# Sub Par Performance Hornady Interlok on Elk?



## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

Just got back from my LE Elk hunt and while I was able to bring home a bull, it didn’t come without some intense moments trying to bring down my bull! 

I was shooting 165gr Hornady Interlok BTSP bullets out of my 30-06. I reload them with 49.7gr of IMR 4064 at the tune of about 2775 FPS. 

I was able to take all shots (5 total!) all between 80-100 yards. After questioning how many times I actually hit him, while skinning him we found three double lungs, one liver and one in the spine that brought him down. 

Everyone of the shots were nearly pin holes, and little to no blood from initial shot to where he laid. From first shot to final shot was about 200 yards travel distance. 

Here are two of the bullets I recovered. Both look like they just came apart upon impact. 

Any explanation one might have for this? Too close for controlled expansion? I don’t want to have to go through that again. 



































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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Meh....Elk are really tough animals. If you had enough time to make 5 good hits, he was likely just dead on his feet and waiting to fall over. If you want to 'knock em dead' like the movies, you have to blast the point of the shoulder or break the spine which can both waste a lot of good venison. In my experience, make a good shot with a bullet sufficient to reach the vitals and continue shooting until they are down no matter how good you have hit them. If you have to track, don't give up just because you aren't seeing blood.

Sounds like you did everything right and had a great result. Congrats!!! Now, enough with the messed up bullets, lets see a dead elk!-------SS


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

I agree, very tough animals! He took two and just walked on into the trees like nothing happened, then laid down. I kept watching him waiting for him to tip over and nothing. He got up and I hit him again. Walked 100 yds, laid down. Did the same thing, got up hit him again and he walked another 100 and laid down. Still not tipping over! Then finally one last shot and he was down. This was several minutes span! 

Anyways….. passed up many many bulls early on and got him 5 days into it. Wasatch LE. Not the biggest bull but definitely happy with him! It was a great hunt. Didn’t run into another hunter for 7 days on the mountain. Basically had it all to ourselves. 











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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Looks like standard performance for a cup and core bullet. 

If you want one that holds together you need to look at the Nosler Partition, Swift A Frame, or a mono metal bullet like the Barnes. Even at that the Partition will shed the front portion of the bullet keeping the back half intact. I have no idea how the Swift A frame performs but folks that head to Africa like them.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I really like the Nosler partitions. Have taken several bulls and some cows with them and pretty much all dropped in their tracks. 
I shoot 30.06. 165 grains.


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

2full said:


> I really like the Nosler partitions. Have taken several bulls and some cows with them and pretty much all dropped in their tracks.
> I shoot 30.06. 165 grains.


That bullet was what I was planning to use, but with the craziness of the last year the Interloks were all that I could find this year in the 165-180 gr. I guess I had high expectations! 


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Interlocks don't have the best bond to the cup. When that core slips out, usually you just find the cup on the off side. The cup is usually just under the skin. 

I agree the bull was probably just bleeding out but I'd have put more rounds in him too. Fill the vitals with holes, the more the better. 

I had one elk double lunged that didn't shed a drop of blood until it tipped over. This was with a nosler accubond that seemed to pensile through. Luckily the damage was done internally.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Critter said:


> I have no idea how the Swift A frame performs but folks that head to Africa like them.


It hits them like a freaking sledgehammer. Amazing bullets, just extremely expensive. I have a box of Federal Safari Grade ammo with the 165gr A-Frame's for my 7STW. Elk went 1 direction, straight down.

Much love for partitions too. They are the best bullet imo for deer and antelope sized game: always expands, always penetrates.

-DallanC


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

My motto has always been:
Shoot till they quit wiggling.
I hate chasing/losing animals.
😁


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

2full said:


> My motto has always been:
> Shoot till they quit wiggling.
> I hate chasing/losing animals.


