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Took my boy out yesterday evening to the ranch I'd gone to Friday night. Today was much nicer as to weather. The sun was shining and a nice cool breeze was in the air.
We arrived late evening just before dusk. Visited with the rancher a few minutes and then took the little Ranger to our planned location (where I'd gone on Friday evening as well). As the light faded, my boy and I watched a few deer feed into the field from our left.
I'll explain the Numbers and Letters as we go along.
Darkness set in and the wait for hogs commenced. My boy at my side, I scanned the field in search of hogs sitting in the Ranger at 1. There is a major trail that crosses the corner of the field. It comes out of the tree line at A (302 yrds) and enters the cane at E (196 yrds). I dialed 200 into my scope (up 1 MOA).
In the blackness after sunset and before moon rise, it was difficult to see. But, aided by toys, I see Hog 1 come out of the cane at E and drop down into the irrigation ditch in front of him. Waiting for him to reappear, he suddenly pops over the berm between D and E and trots off across the field towards A. I watched him through the scope but, never felt comfortable about the shot as he zigzagged across the field towards the trees. Hoping I was making the right decision, I let him go without a shot. My boy was not happy with my choice. But, I assured him that more would come out and in my head, I prayed that they would.
About 20 minutes later, a big black form emerges from E and stands there staring off into the field. I tell my boy there is a BIG pig coming out of the cane and to get ready for my shot. I watch Hog 2 stand there, wanting him to move away from the cane. I won't lie that I didn't vaguely wish I'd brought the .308 Winchester again tonight. I honestly wondered if the 6x45 was up to this task. He dropped down into the ditch and I heard him splashing and wallowing in the mud for a few minutes. Emerging from the ditch and crossing the road, he walked off into the field along the trail towards A. Tracking him in the scope, I decided to try and spine him. Figured that would be my best chance stopping him quickly as was still questioning my cartridge choice with such a big quarry.
When he reached C, I pulled the trigger.
"BOOM"
"Pop"
"Roink!"
Down he went! Thrashing on the ground, I waited for him to get up. He kicked and squealed for about a minute and all was still.
"YES!!!!!"
We high fived and celebrated our success in quiet celebration. Fist bumping and dancing we were some happy campers. I told my boy we'd just gotten a big sucker. We waited a few minutes to make sure he truly was dead and then moved forward towards him. When we reach 2, I see Hog 1 come out of the trees at A and trot across the field towards E. I tell my boy another pig is coming and get in the prone position. Finding him in the scope, I track him with the crosshairs and when he gets to B, I shoot him behind the shoulder.
"BOOM"
"Pop"
"Roink!!"
He slumps to his knees, then kicks it into overdrive. Like a rocket, he shoots across the field towards E. Now, one of the best aspects of this gun is the total lack of recoil. I could see everything happen through the scope without losing my acquisition. Now, I was playing catch up. Remember the previous thread about the first pig I got with this rifle? That pig was moving along, but not terribly fast. This sucker was flat out hauling butt!!! Questioning my first shot, but not wanting him to make it to the thick cane.............I throw a hail marry shot at him when he gets to D.
"BOOM"
"Pop"
His butt hits the ground in a skid and he falls over on his right side. Kicks a couple times and lays still.
More celebrating as we approach our game. Both have succumbed to their wounds and we retrieve the Ranger to load them up...............Somehow. Hog 1 wasn't bad. Hog 2 was a son of a gun. Much grunting and groaning and veins popping...........I get him in the Ranger to the cheering of my boy.
We head to the ranch house to show off our prizes.
This gun is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It ain't pretty, but it's a killer in the simplest way possible. Zero recoil, accurate, comfortable. It just gets the job done with aplomb. It's not overly loud like a big boomer and it's gentle to the shooter. Boys, I love the 6x45 and the 85gr Sierra HPBT-GK.
Autopsies to follow.
The 6x45 Strikes Again!
