It's like walking into the fishing takle store and realizing that most of the gear in there is to catch fisherman... not fish. With a .270 I use ELD-X for target shooting and Nosler Partition for hunting. I hunt where 400 yards is not even a posible shot. Long range is for fun not hunting.
For bass fishing, I can never catch anything outside of plastic worms, spinners and top water when the conditions are right. Everything else is to catch $$$. For deer in western Oklahoma, we have had extremely good success with a simple .243 Win out to 400 yards for the whole family. We either use ballistic tips or Federal fusion and never lost one. Plenty of energy at 400 yards, but also does great at 25 yards. The low recoils means no flinch. I also occasionally use a 270, and lost or nearly lost deer in the 80’s or 90’s on close shots with the bullets blowing up even though placement was good, but at 350 yards, the same bullet would blow a hole the size of a soccer ball. Good bullet construction is a must. I think with the .243, the jackets are proportionately thicker than in larger calibers giving great performance when the same bullet in a bigger caliber would blow up., plus I believe there has been improvements on some such as the ballistic tip. My deer this year was at 100! Yards frontal with a 270 ballistic tip that entered to the left of the left shoulder and exited just in front of the right hip with no meat damage and instant kill. My young son took a large trophy at 296 yards with his 243 95 grain ballistic tip. Yet, I have coworkers that say you can’t kill deer without a 300 win mag, and they hunt thick timber in western Oklahoma where a 30-30 would suit them better.
@@terrybritton1355 precisely. You want your terminal velocity to match your expected target distance. I see a lot of people with .300 win mags under 100 yards - when that cartridge is well within its fragmentation velocities. A .30-30 will deliver an ideal projectile at ideal velocities at that distance. I get the sense that a lot of bullet construction design is simply to cater to ignorant people. - People will choose the biggest fastest highest KE cartridge they can buy - and all of that is imparted onto the bullet You end up trying to design a bullet that won’t self destruct on impact, rather than the bullet performing optimally at its ideal velocity.
The philosophical hunter. I like it. Old school, Geezer here. I have watched all of the hype and fads over the last 60 years. Long shooting Game, a reliance on technology rather than hunting skills has its expected results. Desert Dog , you speak older than you are. That is a good thing. This Geezer ,an old time Bull Elk Guide and hunter.
Easily one of the best hunting/gun channels on UA-cam. You have more practical based knowledge and experience that the real boots on the ground hunter can relate to. All of this being in your own opinion is also the opinion of a majority of us sportsmen afield. Great content! Cheers from Canada eh 🍻🇨🇦👍🏻
I push the 30-30 to 150 yds, Old eyes not helping much, 30-06 a bit farther. Where I hunt 150 yds way out yonder, on the market fo a fine 1x8 scope, one for each. When you spook game at 30-40 yds open sights or a 1X scope will get you on target. 8X ? If I go wisit my daughter in WY might come in handy
The ol Partition is still doing it's job. That's what, 70 years old? Thanks for the vid, I needed that. [Edit] I decided to put your concept to the test and crunched the numbers from a hunting perspective, using two bullets out of my 308. Both 165 gr, one a flatbase, the other a slick boat tail. Point blank range set at 3 inches. The flatbase went 270 yards. But that slick and sexy boat tail went a whopping 270 yards. 🤪 Those BCs don't kick in soon enough for us hunters to bother with, unless BC in this case stands for Bullet Construction.
No mather what Cal ( My min is 7 mm ) Some times the best bullet isn't the most acurate. I still hunt with a 1917 Enfield in 30-06 and it gave me a hard time to get it to 1 moa. Factory first and handloads later. The sweet spot was 165 Speer Grand Slams. To tough to expand properly on deer. Went to backbone, neck and head shots, Problem solved because it is so accurate that confidence in hiting exactly the aming spot got my game. Will have to start over soon as they dont make them anymore. Mind bogling choice of new bullets, Whish me luck
The best bullet is a well placed one and it’s only through lots of practice that this can happen and not through the latest and greatest new guns, calibers!
