Well it was time to put some deer meat in the freezer.
Morning no.1 I was within 30 yards of 2 small bucks and 1 doe when I spotted a bigger doe about 35 yards away behind some brush and a tree. She had spotted me and was becoming skittish. The only shot I had was a frontal neck shot. When I fired [286gr Norma Alaska factory round] the doe went right down. The round had hit center neck, the exit wound was HUGE, the neck almost totally severed, the skin was torn open 4"x6".
I was glad I had not shot her in the center of the chest, or the shoulder. End of testing with the Alaska bullet.
That after noon I test fired some RWS factory with the 293 gr. TUG bullet. 2 shots at 65 yards with the scope were right on, and 2 shots at 25 yards with the iron sights were also.
Morning #2, a large doe was spotted at about 40 yards. She was facing me so I aimed at the center of her chest. I felt this would give me a chance to recover the bullet. I have never had a bullet exit a Whitetail deer when centered on the front of the chest. At the shot she reared up, typical of many heart shots, and went right down. The bullet struck just barely to the left [her left] of center sternum, tore a large hole in the heart, damaged the lungs, continued through the body [she was at an ever so slight angle] struck her right ham, broke the leg bone about 2" below the ball joint and EXITED, leaving a 1"x1 1/2" exit hole in the skin.
I am very impresed with this bullet, now if I can only find a couple of 275 to 300lb hogs, I can give it a real test.

[ 01-01-2003, 04:07: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]

Yes, the 293 grain TUG is a good bullet. I've used it some in the .400/.360 NE.

I've had a bullet penetrate lengthways through a whitetail doe - a 300 grain Barnes original spitzer from a .400/.360 NE. She was facing me at about 70 yards. I don't like that shot but she had got my wind and was about to go. The bullet hit center chest, penetrated through, broke the right rear leg, and exited at the rear of the ham. The jacket was hanging out of the exit but the core was gone.

BTW, in reference to a post of yours earlier in the season, I thought the turkey I got opening day would probably be the only one in Texas taken with a double rifle this year. Then I remembered you. Hope to see you and Peggy at the Dallas SC show. You gonna be there?
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

400 Nitro Yes I will be there. I have only taken one turkey with the 9.3 so far this season. I have had several big [@10" beard] gobblers within 30 yards but I am saving them for Spring season. See ya there.

Here's another story about the 9,3x74R penetration.
Years ago, during a drive hunt after Wild Boars, we, the hunters, were posted in line, facing the woods, along a straight lane. The bushes in front of me were too dense to see anything but suddenly I heard the hound's music closing in fast and then came the sounds of furious fighting with lots of snorting and yelping, somewhere in front of me. My neighbour hunters and myself stood ready, trying to make out where the Boar might come out. Suddenly, he crashed out, 15 m to my left, shaking loose a dog still clinging to him, with the rest of the pack closing in quickly. Instead of crossing the lane (what everybody hoped and expected), he turned and came for me, with the dogs on his heels. I was shaken for I couldn't shoot as the Boar, the dog pack and several of the other hunters stood all in line. Not really knowing what to do next and seeing no chance of escaping so close a charge, the only thing that came to my mind was to kick the Boar in the snout when he reached me. It turned out to be my lucky day for, instead of biting off my foot, the Boar turned abruptly and plunged into the opposing bushes. Then, out of fear and/or anger, I shot him in the pants from about 5-6 m (normally, a breach of ethics but I couldn't care less at the moment). To my astonishment, the Boar dropped like a sack and didn't twitch afterwards. I reloaded my first barrel compulsively, intensely watching the boar and expecting him to rise again, as I knew my bullet to be somewhere in the hip. The dogs came upon him and roughed him up for awhile with no reaction ?!?! It took another � H before the drive was blown off, so that I could leave my stand and inspect the "dead" animal. My bullet was indeed as badly placed as I thought but I found no exit wound in this, very dead indeed, Boar ?!? Puzzled, I later watched the animal being dressed and insisted on doing a post mortem, for I had to understand� It took awhile but we finally located the bullet, still inside� the head, after about 90 cm (35"+) lengthwise penetration through hip bones, guts, lungs, muscle and more bone, etc. The bullet I used at the time was the old pre-Alaska Browning 285 SP (also made by Norma). It was not extracted and I can't therefore comment on its terminal condition, though I'll call it good anough�

My adventure made the day and someone of our (French speaking) party named it the "Flemish brainshot"

Andre EXCELLENT The 9.3X74R proves itself once again. Bullet will always triumph over high velocity when the chips are down, and the game "danger close".