Two antelopes fall to lever guns

MikeNV · Post by **MikeNV** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:30 pm

Just got back from a trip to WY (Riverton area) where I had tags for two doe antelope, getting both with lever guns, a Marlin 1894C .357 and a Marlin 336CB 38/55. I will get a couple of photos up as soon as I can download them from my cell phone, as I forgot my digital camera.

During the first day of the hunt the first group of antelopes seemed spooked and was very hard to get close to. I then found another herd and was able to stalk within approx. 125 yds (lasered range) and dropped the first doe with a 1894C .357 carrying a leupold 2x scout scope, loaded with 158 gr Hornady XTP sp bullets behind 15.5 gr H110. Had a perfect broadside shot, but just as I pulled the trigger she moved to run and caught her just behind the left front leg and exited the right front portion of the chest, taking out the upper part of the left lung and all of the major blood vessels in the lower neckupper chest area, causing catastrophic hydraulic failure, she was able to stumble about 50 yds and down she went. I'm very impressed with the penetration of the .357 round as this is the second big game animal I have taken with this rifle with complete penetration.

Second day, I scout two antelope about 300 yds away and start a stalk using the contours of the land to hide my approach and using the wind in my favor. Just as I get towards the crest of a hill, I spy a set of antlers coming towards me. I quietly go down to my belly and tilt my head in a downward position looking under the edge of my hat brim. The buck notices me but can't pick up my scent or figure what I am and begins to snort and stomp his hoof, he is not more than 35 yds from me. We continue this stalemate until he drifts back and again comes in to my left now at about 50 yds, again trying to scent me and continues blowing and snorting at me, I lay still and search for the doe with just my eyes. The buck now again turns away from me and disappears over a small hill to my left. Thinking he is going to try to get around the hill and pick up my scent, I quickly get up and run to my rear and towards the hill to my left. I pick a high spot where I know the buck will come below me...hopefully with the doe in tow.

Shortly I see him approx. 150 yds from me heading to a position behind where I originally was to pick up my scent. Again I am lying still on the ground...then I see the doe, see comes into sight a short distance behind the buck. I sit up into a comfortable shooting position that Uncle Sam (USMC) made me very proficiant at. The doe now spots me but can't tell whether I a rock or what and stops in her tracks quartering to me, to study me. Looking through the peep of the marbles tang sight, I squeeze the trigger on the Marlin 38/55. As the shot rings out I see the doe immediately drop in her tracks. The shot strikes her high in the upper chest/shoulder area and enters her body striking 8 inches of spine and exit the rear of the opposite rib area. The 245gr Meister lead bullet behind 26grs of H322 does a fine job.

Now I'm back home with a full shelf of antelope meat in the upright freezer and off in two weeks to hunt Nevada Mule deer with my son.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:40 pm

Mike,

Congratulations on your most excellent hunt. This is kind of lever gun hunting reports I like to read.

It makes me sure than when I'm able I can do it with the guns I have.

Joe

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:42 pm

Hey, good acount and a good hunt. Thanks for the vicarious hunt. Was in Riverton in June, much too hot for this mossback..,

Grizz

95fan · Post by **95fan** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 4:08 pm

Sounds like a great hunt, congrats.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:40 pm

Congratulations! Great report too!

salvo · Post by **salvo** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:05 pm

Great hunt! Thanks for the report.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:56 pm

Good times!

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:10 pm

Congratulations!!!

handirifle · Post by **handirifle** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:42 pm

Nice story, very nice!

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:45 pm

Great report on a really great hunt with real rifles. We passed through Riverton a couple of times in August when we went to Cody and Yellowstone. It all looks like good country to me. Enjoy the good eating.

Jerry

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:08 pm

Congrats on the hunt.
Hate to rain on the parade, but I'ld recommend editing the gun info a tad. That 357 won't qualify as legal for biggame, has to make 500 ftlbs at 100 yds from a handgun before it'll qualify in a rifle.

Not many 357 loads will do that.

1x2 · Post by **1x2** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:48 pm

Good shootin'! Thanks for posting the write-up.

I especially like your choice of calibers, showing that they will do some good work.

1x2

Poohgyrr · Post by **Poohgyrr** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:01 am

Congrats, and Thanks for the report too.

