Deer with 356 Winchester...
Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Deer with 356 Winchester...
I borrowed a Win 94 Big Bore in 356 Win caliber last year. I picked a light load of 200 grain Hornady FTX bullet @ 2100 fps. The Leupold scope that came on the rifle was sighted in with just 3 shot. A 3 shot group at 100 yards then made a clover-leaf. 2 more shots into the same tight group. I got lucky, this load out of this rifle shoots honest 1" groups. First load Ricky picked out of the data. I sighted in and went hunting. Last Christmas eve I shot a coyote with it. Last week I took it out to check the sighting. Still 1.5" high at 100 yds and a clover-leaf 3 shot group. I got in the deer blind around 4:20 PM. At 5:15 I caught movement to my right and a forkhorn buck came into the oat patch. I thought to myself "great deer for Kourtney" (my god-daughters sister). A few minutes later a deer jumped the 5-strand barbed wire and ran 100 yards towards me. This buck had a fork on one side and a curly spike on the other. I thought to myself "good buck for Justin, my youngest son who will hunt out of this stand next week. As a panned the oats I noticed two small does had showed up seemingly out of nowhere. They were half the size of the two bucks that were out in the same field so I said "Nah". At 5:25 a bigger deer appeared under a large tree to my right. That deer walked past the two does and was nearly twice their size. It then circled the bucks and was clearly bigger than both of them in height and weight. The deer found a spot out in the oats around 130 yards from me. I studied the deer quite a bit before being certain it was a big, old doe. That was just the kind of deer I was looking for as I still have two people counting on me for a deer to eat. I put the crosshairs in the crease of her shoulder and squeezed gently. The mild report made it possible to see dirt fly up while still looking through the scope. The deer did not seem to have any reaction other than to run at a casual pace towards the near barbed wire. She then cleared the 5 ft strand by at least a foot and I lost sight of her in the heavy brush on the other side. I thought I might have missed and could not figure out the lack of reaction. The other deer scattered further out in the field but were still present so I comtemplated shooting one of them. After a few minutes I could not think of a reason I would have missed. Rifle recently confirmed sighted in. Same ammo. Rifle travelled in heavily padded case placed carefully in the truck. Was not bumped while carrying. Shot was steady and trigger broke crisp. I just had to look. I did not see any sign near where the deer was standing and there was no blood in the dirt or oats up to the fence. Perplexed, I looked on the other side of the fence and did not see any sign. As I turned to go back to the blind a single white hair dangling from the top wire caught me attention. I went to it and studied the ground where there were tracks in line with that hair. A spot of blood! I crawled under the fence and began to crawl on hands and knees. A spot here, a spot there. 35 yards later the deer lay dead. There was no hole showing on the side where she was hit. I pulled her back to the fence and then crossed and pulled her under. When I turned her over I was shocked to see a gaping hole of 2" in height and nearly 2.5" across where the bullet had exited. This deer went about 30 yards at a casual run, tail up. Cleared a 5 ft fence in a single bound and proceeded another 35 yards through thick underbrush after taking this shot! I walked back to get my gun case out of the blind and as I stepped out of the blind I saw a big buck staring over the fence. He'll make a nice one for somebody else. My friend and I cleaned the deer carefully and saw that neither lung was in a big enough remaining piece to really identify. The bullet did not hit any bones or ribs. The tenacity is amazing. Our spring scale said she weighed 126 pounds live weight. After field dressing and cutting off 4 legs at the knees, the butcher shop digital scale said 88 pounds remained. This is a big doe for around here. She has distinct grey hair on the bridge of her nose and back of both ears. She was also bone dry. I gave thanks for her. She's perfect.
Professional Hunter
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
Good for you, Joe.
Government office attracts the power-mad, yet it's people who just want to be left alone to live life on their own terms who are considered dangerous.
History teaches that it's a small window in which people can fight back before it is too dangerous to fight back.
History teaches that it's a small window in which people can fight back before it is too dangerous to fight back.
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
With an exit that size, you would think there would have been more blood sign. Every deer is different, you just never know. Great harvest Joe.