I absolutely love your opinion of the ELD-X. I used it to hunt with for awhile and have taken 5 muleys and a bull elk with it. I’ve hunted with a lot of different bullets over the years and I deemed the ELD-X the worst bullet I’ve ever hunted with. I was fortunate enough to be able to go to South Africa in March and I took my .280AI loaded with 160gr partitions and was able to take 8 animals shots ranged from 120-310 yards the partitions performed flawlessly. I really like all your videos but this one has been my favorite. I’ve been arguing these points for quite a while now.
DD, you make these videos so interesting and informative this is one of my favorites because you were spot on with what ammunition manufacturers have been doing for so many years. I can say I have learned a great deal on just about every level concerning hunting and hunting gear from your videos. I am also very happy I applied your suggestions to my gear and cartridge selections, when you explain it it all makes damn good sense. Thank you.
Amen!! it's hard to beat a Nosler partition or a Barnes Tsx for larger game, or a simple cup and core bullet for deer and medium game. Most deer are killed inside 200 yards. With these re brand match bullets all you are doing is wasting money. Where the BC's matter and these match rebrands become useful is in competition or tactical or law enforcement situations. Which has absolutely nothing to do with hunting to begin with. I don't understand why companies like Hornady push bullets like the ELDx towards hunters. In my opinion these companies set uninformed and young hunters up for failure. They are also encouraging unethical behavior! It's about using the right tool for the job and being ethical. The whole point of hunting is ethics.
Love your channel and how you stand by the basics and traditions. If someone can't get within 200 yards of any game animals they should not be hunting. A slight gust of wind and miscalculation at even 500 yards could cause a wounded game animal. To me 200 yards is the max ethical distance for most hunting scenarios. Punching paper at 500 yards or 800 yards at a range off a bench on a warm sunny day is different then shooting across canyons with varying gusts and thermal drafts. Not worth the risk of wounded the animal in my opinion. What happened to the art of stalking and stealth. It's called hunting not shooting.
You truly hit the nail on the head with this video!!!! You need to redo this video so hopefully common sense may sway marketing. As always great video.
The new 6.5 generation is now all hyped up on extremely high BCs. lol. I’ll stick to my light for caliber low BC projectiles loaded around 4,000 fps. I can shoot minute of predator fur out to 400 yards when sighted in an inch and half high at 100 yards. The high BC projectiles will stick around for the goofy shot fat 6 mm and 22 cal cases but imo will go by the wayside again in a few years. Everyone thinks they’re a bench rest Olympic shooter and buys them…to use for deer hunting and finds out they don’t penetrate or expand and then swears them off. lol. Imo it’s Hornadys creative manufacturing BS that causes it just like gun writers of yesteryear.
I did find this video enjoyable!. Like the common sense, it's not so common anymore. Doesn't take much time to read a few books for P.O Ackley and the like to realize Nobody has any real accurate way to determine "Killing Power" There are way to many one shot kills from 257 Roberts, 243 Win and the like to make arguments for days. Most real hunters never even consider taking any game over 300 yds. I never have.... not that I haven't been tempted though.
Wisdom is not always possible to pass without personal experience, so there will be a ton of people who will try to find reasons why to dissagree. To me, big thumbs up!
I always knew that firearms manufacturers were hyping everyone. Your concise and clear enunciation of the facts put truth to power. I have sub'd to your site. BTW: I have made it a point to leave remarks for all the "hunters" who brag about 500+ yard shots. Unethical and 1 in 50 success stories that don't get said. Thanks again!
hornady interlock. the only bullet i've used for 40 years. 6mm remington to .338 win mag. shot placement with a GOOD bullet. i have never lost an animal to this date. 200 yard to 300 yard shots only, respect the game.
Hornady's team of marketing engineers are pure genius. Anyone who can make somebody use what amounts to a .250 Savage Ackley Improved to attempt 400 yard shots on elk must be pulling down six figures. You know who you are, Creedmoor fanboys! 😉
The eldx is crap on big game at normal ethical ranges. Its made for lazy non skilled long range sniper wannabes. They splatter at normal ranges most of the time. Guided for 13 years and witnessed it over and over
Writer Craig Boddington suggests when using Barnes, moving shot placement slightly forward, hitting the shoulder, instead of behind the shoulder placement like when using the typical lead core for lung shots.