1x2 · Post by **1x2** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:16 am

Don,

I'm unclear regarding the handgun requirement- the regs are silent on that issue- I read that the cartridge needs to "generally" generate the impact that you posted at that yardage. Where's the handgun part come in?

1x2

WCF3030 · Post by **WCF3030** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:05 am

Sounds like a good time.
Nice hunt.

KWK · Post by **KWK** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 7:06 am

Well done and well put.

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:08 am

1x2 wrote:Don,

I'm unclear regarding the handgun requirement- the regs are silent on that issue- I read that the cartridge needs to "generally" generate the impact that you posted at that yardage. Where's the handgun part come in?

1x2

Well sir after looking at the regs as printed this year, seems as tho they have made yet another change since the dropped the "list".
After they dropped the "list" of legal cartridges outside of the 2in length,23 bore . the regs read as I posted above. So I qouted from memory from the last time I had to take the taliban spy written test.
My mistake and a sincere apology for any confussion.
But I do know that there are folks that as part of their job spend sometime on the internet reading about wyoming hunting adventures, and in cooperation with other agencies in other states, hand out violation citations.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:15 am

Mike,
Great report and congrats on a successful hunt.

MikeNV · Post by **MikeNV** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:46 pm

Don McDowell wrote:Congrats on the hunt.
Hate to rain on the parade, but I'ld recommend editing the gun info a tad. That 357 won't qualify as legal for biggame, has to make 500 ftlbs at 100 yds from a handgun before it'll qualify in a rifle. Not many 357 loads will do that.

Don, All should be safe with this load, as 15.5 gr of H110 is driving the 158gr bullet out of a 20" barrel about 1650-1700 fps, at 1650fps it is generating 955.1 foot pounds of energy. Even if the round lost 450fps at 100 yds it would still have 505 foot pounds of energy. A warm loaded .357mag in a levergun is a whole different animal than its pistol companion.

Here the calculator for foot pounds of energy http://www.reloadammo.com/footpound2.htm

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:12 pm

Mike so long as the 158's are departing the muzzle at 1500fps all should be well to make the 500 fpe figure at 100 yds.
On a side note its dang tough to get a 210 or heavier bullet from a 41 mag with 4 -4.5 inch barrel to be legal under the strictest sense of the regs.
I'm glad they finally got the regs cleared up considerable on the legal firearms.

pharmseller · Post by **pharmseller** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:27 pm

MikeNV wrote:
Don McDowell wrote:Congrats on the hunt.
Hate to rain on the parade, but I'ld recommend editing the gun info a tad. That 357 won't qualify as legal for biggame, has to make 500 ftlbs at 100 yds from a handgun before it'll qualify in a rifle. Not many 357 loads will do that.
Don, All should be safe with this load, as 15.5 gr of H110 is driving the 158gr bullet out of a 20" barrel about 1650-1700 fps, at 1650fps it is generating 955.1 foot pounds of energy. Even if the round lost 450fps at 100 yds it would still have 505 foot pounds of energy. A warm loaded .357mag in a levergun is a whole different animal than its pistol companion.

Here the calculator for foot pounds of energy http://www.reloadammo.com/footpound2.htm

Hey Mike,
My 1894C has an 18.5" barrel. Does this change the velocity much over your 20" barrel?

Quinn

MikeNV · Post by **MikeNV** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:28 pm

Sorry, I was typing the barrel dimension of my 1894CB .357, only the one I hunted with was the 1894C .357 with the 18.5" bbl. So not there should be no change, maybe a tad bit faster in the CB but not more than 50fps I would think.

pharmseller · Post by **pharmseller** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:06 pm

Thanks Mike. I'm planning on scoping my 1894C with a Leupold 4x with a 33mm objective. I think I can get pretty low to the barrel with this setup. Great hunt and thanks for the report!

Quinn

1x2 · Post by **1x2** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:49 am

http://www.stevespages.com/page8b.htm

Have you guys been to this site? Point Blank is the product I've used for years, though I have a program with more (read "needless") bells and whistles and that cost me money. You might give Point Blank a try. It produces the same 955.1 answer as posted above, but has (at least) the added advantage, given the elevation, temperature, and the ballistic coefficient of the bullet, of showing a guy the energy, drop, wind drift, etc. and the margin in ft-lbs at various distances. According to the data, you're safe (ok, I sort of knew that).

1x2