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Hunting
Long Range Hunting & Shooting
Energy or bullet diameter most important?
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<blockquote data-quote="ATH" data-source="post: 1234872" data-attributes="member: 1656"><p>I think/hope you forget a zero on your rule of thumb for deer? <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>For me the answer is "yes". The key is you have to cause sufficient damage. Energy will make up for lesser diameter to an extent, but larger caliber will make up for lower energy. Larger diameter also means larger bullets which can accomplish things a smaller diameter bullet won't do no matter the energy.</p><p></p><p>To pick a couple extremes, a smaller diameter bullet like a 6mm is simply not going to give you the penetration of a .45-70 without using bullets which leave a small wound channel (minimal expansion). The .45-70 doesnt need high energy to leave a nice wound channel. For a shot needing penetration energy becomes kind of irrelevant if it is expended outside the vitals. My 243AI maintains much higher energy with 105gr bullets than my 45-70 with 325-405gr bullets to 300 yards. But I'd be a LOT more comfortable shooting an elk at that range with the 45-70 than the 243AI. Not that I consider either ideal in that scenario.</p><p></p><p>For deer, a very wide range of things work. For game as big as elk when moderate to long ranges are involved, my personal preference is for a caliber of .30-.358, magnum velocities for the .30 (in case of long range) and accepting more moderate velocities but also accepting shorter range with the .358. Of course you can get both with .338s if you like the recoil or brakes. Even larger calibers leave no doubt on both energy and penetration by typically only at more moderated ranges.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ATH, post: 1234872, member: 1656"] I think/hope you forget a zero on your rule of thumb for deer? ;) For me the answer is "yes". The key is you have to cause sufficient damage. Energy will make up for lesser diameter to an extent, but larger caliber will make up for lower energy. Larger diameter also means larger bullets which can accomplish things a smaller diameter bullet won't do no matter the energy. To pick a couple extremes, a smaller diameter bullet like a 6mm is simply not going to give you the penetration of a .45-70 without using bullets which leave a small wound channel (minimal expansion). The .45-70 doesnt need high energy to leave a nice wound channel. For a shot needing penetration energy becomes kind of irrelevant if it is expended outside the vitals. My 243AI maintains much higher energy with 105gr bullets than my 45-70 with 325-405gr bullets to 300 yards. But I'd be a LOT more comfortable shooting an elk at that range with the 45-70 than the 243AI. Not that I consider either ideal in that scenario. For deer, a very wide range of things work. For game as big as elk when moderate to long ranges are involved, my personal preference is for a caliber of .30-.358, magnum velocities for the .30 (in case of long range) and accepting more moderate velocities but also accepting shorter range with the .358. Of course you can get both with .338s if you like the recoil or brakes. Even larger calibers leave no doubt on both energy and penetration by typically only at more moderated ranges. [/QUOTE]
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Energy or bullet diameter most important?
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