First of all, how did it come to be called the Texas heart shot. This isn't a rhetorical question; I really don't know.

Question:
Here is an actual hunting scenario. With your knowledge of bullets, muzzle energy and ballistics, see if you can determine the cartridge and bullet combo used. The range of the deer was probably a bit over 200 yards. I'd say 225 yards but things happened so fast I didn't think about range for long. The deer was angling away and moving and I didn't have an opportunity at a broadside shot. The bullet entered the back of the left leg and angled forward toward the right shoulder. The entry wound was small and there was no blood trail since the bullet didn't exit. The bullet would have to have gone about 2 feet to reach a vital organ. It wasn't a bang flop but the deer didn't go far. What cartridge/bullet combo do you think was used (in order of ascending bore size)?

Choices:
204 Ruger with Hornady 45 gr. Spire Points
25-06 with Berger 115 gr. VLD bullets
7mm Rem. Mag. with Barnes 140 gr. Banded Solids
30/06 Springfield with Barnes 165 gr. TSX

 

A couple years ago I was using 110gr TSX's out of 270 Win with a muzzle velocity of 3250fps.

I shot two mature South Dakota whitetails. One was physically the largest bodied deer I have ever shot. I wish I would have weighed him. But I feel he was well over 200 lbs field dressed.

The first one was an extreme quartering away shot on a previous hit deer. He was dead already, but just didn't know it. Very similar situation. Entered the the rear quarter and angled forward and lodged in the offside neck. He didn't go any farther.

The second was a true texas heart shot, the jaw had been shot off this deer by another hunter. This shot entered the scrotum and angled all the way up and was found in the neck also. He didn't go any farther either.

Of your choices, the last two would have exited IMO, the 204 may have done it, but I feel the speed and weight of the 115gr 25 caliber bullet did the trick.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
First of all, how did it come to be called the Texas heart shot. This isn't a rhetorical question; I really don't know.

This question has the feel of a booby trap. Been there done that with the 7mm magnum, no doubt smaller calibers will work at least some of the time. If I'm going to carry a stock and a scope, might as well take the rest of a long-action 7mm and concentrate on accuracy, knowing that penetration is taken care of.

I've had Texas Heart Shots that were extremely sucessfull, but that was with my 9.3x62 and 286 gr. Partitions, sooo, I guess that really doesn't count since I sort of expect it to work. Also had a reverse THS with this combination at nearly 200 yds the bullet ending up under the hide on the cheek.

I would think that bullet construction would be a big factor in having an ass-on shot work. A 60gr Partition out of a 223 might work on a small whitetail, but I think it's iffy, especially if the deer has a gut full of feed. With the penitration I've seen from 150gr Partitions out of a 270 I'd say they would work no problem on any deer sized game, elk, not so much that I'd actually try it for a first shot. A LBT WFN 300gr out of a 44 would probably work at close range, especailly on deer sized game. I've seen these produce some fantastic penitration on large animals, just not butt-on.

I voted 30.06.

Well the 7 mag would have went through like grease through a goose.
The 06 with a conventional lead core bullet would have been about right to end up where you say, but with a tsx I would bet it also would have blown through.
But depending how much grass it had to cut through and how light it was loaded,, it could have gotten stopped but doubtful.

The 204 would have just been silly.
So yep I voted for the 25-06.

quote:

Originally posted by bucko:
Well the 7 mag would have went through like grease through a goose.
The 06 with a conventional lead core bullet would have been about right to end up where you say, but with a tsx I would bet it also would have blown through.

Well, he didn't actually say where the bullet ended up. He only mentions what direction it was going (towards right shoulder) and how far it would have to go to reach the vitals (about 2 feet). There is no mention of where the bullet did go, only that there was a small entrance, no exit, and he obviously recovered the deer.

Well by danged you are right! he didn't say how far it went.
Except since he recovered the deer I would think that it went at least the two feet or it would not have hit the vitals.
But he did say that it did not exit so that would eliminate the solid 7mm in my mind for sure, and probably the 06, and since I doubt if the 204 would have penetrated the two feet to the vitals I would still say it was the 25-06.

What kept me from thinking of the 25 cal was the Berger bullet. I'm just under the impression these bullets penetrate about 3" then mushroom, then blow up. My guess was that this bullet just woulnd't make it to the vitals, but anything is possible.

quote:

Originally posted by SDhunter:
This shot entered the scrotum

That's just plain mean!

KG

Any of them from the 25-06 up would have worked and worked well most of the time. The 204 might have worked but I wouldn't count on it most of the time.

I'll post the answer tomorrow.

thirty not six

The answer is 25/06 loaded with Berger 115 gr. VLD bullets.

In my opinion, 45 gr. bullets in a Ruger would not have been adequate to reach vital organs. I might have tried it at no more than a bit over 100 yards with a good broadside shot but not from the rear.

A 7mm Remington Magnum loaded with Barnes banded solids would have assuredly have produced an exit wound.

I think a Barnes 165 gr. TSX from a 30/06 probably would have produced an exit wound but maybe not.

I went with the '06 because of the TSX -- they seem to punch through irrespective of where the animal was shot!

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
First of all, how did it come to be called the Texas heart shot. This isn't a rhetorical question; I really don't know.

Because the bullet has a long way to travel to get to the vitals, when was the last time you drove across Texas?

Before I read your answer, I went with the 25-06 with Berger 115 gr. VLD bullets. I knew the 7mm and 30-06 would of blown through and had an exit, and the 204 would of blown up before getting there.

Honestly?? the truth really is that Texans coined the term cuz they got tired of being called "ass shooters"..

You can see how a term like that would be rather rough on an old Texas boys manly pride.

PlusLike most other things "TEXAN" it has to be jsut a little bit bigger, and a little bit harder , and a little bit cooler..
So why justtake the easy route and shoot one standing broadside in the heart when you can get it done the hard way and make it look easy???

Plus the reason they call it that is because on those collie sized deer down there with about any good caliber it works.

And not to mention that if you are drinking beer and yacking at your buddies, and spitting tobacco every other step that is about the only shot you ever get.

And before I get a bunch of thick necked Texians wanting to thump on my melon I only got this to say.
First is that my family is from Texas, I am related to Big Foot, and I happen to love most all things Texan.
Sepcially you alls wimmen.....
Daaaaamn maaaaaa'm you do look fine today.

I guess I'm pretty slow. I just now figured out that you guys have been talking about the "Oklahoma brain shot" all of this time.

The first time I heard the phrase, "Texas heart shot" was when a group of us was looking at a dead deer one of my friend's mom shot right up the keester. She shot the buck 4-5 times in the ass as he was walking away. She cut his nutsack in 2. I guess one or more of the bullets from the SKS made it to the vitals or he simply died of shock/pain.