Thanksgiving weekend was the close of modern gun season in Kentucky, and my brothers and I capped it off with a 4 day hunting camp with a few friends. Last year's hunting camp showed a wide variety of calibers and ammunition, ranging from a .243 to a 30.06, and even a 12 guage slug. This year the camp was full of .270's and my 7mm mag., with the majority shooting Winchester's Ballistic Silvertips. One night over drinks and a fire, a discussion came about over the performance of the bullet, or in this case, the lack there of. Of the 10 deer taken by those present with the BST, in only two cases did the bullet go clean through. There were also complants that the bullet did not hold togather well, leaving copper shreads in the wound channel and body cavity. My personal experience with the bullet was less than impressive. Of the four deer a took with my 7mm mag., only one shot went clean through ( the shot was high and cut the spine). Of the other three deer, the farthest shot was right at about 100 yards, with the other two shots within 30 yards. In all three cases, the bullet was retreived while cleaning the deer, and every time, the lead core had been complete ripped out of the copper jacket. The most extreme case, a 150 lbs. doe ran 80 yards over a mountain side after being shot directly in the chest from 20 yards. When field dressed, her heart and right lung were cut to shreds, but the bullet seemed to lack the energy needed to knock her down. I've shot nearly 20 deer since buying the 7mag, and never have I had one run more than 20 yards. The "cannon" nearly always drops them in there tracks.
Everyone in the deer camp seemed to have similar experiences with the bullet. I was curious if anyone else had problems with it, or had some explanation of the results we've seen.
Everyone in the deer camp seemed to have similar experiences with the bullet. I was curious if anyone else had problems with it, or had some explanation of the results we've seen.