The last elk that I shot with my muzzle loader was dead with the first shot that hit him, but I shot him 2 more times. When I got back to camp I was asked why I kept shooting if he was dead from the first shot, I just said because he was still standing 

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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

It's called slipping the core. Typical for bullets driven too fast or that impact at close range. The jacket expands immdediatly on contact, the core disintegrates. A buddy and I once shot into a deep pool of water, he with his 300 Win Mag, me with my 35 Whelen. My recovered slug was nicely mushroomed, retaining 70% of its original weight. We couldn't find his. Blew up. The Whelen was pushing a Speer 250gr SPFB at about 2500FPS, his was a 180gr SPBT at 3000-3100 or so.

I once shot a deer with a 375H&H Magnum Ruger #1 at about 75 yards. By the time I I got the scope back down to where he was, he'd disappeared. Walked over to where he had been standing, he fell dead in his tracks behind a log. The bullet, a 300gr Sierra SPBT, had broken a couple of ribs behind his right scapula, then ranged forward, exiting in front of the left scapula. Didn't recover the bullet, of course. The exit would was a bit larger, still just breaking a few ribs. Zero meat damage. Simple cup and core bullets perform better at moderate velocities.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Last elk I shot with a rifle was with a 30.06 at about 100 yards with 165 grain partitions. The bull spun around 180 degrees and I used the exit wound as an aiming point for the second shot. Both were lethal but it took a minute for it to realize he was dead. The whole DRT is over rated.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

160 grain nosler partitions are what shoots well out of my tikka 7mm rem mag. I love the performance of them as well. With the front half being standard soft point construction you get violent expansion even at modest velocities and the back half will give you deep penetration. No worries either way about pencil hole wounds from a bullet that is too tough or inadequate penetration from a bullet that is too soft. The party up front, business in the back design seems to work well. Another intriguing bullet design I haven't got to test out on an animal yet is the federal trophy bonded tip.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

On the left is a 160 grain partition from a cow elk my wife shot at a ranged 420 yards on the tushars with a 7mm rem mag. Bullet went through the leg bone, left a 50 cent piece sized hole through the heart and came to test under the opposite hide. On the right I think is a swift A frame from a .300 win mag her grandmother shot into a goat that was also on the tushars.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

This is a hornady interlock I retrieved from a cow elk I shot in 2018 at 263 yards with my .270 win. took her down in one shot, projectile was just under the hide on the opposite side.

if hunting has taught me anything, it’s that every animal reacts different when shot. I’ve seen some absorb a hit, thinking it was a miss, some tip over on the spot and others run 30 yards with a hole through its heart. You just never really know what they’re going to do


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Ray said:


> This is a hornady interlock I retrieved from a cow elk I shot in 2018 at 263 yards with my .270 win. took her down in one shot, projectile was just under the hide on the opposite side.
> 
> if hunting has taught me anything, it’s that every animal reacts different when shot. I’ve seen some absorb a hit, thinking it was a miss, some tip over on the spot and others run 30 yards with a hole through its heart. You just never really know what they’re going to do
> 
> View attachment 149476


What is the weight, Ray? The 140gr Interlocks shoot well out of my 270. About 2960FPS, accurate and clean burning with H450.


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## DreadedBowHunter (Sep 22, 2021)

I use 139grain interlocks and sometimes have had issues but I can sneak in at 30-40 yards. Smacks hard like a 2x4 and get lots of blood trails but they don’t drop immediately and bed down ASAP so I end up having to wait for a while which is not what we want, we want to recover the animal 5 mins ago but gotta let the animals vitals shut down without bumping it to a new bed. Patience is a virtual that most of us overlook and feel responsible for knowing where we hit, if it was a good enough shot, letting our mind race at 17,000mph. We do owe the animal a quick humane death but most of the time they are already dead they just still have oxygen in the blood to keep their instincts to make their body still functioning even though they’re walking dead.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

paddler said:


> What is the weight, Ray? The 140gr Interlocks shoot well out of my 270. About 2960FPS, accurate and clean burning with H450.


130gr, I honestly haven’t tried 140, I’ve always ran with 130 or 150, I might have to give your setup a try and see how it performs.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

I'll buck the trend here and say I've had great success with both nosler ballistic tips and berger classic hunters. Small entry, devastating internally and large exit wounds on thin bodied animals. Elk exit wounds are 50/50. I'm a lung shooter so I've gravitated toward these types of projectiles. My next load will be a combination so to speak, hammer hunters. Front end fragments and the back holds together for the exit wound.


