Long range bullets at close range

There you go , you beat me , I've only hunted Tx , Colorado , and Wyoming , but I got you beat in age.
My ex wife always told me don't drink and text. I re read my post 🙄 I don't even know why I said youngster ! I apologize. 😔 I've always enjoyed you posts on here.
Heading out now to try and fill my last tag this year. A doe whitetail. Going to where I shot the whitetail buck a couple weeks ago. I don't want to use the 300 win mag with 180 Hammers I've used on everything thing else this year. I couldn't find my 6.5 PRC 156 Berger loads for Ridgeline. Was going to take a 6.5x284. Then I saw my little Tikka 6.5 Creed I haven't shot since 2018. Have shot some doe lope and deer with it. Perfect !
Using 143 ELDX with 45 grains Superformance. I have until 31st. Stay tuned.
 
I've done some searching but haven't found what I thought was the answer. So…

If you are set up with a long range bullet, (let's just say a Berger EOL) and a shot presents itself at a close range. How do you handle that shot?

I've read a couple things; aim for bone or have a mono bullet built that aims close.

I'd like to have your thoughts.
First round in chamber is sort to medium range, eg, accubond (not ABLR).

If a long range opportunity presents itself, switch to long range option. If time doesn't permit that, then it is probably not an opportunity I should have taken in the first place.
 
I've done some searching but haven't found what I thought was the answer. So…

If you are set up with a long range bullet, (let's just say a Berger EOL) and a shot presents itself at a close range. How do you handle that shot?

I've read a couple things; aim for bone or have a mono bullet built that aims close.

I'd like to have your thoughts.
I'm 52 and live and hunt in Georgia but have also spent a week for the past 25 years in Colorado chasing elk and mule deer. I'm set up for both situations with Bergers and Hammers. This year, I had a nice bull at 1150 walking though a meadow on day two and by the time I had the range, dialed and tried to settle in for the shot, it didn't feel right and I never broke the trigger. Thankfully on the last day of the hunt, shot a mule deer just after sunrise and a 4x elk and hour later in the same spot. Both were under 150 and both were with the 181 Hammer Hunters and neither took another step.
 
At a thousand yds , what happens if you hit the shoulder on an elk , with the133 Bergers, are they going in a few in with no exit or blood trail ? Curios , personally my range limitation on my 25-284 , with 90 gr absolutes and 3874 fps at 500 yds is good enough for anything I would shoot with my 25 cal . I would choose a bigger cal for any elk hunt I might go on . I have no experience with the 133 Berger , but comparing velocity , it would be interesting at what yardage the 133 Berger would catch up too the Hammers minimal 1800 fps terminal threshold , with a mv of 3874 fps.
I can't speak to bergers but eldm at slower velocity are deadly on a shoulder hit. In my experience they're deadly at faster velocity too but I'm shootings a MV of 2780 so I don't have a screamer.

What happens if you don't hit an animal in the shoulder at 1000 with a mono at slower speeds? In my experience (slower velocity, not 1000 yards) that's a recipe for a tiny entry and exit hole (no ribs).
 
There you go , you beat me , I've only hunted Tx , Colorado , and Wyoming , but I got you beat in age.
Got my doe this morning with the little Needmoor. About 100 yds. The 143 ELDX exit wound. I had lungs there to take a pic and forgot . Was kinda fun to shoot that rifle after 5 yrs. Tagged out. I'm glad.
Site won't let me upload pics. Doing other "I'm sorry" things all morning also ???
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You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel

A policy that I fervently believe in……especially so with bullets! memtb
Thats the quote I have always likeed - and why I use an 8mm Remington Magnum with 220 grain bullets on elk moose and bears.
 
I can't speak to bergers but eldm at slower velocity are deadly on a shoulder hit. In my experience they're deadly at faster velocity too but I'm shootings a MV of 2780 so I don't have a screamer.

What happens if you don't hit an animal in the shoulder at 1000 with a mono at slower speeds? In my experience (slower velocity, not 1000 yards) that's a recipe for a tiny entry and exit hole (no ribs).
Remember the Hammers are supposed to perform at 1800 fps up to no limitations on impact velocity, I can't speak for other monos but for Hammers I will, until I hear or experience something different. That 1800 fps impact could be at whatever distance it takes to get there depending on the starting MV . I would expect the bullet too perform as advertised and tested until proven other wise as with any bullet , reguardless of maker or type.
 
I can't speak to bergers but eldm at slower velocity are deadly on a shoulder hit. In my experience they're deadly at faster velocity too but I'm shootings a MV of 2780 so I don't have a screamer.

What happens if you don't hit an animal in the shoulder at 1000 with a mono at slower speeds? In my experience (slower velocity, not 1000 yards) that's a recipe for a tiny entry and exit hole (no ribs).

That is precisely the reason you do not shoot at ranges beyond that which you have adequate velocity for proper expansion! memtb
 
That is precisely the reason you do not shoot at ranges beyond that which you have adequate velocity for proper expansion! memtb
It's well documented that monos (not just hammers) struggle to expand at minimum velocities, especially if they don't hit bone. The mono proponents love to talk about match bullets not performing at high speeds on shoulders, but the opposite is true as well, monos at low speeds on flesh leave much to be desired (in my experience of course).
 
Remember the Hammers are supposed to perform at 1800 fps up to no limitations on impact velocity, I can't speak for other monos but for Hammers I will, until I hear or experience something different. That 1800 fps impact could be at whatever distance it takes to get there depending on the starting MV . I would expect the bullet too perform as advertised and tested until proven other wise as with any bullet , reguardless of maker or type.

While I don't actually shoot Hammers…..I do believe their philosophy has merit!

I'm kinda stuck on Barnes…..if I can get my Christmas Present, 270 grain LRX's accurately to 3000 fps or a bit better, I should be good to 350 yards beyond my self-imposed limit on shooting of big game animals!

Though, I believe that a .375 cal. @ 1800 fps should kill fairly reliably! memtb
 
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