What caused the Rokslide shift to smallest caliber and cartridges?

[Big_wals]

There's a TON of posts on cartridge selection and bullet threads that go "have you read" the following:
1) the .223 thread
2) the 6mm thread
3) the 6.5mm thread

This is the first paragraph of the OP. To everyone arguing against small calibers, lets say 6.5 and down, have you read those three threads? If not, take some time and go do it. At least skim through and look at the necropsy pics. And if you have read them, please link to anything that you think would have turned out different with a bigger bullet.

A picture of lungs that don’t look sufficiently shredded, maybe a post where some guy was finally convinced to step down to a smaller cartridge and had to shoot an elk four times to kill it, anything at all. It’s not like there’s only three or four dudes posting on those. There has been dozens of guys shooting smaller bullets than “conventional wisdom” would recommend. Surely if it didn’t work, they’re gonna post about their bad experience.

 

[Big_wals]

Just saw this on Facebook. Couldn’t help myself

 

[nobody]

I’m getting some serious “2 Weeks from Desert Sheep Opener” vibes from post 1,439…

@Deleted member 8-15-23 is that you!?!?

 

[gabenzeke]

I take back my earlier statement. Instead of proof of insurance from larger calibers maybe we take up a fund and offer a reward for someone to prove they never miss with a magnum and can shoot it better than a 223.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Reburn]

I take back my earlier statement. Instead of proof of insurance from larger calibers maybe we take up a fund and offer a reward for someone to prove they never miss with a magnum and can shoot it better than a 223.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[mt terry d]

It will become obnoxious. Anything will. I will type slow so the point maybe makes sense … picking a round because you can shoot it 100, 1000, 10000, etc times in a row is an irrelevant criteria for selecting a hunting rifle. Picking a cartridge you shoot well is regardless if you can shoot it a 10 or a million times in a row or not

Lou

No, not everything will. Type at whatever speed you prefer.
I pick the 223 because I shoot it better, as do the vast majority of shooters ( actually everyone does shoot a lesser recoiling rifle better. That has been tested and proven).
No one has claimed the number of times in a row one can shoot a round is a deciding factor, or even a factor of consideration. Why would you even say that? (<that's a rhetorical question; I said I wouldn't make the same mistake again.)

 

[Strider]

This thread is reaching Rokslide gold status. Quite entertaining.

 

[Lou270]

No, not everything will. Type at whatever speed you prefer.
I pick the 223 because I shoot it better, as do the vast majority of shooters ( actually everyone does shoot a lesser recoiling rifle better. That has been tested and proven).
No one has claimed the number of times in a row one can shoot a round is a deciding factor, or even a factor of consideration. Why would you even say that? (<that's a rhetorical question; I said I wouldn't make the same mistake again.)

Sorry for that snarky post. Uncalled for.

Lou

 

[ChrisAU]

I’d just like to say that if you bring a .223 to a mid to long range comp, RO’s hate you. Spotting .223 hits at long distance on steel that’s been battered all day by 6mm, 6.5mm, and .30 all day long and doesn’t react at all to a .223 impact and also provides minimal splash on a miss is…not fun.

 

[mt terry d]

Sorry for that snarky post. Uncalled for.

Lou

No problem, Lou. I've a strong streak of snark myself.
What would a controversialist do without other controversialists?

Cheers

 

[Antares]

I simply don’t understand this situation. If I miss it is not because I don’t know where I expect the bullet to go. It is because I missed. What am I correcting? If the bullet goes somewhere I am not expecting then I would be shooting beyond my ability, which I know well before going hunting

Shooting and missing so bad you need to change something is busch league as you are flailing at best. Hitting something because you intentionally took a shot you are incapable of without somebody guiding you in is irresponsible. I am talking shots on game not steel or targets where spotting is a tool.

Lou

Do you shoot in the wind much, Lou?

 

[Lou270]

Do you shoot in the wind much, Lou?

I live in TX. It is never not windy and not uncommon gusty 20+ mph. There are windmills all around my ranch.

Lou

 

[Antares]

I live in TX. It is never not windy and not uncommon gusty 20+ mph. There are windmills all around my ranch.

Lou

Great! Hopefully this will make sense then.

