The first part of that question is can you hit. A friend of mine hunted elk. When he left home, he would have trajectory and lineage tables taped to his stock, memorized as well. When a person shoots dozens of guns, relying on memory is reckless. He had range finder scopes that he learned completely, and he learned how to dope wind.
He was REALLY good. One of the guys who could put those rounds in a pie plate, in the field, reliably at 400. Whoever it is, I'd like the hunters to follow his lead, not go by guesswork.. just learn the distance and work on wind. He used a 7 mm magnum. Took several elk.
The second question is how slow can you let a bullet get and still mushroomed and have the energy to tear a big enough hole. I think that any 06 class cartridge can kill out to 300+ -, as long as it's a good bullet that will perform at the lower velocities, and even 400 if that round hits the proper place.
There are places that can reliably kill game, and other spots that can cause lethal wounds. If you wind up behind the lungs, through the gut, 300 magnums will do a lot more damage. If shooting a 270, you've really got to be in a really sensitive spot, or the round may not be good enough at longer ranges and diminished velocity, a magnum gives you a little more room.
Is that an answer? Can you plonk your butt on the ground after a long walk, with shooting sticks, and hit that pie plate 6 or so out of ten? Are the rest still in the range of a torso shot?
Using good hunting ammo, that defines your acceptable longest range, imo. If you can make those shots at 300, with 06 range rounds, you would still be okay to reach out to 400, as long as you know your rifle, use your windage and range info, and accept that you have done your best, and are willing to accept failures. you can maybe finish a wounded animal.
Right now, I wouldn't shoot much beyond 150. Too long out of practice. As a boy, I could have done 300, but now, whatever I shoot, I'm afraid that I'd blow that shot.
Shoot as far as you are lethal with almost any shot, and you don't have to fire an ultra magnum.
I suggest that everyone should go into the field with a little humility and a lot of. Preparation. My dad took his 30-06 into the field after elk, firing a half box of shells for prep and sight in, and never shot any more. I don't think that was right for a Wyoming hunt. He was good off of a bench once a year, but not good enough for elk in the field.
He once asked me to hunt Idaho with him, but I couldn't take leave from work. God, in retrospect, I wish that I had quit the job if I had to. The hunt of a lifetime. He didn't go, because I wouldn't, and he was really hurt.
He was REALLY good. One of the guys who could put those rounds in a pie plate, in the field, reliably at 400. Whoever it is, I'd like the hunters to follow his lead, not go by guesswork.. just learn the distance and work on wind. He used a 7 mm magnum. Took several elk.
The second question is how slow can you let a bullet get and still mushroomed and have the energy to tear a big enough hole. I think that any 06 class cartridge can kill out to 300+ -, as long as it's a good bullet that will perform at the lower velocities, and even 400 if that round hits the proper place.
There are places that can reliably kill game, and other spots that can cause lethal wounds. If you wind up behind the lungs, through the gut, 300 magnums will do a lot more damage. If shooting a 270, you've really got to be in a really sensitive spot, or the round may not be good enough at longer ranges and diminished velocity, a magnum gives you a little more room.
Is that an answer? Can you plonk your butt on the ground after a long walk, with shooting sticks, and hit that pie plate 6 or so out of ten? Are the rest still in the range of a torso shot?
Using good hunting ammo, that defines your acceptable longest range, imo. If you can make those shots at 300, with 06 range rounds, you would still be okay to reach out to 400, as long as you know your rifle, use your windage and range info, and accept that you have done your best, and are willing to accept failures. you can maybe finish a wounded animal.
Right now, I wouldn't shoot much beyond 150. Too long out of practice. As a boy, I could have done 300, but now, whatever I shoot, I'm afraid that I'd blow that shot.
Shoot as far as you are lethal with almost any shot, and you don't have to fire an ultra magnum.
I suggest that everyone should go into the field with a little humility and a lot of. Preparation. My dad took his 30-06 into the field after elk, firing a half box of shells for prep and sight in, and never shot any more. I don't think that was right for a Wyoming hunt. He was good off of a bench once a year, but not good enough for elk in the field.
He once asked me to hunt Idaho with him, but I couldn't take leave from work. God, in retrospect, I wish that I had quit the job if I had to. The hunt of a lifetime. He didn't go, because I wouldn't, and he was really hurt.