300 Blackout

[birdgunner]

The Blackout did its job again last night (Youth Hunt). As light was fading this big bodied buck ran everything else off and only had his head and neck exposed, my son kept waiting for that extra step but it wasn't happening, finally my son said he had the crosshair on the middle of the neck, I gave the green light and at 82 yards this 187# buck folded instantly. Not sure why in the back of my mind I keep telling myself I need to get him into a larger caliber when clearly this works. Good luck to all the Blackout hunters in 2017.

 

[E_308]

Kid's first buck. Used the barnes black tips this year. Shot was about 30 yards. Hit him a little far back, got liver and nicked the spine. Dropped at the shot drug out of the plot about 2 feet and died. No complaints on the little 300 so far. More pics and story in my property thread link below.

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[birdgunner]

The Blacktips performed again last night yielding back to back success. First does was 80 yards, hit edge of shoulder, exited base of the neck, best blood trail have seen yet from a 300, ran about 50 yards, the second stopped at 140 yards looking around to see what happened when a shoulder shot dropped it on the spot. Lots of tender roasts and carnitas in our future thanks to the Blackout.

 

[Foragefarmer]

I built a 300 upper last year.





Put the same 2-7 Redfield scope on it as I have on my .223 upper and the two complement each other.

I ended up taking 3 deer with it last year. I am shooting 125 grain SST's.

 

[birdgunner]

I built a 300 upper last year.
Put the same 2-7 Redfield scope on it as I have on my .223 upper and the two complement each other.
I ended up taking 3 deer with it last year. I am shooting 125 grain SST's.

Nice rig! How did the SST's do in terms of DRT vs running and if the later was there good blood? Always curious to hear how the other rounds perform.

 

[Foragefarmer]

Longest shot was maybe 80 yards.

Two were chest shots and the deer ran with good blood. One 60-80 yards and the other 100 or so.

The third deer was a double shoulder and the deer went nowhere. Kicked on the ground a bit but expired quickly. On that deer the bullet did not exit. It was just under the skin. It was a very big doe. Bullet mushroomed well.

 

[birdgunner]

A little over a week ago had the best blood trail ever from the 300, this week we decided to go on a donation hunt ( a local non profit, shout out to Orange County Ministry) to help those in need in our area. We had an epic start, got into the stand by 3, by 3:15 yearlings were running around the shooting lane followed by small bucks chasing and sparring and a hot doe bucking and running around in circles mule kicking, all firsts for my son to see first hand when around 4:15 I noticed longer antlers on the fringe of the clearing, I tell my son to get ready and the hot doe runs in the direction of the buck and they disappear, 20 minutes later this trashy guy runs out, nose to the ground circling when he stops for a moment too long, my son assess he is a shooter (in his book) and puts the shot on him. I am videoing the whole thing, see the front leg go limp, classic shoulder shot, buck runs and drops gets up and crashes 15 yards later. Perfect low shoulder, through the heart shot and luckily we see the deer drop but not a single drop of blood...which makes me question, does this happen with any other caliber? I have only ever used a 270 and 270wsm (besides the blackout) and never had a shot without good blood...
Don't get me wrong, super excited to have my son harvest this "trashy" 9, which has a bent G2, 17" spread and two kickers and my 9 year old son tagged out on his buck tags so this is a complete success in all regards but even though the buck humanely expired and the bullet performed my doubts are creeping back in and a Creedmoor whispers it is the solution! hahaha We have recovered all the deer we have shot with the blackout and I have seen plenty of bigger guns "fail" but I begin to have concern when a "perfect shot" doesn't produce any blood or exit wound.


This is all the blood present...

Tell me I am being irrational and even with bigger calibers blood isn't always present? A cousin tells me I need to switch to the Vmax but I have heard mixed results regarding that round, particularly when shoulders are involved, perhaps I'll look more into the heavier SST.

 

[catscratch]

My boy shot one last yr with a .308 that didn't leave a blood trail. I did the same about a decade ago with a .308 also. Both double lung shots that didn't run 40yds... but no blood more than a few drops here and there.

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[birdgunner]

My boy shot one last yr with a .308 that didn't leave a blood trail. I did the same about a decade ago with a .308 also. Both double lung shots that didn't run 40yds... but no blood more than a few drops here and there.

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Thanks, that makes me feel better!

 

[catscratch]

Thanks, that makes me feel better!

No problem. Doesn't make me feel better though. We shoot most our deer with arrows and it's unsettling to shoot something and have a couple of giant holes with no blood. We looked for my boy's deer for 20 minutes last yr before we found it crashed under a cedar tree 10yds off it's path. It was seriously one of those things where my oldest just happened to lift a lower branch and find it. There were hundreds of cedars in that location and he picked the right one to snoop under. Blood would have been nice!

I love your guy's rifle builds! You alone have almost convinced me to build a blackout for my family.

 

[E_308]

Angle can have something to do with it. With a bow most time you are shooting at a downward angle = hole towards the bottom of the chest cavity. If you just get lungs some times blood will pool in the chest and have to fill up to the hole to come out. Might take 20-50 yards. I think the problem you are seeing is the deer falls over before that! Based on the whole 2 deer I have seen shot with the blackout I like the hornady round better. I just think with the low velocity without hitting bone the barnes might be like shooting field tips. Like you I am used to a 308 or 06 that I can shoot through a deer lengthwise and exit. Seems to me the boys are getting along just fine with the little pop gun! I'd say mine will be 12-13 before I try to move him up to a real deer rifle.

 

[birdgunner]

Based on the whole 2 deer I have seen shot with the blackout I like the hornady round better. I just think with the low velocity without hitting bone the barnes might be like shooting field tips. .

I guess there is only one thing left to do... dust off my blackout and use some red tips! In the name of science of course! haha

 

[birdgunner]

Well, in the name of science and that we could use more protein to sustain us through the harsh Carolina winters, finally got a chance to test out the Hornady red tips and I have to say, I am rather impressed. My son was behind his lil rig and wouldn't you know, a buck he wanted that we named Curly Q (on accounts it has a spiral G3) but always seemed to just miss was out in full force in front of us for nearly two hours today (son is tagged out on bucks) and every respectable doe that came in he would chase off or when he wasn't around would magically appear and then proceed to chase them around and off before we could get a shot, finally he was occupied chasing one doe off when a nice one came in and turned broadside when I heard his 300 bark, saw her mule kick and heard a crash a few moments later.
We waited a few minutes before approaching the shot site and I was tickled to see blood and lots of it. We are in double digits with the 300 now and this is the first time I have seen significant blood at the placement of the shot, typically we wont find blood for 10-20 yards (if the shoulder isn't hit and drt);


seeing this, figured it was the perfect opportunity to sit back and let my son trail it without my assistance. Along the way even came across some random lungs decorating the landscape...

And finally, my son claimed his trophy 50 yards later.

Now one positive result doesn't yield a great statistical average but I like how we are starting off. My daughter wants to go out after Christmas so hopefully we'll have another positive data point. Happy Holidays to everyone.

 

[E_308]

I liked the result on my kids first deer with the Hornady's so I think you could call it a data set of 2. I also wasn't disappointed with the Barnes bullets. The little 300 has 100% done what I hoped it would do when I started this thread. Within it's limitations it is a fine youth rifle.