Question: Can I use a MatchKing bullet for deer hunting? They shoot just great in my rifle, so they should be just super for hunting use, right?
Answer: No, it's not recommended. The MatchKing bullets are designed for pinpoint accuracy; with no consideration given to what might happen after impact. If the bullet has arrived on target accurately, its job is done at that point. Hunting bullets must perform in a certain manner after impact. Penetrating ability, expansion characteristics, and even profile must be considered when designing a hunting bullet. Use MatchKings for matches, and game bullets for hunting.
Congratulations, but.... uhhhh.... where's the bear??
I'm glad my camera has a flash unit on it. I use the flash even when the sun is out to fill in the shadows, especially under hats/caps, trees, stuff such as that.
WWWWWWWellllllll! I have it on plenty good authority that Matchking with proper powder , case and primer is the way to go for any North American game. Only a F-Troop plant like Judith or RMK would think otherwise. Wether it is a .223 to a 7mm mag, Sierra is the only way to go! Accuracy is what counts, nothing else matters. Have a nice day........
I hate to rain on anyone's party, but the thought of taking a shot at a bear that is 590 yards away strikes me as being totally absurd. Does anyone feel the same way?
Posts: 226 | Location: Western Maryland | Registered: 21 August 2003
quote:Originally posted by pagris: I hate to rain on anyone's party, but the thought of taking a shot at a bear that is 590 yards away strikes me as being totally absurd. Does anyone feel the same way?
quote:Originally posted by pagris: I hate to rain on anyone's party, but the thought of taking a shot at a bear that is 590 yards away strikes me as being totally absurd. Does anyone feel the same way?
It depends on the shooter. Knowing how well Tod can shoot,and considering the time he spends on rifle/cartridge development I would never bet against him!
I also know guys who I wouldn't trust to make a 50 yard shot either so I guess it cuts both ways. LoL
Posts: 277 | Location: McLeese Lake, B. C. Canada | Registered: 06 June 2003
quote:Originally posted by pagris: I hate to rain on anyone's party, but the thought of taking a shot at a bear that is 590 yards away strikes me as being totally absurd. Does anyone feel the same way?
I was thinking the same thing...
Suppose the bear moved as the shot was taken. Not sure what the time of flight is with one of those pseudo-sniper cartridges but the risk of wounding must be pretty high. No? Wounding a bear strikes me as a pretty dumb thing to do.
Either way congrats Tod. You had both luck and skill.
Posts: 1978 | Location: UK and UAE | Registered: 19 March 2001
quote:Originally posted by pagris: I hate to rain on anyone's party, but the thought of taking a shot at a bear that is 590 yards away strikes me as being totally absurd. Does anyone feel the same way?
Pagris;
In a lot of places it is wise to question such a shot for the average guy. However, Todd did manage to take the bear at that distance, with a photo to prove it. It indicates he is a man who has both the confidence and the ability to do so. Knowing both his rifle and his equipment well. 590 yds is not a LUCK shot.
I hate it when people take long range shots, when they don't know their equipment and rifle. If they miss where is the bullet going. However, the guys who live in BC can tell you that if you miss something by a mile, it is a good chance you still are not going to endanger anyone.
For the responsible and the knowing, in the right environment, no it is not too long a shot. All rules have exceptions. Mr. Bartell shows that he is an exception, and lives in an exceptional place.
Todd, nice shot, and nice bear. Congrats are in order.!
Yep, I guess he couldn't get any closer and really needed the meat. But then a real marksmans hould be able to do 750 on a windy day with a 22 mag. One shot in the ear. May lose a few but so what.
quote:Originally posted by Deerdogs: [QUOTE] Suppose the bear moved as the shot was taken.
Usually bears that are feeding hard don't make sudden moves unless scared. They are not as jumpy as deer for example and if one has his nose buried in a berry bush a person can be pretty certain they will not move too much in 3/4 of a second.
Posts: 277 | Location: McLeese Lake, B. C. Canada | Registered: 06 June 2003
Well... Congratulations on your lucky, one shot kill I guess. BUT 590 yds. for any bear is about 500 yds. too long and using a Matchking just adds to the probabability of a lost/wounded animal, especially at that range. Yeah, big bears have been killed with much smaller caliber weapons but it isn't the norm. Learn to get closer. Bear in Fairbanks
Posts: 1544 | Location: Fairbanks, Ak., USA | Registered: 16 March 2002
I find myself wondering why the gent would want to shoot so far away in the first place. Just to see if he could? Were his stalking skills so lacking that it just wasn't possible to get any closer than the *third of a mile* he claims to have taken that poke from? I'm certainly no expert, with only one blackie under my belt, but was able to get within 40 yards of mine without too much trouble, in fairly open SE Alaskan tidal flats.
