Just never know about these whitetails!!

[JNRBRONC]

My 1st season gun buck last year fell to 2 Hornady SSTs out of a .50 TC Encore...the one in his shoulder splintered and i picked most of it out of the shoulder blade.

I had about the same experience with SST's and quickly moved to the non-mag XTP. The SST's tended to frag.

Might be the issue in this case, might be a high leg shot, tough call.

 

[cvadave]

I used a 300 gr SST on a doe at 155 yds with my 50 cal this year, double lung, 3/4 inch entrance and 1 inch exit hole, They did not open up much, they have done this before.

Dave

 

[150 Class]

170 yards, wow, my guess you were way low and crippled him. Too many t.v. shows. I hope you didn't feed the coyotes. A man has to know his and his gun's limitations.

I know my guns limitations and at 170 yards, the gun is more than good to go. Much more! All I need to do is my part and 170 shouldn't be a problem with sticks or a good rest. Just sayin...

 

[60plus]

I know my guns limitations and at 170 yards, the gun is more than good to go. Much more! All I need to do is my part and 170 shouldn't be a problem with sticks or a good rest. Just sayin...

Making a good shot at that distance is only part of it. Its been stated many times in the rifle world that it takes a 1000ft lbs of bullet energy to take a Whitetail. However lots of deer have been taken with less. A hot load in a 50 cal muzzleloader with a 250 gr bullet will be right around 1000ft lbs at 200 yds. So anything beyond 150 yds is at the outer reaches of the 50 cal. Shot placement is always the key, but it becomes even more critical a long distance.

 

[150 Class]

Making a good shot at that distance is only part of it. Its been stated many times in the rifle world that it takes a 1000ft lbs of bullet energy to take a Whitetail. However lots of deer have been taken with less. A hot load in a 50 cal muzzleloader with a 250 gr bullet will be right around 1000ft lbs at 200 yds. So anything beyond 150 yds is at the outer reaches of the 50 cal. Shot placement is always the key, but it becomes even more critical a long distance.

Very good and valid points. There are some guns out there that push it much farther than that, like, not getting down to 1000ft lbs until it reaches 500 yards...

It is hard on the shoulder though.

 

[JRudd]

i wouldnt judge on the gun. i would lean more on shooter error... not saying that there is anything wrong with the shooter or that your a bad shot- it happens to everyone. i promise you that everyone has flaws in thier shooting at some point. If the gun was sighted in properly, 170yds is as good as dead with a good rest and squeeze with a quality slug gun or a muzzy. even more so with a muzzy...

 

[MN Hunter]

Better switch to muzzy's.... as a non rage user would say!!

Before everyone takes that comment too seriously, it was a joke!