Ok, this is just for thought....
The 338 Win Mag has been said by many folks, including most professional writers and guides, as the ideal elk cartridge. And here are the ballstics for the 338wm:
225 Grain Muzzle Velocity/Energy: 2,900/4,200
400 Yard Velocity/Energy: 2,100/1,900
Now the average weight of an adult bull elk is 600 pounds. The average weight of an adult whitetail buck is 150 pounds. The elk weighs 4 times as much as the whitetail. So with the figures given above divided by 4, we get the following:
Muzzle Velocity/Energy: 725/1050
400 Yard Velocity/Energy: 525/475
225 grains divided by 4= 56.25 grains
There is obviously no way we can get 1,050 pounds of energy from a 55 grain bullet traveling 725 fps. But here are the ballistics of the 222 Rem with a 55 grain bullet:
Muzzle Velocity/Energy: 3020/1115
400 Yard Velocity/Energy: 1990/485
Given we use a proper bullet (partition, barnes, etc..), why is the 222 rem not the ideal whitetail cartridge. For those who say the absoulute minimum for whitetail should be a 243, then you are going to need a cartridge that produces 8,000 foot pounds at the muzzle with a 400 grain bullet (ballistics for 243 multiplied by 4) as a minimum for elk.
Always find is funny that people who say a 300 win mag is a great elk cartridge but would never use anything under a 270 for whitetail. This might have been true 30 years ago, but with today's bullets, come on.....
The 338 Win Mag has been said by many folks, including most professional writers and guides, as the ideal elk cartridge. And here are the ballstics for the 338wm:
225 Grain Muzzle Velocity/Energy: 2,900/4,200
400 Yard Velocity/Energy: 2,100/1,900
Now the average weight of an adult bull elk is 600 pounds. The average weight of an adult whitetail buck is 150 pounds. The elk weighs 4 times as much as the whitetail. So with the figures given above divided by 4, we get the following:
Muzzle Velocity/Energy: 725/1050
400 Yard Velocity/Energy: 525/475
225 grains divided by 4= 56.25 grains
There is obviously no way we can get 1,050 pounds of energy from a 55 grain bullet traveling 725 fps. But here are the ballistics of the 222 Rem with a 55 grain bullet:
Muzzle Velocity/Energy: 3020/1115
400 Yard Velocity/Energy: 1990/485
Given we use a proper bullet (partition, barnes, etc..), why is the 222 rem not the ideal whitetail cartridge. For those who say the absoulute minimum for whitetail should be a 243, then you are going to need a cartridge that produces 8,000 foot pounds at the muzzle with a 400 grain bullet (ballistics for 243 multiplied by 4) as a minimum for elk.
Always find is funny that people who say a 300 win mag is a great elk cartridge but would never use anything under a 270 for whitetail. This might have been true 30 years ago, but with today's bullets, come on.....