Yesterday I finally got into the woods for the NC deer season. I was using my Weatherby Vanguard Sporter in 270Win, loaded with 150gr Federal Fusion ammo. This rifle/ammo combination has consistently produced 0.75 MOA groups for me.

Being early in the season, my plan was to get something "in the freezer". That along with the fact that we were only seeing does explains my day in the woods...

In the morning I took an ~80lb doe broadside at 110yds, hitting her high in the shoulder, taking out the near side shoulder and spine... DRT. The bullet was a pass-through and not recovered. This Fusion ammo seems to work just fine.

Mid-afternoon I was lucky enough to be able to take a second small doe, about 80lbs, at 125 yds. She was quartering away, so I "aimed for the exit" on the far side. She also dropped at the shot. When I walked up to the deer, I was surprised/concerned that I did not find an exit wound. I realized this would likely allow me to recover the larger bullet fragments with a bit of surgery.

Here's what I found:




Bullet broke the last near side rib, passed through ~2.5 feet of soft stuff, broke a forward off-side rib, broke the off-side shoulder blade, broke the end off the off-side "humerus", and stopped under the hide outside of the shoulder joint.

Retained weight was 136gr (90%). All five skived petals are still intact and the expanded diameter is ~0.86 (3.1x diameter)

Despite the very dead deer, my initial reaction when I first walked up to it was "bullet failure" for not getting a pass-through on a smaller deer at 125yds. After field dressing and looking at the bullet, I think this Fusion ammo is better than I expected. That's a lot of broken bone for a bullet to still be that intact... at least I think so.

Of course bullet failure can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but I would think a dead-at-impact deer would not mean bullet failure to anyone, regardless of pass-through or not. Plus, to have the bullet hold up that well after doing that amount of damage gives me a little more confidence in my little 150gr bonded core bullet out of my little 270 Winchester.

Just thought I'd share.
Thanks
Mike

Thanks for posting this information. It is always good to know these things. I appreciate it.

Now, where are the pics of the meat deer?

from all i have read, they are great bullets that are usually quite accurate. i have a friend who has killed 4-5 mule deer and 2 elk with his 270 and the 150gr fusion. he says they are all he shoots anymore.

My brother used one last month to take his Wyoming mulie buck. The bullet was not recovered.

It was a 225gr out of a 338Mag at 245yards.
the deer dropped "like a sack of potatoes" at the shot.


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