Leo

The smaller diameter bullet really reduces the frontal area of the bullet. That smaller area in turn reduces the rate of momentum transfer significantly. For lack of a better analogy. It's like the 243 is a sharper knife. I don't know if I'd trust them on elk either. IMO, the 270WSM is a safer choice.

You get a $100 rebate on new Browning Golds right now. The safety is oversized and behind the trigger which I like better. Besides the magazine cut off the speed loading feature is really cool. The Berettas are great guns no doubt and I don't really think you can go wrong with them either. But I do like Brownings.

Nothings meaner than yellow jackets with a lawnmower on their nest! Those things can kill ya! I'm glad she didn't get it worse.

I'm allergic to Allegra! Go figure, allergic to an allergy medicine. Not really surprising because I found out a long time ago if a product says Hypo-allergenic on it, it's gonna give me a rash! So all this trendy stuff that's never been tested on animals or is hypo-allergenic really makes me miserable. If I set foot in a Bath and Body Works looking for my wife, I risk a migraine and breaking out in hives. When the pollen starts really blowing here my head turns into a snot fountain. Flonase makes my nose bleed and Claritin typically is only effective for a couple days, then it completely quits helping. Best stuff for me is astilin. Because I have TMJ from my accident a sinus flare up can be painful to boot. I'm with you MB, allergies are miserable.

The amount of energy the bullet sheds as it penetrates the game animal is proportional to the volume of the wound channel it creates. So when a bullet sheds 100% of it's energy by failing to penetrate fully, the wound channel is at maximum volume. This is kind of confusing because volume has length, width and depth. If the bullet blows up too shallow the wound channel is still similar volume but it's much larger in diameter and not as deep as you may need it to be. This is why bullets that are in reality too frangible for the task at hand make some extremely ugly surface wounds and cause tremendous meat damage. If the bullet goes through and stops just under the skin on the opposite side you can be assured of maximum bullet performance. However, if you are dissatisfied with the amount of meat loss this causes it is actually preferable to fully penetrate and shed the excess energy after the bullet exits. Heavier bullets usually have the advantage of having more kinetic energy and more momentum. Momentum determines the potential force that can be delivered by the bullet during a given time and kinetic energy determines the potential the projectile can produce that force over a given distance (ie. penetration depth). Higher momentum and kinetic energy translates into better penetration potential only if the bullet construction is sturdy enough (the physical strength of it's materials) and it's natural rate of momentum transfer prevents it from exhausting it's energy too quickly (often related to but not defined by it's ballistic coefficient). The other factor that affects momentum transfer is the speed of the bullet itself. The faster the bullet travels the faster it loses momentum. Lighter bullets typically travel faster and have less momentum so they simply transfer energy more quickly and penetrate less. For a lighter bullet to equal the performance of a heavier counterpart. The momentums need to be equal. This gives the lighter bullet significantly more energy but that is needed since the lighter faster bullet is at a predisposition to expend more force over the penetration distance than the slower heavier one. A real tough lighter bullet like Barnes TSX 130gr could take that increase in force and perform essentially equal to a 150gr premium bullet. But for this to occur the velocity of a monolithic bullet like the Barnes actually needs to be 10% higher than it's cup and core counterparts. I don't see that in factory loads. You could probably accomplish this with careful and methodical reloading or you could just buy the premium load 150s and be done with it. Bottomline, what you are describing in the performance of the 150 you used absolutely indicates to me that the same bullet in 130 version will penetrate less and cause more meat damage (a larger DIAMETER wound channel). The 130 will has less momentum, will lose that momentum more quickly and has less energy to counteract that effect. Probably more info than you were looking for. I apologize, that's as simple an answer I can come up with for a very complicated question.

Going to a lighter bullet well likely up the meat damage not lower it. Stick with the 150s and use a tougher bullet like a Partition, A-Frame, Scirroco or Barnes.

Buddy the sleep thing is no small issue. I hope that gets better for you soon. Still praying.

Very Cool!!

Yep I bought my Browning BPS 3 1/2 in 1990 for the same reason. That was the first year Browning offered the gun. And the 3 1/2"s really did help the effectiveness of steel. (I'd rather hunt than chase cripples) 17yrs later that gun is still going strong.

BOY! It's good to hear from someone who actually KNOWS how raw a deal waterfowlers got with steel! The Fed Tungsten-iron is their High Density stuff now and IMO it's the closest thing to lead ever. Honestly, I've had way better results with it than Remingtons "Hevi-Shot". I've shot both side by side. The Federal stuff really seems to rule. This is not a bash on Remingtons stuff, just a frank and honest observation. Your accessment you spend less shots following up on wounded birds with Tungsten-Iron it is absolutely correct in my experience as well.