NRA Life Member
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
Good on You for looking for Her and congrats on Dinner for a while. I love success stories.
Perry
Perry
Perry in Bangor----++++===Calif
- ollogger
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 2807
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:47 pm
- Location: Wheatland Wyoming
- Contact:
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
Ive had similar things happen, yep you have to double check
most Deer you shot like that would have been DRT
ollogger
most Deer you shot like that would have been DRT
ollogger
- Griff
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 20877
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:56 pm
- Location: OH MY GAWD they installed a STOP light!!!
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
I think it's that poly tip. I've had similar experience with Nosler 140gr BTs out of my 7mmRM. Almost no hole going in, but a fair-sized one on exit. And, if it don't hit bone or heart with the exit hole lower... the chest cavity fills with the blood and leaves almost no trail at the outset.
Good on ya for followin' up! Congrats.
Good on ya for followin' up! Congrats.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
86er -- nice report...really like reading your posts...i shot a Buck once with a .44mag (Marlin 1894) that jumped straight up and then disappeared...gone...no blood trail, nothing...when my buddy came to help me look he found the deer just 15yds downhill from where i hit him, he was piled up behind a big rock...
- peter richards
- Levergunner 2.0
- Posts: 167
- Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:59 am
- Location: Kundabung, Australia
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
You can't beat a Big Bore, the .356 Winchester is a very underrated round. I just got mine back on the road, it had a worn cartridge stop causing a under carrier jam, and it sat in pieces on my bench for the last 18 months.
I will take it with me on our family Deer camp over Christmas and try it out on a Chital, or Axis deer.
Good report mate, looking forward to getting out there with you again next April.
I will take it with me on our family Deer camp over Christmas and try it out on a Chital, or Axis deer.
Good report mate, looking forward to getting out there with you again next April.
Pete
Levergunner Down Under
NRA Life Member
SSAA
SASS
WACA
Shooters & Fishers Party
Levergunner Down Under
NRA Life Member
SSAA
SASS
WACA
Shooters & Fishers Party
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
Meat in the freezer! That is never fun sitting there pondering wether you missed the shot. The 356W has had the most drop on the spot shots than any other levergun caliber I shoot. I haven't tried the FTX bullets but it sounds like it did it's job.
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
.
FWIW, over the years, I've owned/shot/hunted with every Winchester Model 1894/94 chambering except the .25-35, and IMHO the .356 is by far the best all-around chambering it was ever issued in.
I luv it, when a plan comes together..........
.
FWIW, over the years, I've owned/shot/hunted with every Winchester Model 1894/94 chambering except the .25-35, and IMHO the .356 is by far the best all-around chambering it was ever issued in.
I luv it, when a plan comes together..........
.
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
Excellent Joe! Congrats on that fine doe with, dare I say it, a classic cartridge.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
I still want a 356 either in a Marlin or a winchester. Would rather have 24" barrel, so may do a conversion. Still studying on it,
180gr Speer flat point has some good data, over 2600fps,
and of course the 220gr speer.
My only hang up is, those about the only two bullets for it. (FTX and some other 200gr)
Hawk makes some which might be good for deer also. No experience with them.
I think Kodiak bullet in 250gr out there, but no data.
My choices are kind of back full circle, 356, a 348 DC, or neck up a Marlin 338ME to 348 or 358. OR just buy a savage 99 in 358. Price for all comes out about the same.
180gr Speer flat point has some good data, over 2600fps,
and of course the 220gr speer.
My only hang up is, those about the only two bullets for it. (FTX and some other 200gr)
Hawk makes some which might be good for deer also. No experience with them.
I think Kodiak bullet in 250gr out there, but no data.
My choices are kind of back full circle, 356, a 348 DC, or neck up a Marlin 338ME to 348 or 358. OR just buy a savage 99 in 358. Price for all comes out about the same.
- KirkD
- Desktop Artiste
- Posts: 4406
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:52 am
- Location: Central Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Deer with 356 Winchester...
Enjoyed the post and photos.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/