Great video, loved the topic. I agree with you and I have really turned away from the new high speed cartridges, I was looking at buying the 28 nosler when I realized I don't need anything like that for 300 yds and in.
I've gone back to traditional blued and walnut. From what I've seen down here in NZ, stainless steel rifles these days tend to show signs of rust more readily than blued. I have a Ruger Compact .308 and a Steyr Mannlicher 7x64 and both of those rifles stand up to moisture better than a stainless kimber hunter .280 AI I used to own.
I have owned a .338 win mag and a 7mm remington mag and a 300 win mag. I no longer own any of them because living in Colorado I didn't need them. I gave my .300 to my son and got rid of the other two. If I need magnum power I use my .35 Whelen but otherwise I just use my 30-06 or a .275 Rigby (7x57). Nothing I'll ever hunt in the lower 48 will require more than these rifles have to offer.
I have for decades always said the gun industry is like the auto industry. Every year there is a new and better vehicle out there. Same with firearms. They change the stock a little and is sold as new and better. As far as bullets go match your hunting bullet to your game and expected range. Leave the target type projectiles for range work. Some bullets have so much cooper in them to give a higher BC. They will not not stabilize in standard rifling twists.Everything you say is true in the video. B.C.means nothing in real hunt situations. Accuracy and penetration will get the job done. Well done.
Great video. Back to the basics! Remington core lokt with flat base bullets have probably killed more big game at practical ranges than any other ammo. Most hunters had no clue what the BC and SD even was. They just put it in the vitals and retrieved their animal.
Desert Dog, Thank you so much for all your videos, they have helped me a great deal to cut through the ammo marketing crap, and not be dragged through a long path of figuring things out through my own mistakes, I prefer to learn from others.
I very much share your view on BC for hunting. It is completely irrelevant for etical distances. I agree with the rest as well, but the BC discussions have a tendency to become agressive arguments.
Hey D.D. great video. Judging by the amount of grey on our chins we're probably about the same age. I agree with everything you said in relation to B.C, Energy, and Velocity. However I never gave much thought about S.D. in it's relation to the bonded core or Partition style bullets; I think you have a valid point there as well. I admit that having grown up with cup and core bullets I always reverted back to bullets with higher S.D. numbers. I recon that I'll have to think about your theory a little bit. I know you've heard this before but you have one of the best hunting channels out there and I appreciate the work that you put into it. Take care and be safe!
Question. My young daughter is elk hunting this year with a ruger mark 2 chambered in 7mm-08 with youth rifle in a 16” barrel. We will be shooting 50-150 yards. I am considering 140 gn bullets . barns TSX or Terminal Ascent or nosler partition or nosler accubond. Any thoughts on this 7mm-08 cartridge for bull Elk with a youth rifle with 16” barrel ??? Any inputs are appreciated.
Bravo! I make this argument with people all the time, and they look at me as if I was an idiot. Like you can’t spend an extra 30¢ on a really good hunting bullet. How many do you need to actually hunt with? Use target bullets to practice for Pete’s sake.
Thank you for ironing out all this and yes hunting is at an all time ethical low point.ive been all over the place with what I use growing up in Tx hunting I started out on the 22-250 moved on into magnum mania now I'm 45 killed lots of game and I now use and stand firmly behind a wonderfully accurate rem 700 titanium 24" 3006 it flat out dead bang flop right there works out to 400 yards which I think is my Max limit 99% of the game I've shot were between 150-200 yards I use a 150 hr accubonds at an honest 3000 fps ( why I use a 24" 3006) that shoot 5 shots in one 1/2"hole at 100 yds. can take the same gun with a few clicks on my Zeiss 4.5-14x44 scope and I'm on point with 180 gr accubonds for the real big stuff.
.243, .270, .308, 30-06 and .375 have been killing game all across the world for decades and decades. There is no need for newer better cartridges. They offer nothing new to the average hunter.
100% agree with the ELD-X. I stopped using it for hunting. Never seen as much meat damage ever as I seen with the ELD-X bullet. Went back to partitions.