Took my boy out yesterday evening to the ranch I'd gone to Friday night. Today was much nicer as to weather. The sun was shining and a nice cool breeze was in the air.
We arrived late evening just before dusk. Visited with the rancher a few minutes and then took the little Ranger to our planned location (where I'd gone on Friday evening as well). As the light faded, my boy and I watched a few deer feed into the field from our left.
I'll explain the Numbers and Letters as we go along.
Darkness set in and the wait for hogs commenced. My boy at my side, I scanned the field in search of hogs sitting in the Ranger at 1. There is a major trail that crosses the corner of the field. It comes out of the tree line at A (302 yrds) and enters the cane at E (196 yrds). I dialed 200 into my scope (up 1 MOA).
In the blackness after sunset and before moon rise, it was difficult to see. But, aided by toys, I see Hog 1 come out of the cane at E and drop down into the irrigation ditch in front of him. Waiting for him to reappear, he suddenly pops over the berm between D and E and trots off across the field towards A. I watched him through the scope but, never felt comfortable about the shot as he zigzagged across the field towards the trees. Hoping I was making the right decision, I let him go without a shot. My boy was not happy with my choice. But, I assured him that more would come out and in my head, I prayed that they would.
About 20 minutes later, a big black form emerges from E and stands there staring off into the field. I tell my boy there is a BIG pig coming out of the cane and to get ready for my shot. I watch Hog 2 stand there, wanting him to move away from the cane. I won't lie that I didn't vaguely wish I'd brought the .308 Winchester again tonight. I honestly wondered if the 6x45 was up to this task. He dropped down into the ditch and I heard him splashing and wallowing in the mud for a few minutes. Emerging from the ditch and crossing the road, he walked off into the field along the trail towards A. Tracking him in the scope, I decided to try and spine him. Figured that would be my best chance stopping him quickly as was still questioning my cartridge choice with such a big quarry.
When he reached C, I pulled the trigger.
"BOOM"
"Pop"
"Roink!"
Down he went! Thrashing on the ground, I waited for him to get up. He kicked and squealed for about a minute and all was still.
"YES!!!!!"
We high fived and celebrated our success in quiet celebration. Fist bumping and dancing we were some happy campers. I told my boy we'd just gotten a big sucker. We waited a few minutes to make sure he truly was dead and then moved forward towards him. When we reach 2, I see Hog 1 come out of the trees at A and trot across the field towards E. I tell my boy another pig is coming and get in the prone position. Finding him in the scope, I track him with the crosshairs and when he gets to B, I shoot him behind the shoulder.
"BOOM"
"Pop"
"Roink!!"
He slumps to his knees, then kicks it into overdrive. Like a rocket, he shoots across the field towards E. Now, one of the best aspects of this gun is the total lack of recoil. I could see everything happen through the scope without losing my acquisition. Now, I was playing catch up. Remember the previous thread about the first pig I got with this rifle? That pig was moving along, but not terribly fast. This sucker was flat out hauling butt!!! Questioning my first shot, but not wanting him to make it to the thick cane.............I throw a hail marry shot at him when he gets to D.
"BOOM"
"Pop"
His butt hits the ground in a skid and he falls over on his right side. Kicks a couple times and lays still.
More celebrating as we approach our game. Both have succumbed to their wounds and we retrieve the Ranger to load them up...............Somehow. Hog 1 wasn't bad. Hog 2 was a son of a gun. Much grunting and groaning and veins popping...........I get him in the Ranger to the cheering of my boy.
We head to the ranch house to show off our prizes.
This gun is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It ain't pretty, but it's a killer in the simplest way possible. Zero recoil, accurate, comfortable. It just gets the job done with aplomb. It's not overly loud like a big boomer and it's gentle to the shooter. Boys, I love the 6x45 and the 85gr Sierra HPBT-GK.