Especially if the bear was in feed mode, as was already stated was the case, I believe, then getting closer should have been tit--from the pic it sure looks like there was plenty of cover available. As a final thought, I'm also thinking that perhaps if the shooter was much closer, he'd have seen that the specimen looked rather puny.
Congrats, I guess, on success; if genuine, that was one helluva' shot. But I just can't say with any honesty that I'm impressed with any hunting skill, or the ethics behind a willingness to take such a shot.
Leighton
[ 09-21-2003, 00:10: Message edited by: lhonda ]
Posts: 142 | Location: Boston, MA | Registered: 15 May 2003
Once again somebody posts a picture to share and is jumped on by the armchair safari crowd. Enough already.
I can guarantee that I won't post any pictures or tell any stories. It is one thing to talk in theoritical ranges but when the proof is there then move on to the cartoon network.
Good job Todd.
Posts: 6277 | Location: Not Likely, but close. | Registered: 12 August 2002
Tod, Great shot. Dont let the uninformed and negative comments get to you. They are just a bunch of folks that want you to hunt the way they do it. Just ignore them and keep up the great practice.
Posts: 2 | Location: Oklahoma | Registered: 21 September 2003
For those not in the know, Tod's been playing around wiht this rifle for some time now, and he's been practicing at longer ranges, too.
We kill alot of bears in BC, and Tod is no exception. He's shot quite a number. It probbaly would have been possible for him to get closer, as I think that most of his bears have been shot well under 200 yards, but he was putting his skill to the test here.
I wouldn't have used a MK bullet, but I think he did it to piss us off
Good shot Tod, and I congratulate you on putting forth the effort to know how to take such a shot...No whanging away at wolves, eh?
Posts: 3082 | Location: Pemberton BC Canada | Registered: 08 March 2001
quote:Originally posted by Deerdogs: Are you a bear stalker? Or are you a bear shooter?
Obviously Todd is a successful bear hunter who chose not to stalk closer in this instance. He had confidence in his equipment and himself due to a reasonable amount of trigger time. Knowledge of his exterior ballistics was gained due to much of this practice being much farther than at the 100 yd benchrest at the range. Then he applied the fundamentals of marksmanship.
Those critical are declaring their personal incompetence.
Nice work Tod. What kind of rifle is it you are shooting? Nice looking rifle.
I just shot a Mule deer at 15 yards with my 300 RUM with a 180 gr ballistic tip. Chronographed speed is 3375 fps at 15 feet from the muzzle. Meat damage was minimal and only 2 ribs going in and 2 ribs going out were lost. Not even that much blood shot meat either.
Anything can be made to work.
Posts: 968 | Location: British Columbia | Registered: 29 May 2002
quote:Originally posted by Boyd Heaton: Tod...I was just wondering what the wound channel looked like...Did the bullet exit???
Hey Tod, Congratulations on the kill.
I'm wondering the same as Boyd, what did the bullet path look like? How would you rate it to other bullets you have used, once it got into the Bear? Have you used any other MatchKings on bears?
Posts: 9920 | Location: Carolinas, USA | Registered: 22 April 2001
My taxidermist buddy and I were wondering what to do with the tiny bearskins some hunters brought in.
We figured that bathroom rug sets could be made out one of them. If big enough, the tail end could be used for the commode lid cover: grab the tail to raise the lid. Head and forepaws for the foot rug in front of the throne: look down at it while taking a dump, to remind you of what you have done, and hope not to do again.
What better place to relive the memories of such a hunt than in the crapper?
Hopefully the young will become wise in time.
Posts: 28032 | Location: KY | Registered: 09 December 2001
Ahhhh, finally. This forum has been down for me since Friday. I actually shot the bear from 130 yards with a 160 gr. Nosler AccuBond. It will square out at around 7 ft, without stretching.
quote:Originally posted by Deerdogs: Are you a bear stalker? Or are you a bear shooter?
Obviously Todd is a successful bear hunter who chose not to stalk closer in this instance. He had confidence in his equipment and himself due to a reasonable amount of trigger time. Knowledge of his exterior ballistics was gained due to much of this practice being much farther than at the 100 yd benchrest at the range. Then he applied the fundamentals of marksmanship.
Those critical are declaring their personal incompetence.
Outstanding, Todd. Congratulations.
Ruffhewn
The irony of asking Bearstalker if he is a bear stalker seems to have been lost on you.
Good joke Tod. I still think that hide has the makings of a pyjama case and not much else.
Regards
Posts: 1978 | Location: UK and UAE | Registered: 19 March 2001
![[Frown]](images/icons/frown.gif){kind=icon}
![[Wink]](images/icons/wink.gif){kind=icon}
![[Big Grin]](images/icons/grin.gif){kind=icon}
![[Roll Eyes]](images/icons/rolleyes.gif){kind=icon}
![[Cool]](images/icons/cool.gif){kind=icon}
![[Smile]](images/icons/smile.gif){kind=icon}
![[Razz]](images/icons/tongue.gif){kind=icon}
