tougher bullet, but I was just curious.

Bullseye_10x[/QUOTE]

I have shot prairie dogs, coyotes and an occasional raccoon with the TNT's, and I love them for plinking and long-range silhouette shooting. Having one round for deer and hogs, and another for small varmints, makes the caliber more versatile.

With the other great medium game bullets we have, I don't see the point in chancing bullet failure on a whitetail. Not to mention, bullet fragments in my meat, and a frothy mess when having to clean a deer shot with that bullet. Sure, it might work, but the jacket is so thin you can score it with your fingernail, so that is not my idea of a deer bullet.

[constructor]

I agree with HTR the TNT up close and traveling fast will explode, after it slows to 2000- 2200 it will expand like a soft point.

[cwlenz]

Nice buck and, as you noted, he is in great shape given the past conditions. I've also noticed the deer around here don't look that bad considering. Thanks for all the information. One other piece of info, what was the distance of the shot?

Thanks

[jdgilbert]

Beautiful buck!

[HTR]

Nice buck and, as you noted, he is in great shape given the past conditions. I've also noticed the deer around here don't look that bad considering. Thanks for all the information. One other piece of info, what was the distance of the shot?

Thanks

about 90 yards

[Megalos]

That's an excellent buck.

[bullseye_10X]

Not to mention, bullet fragments in my meat, and a frothy mess when having to clean a deer shot with that bullet. Sure, it might work, but the jacket is so thin you can score it with your fingernail, so that is not my idea of a deer bullet.[/QUOTE]

Certainly understand what you mean. When I lived in Texas back in the 70's/80's, I hunted a lease a few miles NW of Llano. I had loaded some 85 gr HP (Sierra?) in my 243. Shot a small buck at about 50 yards. It went down in it's tracks, but I had hit it just a few inches back and it was not a very pretty sight inside. IIRC, there was no exit wound.

Bullseye_10x

[Bigdog923]

Nice buck thanks for the report

[constructor]

Well Chris, looks like you can slim your bullet selection down a little now.
I really like having 1 type bullet in 1 rifle that I know where it is going in every condition.
I picked up 2 thou 85s last fall on Nov. 3rd, for some reason there was a big rush just after that.
I still think a 95-100gr TTSX doing 3000 would be THE bullet for the 6.8.

[HTR]

Well Chris, looks like you can slim your bullet selection down a little now.
I really like having 1 type bullet in 1 rifle that I know where it is going in every condition.
I picked up 2 thou 85s last fall on Nov. 3rd, for some reason there was a big rush just after that.
I still think a 95-100gr TTSX doing 3000 would be THE bullet for the 6.8.


Yep, that's just what I was thinking. And it is a relief, since all my future load development can be focused on just a few bullets....and subs, of course :a01:. I finally got a 150 that shoots really well, but I still need to get the velocity closer to 1050. It should hit like a ton of bricks.

I think we have probably loaded every .277 bullet with about 32 powders, now. My problem has always been the time needed to find that "all-purpose" load, and I am really close, now that the performance of the 85 TSX has turned out so well.

I couldn't agree more...that a 90-100 grain TTSX, with a little better BC would be the ultimate for the 6.8.

[jasonpeterson]

I'm going to have to order some 85's now. That's one of the bullet I haven't tested. I had been thinking it would just zip right through a whitetail. Thanks Chris.

What would be a good starting load be for my xtremes? 29.5 Reloader 7 ? Loaded to 2.300 oal.

[Red Monkey]

My XT likes 29.5 gr. of 10X loaded to 2.29 oal in SSA cases. From what I've read the MV should be around 2900-3000 fps but not having a chronograph I can't say for sure. I can say it shoots VERY good groups @ 100yds. I plan more testing at 200 and 250 yds. soon with the TSX 85's as well as the PH's and Noslers.

[HTR]

I'm going to have to order some 85's now. That's one of the bullet I haven't tested. I had been thinking it would just zip right through a whitetail. Thanks Chris.

What would be a good starting load be for my xtremes? 29.5 Reloader 7 ? Loaded to 2.300 oal.


That is an excellent starting load, because it has turned out to be the accuracy load for most barrels. This is not surprising, because 90 grain TNT's loaded over this charge of rel. 7 are one-holers from my SS 12/3 barrel. You should be able to get that XT barrel up to 30.5 or perhaps even 30.8 grains of rel 7.

Here's one of the first targets I shot with that load using the 85 TSX:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/dkred5854/DSCF7003.jpg

[Cold]

[/COLOR]


That is an excellent starting load, because it has turned out to be the accuracy load for most barrels. This is not surprising, because 90 grain TNT's loaded over this charge of rel. 7 are one-holers from my SS 12/3 barrel. You should be able to get that XT barrel up to 30.5 or perhaps even 30.8 grains of rel 7.

Here's one of the first targets I shot with that load using the 85 TSX:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/dkred5854/DSCF7003.jpg



Very nice deer HTR

[jasonpeterson]

[/COLOR]


That is an excellent starting load, because it has turned out to be the accuracy load for most barrels. This is not surprising, because 90 grain TNT's loaded over this charge of rel. 7 are one-holers from my SS 12/3 barrel. You should be able to get that XT barrel up to 30.5 or perhaps even 30.8 grains of rel 7.

Thanks. I'm going to give them a try.

[Bull001]

What county are ya'll in again HTR? Near Goliad? Rifle season doesn't open till the 7th. Ya'll have a special season?

[Megalos]

MLD places have a different season than the rest of us

[Jamesb74]

What county are ya'll in again HTR? Near Goliad? Rifle season doesn't open till the 7th. Ya'll have a special season?



HTR is a MLD3 level so his differs a little.

[Bull001]

Oh right, i forgot about land management and the state stuff. Wow, must be nice. When i make my first million, i'm gonna come spend a couple weeks shootin up all your pigs HTR. Might take a nice buck with me too ; )

[HTR]

Oh right, i forgot about land management and the state stuff. Wow, must be nice. When i make my first million, i'm gonna come spend a couple weeks shootin up all your pigs HTR. Might take a nice buck with me too ; )


Yes, that's right, my ranch has earned level 3 MLD status, so I get to start rifle season in October, and end in February. You have to do several different management practices, including habitat improvement, supplemental feeding and selective harvest. We have been managing this place for 9 years now, and the effects are unmistakable. It's hard workl, but well worth it.

Oh, and you don't need a million to come and shoot up the pigs! :a26:

[Bull001]

Yes, that's right, my ranch has earned level 3 MLD status, so I get to start rifle season in October, and end in February. You have to do several different management practices, including habitat improvement, supplemental feeding and selective harvest. We have been managing this place for 9 years now, and the effects are unmistakable. It's hard workl, but well worth it.

Oh, and you don't need a million to come and shoot up the pigs! :a26:

lol, i need a million either way pal! I think it's wonderful what ya'll do, and i wish i could be a part of something like that.