My buddy just went to Texas for a whitetail hunt with his 25-06. His dumb ass forgot to pack ammo and was forced to buy some at a local gun shop. All they had was ELD-X. After re-zeroing his scope, he shot a deer on the first day right in the point of the shoulder and the deer ran 200 yards before he could put another shot into the lungs. That first shot blew-up on the shoulder and only penetrated a few inches, allowing the deer the run on 3 legs for some distance before it stopped. Stay away from the ELD!
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 Thats exactly my experience with ELD-X, along with massive meat damage. Great bullet for punching paper if your rifle likes it. But terrible on game no matter the caliber.
10 inch pie plate for target has been a long time hunting standard for ethical wild game hunting. Terminal ballistics is the deciding factor on bullet types that create ethical game hunting. I’ve always believed in the right bullet, for the right purpose, in the right cartridge, at the correct velocity with appropriate terminal impact, all along with shot placement. I’ve never been sold on marketing and the trigger word like high BC. Hunters should know their terminal impact distances on targets for delivered energy as well as what their bullet is made of, not necessarily what the bullet is marketed for. Great video! 👍🏻😃
After rewatching this video. I have to say wiser words couldnt be said desertdog. But I have one question if you dont mind. All the things I’ve learned from you I got one question that keeps popping back up in my head. From a 243 caliber on up to 458 caliber hunting cartridges. What is the real difference when talking about hunting deer elk caribou moose? Species in that range in size. What I’m basically asking is what does caliber/cartridge have in relation to those animals? I have watched your hunting cartridge video and I just don’t have much knowledge with the whole aspect in bullet diameter for medium to large game species. I’ve always thought in my mind that as long as a high quality bullet is used a good 25 caliber or bigger should be sufficient for that type of task. Not a fan of the smaller 24 and smaller calibers for medium to large game. But I’ve seen what a 25-06 would do to medium to small bull moose. I don’t think it’s wise to hunt the big bulls with it but for us average Alaska residents in the bush we don’t do much thinking into that. For most people they see a 30-06 size case with a decent caliber bullet and that’s good enough. But for what it’s worth. Why does it matter to have bigger calibers when the smaller one that is used for that task has already gotten the job done? I feel like the whole arguement of bullet diameter might be a bit over hyped as long as people are being smart. In my mind a good 25-06 or bigger should be enough gun for most hunters. For larger game a good 7mm or 30 caliber is sufficient enough. But that’s exactly what I’m saying. If a hunter is taking say deer. Had a 25-06. Why get a bigger caliber? If I’m going after elk and have a 7mm rem mag. Why should I need bigger? For bear the 30-06 has always gotten the job done . I’m just a novice with all this I don’t know much if you can do a video on that topic to educate younger guys like me that be great. Great videos great information thank you sir.
I see the ammunition manufacturers creating new rounds while meantime they can't keep up with the manufacture of existing rounds. How long will ammunition and components be available for most of these new firearms?
This is a great point that I should have included in the video. "Why are they making and marketing new whiz-bang cartridges when they can't even keep 30-06 on the shelf?"
Excllent points...in 28 years of hunting up here in Alaska most of my shots have been less than 200 yards. This past fall I shot my caribou at 120 yards and my bull moose at 160 yards.
A few years back the marketing "rage" was weight retention. The intent was to convince hunters that they had to have 100% weight retention in order to be successful. Thus the guys who had successfully used their Nosler Partition bullets for years had somehow been wrong. My retort was that a military full jacket bullet has 100% weight retention, but you wouldn't want to hunt with it.
Yes. Energy. I used a 300wsm on reindeer. But found that it did not kill quicker or deader than my 6,5x55, so now I am back to the old Classic using 120grs copper bullet. It is very efficient. Any combination of cartrigde and bullet that will expand, go through the animal while staying together and having more energy than is needed, thus exiting the animal. Is as good as it gets!
So well said! It really is refreshing to hear someone come out and publicly speak the truth. In every single instance my top priority when reloading cartridges is: do I have a good quality bullet? Sometimes my go to bullet doesn’t workout for whatever the reason might be, so if I have to choose an alternate bullet my criteria for a well constructed “hunting” bullet remains constant. I just will not back off this very basic principle.
