Noob question

[Jlan]

Good afternoon.



Please don’t light me up too bad for this question being asked probably several thousand times over the years..

I have been looking around on Rockslide for awhile and have seen most of the S2H podcasts on the subject (Form Fridays) etc..

I handload and will probably add a new rifle in the next year.



For the sake of theory, lets say all of these bullets have the same G1 BC (.545) and are going 3100 FPS.

Also assume that the low end of the function window is 1800 FPS so At sea level at 60 degrees, the bullet should perform to about ~830 yards.

88 Grain .224 bullet

108 Grain .243 bullet

130 Grain .264 bullet

150 Grain .284 bullet

178 Grain .308 bullet

200 Grain .338 bullet

At sea level at 60 degrees, the bullet should perform to about ~830 yards with windage being identical because of the Same BC
Is the thought that terminally these bullets will be so close in performance that you are mainly just picking which rifle recoils less
for spotting misses/hits or needlessly beating the hell out of yourself?
I will almost assuredly never have the skill or opportunity to take a shot that far but maybe my boys will someday..

Not trolling at all, I’m just older and have been using 06’s WSM’s most of my life.

Thank you,

Justin

 

[Q_Sertorius]

The thought is that any of those bullets will do the job adequately out to the point where it hits 1800 FPS.

 

[Kyguy]

To add to it, yes you're thinking correctly. EVERYONE shoots better when recoil is lower. EVERYONE spots their shots better when recoil is lower. EVERYONE shoots and practices much more when recoil is lower. Why get the snot beat out of you when you don't need to?

Are the heavier bullets going to "hit" harder? Yes, because mass still matters in the equation. Shoot steel with a .223 and then with a .300. There's an obvious difference. Does it matter in living flesh? Eh, probably not so much until you get into the largest of the large. Elephants were killed for decades with 6.5x54, 7x57, and .303 British, with long solid bullets. Now people call you crazy for using a .375 H&H for elephant.