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## lifesshort (Apr 3, 2017)

Nosler Partitions have never let me down since the early 80s.
.338 I use 210s. 225s are better but they did not have them when I started so I have stuck with the 210s
3006 180 Nosler partition
270 150 Nosler partition
Never failed on 20+ elk
3 moose
5 bears
5 African plains animals
1 Bison
numerous Texas Boars
I have never tried any of the new premium bullets because the partitions have never gave me reason to switch.


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Swift has both A-frames and Scirocco II available in 130 grain 270 on their website. For the OP they also have the Scirocco II in 180 grain .308. Heavier than your 165s but not a bad thing for elk. The Swift offerings are a lot more expensive than a cup and core, but they will not come apart at any speed you're going to be able to push them. Both are bonded so will retain weight much better than an non-bonded bullet. I haven't shot the A-frames, but the Scirocco II grouped very well from both rifles I loaded them for. I have yet to recover a bullet, unfortunately. 



APD said:


> My next load will be a combination so to speak, hammer hunters. Front end fragments and the back holds together for the exit wound.


I switched from the Scirocco II to a Hammer Hunter in my 6mm Rem. The Scirocco grouped a bit better but since I'm not likely to shoot at ranges with that gun that will make a practical difference, I liked the idea of a lead free bullet. My 300 WM is at the smith getting a new barrel, and when it comes back, the Hammers are on the short list of bullets to try for that one too.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

lifesshort said:


> Nosler Partitions have never let me down since the early 80s.
> .338 I use 210s. 225s are better but they did not have them when I started so I have stuck with the 210s
> 3006 180 Nosler partition
> 270 150 Nosler partition
> ...


It really feels like John Nosler knocked it out of the park on his first try. The only real knock on partitions is the lower BC if you're looking to shoot long distances.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Partitions are actually two bullets when you think about it. A reasonably frangible bullet in front combined with a FMJ in the back. That's why they're so reliable.

Somebody above mentioned the Ballistic Tips. A buddy and I were on top of a ridge in the Uintas early morning, glassing down some avalanche chutes. He snuck over to me to say that he saw a buck that was pretty decent and that he wanted to shoot it because it would be easy to get out. We were at 10,500 feet, and the chutes were steep. The buck was maybe 200 yards below us. He shot once, the deer collapse only to get back up and run downhill, almost all the way to the bottom. He had to shoot it again a time or two. We found the his first shot with a 180gr Ballistic Tip had impacted the right scapula and exploded, didn't penetrate the chest cavity at all. Took us two days to get his "easy to get out" deer out of that **** chute.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

My buddy guides A LOT of big bull kills and has watched an elk take upwards of 9 shots before falling down. Especially when you are going after those big boys! Hell I have seen a cow take 5 shots before - albeit they weren't all great shots (not me). 

These guys can take a lot of damage. The fact he laid down fairly quick leads me to believe he was struggling - but you did the right thing by firing until he was expired. Don't want them to suffer more than needed.


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

RandomElk16 said:


> My buddy guides A LOT of big bull kills and has watched an elk take upwards of 9 shots before falling down. Especially when you are going after those big boys! Hell I have seen a cow take 5 shots before - albeit they weren't all great shots (not me).
> 
> These guys can take a lot of damage. The fact he laid down fairly quick leads me to believe he was struggling - but you did the right thing by firing until he was expired. Don't want them to suffer more than needed.


After it was all said and done and I saw where all shots had hit him, I agree I’m sure he was done from the first shot. But the fact I couldn’t see any blood on either side of him as he walked off and then second guessing where I hit him was a little nerve racking. I kept waiting for him to tip over every time he laid down, but just wasn’t happening! Thanks for all the replies. Good discussion!


