Ok. Bear with me. I know this is a touchy subject. I have a 22-250 in my arsenal and got to thinking...
What is the ballistic reasoning behind --- not using--- this caliber for large game such as deer or elk?
As I understand it, Penetration is the problem. The Slo-Mo ballistic evidences I've seen show that many .224 bullets at these velocities explode within a few inches of entering. . .
The debate among other calibers is often how well a bullet expands, ie how a .284 might mushroom to .320 or some-odd diameter and cut a large exit hole.
If I combine the premises, a 22-250 gives an imbalance, with explosive damage and little penetration.
Shouldn't this mean that if a slightly more sturdy bullet is used (maybe a 70gr speer) and shot through the shoulder we'd have penetration and sturnum soup?
Or what if i get an explosive bullet (55gr vmax) and take a neck shot? The bullet enters and quickly blows into pieces that shoot for a good 10 inches, effectively utilizing the positioning of major arteries and hydro-static shock... This is how a friend of mine took a buck mulie with his 223 Remington.
Ok, you get the picture. We've all heard the stories of successful, and unsuccessful .224 hunts. I even read on a forum somewhere of a hunter sniping an antelope at 700 yards
I am NOT suggesting this be done. AT ALL. I am really interested in a discussion that involves only real scientific evidences and perhaps personal experience. I know many people call this inhumane, and some do not. It seems that placement and bullet construction is key.
Thank you for your time and comments
What is the ballistic reasoning behind --- not using--- this caliber for large game such as deer or elk?
As I understand it, Penetration is the problem. The Slo-Mo ballistic evidences I've seen show that many .224 bullets at these velocities explode within a few inches of entering. . .
The debate among other calibers is often how well a bullet expands, ie how a .284 might mushroom to .320 or some-odd diameter and cut a large exit hole.
If I combine the premises, a 22-250 gives an imbalance, with explosive damage and little penetration.
Shouldn't this mean that if a slightly more sturdy bullet is used (maybe a 70gr speer) and shot through the shoulder we'd have penetration and sturnum soup?
Or what if i get an explosive bullet (55gr vmax) and take a neck shot? The bullet enters and quickly blows into pieces that shoot for a good 10 inches, effectively utilizing the positioning of major arteries and hydro-static shock... This is how a friend of mine took a buck mulie with his 223 Remington.
Ok, you get the picture. We've all heard the stories of successful, and unsuccessful .224 hunts. I even read on a forum somewhere of a hunter sniping an antelope at 700 yards
I am NOT suggesting this be done. AT ALL. I am really interested in a discussion that involves only real scientific evidences and perhaps personal experience. I know many people call this inhumane, and some do not. It seems that placement and bullet construction is key.
Thank you for your time and comments