When a new potential hunter asks me what rifle caliber and ammo they should get I reply with my usual answer. Choose a good quality bolt action in a standard caliber and use soft point bullets (for deer). That advice has never disappointed. You are spot on when you said shot placement and bullet construction are the top two factors for ethical hunting. Great video.
DD, another great video. As you said numerous times, "ethical hunters"! My practice distances at the range go out to 300yds. I limit myself to 300yds because I'm hunting, not targeting deer at ridiculous distances. My 7x57 is scoped with a 1.25-4x24, a perfect rig out to 300yds. This was a great explanation for ethical hunters. Take care!
I love your videos. Very informative. I've been shooting Nosler partitions out of my Winchester model 70 Super Grade 30-06 for years. If it's not broke don't fix it. Greetings from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Long story short, I just "reverse engineer" my handloads for a bullet/cartridge to bullet manufacturers terminal velocity recommendations. Sometimes slower is better depending on bullet construction. In the old days, I had to call or email them to get that information, today it's usually on the box. -Tutt
Outstanding sir. My family, friends and I combined have brought home so many game animals over just my 50 years that i don't dare try to count. With a few exceptions, most of us use standard calibers .243, .30-30, .35 remington, .300 savage, .308, .30-06. With a couple old .303 british, 30-40 krag 8mm mauser everyday average kinda stuff. Though we have tried different ammo, it is the majority's opinion out of all the the people i have ever hunted with that you just can't beat a good old inexpensive core lokt or power point or similar type average ammo. In my circle i have never heard of one failing to do its job. From ground hogs to moose. If your spending $50 for 20 rounds of hunting ammo..... You have been had my friends.
Great video!! I'm basically a whitetail hunter and for the last 40 years have taken most of my deer at less than 200 yards with the Remington core lokt mostly in 270, 308 and 30:06 calibers. Never saw a reason to change to a more expensive ammo. It has always done the job for me even at longer distances on my 3 trips to New Mexico mule deer hunting.
Great vid sir. As being an older hunter, I totally agree with many of your thoughts many cartriges and rifles have killed meat for me for 40+ years. But always use simple ammo at inside 300 yrds. Thank you sir
Great video, I will only add, to match the rifle/ caliber/ cartridge/ bullet construction to the animal and terrain. Still own and prefer my "Bean field" rifles/calibers and will take having a DRT on a accidental marginal shot then a wounded/ no blood trail, lost animal. Again great explanation of bullet construction over math calculations. The long range shooters will now add their arguments. LOL.
Great show, and your right, back in the day, S.D. helped you choose a deer, elk, ...etc.., With the advent of the Fed. TLR Edge, (an old Ackley designed bullet.) May very well be the best designed hunting bullet out there... What is so funny is the Nosler Partition has always been under B.C., its actual bc is way higher than what they advertise, a great bullet.
Sierra Game King are crap. at 110 yards NOW I have 350 30.06 & 100 300 RUM LOADED that fly to bits on hitting the skin. on a elk hind 30.06 without hitting a rib one bit of brass took out a lung .most did a left turn, took out liver ,both kidneys booth fillet stakes , I found a small bit of brass by its ass .didn't hit one bone .
As long as your particular cartridge and bullet combination is enough to reliably get complete pass-throughs on not-so-perfect shots, SD can be ignored and you can enjoy a flatter-shooting, lower-recoil load. Almost any bonded or mono 160-180gr bullet in a high-power rifle cartridge will easily do this to an elk from ethical distances.
@@clapton924 The Great Jack O'Conner said that 1300 Ft/Lbs of energy is the ethical limit for deer; that would make a 25-06 a 400-yard deer rifle. That 1300ft/lb number has been the gospel ever since; even though O'Conner based that number on the old Bronze-point and Speer bullets he was using at the time. O'Conner later realized that energy doesn't kill animals; tissue damage and blood loss do - and he shot the Nosler Partition after that. Deer are not tough animals, and almost any 85gr+ bullet will reach vitals and deliver good energy on your typical broadside heart/lung shot. But what if the deer is quartering? What if you prefer the shoulder shot? Well, more penetration is needed for that, and you need additional mass to get the job done. I have found that a tough 115-120gr Partition or bonded bullet, or a 100gr monolithic bullet are capable of reliably doing the job at ethical rifle velocities.