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

nickpan said:


> After it was all said and done and I saw where all shots had hit him, I agree I’m sure he was done from the first shot. But the fact I couldn’t see any blood on either side of him as he walked off and then second guessing where I hit him was a little nerve racking. I kept waiting for him to tip over every time he laid down, but just wasn’t happening! Thanks for all the replies. Good discussion!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I think that the performance of broadheads and bullets is the most fun topic of conversation on the planet.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

colorcountrygunner said:


> I think that the performance of broadheads and bullets is the most fun topic of conversation on the planet.


Zwickey Forever  :









Zwickey Eskimo 2-Blade Glue-On Broadheads 3-pack


Check out the deal on Zwickey Eskimo 2-Blade Glue-On Broadheads 3-pack at 3Rivers Archery Supply




www.3riversarchery.com


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## SCS_Bg_Hunter (Oct 27, 2019)

I started shooting Hornady Superformance last year out of my 25-06. Shot a Coues deer at 400 yards and the bullet exploded, first time I've ever bitten into bullet fragments when eating game meat. In one backstrap I pulled out 4 fragments. He was facing me and the shot went through his brisket and took out his heart and just blew apart.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

paddler said:


> Partitions are actually two bullets when you think about it. A reasonably frangible bullet in front combined with a FMJ in the back. That's why they're so reliable.
> 
> Somebody above mentioned the Ballistic Tips. A buddy and I were on top of a ridge in the Uintas early morning, glassing down some avalanche chutes. He snuck over to me to say that he saw a buck that was pretty decent and that he wanted to shoot it because it would be easy to get out. We were at 10,500 feet, and the chutes were steep. The buck was maybe 200 yards below us. He shot once, the deer collapse only to get back up and run downhill, almost all the way to the bottom. He had to shoot it again a time or two. We found the his first shot with a 180gr Ballistic Tip had impacted the right scapula and exploded, didn't penetrate the chest cavity at all. Took us two days to get his "easy to get out" deer out of that **** chute.


What year was this? The older BT's were nearly explosive with how fast they came apart. The newer ones are labeled ballistic tip hunters. They still shouldn't be driven too fast.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

APD said:


> What year was this? The older BT's were nearly explosive with how fast they came apart. The newer ones are labeled ballistic tip hunters. They still shouldn't be driven too fast.


Yes, it was a long time ago. Obviously, Nosler received feedback and strengthened the jacket.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Over on a African forum you can pick up Nosler Partitions a dime a dozen. There are very few over there that have anything good to say about them. For some reason they want the partitions to hold the front portion together while traveling through a animal and they don't understand that the purpose of them was to shed the front portion and retain weight in the rear for deeper penetration. 

They love Swift A Frames and Barnes TTSX bullets. But when you are shooting at animals who's hide is 1/2 a inch thick and some 2 inches you want a bullet that is going to hold together and penetrate all the way to the other side if not blowing a hole in the off side. But a lot of the members over there don't think that you have a rifle unless it starts with a .375 or larger caliber.


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## MrShane (Jul 21, 2019)

Nick,
Nice bull, glad you got him!
The Hornady ELD-X seperates just like your bullet, I stopped ising them a few animals ago after losing a small bull that I tipped over. I kept my crosshairs on him for a few minutes as my buddy was congratulating me. I gathered my belongings and when we made it to him( only 300 yrds) he was gone.
My buddy and his sons use that bullet and everytime we recover one it is separated.
Since switching to Barnes I have walloped a muzzy deer ( retrieved the 250 grain bullet and it weighed 247), an Antelope last year ( bullet was complete pass through), and a bear last friday where bullet went in left side and found it lodged deep inside right shoulder( pictured).
I called Barnes and the plastic tip on the 250TEZ is specified to weigh 3 grains and the plastic on the 127LRX is supposed to weigh 1 grain.
Both bullets had 100% weight retention while maintaining some pretty nasty cutting edges, not unlike a small broadhead.
I am extremely pleased and doubt I will ever use a different bullet.
I have the 250TEZ out in my shop if you want to stop by one day after visiting your Pops.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

If you want to KILL an animal and not chase them....I'm a firm believer in the Berger Bullets. They can really mess up some meat when they do what they are designed to do, which is penetrate deep into the body, then come apart. Its like a small grenade blowing up. They fricking put the animal on the ground and no tracking required. You might loose a shoulder from the "explosion" but they KILL!