Autopsies to follow.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Replies
AKA: Former Founding Member
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
Sako
Taking my boy for his second hunt in the next few days. Hoping to connect with an Axis for him
-Mikhail Kalashnikov
I don't have a scale and I don't want to exaggerate, so i won't guess at his weight. But................
..........this was one big damn pig!!!
I'm guessing he's the second biggest I've ever killed. My largest being right at 300 pounds and taken with my .35 Whelen. My second largest now being taken with the little 6x45.
Entrance Angling Forward
Entrance w/ Shoulder & Backstrap Removed
Broke 1 Rib and Struck Base of Spine
Struck Top of Lungs
Most Damage to Onside Lung / Less to Offside
Exit Bhrough Base of Spine
(Smeared lead on muscle as bullet came apart.)
Bullet Lodged in Off Side Backstrap
I did not weigh the piece of copper jacket that I found as there was no semblance of bullet left. Just a flat piece of copper. The bullet racked forward through the spine and top of the lungs dropping and killing the hog. The bullet, which only started life as an 85gr projectile penetrated and expanded through a substantial bone (spine) and held together enough to enter the off side backstrap. It expanded to the point of smearing off all the lead core and leaving only a flat piece of jacket on the far side.
I'd say I asked a pretty hefty task from such a small bullet in a light cartridge. I'd also say it was up to the task and gave it's all to the base. Can't ask for much more.
Not as big when compared to the other, but still a nice one.
Alright, when I fired my first shot, I aimed right behind the shoulder as he walked across the field. It struck home, but when he took off like a bat outa Hell, I didn't want to risk him getting to the cane. Therefore, I fired again. My second shot struck him in the hip like the previous thread with this cartridge but through the pelvic girdle as opposed to the spine just in front. Now, that other pig (1st 6x45 back in August), I wasn't proud of hitting him so far back. This sucker............I'm impressed myself that I actually connected!!! That's the fastest moving target I've ever hit and I've shot movers before. So, when you see the following pics...........yeah..........I hit him in the butt. But.............I HIT HIM! That in itself shocked ME. Now, don't take this as me saying I took a shot I didn't think I could make and was irresponsible in my actions. I executed what I've been taught with little though in an almost instinctive action because I felt I needed to.............I had confidence in my actions...........and was still surprised with the result. If that makes any sense at all.
Without further jabber.............
Entrance Behind Shoulder / Pelvic
Entrance Under Shoulder
Ribs Removed
Blood Removed
Onside Lung
Entrance Through Diaphragm
Entrance to Liver
Exit Liver
The bullet came to rest somewhere in the abdomen. Try as I might, I could not locate the sucker. I dug around in the name of science, but in the end........it was late and my back was hurting for bending over butchering for so long. Sorry.
Entrance to Ham
Exit Onside Ham
Shattered Pelvic Girdle
The bullet shattered the pelvic and the fragments entered the off side ham as shrapnel. I was only able to find 2 slivers of jacket stuck in the meat. The rest is likely scattered through the meat to be discovered at diner time. So again, the bullet came apart. But, only after demolishing what is arguably the largest bone structure in the body besides the skull. And, it held together enough to do so and still send pieces into the off side ham. Pretty good in my book.
I do like this cartridge/bullet combination.
Ya don't say?
:spittingcoffee:
Yep. . .porkers are next on my list. . .
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Our pig supply has dwindled a bit here lately. We killed three on the lease last year, but nobody has even seen any since last summer. And that was a loner I saw one night crossing the road leading into where I hunt. I think the guy that farms rice on the place left some uncut and they're all concentrating in there. I think as the fall and winter progress and it gets cooler we'll start seeing some on the place. Also, everybody quit feeding corn over the summer and I think that drove them into the rice. It's wet there (They love to waller), plenty of food, and it's hard to shoot them, so they're relatively safe. So what's not to love about that, if you're a pig. So maybe when their food supply runs out and the rice field gets dry, they'll come back home to where we hunt.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
I just cut a circle around the exit and eat the rest.