Neck Shots loads

[colonyfirearms]

I only get to deer hunt after work. About 2 hours a day.
One thing I don't want to do is shoot one and have to try to track it in the dark.
So I am thinking that if I do neck shots then it is miss or down. I loaded some hollow points for fast expansion thinking this will make the neck shots more productive. 7mm rem mag. 160gr HP solid copper 60 of 4831SC
So far I have taken 2 and it worked, both at around 150 yards dropped in tracks.
But I have not been happy with the expansion. If I hadn't hit the neck bone there may have not been any expansion.
Last nights 4 point exit was about 1" diameter.
Any suggestions?

[Ol` Joe]

Ballistic Tips and take chest shots where you have a larger "kill" target and more resistance.

[petey]

If you're hunting with a 7mm Rem Mag, and Georgia sized deer, then there shouldn't be any tracking anyhow with well placed shots. Most I've ever seen them run was about 2-3 hops after hit behind the shoulders, and that's jacked up after being chased all day. Even shots with .243's they seem to run about 40 yards and pile up. That's not much for tracking as far as I'm concerned, but I have no clue about you're hunting situation.

As stated, go for the 150 grain Balistic Tips or Hornady A-Max's if you're looking for damage.

Neck shots will drop them with any centerfire caliber and bullet combo. If you got a good accurate load, I'd stick with it. But 160gr Solid coppers...i wouldn't expect anything more than the basic mushroom effect. Hence the 1" exit. Those bullets are working as they are designed to...Weight retention. Go down to even 130-140gr in BT's or A-max's and all you'll be putting holes in them, that's for sure. Weight retention, yeah right. I can normally only pull out a flattened jacket from my sand box. Me...I kind of like my meat, so I tend to stay away from granade type bullets on deer anyhow ha ha

I actually handload some rounds for a fellow that wanted 150gr BT's in his 7RUM. Good Lord he must like to make holes.

[Ridge Runner]

try the 140 BT's, I shoot them from an STW with good results.
The best luck I ever had with DRT deer with a 7 RM were shot with the old win factory loaded 125 gr SP's, through the chest cavity they just couldn't shake it.
RR

[Jack]

Petey has a point. Why use a bullet designed to penetrate 3 feet, and then shoot that bullet at a target 6 inches thick? (the neck)
For that matter, a deer's chest isn't 3 feet thick, either- you're lucky if it's half that.
I think you'd be better off shooting a standard type bullet weighing 140-150 grains.
Maybe your experience has been different, but, the only times I've seen a deer go more than 30-40 yards after being hit, the shot was not placed well. Make a good chest shot with anything from a 243 on up, and you won't be doing much tracking.
BTW, you want a really long, ugly tracking job? Miss the spine on a neck shot some time, and you may be tracking a wounded deer for a very long distance.

[Rapier]

I use the Sierra 140 Pro Hunter over 66gr of IMR 4350 in my 7mm RM, it it very accurate and at 3,150 fps leaves the chest cavity contents pour-able. The hydrolic effect is such that you do not chase anything, anywhere. With a neck shot, the entire neck turns into a wound cavity, surrounded by skin again no chasing.
Best,
Ed

[Minihuntur]

Hey Petey, dont dis my .243. Even on the REAL deer we have here in Saskatchewan, they dont run 40 yards with a good lung shot. I would rather have a gun that I can shoot confidently and accurately than one that can blow a foot-wide hole through a deer. Not saying that I cant shoot one of those guns though...
BTW a 7 STW can blow up deer with almost any bullet, if its loaded fast enough. My huntin pal loads 175 gr Fail-Safes to whats he claims is about 3400fps. I didnt believe him until I saw a deer that had been hit with one of his loads. 200yds instant drop but heres the kicker, the bullet blew up and didnt exit! Poor deer had a 5in. entry wound, no exit, no lungs left in him, no liver, and only half a heart. That was FAST!
Minihuntur

[Rocky Raab]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but that "miss or drop" belief is bullfeathers. I'd bet that more than half of those "missed" deer run a mile with a destroyed trachea or esophagus - only to die days later in agony.

I won't even get into what I think of a 7 Rem Mag for whitetail at 150 yards.

[colonyfirearms]

Rocky you are correct.
Why would anyone use a 7mm, 30.06 or any other large gun for the Whitetail in GA.
When I took mine in to the processors you should have seen the condition of some of the deer hanging up. While I am at it does anyone in GA know how to field dress a deer?
The processor said that almost all of the deer brought in he has to gut. The person in front of me unloaded 3 Jack Rabbits that he shot the night before and they were not field dressed.
I have .243 and 7-30 waters which are both much better for whitetail. But other members of the family are using them so I am left with the 7mm.
You are absolutely correct about shooting the neck low and not hitting the neck bone. I am in a tree stand with a rest. If I am not absolutely sure of the shot and the deer looking at me I don't shoot.

[Rocky Raab]

Good on ya. The woods are full of mis-informed dipwads who think because they have a gun and a license that they are "hunters." Every last one of them is carrying a 700-yard rifle for 70-yard deer.

Good to know you aren't one of them.

[model8]

i have seen many deer killed with many 7mm to 45 cal bullets and all if hit well dnt go more than 50 yard here in ny. but the 7mm is a good cal i would use 150 gr rem corelokt bullets a factory load would be best faster isnt always a perfect bullet and load is best. as for neck shots ive never seen a deer go any where with a neck shot weather hit in the spine or not as long as its a direct hit but a lung shot is just as quick

[Rapier]

Most hunters have but one center fire gun to use for hunting "big game" like deer. Unfortunately they are victims of the gun writers who insist that the only cartridge that will kill a whitetail must have a belt on it. So when you see a hunter in the woods dressed like an LL Bean catalogue, with his shiny new 7mm RM Browning BAR, don't be to hard on him, he is just following the expert's advise.

Best,
Ed

[model8]

very true but i know loggers who hunt with a 7mm rem mag and dress like old woodsmen it just happens to be a preffrence i dnt see a big deal with the cal of a gun it all depends on the peron

[GoodOlBoy]

Marlin 336 in 30-30 winchester with 170grain remington corelokts. No need to go fancy if you want a one shot neck drop.

Otherwise you can do it with a 22lr if you place them good.

GoodOlBoy

[Okie Hog]

Unfortunately they are victims of the gun writers who insist that the only cartridge that will kill a whitetail must have a belt on it.

Good post. Those same gun writer's insist that you must also use someone's magic $1.00 bullet that is guaranteed to turn a gut shot into a bang flop 100% of the time.

The vast majority of my deer and hogs have been killed at ranges of less than 75 yards. In the past 40 years I have killed over 200 white tailed deer with my .308 and .30-06 using plain old Sierra 150 grain bullets and moderate loads of powder. Have not lost a deer in the past 20 years. Have had a few long tracking jobs because I botched the shot.

Which brings up another point. Many hunters do not follow up on their shot. When the animal does not fall over dead they assume that they missed it. An elk hunter argued that he had not hit a big 7x7 bull but I saw dust fly off the animal. The hunter drove off for home and I went after that elk. Found it dead about 700 yards away. The guy was mad as hades when I told him about tagging his elk.