Since it is legal in Texas now I want to use strictly Airguns this season. I have an extreme bigbore 357 with some 220 gr from Mr hollow point but my concern is on a shoulder shot and having the deer drop. I know behind the shoulder it will run a little bit and I can track it but I am looking for people with experience in shooting deer with an airgun. Best caliber and rifle for knock down power, accuracy and grain of bullet they are using. I am happy with the extreme right now but I think the trigger can be a little better. I know it has a timney trigger and can probably be adjusted I just don’t want to be wounding deer.
How do your 100yd groups look?
Almost never have I had to shoot at a deer more than once, repeaters don't interest me.
Background, I've been a ballistics nut-job since boyhood. Lots of autopsies and recovered slugs. Yes people think it's macabre, I says the proof is in the pudding.
You did ask for opinions.... .357 is a mid-bore, and underpowered by firearm standards.
What possesses people to buy medium bore "big bores"?
220gr sounds fine, basically analogous to handgun hunting, I'd rather have more frontal area at the velocities listed in Mr. HP 357 video.
@ that weight and velocity, I'd aim for the TOP of the heart, behind the shoulder.
Notice the ascending aorta?
A near miss still keeps you in the ballpark.
Big picture....
Neck shooting is reliable with gobs of energy, every hit is a good one, but as the energy tapers off, or profile changes, it's not so reliable.
Look at the target, the neck is actually a smaller target, and moves a LOT!
So, how do your 100yd groups look?
