Large caliber vs. small caliber debate

[TaperPin]

Sounds like you and your buddy need some practice. If you think you need a magnum to make that shot please don’t take it regardless of caliber. Hit the range not the keyboard

I just love how you see the size of vitals in that situation as being so large and forgiving. Lol

I guess if the bullet is a tiny bit off and it’s gut shot, deer don’t run far - right?

It reminds me of the kid that put some piece of crap Tasco on his rifle and was about to show us how easy real shooting is, if he could ever get it on paper. lol

 

[KHntr]

It sounds so easy and foolproof when you explain it like that. I’ll add that to the notes taped to the stock: “steep quartering away shots are easy.” Lol

Edit: I texted a buddy who took a steep quartering away shot, that it should have been easy, because you said so - we both chuckled. That’s classic little cartridge gold. Lol

Wait a minute…. Is your buddies name Jack???

 

[Clark33]

I just love how you see the size of vitals in that situation as being so large and forgiving. Lol

I guess if the bullet is a tiny bit off and it’s gut shot, deer don’t run far - right?

It reminds me of the kid that put some piece of crap Tasco on his rifle and was about to show us how easy real shooting is, if he could ever get it on paper. lol

The deer didn't run at all, he dropped. I put my rounds where I want them, it got a lot easier after I upgraded from my tasco scope though

 

[TaperPin]

The deer didn't run at all, he dropped. I put my rounds where I want them, it got a lot easier after I upgraded from my tasco scope though

Well it sounds like you’re quite the rifle shot - good job.

 

[Clark33]

Well it sounds like you’re quite the rifle shot - good job.

I am, thank you

 

[MCS]

What bullet were you using in the 6.5 Creed?

As to your last comment, that is flat-out false. As has been pointed out many times, and my experience over a couple hundred animals killed with rifles backs up what has been posted. If you use a properly constructed bullet and put it in the vital V the animal will die pretty damn quick, regardless of the caliber of the bullet that it used. Any variation in time of death is purely due to the individual animal.

I'm using the 140 eldm in the 6.5 at 2813 fps. I use a 180 berger in a 7mm for deer now and that bullet has performed a lot better. Most of the time deer drop without taking a step. 9 deer and 1 antelope were shot with my creedmoor and the only one that dropped in place was the buck I shot in the head.

So I confused on why you think what I said was false? I get better performance and faster kills with the larger match bullet out of the 7mm then I did with the match bullet out of the 6.5

How is getting better results fale?

 

[Drenalin]

Seriously though, that changes for me depending on circumstances around the shot. This years elk got shot on the leading edge of his shoulder knuckle and it came out at the last ribs. The second one went in at the second to last ribs and went out through the opposite shoulder… He was in the open so it didn’t matter much and I didn’t need to shoot him twice but its hardwired into me to shoot elk if they are upright. Not sure I would intentionally shoot a healthy animal through the paunch.
A previously wounded one though that is about to get away is gonna get an additional hole as soon as crosshairs touch hair. Hips, guts, legs, face, don’t matter. I’ll do the work trimming bloodshot meat if necessary, because I owe it to the animal to finish what I started.

These two examples were with what bullet? I think I know, but for posterity…

My point is that I don’t really think about whether or not there’s a shoulder in the bullet’s path, but I’m only shooting deer and bears with 73 ELDMs. I keep seeing something along the lines of smaller calibers working fine “if the animal’s broadside” or they’re limited “if a perfect shot isn’t available.” So I’m curious where that line is for others or on other game.