Bullet Expansion- Shockwave

[Lee 9]

416 LJT
Actually that spot is about 3 inches over the top of the heart where the major blood vessels split up and the carotid branches off; the nerve center is also there an expanding bullet in that spot will generally put them down on the spot it is where I aim for. Part of the effect of hitting that spot is a direct hit on those blood vessels with jelly the brain with the hydrostatic shock.

 

[saxman1]

I have only killed one deer with the shockwave.
It was the 200 grn with supplied sabot
90 grn BH 209
W 209 primer.

85 yards,boom flop,no bullet recovery.
Don't know about expansion but the deer died almost insatantly.
I like to recover the bullet if i can.
So I cant tell you about the terminal preformance,where I hit the deer I could have used about any projectile and the result would have been the same.

I have been hunting with the 45 cal but my 50 is sighted in with the 250 grn SW
I have confidance in the bullet when placed in the right spot for that range,powder charge,animal and body position and thats the key for any bullet.

 

[lefteye]

I got away from the 250 Shockwave due to lack of a bloodtrail on a lung shot. I found the deer, but no blood for the 60-70 yards the deer ran. Accuracy was fine, but I was hoping for more of a blood trail. I moved up to a 300 grain XTP. Hopefully we'll see how it works soon.

 

[rat trapper]

When you dress out each deer, you need to take time to look at the damage done inside. By doing this I have found the 300 grain shock wave to be a real good performer. Now I have shot over 300 big game animals with everything from a bow & arrow, ML, shotguns, & rifles. Deer properly hit with shockwaves drop on the spot or very close by. With 150 grain charge of triple seven and a 300 grain shockwave, I have seen a deer's heart blown to bits. Nothing left of the heart but little chunks. So don't tell me this bullet does not work, cause I have shoot too much game with it to believe that B.S. They work just fine, but you have to place them in the right spot.

 

[Lee 9]

Rat Trapper, I get the feeling that its not the bullet that some people are having problems with and that they just do not realize what is wrong.
At our range one fellow was complaining about deer not going down and poor blood trails when I ask him to show me his gun and load and where he aimed on a deer target the problem was easy to spot. He used 70 gr of pyrodex with a Shock Wave and aimed at the back edge of the lungs.
It turn out that he was scared of the recoil and jerked the trigger to go with it.
It is my considered opinion that every bullet has a velocity range it is designed for and if it is not used with in that range then the shooter not the bullet is at fault.

 

[ronlaughlin]

When you dress out each deer, you need to take time to look at the damage done inside. By doing this I have found the 300 grain shock wave to be a real good performer. Now I have shot over 300 big game animals with everything from a bow & arrow, ML, shotguns, & rifles. Deer properly hit with shockwaves drop on the spot or very close by. With 150 grain charge of triple seven and a 300 grain shockwave, I have seen a deer's heart blown to bits. Nothing left of the heart but little chunks. So don't tell me this bullet does not work, cause I have shoot too much game with it to believe that B.S. They work just fine, but you have to place them in the right spot.

Last season i killed 5 deer using the 300g shockwave. I took the time and studied the damage done inside each deer. All of these deer ended up in our freezer, and at this time are mostly eaten.

I have since killed 7 deer using either a 300g Nosler Partition, or a 270g Speer Gold Dot. I took the time and studied the damage done inside each deer.

We may agree that the Shockwave 'works', but in my opinion, there are other bullets that 'work' better. I hope you don't think this is B.S.

 

[Lee 9]

Ron, I have to agree with that it is a fact that while I like the Shock Wave there are some bullets that have a better over all terminal effect.
I will say though that they are right in the top two or three for accuracy especally long range accuracy.
I believe for the normal shot the reasonably priced 250 or 300 Gold Dot is very effective for deer. For bigger game the more expensive bullets like the Partition [I just bought a buch of those on sale took all they had] the A frame and the Lehigh some like the Barns but my experance with them is not all that great. Lee

 

[quigley]

When you dress out each deer, you need to take time to look at the damage done inside. By doing this I have found the 300 grain shock wave to be a real good performer. Now I have shot over 300 big game animals with everything from a bow & arrow, ML, shotguns, & rifles. Deer properly hit with shockwaves drop on the spot or very close by. With 150 grain charge of triple seven and a 300 grain shockwave, I have seen a deer's heart blown to bits. Nothing left of the heart but little chunks. So don't tell me this bullet does not work, cause I have shoot too much game with it to believe that B.S. They work just fine, but you have to place them in the right spot.