I often find myself agreeing with you a little over 90% of the time. The equations that determine energy on target and balance between velocity and projectile weight, need to be blended with real levels of resistance. I feel that this is an ignored aspect of ballistics. That is to say, the resistance of an elephant skull or Elk pumphouse is different but relatively stable among similar sized animals of same species. The resistance level of an elephant head and elk's pump-house is different but relatively stabil no matter the range. Granted, slipping a round between the ribs of an elk is different than hitting a rib, but hopefully, you get the idea here. The variable becomes the distance and decreased velocity/energy the round has at that range compound with (like you said) bullet construction. A bullet delivering an "advertised" energy of 1500 FTLBS at 400 yards but the bullet breaks apart quickly isn't as effective as a round with the same energy at that range that mushrooms and relatively stays together. You have to have an idea of what your round delivers to a particular level of real life resistance. This is why at the ethical hunting distances you talk about, I like 30-06 and 270 for most North American game with the right projectiles. Dangerous game? Of course step up your cartridge and projectile for the level of resistance and range you expect to encounter. BTW, I really appreciate that you pointed out that meat damage from overpowered rounds works against the ethics and ideals of most hunts. I try to teach these aspects of education to my kids as well because it doesn't matter how well you punch paper. It matters when metal meets meat. One of those bullets you talked about have been the inspiration for more than a few friends to call me to help track shot animals over the last few years. Yes, they were hit, but they were not harvested ethically. If it doesn't kill correctly, the numbers don't matter in the woods. Thank you for your insights and the courage to be public about them.
I want try and school you I have been shooting a 3006 for almost 50 years and don’t see any reason to buy another gun. I have never shot over 200yards and have killed animals weighing up to 500lbs. Most fall to the ground and none have ran over 100yards
Great video. I do believe that all these factors do add some part to killing an animal. I do not think that any one feature is THEE thing that kills an animal. Accuracy is the most important factor in shooting at game in my opinion. If that happens then all the other things work together to cleanly and quickly kill the animal.
My favorite eastern Whitetail rifle is a 7mm 08 loaded with 175 grain accubond bullets. I only get 2300 fps but I get very consistent expansion and penetration. This works better than most anything on quartering shots.
Just found your videos yesterday while off work with Covid, have been binge watching and subscribed today. I like your practical and simple approach for what is necessary for ethical hunting. Thanks for the great videos!
My little 20" .308 shooting 167gr monolithic bullets at 2600fps will kill any african plains game with good shot placement. I don't need anything more than that.
DD, I'm a hunter/shooter from New Zealand and I really enjoy your videos. In my opinion you're one of the most sensible firearms professionals on UA-cam. I especially like your attitude towards ethical hunting distances. Unfortunately, there are alot of guys down here who would much rather take a deer at 800 yards, than stalk within MPBR of their particular cartridge.
Just now seeing this, and your work, and stellar, boiled-down delivery, are both unique and captivating. This, is probably the most important tutorial on not just the hype of hunting, but the fundamentals of what's really going (and important) during the exercise of hunting. For some reason, young hunters (the ones seemingly driving and parroting the new, techie cartridges) don't want hunting to be to much effort, or too messy. Understanding a quarry's behavior, defense, and the best tactics for stalking and successfully defeating them--in THEIR element--is just more than they want to deal with. Added to this, is the "sexiness" of futuristic rifle builds designed to snipe, rather than hunt, and the glorification of combat sniping in recent wars with young solders returning home...and it seems to add up to a foundation for the current environment. 300-400 yards and less. The same old cartridges. Mebbe that's become too boring...
