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WebMonkey
11-19-2019, 05:19 PM
Some of you might have perused my post about archery deer this year.
I sure do like the blind and chairpod for sitting all day.

I usually skip opening weekend of firearms deer season.
there are usually a lot of people camping on the surrounding properties and I've got time since I live here.
;)

This year I invested in some replacement trail cameras and tried to 'pattern' or just locate other deer on my property other than the usual does/fawns at the food plot.
(where my box blind is)

I spotted this guy cruising up and down one of my more established 4 wheeler paths so I decided to drag the old tent blind out and set it up.

I took my thermos, folding seat, and a rattle bag.

An hour and a half of sitting and sipping on coffee my backside was dreaming of my chairpod sitting in the box blind on the other side of the property.

Movement in the trees off to the right, thought it was a doe till I glassed it.
He broke the treeline and stopped in the trail.
My 3 hour old blind setup must have caught his interest as he looked right at my location for a bit.

I was willing him to walk down the path and visit me but I sensed he was going to move
on.

I brought up the Ruger American Rifle predator in .308 and seated, unsupported, put the crosshairs of the Nikon 3x9-40 (set on 3x) and pulled the trigger.

The buck did a hot potato shuffle then took off.

I drank a couple sips of coffee, buttoned things up then went to see what was what.

About 60 yards from where he got hit was where he piled up.

The Lee 309-170-F still works. This particular time it was powder coated (green/orange stagger in the magazine) with gas check over 17.2 grains of 2400.

One shot, one deer, from a 2 year old hand loaded, hand cast round.
Sweet!

251489
251490
251491
251492
251493

It's been awhile since I brought home a deer this large bodied.
It won't change my meat vs trophy style but man, it really makes the time worthwhile in the freezer department. Big ol' thick neck on this fella.

Anyway, my confidence with the bow is getting higher but my Ruger gives me no worries at all when I do firearm hunt.

Thanks to all those that contribute here.
It made a difference in my cast success.

'monkey

modified5
11-19-2019, 05:29 PM
Very nice buck. I have that mould and need to give it a shake down in the old 30-30.
Congratulations.

Markopolo
11-19-2019, 05:33 PM
awesome deer!!!!! nicely done... love the details...

and I think the green PC helps camo the boolit so they don t jump out of the way when fired... :drinks:

robg
11-19-2019, 05:35 PM
Grand day out ,nice I'm jealous

bluejay75
11-19-2019, 06:24 PM
WM,

What kind of velocity do you think you’re getting out of that load?

swheeler
11-19-2019, 06:35 PM
Congratulations on a nice buck!:drinks:

white eagle
11-19-2019, 07:01 PM
nice buck
your country looks like where I hunt
I thought it may have been a 358 win at first glance
but I read after looking over the pics
good job

shortlegs
11-19-2019, 07:08 PM
It doesnt get any better than using your boolit that you loaded to kill a very nice deer!!!

marshall623
11-19-2019, 07:51 PM
Nice buck , you can’t go wrong with a 308 .

Hogdaddy
11-19-2019, 08:05 PM
Congrats on a very nice buck & your own cast boolit at that ; )
H/D

nagantguy
11-19-2019, 08:30 PM
Sometimes we have to use our imagination and go to where the deer are not where we wish them to be. Great buck, nice shooting!

WebMonkey
11-19-2019, 08:38 PM
WM,

What kind of velocity do you think you’re getting out of that load?

The chronograph says 1603fps with powder coat.
I get 1560fps using Lee liquid alox.

The box I pulled out had PC in it and since either shoots moa all day long, I loaded the PC and set out for the woods.

:)

Iwsbull
11-19-2019, 08:59 PM
Awesome.

CastingFool
11-19-2019, 09:08 PM
Congrats on a very nice buck! I have that mold, too, bought it with the intention of using it for my 308 and 30-06. I also have 4 lbs of 2400!

444ttd
11-20-2019, 06:35 PM
great buck!!!!!!

Kylongrifle32
11-20-2019, 11:45 PM
Congratulations Sir on a nice buck

smokeater
11-22-2019, 11:57 PM
Well Done. Just goes to show what a person can accomplish if they do their homework. 250gr at 3000fps not necessary plus more enjoyable to shoot.

winelover
11-23-2019, 07:13 AM
Nice buck. Photo of property looks just like mine.

