Shot placement with long range bullets?

[hmbleservant]

Where do yall aim on whitetailed deer sized game while using bullets like berger vld (hunting bullets) ect.

broadside: I've heard high lung (or mid body) vertically and centered to lung horizontally. Are you aiming to minimize meat damage and maximize penetration? Or are you aiming to simply increase your odds of vitals by centering on the lungs alltogether?

Is there a spot that produces more instant drops than another?

Also, for those that use the VLD's are you getting full pass thru or not?

Will these bullets penetrate shoulders easily at extended ranges?

I'm new to the longrange stuff. I've always hunted 100 yards and under and usually take the neck shot at those ranges to save meat. But I've seen some vid's of folks dropping animals in there tracks at hundreds of yards range (with chest shots or spine shots i don't know).

im shooting a 25-06 incase that matters (115gr VLD soon)

Thanks everyone

[Camshaft]

I personally like a high shoulder/lung/spine shot when possible. I don't worry about DRT kills as much as "dead near there" kills, at extended range i figure my odds are best when taking shoulder, lungs, or spine. I don't relish the thought of humping it across a couple of ravines only to find a blood trail rather than a dead animal. Its pretty hard for deer to go to far with a broken shoulder or spine. I shoot for these vitals regardless of bullet selection.

[SBruce]

I've used a 25-06 for many years now. Favorite long range deer/antelope bullet so far has been the 115 Nosler Ballistic Tip. Furthest kill has been 550+ yds. Many 300-450 yd kills. I always aim for lungs.

Some really prefer the high shoulder/spine, and if they're hit there, it is drop right there.......pretty much gauranteed. The 550yd antelope was a double lung broadside.....he also dropped dead right there.? Alot of whitetail don't "drop right there" when lung shot with a 25-06 at closer ranges, but they don't go far at all usually, and so long as the bullet exits on a lung shot.....the blood trail is usually very easy to see and follow.

Main reason I prefer lung is far less meat damage. And the country I hunt isn't so heavily brushed that they are hard to find.

I've never used the 115 VLD in 25 caliber. Don't have any info on that particular bullet, sorry.

[WildRose]

Originally Posted by hmbleservant

Where do yall aim on whitetailed deer sized game while using bullets like berger vld (hunting bullets) ect.

broadside: I've heard high lung (or mid body) vertically and centered to lung horizontally. Are you aiming to minimize meat damage and maximize penetration? Or are you aiming to simply increase your odds of vitals by centering on the lungs alltogether?

Is there a spot that produces more instant drops than another?

Also, for those that use the VLD's are you getting full pass thru or not?

Will these bullets penetrate shoulders easily at extended ranges?

I'm new to the longrange stuff. I've always hunted 100 yards and under and usually take the neck shot at those ranges to save meat. But I've seen some vid's of folks dropping animals in there tracks at hundreds of yards range (with chest shots or spine shots i don't know).

im shooting a 25-06 incase that matters (115gr VLD soon)

Thanks everyone

Center Point of the shoulder on side shots on just about everything beyond 500yds.

Miss high and you sever the spine, miss low you are in the heart/lungs.

Facing shots above the base of the brisket about halfway between it and top of the shoulder blades; same effect.

Remember on quatering shots you have to consider not the point of impact but a direct line through the point of impact and out of the far side.

25-06 is a fun caliber for lots of applications. My advice would be to take it to a good gunsmith for a full free float, pillar and glass bedding job before going any further.

If it won't shoot 1 MOA with factory loads after that talk to the GS about squaring the action or just go ahead and do that at the same time.

You can waste a hell of a lot of time and money trying to work up loads for a weapon that is not already tuned for precision and never accomplish anything till you go back and do the above.