You are a 100 percent right game bullets not match bullets I shoot deer with a 44 mag revolver barnes 225 grain and nosler 240 grain my longest shot where I hunt is 98 yards
I know this is an old video. Just saw it. You bring up a lot great points and I am seeing a lot archery and firearm overlapping. After practically bouncing an arrow off a deer I knew I had to go a different route. I’m had found a UA-cam channel called the Ranch Fairy a long with the Dr. Ashby foundation. They talk about heavy arrows. One of the biggest points they make is arrow and broadhead integrity just like what you said about bullet integrity. Dr. Ashby was the one that helped legalize archery hunting in Africa. Thank you for all of your knowledge that you are sharing.
As a hunter I don't concern myself with the bc of a bullet. I consider a 400 yard shot a long one and within that range any rifle I hunt with will have a good enough bc to do the job. Consider a 35 caliber 225 grain bullet. It has a pretty low bc but has the energy needed and a flat point blank range if fired at a reasonable velocity.
yep, the 25 and 35 caliber cartridges are the real victims of the BC hype; absolutely fantastic killing and flat shooting rounds that get ignored due to BC brainwashing.
Many many thanks for your informative and completely competence. I'm a German hunter, a blue collor lumberjack and I'm hunting since 1976. In this decades I used a lot of rifles, bullets in different calibers. To be honest, - in my first times I often failed or missed ! If the shot is pointed in the deadly target-area, the animal drops down and die fast and painless. This area is different in every species, and so you have to aim. Very good books about wrote by Kevin Robertson "The perfect shot".
It's like walking into the fishing takle store and realizing that most of the gear in there is to catch fisherman... not fish. With a .270 I use ELD-X for target shooting and Nosler Partition for hunting. I hunt where 400 yards is not even a posible shot. Long range is for fun not hunting.
For bass fishing, I can never catch anything outside of plastic worms, spinners and top water when the conditions are right. Everything else is to catch $$$. For deer in western Oklahoma, we have had extremely good success with a simple .243 Win out to 400 yards for the whole family. We either use ballistic tips or Federal fusion and never lost one. Plenty of energy at 400 yards, but also does great at 25 yards. The low recoils means no flinch. I also occasionally use a 270, and lost or nearly lost deer in the 80’s or 90’s on close shots with the bullets blowing up even though placement was good, but at 350 yards, the same bullet would blow a hole the size of a soccer ball. Good bullet construction is a must.
I think with the .243, the jackets are proportionately thicker than in larger calibers giving great performance when the same bullet in a bigger caliber would blow up., plus I believe there has been improvements on some such as the ballistic tip. My deer this year was at 100! Yards frontal with a 270 ballistic tip that entered to the left of the left shoulder and exited just in front of the right hip with no meat damage and instant kill. My young son took a large trophy at 296 yards with his 243 95 grain ballistic tip.
Yet, I have coworkers that say you can’t kill deer without a 300 win mag, and they hunt thick timber in western Oklahoma where a 30-30 would suit them better.
@@terrybritton1355 precisely.
You want your terminal velocity to match your expected target distance.
I see a lot of people with .300 win mags under 100 yards - when that cartridge is well within its fragmentation velocities.
A .30-30 will deliver an ideal projectile at ideal velocities at that distance.
I get the sense that a lot of bullet construction design is simply to cater to ignorant people.
- People will choose the biggest fastest highest KE cartridge they can buy - and all of that is imparted onto the bullet
You end up trying to design a bullet that won’t self destruct on impact, rather than the bullet performing optimally at its ideal velocity.
The philosophical hunter.
I like it.
Old school, Geezer here.
I have watched all of the hype and fads over the last 60 years.
Long shooting Game, a reliance on technology rather than hunting skills has its expected results.
Desert Dog , you speak older than you are. That is a good thing.
This Geezer ,an old time Bull Elk Guide and hunter.
Easily one of the best hunting/gun channels on UA-cam. You have more practical based knowledge and experience that the real boots on the ground hunter can relate to. All of this being in your own opinion is also the opinion of a majority of us sportsmen afield. Great content! Cheers from Canada eh 🍻🇨🇦👍🏻
Thank you for the compliment Mike! Glad to have another subscriber form the Great White North.
Inside 100 I go 30-30
Inside 250 I go 308
Inside 300 I go 270
That’s as far as I go.
