It sounded normal and hit right where it was aimed. This has me totally perplexed. Come warm weather and when time permits I'll give the remaining rounds a thorough testing for penetration with some phone books or other set up. I'll buy some factory ammo as a comparison and go from there.
Thanks for all your suggestions.
Give the rounds a shake and/or weigh them looking for discrepencies. Unless you hit a sizeable tree between the gun and the deer, I don't think that's it. I think it's your reloads. Sorry, but a bad bullet would have still penetrated; it just wouldn't have expanded or would have broken up. My money is on a squib load.


















