You’re shooting a 10” plate at 400 yards. Wind is right to left. You make your wind call and take your shot. It hits the left 1/4 of the plate.

Do you hold more wind or keep shooting the left side of the plate for subsequent shots?

That’s what people are talking about.

 

[wyosam]

How would you know where your shot landed if you cant see where it lands?


View attachment 746723

I am saying that for 99% of hunting shots, I don’t care precisely where the first one landed IN THE CONTEXT OF ADJUSTING FOR THE SECOND SHOT. That is, the vast majority of my hunting shots are inside 300 yards, most less than half that. If the shot didn’t land where I intended, it was shot execution, not something to adjust the second one for. If I don’t see the impact, I have a very good idea if/how something changed in the moment between my decision to break the shot, and the pin hitting the primer. For shots beyond that range, I’m not shooting without building a very solid position, which means from about 300 and beyond (where those adjustments might come in to play), spotting impacts with a moderate recoiling rifle is not difficult.

If you are making ranging errors/wind calls bad enough to need to correct for a second shot inside 300 yards, or your dope isn’t good enough that your going to have to adjust for the follow up at that range, you have larger problems than spotting shots.

 

[Ozarkansas]

I’m kind of with @wyosam on this one- I’m not comfortable taking shots at ranges where shifts in wind can cause me to completely miss the vitals, so spotting a shot isn’t all that useful. If I missed due the wind, that tells me the shot was beyond my ability. But keeping the animal in the scope to watch where it runs, and for fast follow-ups, is a benefit to me.

 

[5811]

I feel like it makes a bigger difference to shoot light recoil the less supported you are.

Off-hand standing, sitting, kneeling, using a tree, whatever, it's much easier to shoot lower recoil. If you're only shooting prone or off a bi/tripod, it might not matter as much.

I have no data to back it up, just subjective interpretation of my experience. I know shooting off a bench or prone, I can shoot magnums just as well or better at distances where wind matters. If that's most of what you do, I can see where a guy would think there's no benefit to shooting lighter. But standing off-hand, it's a significant difference for me.

 

[Dave_S]

I'm not sure how some of you can even bring yourselves to engage at this point. I get the sense that some of these folks come in here and refuse to listen and refuse to learn, and don't understand enough to understand the rationale....I don't know if it's intentional trolling or deliberate ignorance, but I don't even want to respond to them.

 

[Lou270]

Great! Hopefully this will make sense then.

You’re shooting a 10” plate at 400 yards. Wind is right to left. You make your wind call and take your shot. It hits the left 1/4 of the plate.

Do you hold more wind or keep shooting the left side of the plate for subsequent shots?

That’s what people are talking about.

I get it on a plate. I just don’t get why one would think an animal will stand still and let you shoot it again. A hit in the vitals is soup whether little off from aim or not (ie stays in vitals). A hit around the edges is wounded game fleeing whether it comes from an experienced shooter assuming they can walk in a shot because of wind or guy who buys a big Magnum he can’t shoot well.

Lou

 

[Axlrod]

I'm not sure how some of you can even bring yourselves to engage at this point. I get the sense that some of these folks come in here and refuse to listen and refuse to learn, and don't understand enough to understand the rationale....I don't know if it's intentional trolling or deliberate ignorance, but I don't even want to respond to them.

They are just engaging to enjoy the heat from a dumpster fire.
The "expert" on here in post #1411 said " I shoot pigs year round with all manner of cartridges big to small and I can always tell if I hit them. That is at close range with a scope most of the time."

So as I have zero experience shooting invasive pests at point blank range. I wonder if when you shoot them standing in the corn pile, the blood scares the next hoard of pests away?

 

[Lou270]

They are just engaging to enjoy the heat from a dumpster fire.
The "expert" on here in post #1411 said " I shoot pigs year round with all manner of cartridges big to small and I can always tell if I hit them. That is at close range with a scope most of the time."

So as I have zero experience shooting invasive pests at point blank range. I wonder if when you shoot them standing in the corn pile, the blood scares the next hoard of pests away?

Experience shooting animals is experience shooting animals. No amount of gun games replaces field experience. For ex, if you are having trouble with getting back on target quickly with fleeing animals, there is probably not a better real practice than year round pig hunting other than maybe jackrabbit hunting

Lou