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

MrShane said:


> Nick,
> Nice bull, glad you got him!
> The Hornady ELD-X seperates just like your bullet, I stopped ising them a few animals ago after losing a small bull that I tipped over. I kept my crosshairs on him for a few minutes as my buddy was congratulating me. I gathered my belongings and when we made it to him( only 300 yrds) he was gone.
> My buddy and his sons use that bullet and everytime we recover one it is separated.
> ...


Sounds good! I’ll stop by next time I see you out and about! Awesome bear as well. 


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

Congratulations on a great animal and successful hunt. I have really liked the Nosler Accubond bullets in my 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm-08s and now in my .325WSM. Rarely catch a bullet, but have caught a few. Always a beautiful mushroom. I shot my big bull this past fall with my .325 and a 200 grain Accubond. Distance was 475 yards. Hit him twice, found one bullet, but the other made it out the other side. Bull traveled about 10-15 yards total, due to taking out large bones in the shoulder with this first shot that was recovered. Here is what it looked like. Always had similar results with them. If your rifle will shoot them, they are a very good bullet.


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## justismi28 (Aug 19, 2014)

I have some 200gr accubonds to get loaded up for my .300 wm and that picture perfect performance is what I’m after. I just need to find some magnum primers now. 

I really like the bonded bullets for hunting. I was able to take my elk this year with a 180gr Federal Trophy Bonded tip that performed flawlessly. Even at what some would consider “extended range”. Recovered bullet was the second hit, quartering to went in the front of the leg and found in the opposite side rear hind. First hit was a pass through broadside shot.


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

I love reading about these. I have shot 143 gr ELDX in my Creedmore and it was very good on a cow elk. Easy shot (40 yards), but shot twice just in case (shoot till it's down). I have yet to shoot a deer with that load, I bet it would be very good. 

Another less sexy load is the Federal Fusion. I've really, really liked that bullet. Shot several cows with it and has always been good performance. I couldn't get them last year so I bought some Federal Premium somethings and they have grouped well in my Rem .270 Model 7400 (which is very, very picky). It did not like Superformance at all. I think it was going too fast for that old of barrel. I slowed it down and the Fusion was the winner. 

My friend swears by Barnes copper bullets. I've seen the recovery on deer and man they are very good.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

justismi28 said:


> I have some 200gr accubonds to get loaded up for my .300 wm and that picture perfect performance is what I’m after. I just need to find some magnum primers now.
> 
> I really like the bonded bullets for hunting. I was able to take my elk this year with a 180gr Federal Trophy Bonded tip that performed flawlessly. Even at what some would consider “extended range”. Recovered bullet was the second hit, quartering to went in the front of the leg and found in the opposite side rear hind. First hit was a pass through broadside shot.


Bonded bullets are cool. I have a good number of Accubond handloads in a variety of calibers. I need to use them instead of my other stuff, "old standbys".


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

nickpan said:


> Just got back from my LE Elk hunt and while I was able to bring home a bull, it didn’t come without some intense moments trying to bring down my bull!
> 
> I was shooting 165gr Hornady Interlok BTSP bullets out of my 30-06. I reload them with 49.7gr of IMR 4064 at the tune of about 2775 FPS.
> 
> ...


That bullet did what it was designed to do.

Congrats on your nice elk!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

APD said:


> What year was this? The older BT's were nearly explosive with how fast they came apart. The newer ones are labeled ballistic tip hunters. They still shouldn't be driven too fast.


Yeah, yeah. I did up some hot barrel-burning 85 gr 25-06 Ballistic Tips. On antelope less than 100 yards the bullet just blew up as soon as it hit the hide...terrible...like you put a stick of dynamite in the poor thing.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

If you use a Smith n Wesson 460 Magnum it doesn't really matter what kinda bullet you use. Anything less than 100 yards and the shock wave knocks the bull down.

Ooh, top of the page.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I shot a little buck years ago with my 44 Mag at about 50 yards. I've never seen a deer get slammed down like that. The bloodshot was amazing when I cut it up.


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