First kill with my own handloads
I am very excited to have shot my first animal with my own loads. Thanks to all who have posted here, I have read voraciously all I could whilst learning the process. Unfortunately I didnt take any pics of the animal on the ground or after skinning. The load out of my Tikka 243 was, 95gn Hornady SST, 40gn 2209, Federal case, seated to 2.700" OAL.
The red yearling spiker was lasered at 218 yards, across the river. Slightly uphill and with it's head to the left quartering away from me. I was lying in the worst position possible when I saw the first of three animals, lying slightly down hill and in the middle of blackberry bush, nevermind.
I shot the animal I had selected high in the crease behind the onside shoulder. It jumped, hit the deck, and slid 10 yards down hill, dead as a dodo. I crossed the river to retrieve the animal, freezing my nuts off in the process. Mangina is the word for my man bits when reaching the far bank. Shooting finished, a flask of single malt appeared to relieve the pain of the cold river water. Anyway, off up hill to retrieve my freezer filler. As I wound my way hill, dodging blackberry and weaving my way through copious mounds of fresh steaming poos, I smelled the deer before I saw it. I found it exactly where i thought it would be slumped up against a tree that had arrested its slide down the hill.
I dragged it down to the river flats 40 yards below, removed the head, nuts and guts, and then dragged it across the freezing stream to the opposite bank where I had started. The shot had missed the heart and lungs, gone high in the rib cage, breaking the offside shoulder. I decided to carry the whole carcass out as it was a prime condition eater/destined for the chiller for a week or so. So belted up the legs and carried it out whole across my back for 2 kms back to the ute.
When I got home I hung it in a tree, gathered my thoughts, cracked a lager, and begun the cleanup process. The offside shoulder was broken, I knew that before I carried it out. But I wasnt prepared for the extent of damage caused by the frangible projectile. After skinning I discovered that whilst the projectile had missed the onside shoulder, it was ruined anyway with extensive bruising present. The offside shoulder was shattered, with fragmentation damage covering 90mm of the inside of the offside shoulder area. I could not find a single piece of the projectile, even though on the skin there was no obvious exit wound.
Basically the entire front end was stuffed. I had carried it out whole for no reason. I was only able to recover the straps and hind quarters. I have not seen this kind of damage with soft point projectiles, but the drop of the animal was emphatic, having not hit vitals. I gather this is "par for the course" with SST's? Should I abandon them and carry on using soft points?
Again, thanks for all the input. I have learned heaps from the advice here.
