Dispatch

[versa-06]

Well deer & bear season was completed today in Va. Around here that means it is time to trap & snare yotes. The dispatch is a perfect opportunity to test boolits for hunting loads. Over the years I have tested loads from not aggressive enough, to being overly aggressive as far as meat & pelt damage is concerned. These methods help in the application of dispatching critters both small & large. Example I have a load 5gr of 800-X soupcan bullet (LEE) in a 30-30 at 120 gr that I put down a domestic hog (approx. 350 lbs.) at 10 yds. Air Cooled W.W. The boolit entered center between the eyes & lodged just under the skin Center just below the rib cage. Traveling that distance through the hog with that low charge was quite impressive to me. I like heavy for caliber so this gets me to thinking.?.? & Educated me. What has caught your attention in load development?

[ChristopherO]

Good post, versa-06. I've learned some lessons concerning cast or swagged lead boolits:

22 shorts to the chest of snared coyotes are not recommended. Wanted to save the skull w/out a hole but had to resort that poking one there anyway to hasten the situation.

Hard cast 35 caliber WFN with 7 grains of Bullseye on groundhogs allow them to run back into the den hole when shot at 30 yards. Does the job, big hole for 15 lbs critter, but not that impressive for DRT.
Even 355 grain 50 caliber pure lead cast muzzleloader slugs will see many groundhogs run to their hole to expire with solid hits. Huge hole for that size varmint but not enough speed at 1,180 fps MV to anchor them to the spot with a chest shot. (Practicing for deer season and trying to save Dad's soybean crop. I don't expect deer to drop at the shot with this, either, but they do expire quickly. I resorted to drilling a small hollow point to encourage a bit of expansion.)

30 caliber 112 grain FN cast of Lyman #2 on oncoming coyote at 40 yards hit jaw, out the neck, back into the body cavity and was resting between off side rib cage and hide. There was some deformation considering what it hit, but by no means a mushroom. She would have succumbed to that shot but when trying to regain her feet a second boolit was placed broadside through the chest, which resulted in instant collapse without any further movement.

Pure lead round balls are interesting projectiles. Sometimes they flatten out, other times they pencil right through without noticeable expansion in the flesh medium, hitting leg bone they can become a flat plate that slices sideways through the lungs/organs. Thankfully, they are very effective and since switching over to them I haven't lost a deer, but some strenuous tracking and prayer has been employed in the follow up.
The 32 caliber RB's are the berries on squirrels. Wish I could still aim that small these days, lol.

the .460 420 grain WFN in the 45/70 are cast range scrap soft. Look in the 'Autopsy' thread for results from those on deer. I am NOT a hard cast fan. Malleability on all lead projectiles is what, in my humble opinion, what lead is all about.

My son has started snaring to save his soon to be birthed calves. This thread has me interested in 'testing' some of my other boolits in this Dispatch train of thought.

[gunseller]

A 60 grain over a little Red Dot in a 223 for small ga.e or dispatching. I have dispatched coyotes with a 200 lead over 27 grains 2f black out of an original 1860 army Richard's conversion. If you are into no skull damage just brake their necks.

[versa-06]

Dispatched a Yote year before last hitting him low in the face with a 243 55gr dogtown bullet pushed by 800-X & blew his bottom jaw out, found what looked like "pieces of dog dentures" on the ground, animal was out on impact.

[versa-06]

Testing alloys & bullet designs during dispatches was my point. Been helpful to me. I don't like a pencil through shot. But I don't like a bunch of bloodshot meat either. Happy medium.

[GregLaROCHE]

I can’t see using anything over a .22 in any fur bearer you were planning to keep the skin. The problem with rim fires is that when it is really cold, they often they don’t fire. I was carrying a .22 rifle and came upon a nice Wolverine in a trap. I was ready to dispatch it, but none of my rounds would fire. I was forced to take the time to build a fire, heat up the gun before it would fire. It was around -35 to -40. And cost me an hour. After that I bought a small.22 cal revolver and kept it in my parka so it stayed warm. I was never comfortable with that revolver next to my chest, but it got the job done.

[versa-06]

Here in Va. it seems that the fur has little to no value to most. I use the yotes for test media & try to dispose of some of the fawn killers. Been doing this a few years now & the deer population is definately coming back, For Sure! -06