Winelover

pworley1
11-23-2019, 08:05 AM
Nice deer, great write up. That is why we hunt with cast.

Silvercreek Farmer
11-23-2019, 08:42 AM
Very nice! I've put quite a bit of meat in the freezer with that boolit/2400 in the 30-06.

greenwart
11-23-2019, 09:08 AM
Gas checks or not on the Politically Correct Boolit?

dverna
11-23-2019, 10:09 AM
Well Done. Just goes to show what a person can accomplish if they do their homework. 250gr at 3000fps not necessary plus more enjoyable to shoot.

Exactly….OP was not even up to .30/30 levels and it worked great. Most hunters would be better off with a .30/30 unless they need to reach our farther than 200 yards. I see guys using 7mm Mag on 100 lb deer hunting in the woods...just so stupid.

BTW. nice buck and loved the report!!!

WebMonkey
11-23-2019, 04:37 PM
Gas checks or not on the Politically Correct Boolit?

Yes, gas checked.
At my speed I can do without but I have much better accuracy with the check using the load I like.

:)

WebMonkey
11-23-2019, 04:40 PM
The projectile passed through and was not recovered.
I have every confidence there was expansion/deformation.

Shot placement was the key of course (thanks ruger/Nikon), but the exit hole was nice without taking good meat with it.

:)

30coupe
11-23-2019, 04:41 PM
Congrats on a dandy buck! Lots of meat hanging there beside you! I had grilled steak from the buck I shot during archery season for supper last night...very tasty! I've got a similar .30 cal. mold from Lyman, but alas we can't use them here in Iowa. They are gradually loosening things up though. Now we can use certain straight walled cartridges in rifles during shotgun season. I generally opt for one of my sidelock muzzleloaders though. I could, and probably should do up some handloads for my original trapdoor Springfield 45-70, but I still enjoy the front-loaders too much. If I do use the trapdoor, it will be with real black powder anyway.

Nice story on the buck by the way. I can't do 3 hours on one of those camp stools anymore. I bought a swivel seat chair with a backrest from Cabelas a few years ago. They are on the heavy side, but your back will appreciate it.

Cary Gunn
11-29-2019, 04:22 PM
Hey WebMonkey,

That's a really nice deer.

Doesn't sound like you needed one, but I'm wondering if that buck left any kind of blood-trail in the 60 yards he traveled after your shot?

And to "30coupe," I'm with you on your love for the old sidelock front-stuffers. Most of the last several whitetails I've killed have dropped to a .54-caliber patched round ball.

Just can't get enough of the stink of real black powder smoke in the morning. There's nothing else quite like it.

Happy trails,

-- Cary Gunn --

WebMonkey
12-01-2019, 09:02 PM
I found a drop of blood a yard from point of impact.

10 yards after that, it looked like someone was dropping it by the cupful every 3 yards or so.

Very easy follow.

Again, as much the shot placement as the projectile.

Very comfortable and confident with the ruger/nikon pairing.

smoked turkey
12-01-2019, 11:54 PM
WebMonkey I want to add my congratulations along with the others. Nice job on the buck. An off hand shot is sometimes iffy but you have it down from the write-up and pictures. I also used a .308 to down a nice buck this year. My boolit was a 308291 over 12 gr of Unique. Great caliber for whitetail here in the Ozarks. Your hunting lane is very nice and looks like a great spot to be.

Nrut
12-02-2019, 05:23 PM
Nice buck!

btrapr1
12-02-2019, 08:09 PM
Congrats!

Ramjet-SS
12-02-2019, 09:52 PM
Great story and nice buck the shot was good too.

Texas by God
12-03-2019, 01:18 AM
That boolit’s 150gr little brother would have worked, too. What a great story- I’m glad and jealous at the same time.

Prodigal Son
12-07-2019, 11:03 PM
Good buck nice story and eat well my friend

Three44s
12-08-2019, 05:10 AM
A very nice bodied buck indeed! Though horns are just braggin’ rights and not edibles, a good nice rack as a bonus.

Three44s

Edward
12-08-2019, 06:10 AM
Nice buck and nice/pretty boolit plus perfect placement