I actually know for sure what I was doing that day. I didn't know what was going on with you at the time but I got an excuse for not praying. And I'm glad you're here to read this. I know for CERTAIN. I was in South Africa. I essentially took that particular day off, I got my gemsbok the day before. I had pushed myself way way too hard to get a Gemsbok. I walked and stalked myself quite literally sick. I finally succeeded getting a Gemsbok on a last second fluke, but the damage had been done, it cost me the next day of hunting. Aug 31st, 2006 was Day 9 of the Safari and I was hurting pretty bad. I'm in Africa on Safari and I can't hunt. That's bad. Anyhow you have seen first hand the video from that trip. When I was talking to Louis over my Gemsbok that was Aug 30th, 2006. The day before you went into surgery.

Out of the box, Tikkas have free floated barrels, a reverse cone crown and the action sits on a bedded in pillar block. They also have the BEST production rifle trigger I have ever pulled. It is adjustable with one screw very easily. These are things you have to usually pay a gunsmith to do that come standard on the Tikka. It's a great value. The millet Tikka Rings are OK but not very forgiving of sloppy installation. You can upgrade to Sako Optilock rings that fit the Tikka. These are really really good serious rings. It's a worthwhile upgrade. I also suggest you get the limbsaver pad. The Stock Tikka pad is my least favorite thing about the rifle. Doing so makes this gun a lot more fun at the bench. Finns' don't like light bullets so I can practically guarantee the rifle in 30cal will like 165s and 180 grs best. Enjoy.

A deer can move it's head around faster than it can move it's entire body. Plus some of the heaviest strongest bones in a deers body are located in the head. These bones can flat cause disaster on a bow head shot. IMO, Trying to connect with the head of a game animal on an archery shot is foolishness.

Some of them only work if its actually touching the screen you're trying to range through. Try that. Might work for you.

Prayers sent!

You are right.

Ok this is my very own: Leos Twisted Brain Sauce 1 cup Ketchup 8 ounces honey 1/2 cup Malt vinegar 1 teaspoon Liquid Barbecue Smoke® 1 tablespoon Garlic Salt 1 tablespoon White pepper 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes This makes a brown sauce that really sticks to meat.

As far as I know the Brownings are the only Shotguns with the Magazine Cutoff Lever. The SXs and Beretta's have an "Automatic Magazine Cutoff" The reason the Brownings have the Manual Cutoff lever is speed loading will not work with "auto" cutoff. You simply can't have speed loading and "auto" cutoff on the same gun. Loading a gun with "auto" cutoff through the ejection port can be accomplished on some guns. But it's tricky and a darn good way to either get your finger pinched really hard or jam your gun. The safest way to swap shells on an "auto" cutoff gun is to eject two shells, feed the shell you want into the magazine, close the bolt to load it and replace the one of the two you just ejected in the magazine. With the Browning Lever. You cutoff the magazine, eject the shell, drop the new one in the ejection port, close the bolt and open the magazine again. The cutoff lever also allows you to unchamber a round and close the bolt without emptying the entire magazine (this is a crucial difference between the Browning lever and "auto" shut off). This an awfully nice feature if you're hunting rough terrain that would normally cause you to completely unload the weapon several times (ie. crossing ditches, fences etc.) I know the Browning is out for you. If it doesn't fit you, it doesn't. And that is very important in your decision. But I did want to explain the uniqueness of the Browning cutoff system. It's a really nice feature that IMO is quite under appreciated and in general poorly understood. Honestly, I don't think it's fair other manufacturers compare their cutoff system to Brownings. They really aren't the same.

That picture is the best excuse for missing a deer I've ever seen!! "I kid you not Bubba the bullets went through that deer like he wasn't even there!!"

The SX3 comes with spacers that allow you to fit the shotgun to you better. The Browning Gold has speed loading, magazine cutoff and an oversized safety. Which honestly may not be big deal options to you.

I need to add. Keep in mind that Browning has a $100 rebate going on the new Golds right now. That means if you find a good deal on a new Gold, Browning will refund you $100. This means you can really save some money on one with some of the Pre-Season sales going on now. I've seen them as low as $750 with the rebate and that's a smoking deal on a Browning Gold! Here's the info on the rebate. http://www.browning.com/products/rebates/gold_rebate.asp

If recoil is your concern than the Beretta wins. I haven't shot the Beretta but I have shot the Benelli's and they do kick harder than GAS guns do. Folks I know whom I trust who have shot both guns say the Beretta is quite remarkable for soft recoil. I wouldn't rule out a Winchester SX2 or Browning Gold if you are looking at new guns.

Don't know for sure on the GMC but most "Computer" driven check engine lights need to be reset by disconnecting one battery terminal for a couple minutes. If you don't reset the thing even though you changed the part the light may remain on. To top it off a diagnostic will still show that part as being faulty even though you know you replaced it. Don't forget that step

Buckee makes a good suggestion. Forget all about using a bow on a bear that has completely lost it's fear and respect of humans like it sounds this one has.

I've used the Montecs for years (since 2004). I like them. They are seriously good heads. I've taken enough stuff with them to be satisfied with their performance. Yes I had to learn how to sharpen them. NO BIG DEAL! Try out the Striker for Free? You bet! Thanks for posting the link.