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Another Hog and another A-Max Performance Base
My best friend's birthday was this weekend so, I decided to take him hog hunting. This is the guy I went deer hunting with this year that took his first buck. He has shot a hog with me before, but it's been awhile.
Went to the place my kids and I got the last pig. The cattle had been released on the pasture I got that last one on, so the grass had been eaten down. Decided to hunt the cane edge and hope to catch them coming out.
We sat along the edge at dusk with my friends Lyman GP Rifle (formerly mine) until it got too dark to see with iron sights. Then, we switched gear and tactics. Still hunting along the cane edge, we could hear the hogs moving around in there grunting, squealing, and fighting. We stopped about where we figured they'd come out, waiting and listening to the ruckus.
Finally, a good boar popped out about 50 yards away. Looking at him quartering towards us in the moon light, I asked......"Head shot?" To which my friend replied......"Of course".
"DINK!"
The .308 Win whispered.
The boars head popped back, his butt hit the ground, and he slumped over to his right side. Back legs kicking for a moment, then all still. Walking up to the hog, I was very proud of my friend. Not that he'd made the shot, I'd have thumped him if he hadn't, but that he'd taken his second hog and his biggest to date. Not a bad year for him. First buck last fall and biggest hog this spring.
About a 175 pounder +/-.
Pretty cool coloration, I thought. Sort of marbled and grey.
Loaded him up and headed for home.
Now, When I butchered him, I fully expected NOT to find the bullet. I figured that SURELY the frail, thin jacketed match bullet had exploaded inside the skull upon impact. So, I put my camera away.
Boy, was I surprised in the skinning process to se THIS!!!! (Sorry for the bad phone pics. I'd really put the camera away.)
That's a fully mushroomed 168gr .30cal A-Max lodged just under the hide in the middle of the off side shoulder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The entrance is the Blue arrow, just inside and above the hog's left eye. The Green arrow is where the bullet came to rest under the skin.
Upon inspection, the bullet took out the front and right side of the brain. Exited the back of the THICK skull just right of the spine through a quarter size hole. Traversed the neck and went through the right shoulder to stop under the hide.
How many of you have ever inspected the skull of a pig? I can promise you, they are NO deer skull. Those suckers are pretty stout! That bullet held together, expanded, and penetrated to the off side shoulder after traveling about a foot of heavy bone before passing through a foot of flesh. To stop in a beautiful mushroom under the thick shield of a boar hog.
All that, and retain over 50% of it's weight after a 50 yard impact distance.
I expected this sucker to expload in the skull. Nope.
Proud of my friend and even more in love with the A-Max with every use.
Went to the place my kids and I got the last pig. The cattle had been released on the pasture I got that last one on, so the grass had been eaten down. Decided to hunt the cane edge and hope to catch them coming out.
We sat along the edge at dusk with my friends Lyman GP Rifle (formerly mine) until it got too dark to see with iron sights. Then, we switched gear and tactics. Still hunting along the cane edge, we could hear the hogs moving around in there grunting, squealing, and fighting. We stopped about where we figured they'd come out, waiting and listening to the ruckus.
Finally, a good boar popped out about 50 yards away. Looking at him quartering towards us in the moon light, I asked......"Head shot?" To which my friend replied......"Of course".
"DINK!"
The .308 Win whispered.
The boars head popped back, his butt hit the ground, and he slumped over to his right side. Back legs kicking for a moment, then all still. Walking up to the hog, I was very proud of my friend. Not that he'd made the shot, I'd have thumped him if he hadn't, but that he'd taken his second hog and his biggest to date. Not a bad year for him. First buck last fall and biggest hog this spring.
About a 175 pounder +/-.
Pretty cool coloration, I thought. Sort of marbled and grey.
Loaded him up and headed for home.
Now, When I butchered him, I fully expected NOT to find the bullet. I figured that SURELY the frail, thin jacketed match bullet had exploaded inside the skull upon impact. So, I put my camera away.
Boy, was I surprised in the skinning process to se THIS!!!! (Sorry for the bad phone pics. I'd really put the camera away.)
That's a fully mushroomed 168gr .30cal A-Max lodged just under the hide in the middle of the off side shoulder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The entrance is the Blue arrow, just inside and above the hog's left eye. The Green arrow is where the bullet came to rest under the skin.
Upon inspection, the bullet took out the front and right side of the brain. Exited the back of the THICK skull just right of the spine through a quarter size hole. Traversed the neck and went through the right shoulder to stop under the hide.
How many of you have ever inspected the skull of a pig? I can promise you, they are NO deer skull. Those suckers are pretty stout! That bullet held together, expanded, and penetrated to the off side shoulder after traveling about a foot of heavy bone before passing through a foot of flesh. To stop in a beautiful mushroom under the thick shield of a boar hog.
All that, and retain over 50% of it's weight after a 50 yard impact distance.
I expected this sucker to expload in the skull. Nope.
Proud of my friend and even more in love with the A-Max with every use.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Replies
As always Zee, I am impressed with your post mortem. I just might have to try some of them A-Max projectiles at some stage...........perhaps when I start reloading for the 308.
( ps......I cant see the coloured arrows.)
He did have a longer snout than usual. But, the camera angle amplified the effect.
You ought to give the A-Max a try. Besides, you usually head or neck shoot your game.
Pm on the way regarding something else......
"The Un-Tactical"
Yeah, that.
Nice shooting!
Some day, I'll realize this and see the error of my ways.
Guess it's my rebellious tendencies to go against the norm.
"The Un-Tactical"
Every once in awhile. Just because.
But hey! The bullet works, right? Regardless what Hornady does or doesn't "recommend". Sheep follow..........others don't.
I remember that thread for that other place that you sent me in regards to the A-Max. I'm determined that the level of stupidity on that board will not be present here.
"The Un-Tactical"
Back in the day I just considered them a high BC Nosler ballistic tip.
I had used ballistic tips with great success with the lower impact velocities I get with my specialty handguns for a long time
"The Un-Tactical"
As I said in the other thread, that's what I consider them as well. Anything a BT is adequate for, so is the A-Max it seems.
If you dare. Careful, you might get hooked.
Hey, and if it works for you good.
The hogs on my deer lease are either cold black or maybe brownish black. They're ugly.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Hornady told me it's a thinner jacket and they do penetration/expansion tests through different media.
http://www.hornadyle.com/products/rifle-ammunition/308-win-tap/168-gr-a-max-tap-precision
If you continue to ignore facts backed up by hard evidence to counter your stance and statements, I don't know what else I can do for you. But, continuing to ignore facts that I have presented and stated by the company on THEIR site and verbally over the phone.........well your credibility goes out the window.
I have linked the evidence here in black and white.
If they would come out before dark, sure!
Good luck finding any. And no, they don't make a 7mm A-Max in 140gr. Just the 162gr A-Max.
"The Un-Tactical"
It'll make you smarter if you do switch to 162gr A-Max. Well, maybe not you. But, it'll make you LOOK smarter.
With the nocturnal nature they are running, the double ain't gonna happen.
Big Bird is next.