Blacktails, caliber, copper, and bloodshot meat

Nfish

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Aug 16, 2021
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I put one of my tags on a small buck opening day Saturday, and it was the first buck I’ve killed with a copper bullet (California). I’ve been “reluctant” to make the switch from my Noslers, mainly concerned with the killability of the coppers.

Anyhow, what happened was not really what I expected. I hunt blacktails a lot with with a .243 using accubonds, and while the caliber is known to make a bit of a mess on them the blood shot meat is usually pretty manageable. I shoot for vitals, trying to avoid shoulders with an occasional neck shot.

This buck was shot with an 80g Barnes ttsx. Broadside, uphill, 75ish yards. Bullet clipped the facing elbow, went through ribs and vitals coming out just behind the far shoulder. He attempted to bolt, but made it about 15 feet piled up deader than a door nail so no complaints there. Good entrance wound, and larger exit than I expected. Heart was gone and lungs were jellied when I gutted him so I was impressed with the little bullets performance.

What I didn’t like was all the bloodshot meat! Both shoulders, flaps, and forward half of the ribs were totally blown and no good. I couldn’t believe it. I expected a bit on the front shoulder because of the elbow hit, but man oh man was this thing a mess.

I hunt because I like being in the woods, and I like eating buck meat… Makes me nervous to use copper with this gun again, but it’s been such a great rifle. I have a .270 that used to shoot 140g accubonds, now sighted in with 130g GMX.

Has anyone noticed this issue with the .243 and copper? Would I be better off with the .270? I pack the small gun more often because I love shooting it and it’s stainless, my .270 is not. Rains a lot where I live.

This was supposed to be a meat buck, gonna be a little pickier with the next tag.


7C0DF235-2095-4EF1-9E63-86D2745FC46D.jpeg
You can see in the picture how the bullet just clipped that elbow.
 
Joined
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That’s pretty typical with mono bullets like the Barnes and GMX at shorter ranges and higher velocity especially when hitting bone/ribs.
Do you handload? If so I’d recommend trying some Hammer bullets. Great mono and performance.
 
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Nfish

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Aug 16, 2021
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That’s pretty typical with mono bullets like the Barnes and GMX at shorter ranges and higher velocity especially when hitting bone/ribs.
Do you handload? If so I’d recommend trying some Hammer bullets. Great mono and performance.

I don't handload, this was factory Barnes ammo. Would I be better off with the .270 you think? The factory GMX is slower but still comes out pretty swift... I wanna say its over 3,000 ft at the muzzle.
 
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I shoot .243 copper 85/90 grain (hornady GMX and nosler expansion tip) and have never had much bloodshot meat in 9 kills. I'm pretty lucky / careful with aiming and almost only ever hit ribs. I've grazed front leg a couple times, but didn't see much damage. 75 yards is a close shot, my closest has probably been around 100, longest a little over 200.
 
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Nfish

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I shoot .243 copper 85/90 grain (hornady GMX and nosler expansion tip) and have never had much bloodshot meat in 9 kills. I'm pretty lucky / careful with aiming and almost only ever hit ribs. I've grazed front leg a couple times, but didn't see much damage. 75 yards is a close shot, my closest has probably been around 100, longest a little over 200.

Thanks for the response. Maybe it was a combination of factors, small buck, close range, bone etc. I'll give it a shot on a few more and see how it does before I try something else. Hitting that front leg was definitely not intentional, maybe that was the problem.
 

Mattyq17

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Oct 30, 2019
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Arroyo Grande Ca
I shoot factory 100 grain Barnes TTSX out of a 25-06 (haven't had to handload any yet as I had a nice supply of them before the ammo shortage), my son shoots handloaded 80 grain TTSX's out of a .257 Roberts and my father in law shoots handloads out of a .264 WIn Mag, and brother in law shoots handloaded 80 grain TTSX's out of a .243. Haven't noticed any excessive blood shot meat but also haven't hit shoulder or elbow bone either. So far all have gone down in 1 shot except my father in laws buck last year, had to finish him off with a neck shot, pencil hole in and out of the lungs on that one.. I think you will be fine with the .243.
 
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I’d have to agree with everyone else, hitting that bone to begin with and the close range made for the perfect storm and bloodshot a bunch of meat.
 
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Nfish

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I shoot factory 100 grain Barnes TTSX out of a 25-06 (haven't had to handload any yet as I had a nice supply of them before the ammo shortage), my son shoots handloaded 80 grain TTSX's out of a .257 Roberts and my father in law shoots handloads out of a .264 WIn Mag, and brother in law shoots handloaded 80 grain TTSX's out of a .243. Haven't noticed any excessive blood shot meat but also haven't hit shoulder or elbow bone either. So far all have gone down in 1 shot except my father in laws buck last year, had to finish him off with a neck shot, pencil hole in and out of the lungs on that one.. I think you will be fine with the .243.

Thats reassuring to hear. I’ll give it another go with this next tag and see what happens. I hunt for meat first, horn second; I’d hate to have to hang up my favorite rifle because of this.

The pencil hole/lack of expansion is what my main concern was with copper to begin with, so having the bloodshot problem was the opposite of what I expected to happen.
 
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Nfish

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I’m newish to guns/hunting. I’m curious why hitting the leg first makes a difference with meat damage? Is it because it starts the bullets expansion before it penetrates the body of the animal?

Basically, yes. In this case, the reason I had a question about it was that copper bullets are known for not expanding as much or in the same manner as normal bullets, leaving a small hole in-n-out. Which led me to assume that there wouldn’t be as much internal damage, certainly not as much as this buck had.
 

Giddy

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Sep 24, 2018
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I have not had a big bloodshot problem but the small entrance and exit wound has been a problem. Not much blood for tracking and I have heard of a lot of wounded bucks not being found. After my first year of shooting tsx copper and not finding blood and just getting damn lucky to find the deer. I have moved to the ttsx and been shooting to break the shoulder so that I know the buck will be down. It is sad because it wastes some meat but I would rather get the deer than lose it.
 

Sawfish

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Oct 30, 2012
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Peoples Republik of Kalifornia
I have not had a big bloodshot problem but the small entrance and exit wound has been a problem. Not much blood for tracking and I have heard of a lot of wounded bucks not being found. After my first year of shooting tsx copper and not finding blood and just getting damn lucky to find the deer. I have moved to the ttsx and been shooting to break the shoulder so that I know the buck will be down. It is sad because it wastes some meat but I would rather get the deer than lose it.
I had the same problem and Switched to Hammers this year. Problem solved.
 

TSU ME

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Oct 29, 2021
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Nice buck! I picked up some barnes ttsx for my 6.5creed tikka. Heard mixed reviews on how they expand at slower velocities. Whenever I get time to load and use them on an animal I will make a post.
 
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I shoot the Hammers and like the performance, but they have only made a small entrance and a small exit. Haven’t been the best as far as blood trail is concerned, but they kill.
 

Bado20

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Nov 12, 2021
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British Columbia
Nice buck! I picked up some barnes ttsx for my 6.5creed tikka. Heard mixed reviews on how they expand at slower velocities. Whenever I get time to load and use them on an animal I will make a post.
I have a Bergara in 6.5 that I'm going to take sitka blacktail hunting on Haida Gwaii. I was planning on using the Federal Trophy Coppers so I'm curious as to how the barnes are.
 
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