29 Oct 15

Fall Hunting:

Yesterday, at Shawnee Ridge in OH, Vicki and I both brought down magnificent animals.

Vicki’s was a Spanish Goat. Mine was a Red Stag.

Others in our party got two big pigs!

Vicki’s shot was with her Aimpoint-equipped Robar Polymer AR (223), using Cor-Bon 53gr DPX. It was uphill at sixty meters. The single bullet struck just behind the shoulder (broadside), penetrated twelve inches, and exited (not recovered). It destroyed the animal’s ventricles.

The goat, weighing-in at 220lbs, staggered for ten meters, then collapsed, feet up!

We were hesitant to use this light rifle and caliber on an animal this size, but the DPX bullet did its deadly work in dazzling fashion!

I was armed with my Aimpoint-equipped Robinson Arms XCR in 300Blk. Ammunition was Cor-Bon 110gr DPX (supersonic).

My shot was also uphill, at seventy-five meters. The animal was broadside and had just stopped moving. My first shot struck just behind the shoulder, traversed fourteen inches, and exited, blowing out a two-inch chunk of rib on the exit side! The bullet was not recovered, but it had fully expanded. We could tell by the entry and exit holes in both lungs. He weighed-in at 350lbs

The animal jumped slightly upon impact and then started moving again. I was on the link and still in my optic and fired two more shots as he moved, threading himself between obstacles. Both my follow-up shots struck trees that annoyingly jumped between me and the animal as he moved!

As it turned out, neither follow-up shot was necessary. The animal went down after twenty seconds.

My bullet went above his heart, but destroyed both lungs. When we approached him, I could see foamy blood around the exit wound, and around his mouth.

I was surprised at the degree of bullet penetration in both cases. I expected the 223 bullet, at least, to stop before exiting.

In any event, I continue to be delighted to the performance of the 300Blk and of DPX ammunition.

Once again, hunting with our military rifles represents priceless training. Shooting at something that is alive and energetically animated is an invaluable experience. We are starkly reminded what guns and ammunition are really made for. We are thankful for the opportunity.

Our friends at Shawnee Ridge were wonderful, as always, and cunning animals were as illusive as ever!

/John