Shot placement vs. Bullet design?

[big6x6]

Make the right shot and just about any bullet will do. Make a poor shot with the best bullet=lost animal. For ME the best shot is behind the shoulder. IDEALLY...I want a quartering to or away where I can put the bullet tru the lungs and heart. Usually a VERY quick death and a blood trail that a blind man could follow.

As far as a 495gr .504 lead conical over 70gr fffg Swiss goes...I'll let you know in about two weeks! 8)

 

[Busta]

70-80gr powder with the 460gr conical would be fine with the kodiak. To big for me as i need the extra range where i hunt.

I thought them CVA's were limited to 400 grain conicals, did that change?

 

[choc-dog]

UC,

The Sharps style veneer sight certainly works for aging eyes. Wonderful shooting.

chocdog

 

[Underclocked]

Thanks, but a 3x9 Leupold works better. :wink:

Didn't you guys read my "Need a laugh" post. Them suckers Bat makes is wicked!

 

[AJ]

Like big6x6 said, put the bullet where it needs to be and most any bullet will work. I get a kick out of these posts where people want premium bullets on deer. Deer are not hard to kill. They are thin skinned and high weight retention that exits is not mandatory to get the job done. I could only imagine the loads some think necessary for elk or moose.

 

[Underclocked]

AJ, White shooters don't use big conicals just because of their tremendous downrange wallop. We just like 'em for the noise they make when they hit.

But I think about an 800 grainer would make a good moose load. :wink:

 

[spence]

Thanks

Thanks for all the input guys. You guys are a good group and I've already learned alot from other posts. To sum up, I'm going to experiment[ field test] the Barnes since I bought a bunch already. If I have the opportunity I will Vital area shoot one and try the shoulder shot on another! Can't believe I turned on TV yesterday, Western Extreme, I think, and they were talking about the high shoulder shot! Said it had the most margin for error left to right and equal or better elevation wise. Looking forward to a new chapter in "dropping em where they stand" in my hunting pursuits! I would like to find a less expensive bullet in the future without sacrificing accuracy or performance on game.

 

[ramitupurs84]

Realize that not everyone is a bloodhound tracking dog either. Most people want their deer dead within 50 ft. And as big6x6 says a blood trail a blind man could see to boot.

I am glad to have these discussions.

 

[SteveB]

Most of mine are well under 100yds.
A couple 125 ish by feel and a ranged 157 with a 460gr 451 Bullshop with 70 grns T7. - DRT

With some more range time and a range finder, I would feel comfortable to 200.

How much more range does one need?
Don't like walking any farther then that to gut em.

Steve

 

[big6x6]

GRAPHIC WOUND/BLOOD pics!

Here are some examples of some various wound/blood pics:

300gr SST from a Savage 10ML-II...exit wound. Do you think there was a blood trail? Do you think one was NEEDED? GREAT bullet performance.

200gr .40 XTP 80gr fffg Triple Se7en. Same here. Doe ran about a 20yd circle and collapsed.

200gr Shockwave 120gr ffg Triple Se7en. I shot this deer in the shoulder simply to collect the bullet. ZERO blood and about a 50-60 yd extremely difficult tracking job. KEY? Two: Shot placement and fragile bullet. Only recovered bullet fragments.

Wyoming pronghorn 125gr ffg Triple Se7en/200gr Shockwave 197yds. Blood EVERYWHERE! Pronghorn went 2 yards straight down.

Savage 10ML-II/250gr Ballistic Extreme. Shot 17yds. Bloodtrail a blind man could follow. Went about 20 yds and collapsed. EXCELLENT bullet performance but ALSO a quartering away shot that ate up the lungs.

Moral: NO bullet is perfect. Shot placement isn't always perfect either. Even when both are ideal, NO guarantee animal will drop in its tracks or bleed like you think it should.

 

[Lee 9]

No doubt they are good, and I believe the accuracy to, what I want to know is where you got the mortar sights are they army surplus? My scope wont adjust for that much drop. Lee

 

[Underclocked]

Lee, the ballistic plex type reticles can be used to good advantage with most any bullet. Even a simpler plex reticle can offer another aiming point if one is careful on the vertical alignment.

Longer range shots at game are nothing to be taken for granted in any case. I've made exactly one at 200 yards, the only one I tried at anywhere close to that distance. I knew the range and I knew the bullet/rifle. I don't think that deer even quivered as she dropped.

 

[mirage1988]

In pic # 2-is that the entry or the exit?
If its the entry then you didnt "hit the shoulder"-you actually were lucky to even recover the deer. A good bullet wont compensate for a bad shot-no matter how heavy it is or how much powder it had behind it. Not a fair bullet comparison to me.

 

[mirage1988]

Sorry-meant pic#3

 

[big6x6]

In pic # 3-is that the entry or the exit?
If its the entry then you didnt "hit the shoulder"-you actually were lucky to even recover the deer. A good bullet wont compensate for a bad shot-no matter how heavy it is or how much powder it had behind it. Not a fair bullet comparison to me.

You don't think I know where I hit the DEER? I was in a tree stand and shooting at a downward angle. Of course it is an entry wound since I SAID I made the shot to try to recover the bullet and only recovered FRAGMENTS. But I really do appreciate your lesson on shot placement/bullet construction.

 

[ramitupurs84]

Nice pictures....dad has 200gr shockwaves...however the blue boots don't fit right...back to the store they go..

 

[Anonymous]

In pic # 3-is that the entry or the exit?
If its the entry then you didnt "hit the shoulder"-you actually were lucky to even recover the deer. A good bullet wont compensate for a bad shot-no matter how heavy it is or how much powder it had behind it. Not a fair bullet comparison to me.

You don't think I know where I hit the DEER? I was in a tree stand and shooting at a downward angle. Of course it is an entry wound since I SAID I made the shot to try to recover the bullet and only recovered FRAGMENTS. But I really do appreciate your lesson on shot placement/bullet construction.

Chuck,,,,U jest got lucky.... :lol: :wink:

 

[AJ]

AJ, White shooters don't use big conicals just because of their tremendous downrange wallop. We just like 'em for the noise they make when they hit.

But I think about an 800 grainer would make a good moose load. :wink:

Sound like a catchers mit in fast pitch softball?

 

[Anonymous]

That description is close.... :wink: 8) :lol:

 

[mirage1988]

Oh sorry, Thought by "in the shoulder" you meant in the shoulder blade-not in front of the shoulder. Did the bullet pass thru, Is that why you only recovered fragments?