Axis Buck taken this weekend with new barrel

Went hunting this past weekend south of Junction and was able to take this guy. He had huge neck and a lot of battle scars from fighting. This was also my first hunt with my Tikka 7-08 that I got Chad to rebarrel with a Krieger barrel. I also had Chad work up a custom load and this thing is very accurate. Well under 1 moa accurate. I'm going to put on my 5-20 scope and try to shoot some groups with it over the 4th to see how small I can do. But I'd highly recommend Chad to work up a load for you to maximize you're gun's potential.

Congrats on a nice buck! What bullet did you use?

I used a Hornady 162 gr ELDM. Although the bullet worked great. Total destruction on the internals but..... the bullet didn't pass all the way through and got stopped on the hide upon exit. He didn't make it ten yards but no blood trail. I've read that quite a few folks have had great luck with the ELDM but I think I'm going to try something different for hunting and keep the ELDM for targets. A doe was shot with this gun/bullet the next day and with the exact same results. Great damage and the animal didn't make it far but zero blood.

I'd bet 99% of your kill shots will be under 400 yds in your big game hunts. After 47 yrs of hunting, I know mine are. Try some 140 Accubond's in that 7-08 and you will love 'em. The 7-08 is very easy to load for as well. Good luck, and great buck. Thanks for sharing the beautiful pics.

Jgraider, that's my plan. I was hoping to use one bullet that would fill target/hunting role. So that's why i took the chance on the 162 eldm. It's accurate! But I need a blood trail in case I don't make a great shot. Accubonds are high on my list to try! I'll probably get Chad to roll me some....

Give the 150 ELDX a look. I’ve had excellent results with the 143 in my 6.5.

Congrats on a great Axis buck, too!

Take a look at the Hornady SXT. I load them for a .308. 165 gr. Accurate, explosive in the chest cavity and a pass through for a trail. Never lost an animal and usually DRT. Only time I didn't get a pass through was a quartering shot that hit the left rear rib and made it's way to the right shoulder. Penetrated 18 inches before stopping in the shoulder on a Fallow. For higher velocity rounds like the 300 Win and 7mm Mag, people don't like them. For 308 and 7-08 with the lower velocity, they're perfect.

What's the problem? Any bullet that expends ALL of it's energy inside the animal is deadly. Had he run more than a few yards, you would have found a blood trail from the entrance wound and all that bloody destruction on the inside. I've never had to track an animal where the bullet performed like yours did.

Because there was zero blood where he was shot. If it had been dense area I could have mistaken it for a miss. The bullet did it’s job but I prefer full exit and a nice trail of pumping red marker on the ground for me to follow.

Nice deer!
I went lighter on my 7-08 load and am using the Barnes 120TTSX at 3000FPS.
My rifle is also a sporter weight custom, not a target/hunting rifle and the kids appreciate the lighter recoil.
Pass through is not a problem at all. Blowing through both shoulders not a problem and anchors deer sized game.
Wouldn't hesitate to drop the hammer on elk with this combo either.

I have also used the 140 Accubond with similar results.

Nice. Forrest

Nice buck. I hunt south of Junction, lots of axis our that way.

He did not make it 10 yards and your changing bullets??

What if he went 150 yards? Could have made a long morning with zero blood trail. But to each their own.