Does Size Really Matter?: Hunting Calibers and Overkill

[Christel]

http://www.guns.com/does-size-really-ma ... rkill.html


Interesting and well written article. Food for thought.

[Robin128]

"It’s kind of like an old comic book saying, with great power comes great responsibility, it is your responsibility to make a clean kill and not to over compensate by substituting power for accuracy"

[Dougan]

Hmmm, not the most pleasant video I've seen this week - I'm suprised it could run after a central shot with a .50 cal :G

Unless you're starving, I don't understand why people don't get closer and shoot for the head?

[dodgyrog]

Hmmm, not the most pleasant video I've seen this week - I'm suprised it could run after a central shot with a .50 cal :G

Unless you're starving, I don't understand why people don't get closer and shoot for the head?

Because the head shot is so likely to be a poor one and blowing the jaw off of an animal is so incredibly cruel and unnecessary.
Go for the heart EVERY time.

[Dellboy]

Slightly suprising and i dont see what they found amusing ...

[Dougan]

Because the head shot is so likely to be a poor one

Depends how good a shot you are - I watch people with good rifles and scopes shooting the spotting disk at 200 yrds reliably...

That's the other thing the article mentioned; about some rifles being too light ...so why not use a good solid rifle, in a medium caliber...and get closer than 200 yrds?

[kennyc]

Because the head shot is so likely to be a poor one

Depends how good a shot you are - I watch people with good rifles and scopes shooting the spotting disk at 200 yrds reliably...

That's the other thing the article mentioned; about some rifles being too light ...so why not use a good solid rifle, in a medium caliber...and get closer than 200 yrds?

IMHO Head shots have their place in deer culling, but only if no other shot presents itself, the boiler room shot or a shoulder shot to anchor the beast is a far more reliable shot for the average hunter, how good a shot you are is almost irrelevant, all it takes is for something to cause the Deer to move its head marginally between you committing to the shot and the shot arriving at the Deer to turn a great shot into a disaster! what happens on a range at an inert target is often different to what happens when a live animal is the target. As to overkill.. theres no such thing IMHO, however there are calibres that are inappropriate to use on medium game for purely practicable reasons.. too god-damned heavy for one plus you would struggle to get some of the calibres used in the USA onto your FAC for game in this country I agree with you on getting closer to make the shot, although again there are times and places where a long shot is going to be the only shot, it is then down to the shooters conscience as to whether he/she is happy to take the shot. I have no time for people that deliberately go out to make long shots on game animals, where a poor shot is unlikely to kill quickly, that is what paper is for. Ken

[Robin128]

kennyc

[M99]

Totally agree - heart and lungs.

[Dougan]

When it comes to 'shot placement', I would obviously have to concede to those with experience - But I think that very careful thought should be given to the type and quality of the rifle and caliber used...to make sure of accuracy.