I certainly wouldnt say this bullet does not work. I am new to ML and as I stated in the first post, this was my first deer with a BPML. I made what I thought was a perfect shot. A little high, but the deer went straight down. There was not alot of blood. The bullet may have expanded, I dont know. There was a 1/2 inch hole on both sides. When I gutted the deer I found no catastophic damage to the lungs. I guess Im used to my .30-06. Small hole on one side, large hole on the other. I just wanted to find a good dependable hunting bullet for my Triumph. I must say the Shockwave is crazy accurate and if the deer keep falling Ill keep shootin it. Thanks to all.

 

[Spitpatch]

One thing no one has mentioned here is the fact that on a double lung broadside shot, a pass through may not immediately leave a blood trail, regardless of projectile.

A deer covers a lot of ground very quickly while on it's death run. During that time the deer has to bleed out internally to point where the blood is forced out either the entry or exit, which ever is lowest.


Blood trails are great and we all want them, but what you want is not always what you get. Part of good woodsman ship is remembering where you last saw the animal and the tracking process.
Nothing will work 100%, 100% of the time.

 

[quigley]

One thing no one has mentioned here is the fact that on a double lung broadside shot, a pass through may not immediately leave a blood trail, regardless of projectile.

A deer covers a lot of ground very quickly while on it's death run. During that time the deer has to bleed out internally to point where the blood is forced out either the entry or exit, which ever is lowest.


Blood trails are great and we all want them, but what you want is not always what you get. Part of good woodsman ship is remembering where you last saw the animal and the tracking process.
Nothing will work 100%, 100% of the time.

Man Spitpatch... Those are some freak nasty brutes youve taken. Nice deer. They dont grow many like that in NC where I live.

 

[Spitpatch]

Thanks Quig...
But what about the Shockwaves? You use em?

 

[quigley]

Thanks Quig...
But what about the Shockwaves? You use em?

Yea... I started this post. I just started ML. Have not tried any other bullet but Shockwaves. They are deadly accurate from my Triumph. The deer I shot was DRT. There was just not much damage to the deer and not much blood. It was a double lung shot. Your right it could have been bleeding internally. I have not seen anything yet to make me change to a different bullet.

 

[ZRider]

I use the 200 grain Shockwaves and strive for a double lung or heart shot. They do not perform well on deer sized game when making shoulder shots. So far I have taken 2 does last year and 2 bucks this year with my Triumph using the 200 with Harvester CR sabots driven by 110 gr. of 777 3f powder. All but one were double lung shots the other being a spine shot. Non of the lung shotdeer made it more than 100 yards total before expiring. With the 200 Shockwave you just have to shoot them and let them run.

 

[fd4410]

Being somewhat new to ML hunting I often lurk and read. I started ML hunting after a poor shot from a slug ended up with a nice 7 point being recovered 2 weeks later. Huge body on that buck, total waste and I never want to do that again. I shoot a Winchester Apex .50 with a Leupold VX-II 3-9x40. After reading a lot of information and after a successful hunt with a 250gr Shockwave I thought maybe the boom flop I got was a fluke and went with an XTP last year. The shockwave was over 2 50 gr piro pellets. the XTP over 110 gr 777 lose. 2 deer with these, both ran, both took a second shot. this year I have gone back to the shockwave. Yesterday I took 2 deer a nice doe, and a button. both were 110 yards. Both boom, flop. I did not recover any bullets as both were pass through. I didn't notice any blood trail, but then again they dropped where they stood. The internal damage was massive, and both had respectable exit wounds. the load was a 250 gr shockwave over 100 gr 777 with a Remington STS primer. To be honest, I am sure there are plenty of very effective loads out there, and i am sure there are more effective ones as well. But for the price I find the performance very acceptable. Just my 2 cents worth. The moral is find what works for you, make a good shot, and recover what you shoot.

 

[Spitpatch]

Well said.... 8)

 

[Spitpatch]

Well said.... 8)