Paper targets I go 6.5.
Very sensible cartridge selection.
I push the 30-30 to 150 yds, Old eyes not helping much, 30-06 a bit farther. Where I hunt 150 yds way out yonder, on the market fo a fine 1x8 scope, one for each. When you spook game at 30-40 yds open sights or a 1X scope will get you on target. 8X ? If I go wisit my daughter in WY might come in handy
The ol Partition is still doing it's job. That's what, 70 years old? Thanks for the vid, I needed that.
[Edit]
I decided to put your concept to the test and crunched the numbers from a hunting perspective, using two bullets out of my 308. Both 165 gr, one a flatbase, the other a slick boat tail. Point blank range set at 3 inches. The flatbase went 270 yards. But that slick and sexy boat tail went a whopping 270 yards. 🤪 Those BCs don't kick in soon enough for us hunters to bother with, unless BC in this case stands for Bullet Construction.
The best caliber is a good bullet and the best bullet is a well placed one.
No mather what Cal ( My min is 7 mm ) Some times the best bullet isn't the most acurate. I still hunt with a 1917 Enfield in 30-06 and it gave me a hard time to get it to 1 moa. Factory first and handloads later. The sweet spot was 165 Speer Grand Slams. To tough to expand properly on deer. Went to backbone, neck and head shots, Problem solved because it is so accurate that confidence in hiting exactly the aming spot got my game. Will have to start over soon as they dont make them anymore. Mind bogling choice of new bullets, Whish me luck
The best bullet is a well placed one and it’s only through lots of practice that this can happen and not through the latest and greatest new guns, calibers!
@@edwardabrams4972 absolutely
I’m so glad your making hunters understand it’s about the ethical kills first.
I absolutely love your opinion of the ELD-X. I used it to hunt with for awhile and have taken 5 muleys and a bull elk with it. I’ve hunted with a lot of different bullets over the years and I deemed the ELD-X the worst bullet I’ve ever hunted with. I was fortunate enough to be able to go to South Africa in March and I took my .280AI loaded with 160gr partitions and was able to take 8 animals shots ranged from 120-310 yards the partitions performed flawlessly. I really like all your videos but this one has been my favorite. I’ve been arguing these points for quite a while now.
DD, you make these videos so interesting and informative this is one of my favorites because you were spot on with what ammunition manufacturers have been doing for so many years. I can say I have learned a great deal on just about every level concerning hunting and hunting gear from your videos. I am also very happy I applied your suggestions to my gear and cartridge selections, when you explain it it all makes damn good sense. Thank you.
Man i really hate your conclusions... because it means another great video is coming to an end. Keep up the good work Desert Dog.
Amen!! it's hard to beat a Nosler partition or a Barnes Tsx for larger game, or a simple cup and core bullet for deer and medium game. Most deer are killed inside 200 yards. With these re brand match bullets all you are doing is wasting money. Where the BC's matter and these match rebrands become useful is in competition or tactical or law enforcement situations. Which has absolutely nothing to do with hunting to begin with. I don't understand why companies like Hornady push bullets like the ELDx towards hunters. In my opinion these companies set uninformed and young hunters up for failure. They are also encouraging unethical behavior! It's about using the right tool for the job and being ethical. The whole point of hunting is ethics.
Accubond and TSX/TTSX are the best in my opinion for expanding bullets
Love your channel and how you stand by the basics and traditions. If someone can't get within 200 yards of any game animals they should not be hunting. A slight gust of wind and miscalculation at even 500 yards could cause a wounded game animal. To me 200 yards is the max ethical distance for most hunting scenarios. Punching paper at 500 yards or 800 yards at a range off a bench on a warm sunny day is different then shooting across canyons with varying gusts and thermal drafts. Not worth the risk of wounded the animal in my opinion. What happened to the art of stalking and stealth. It's called hunting not shooting.
First! Thanks for making the best rifle hunting channel on UA-cam!!
you and Randy Newburg make more sense than all the rest out there. Everything you talk about I have been talking about for decades.
Fantastic breakdown and explanations. Thank you sir, firm handshakes.
Agree sir. I will take my 270, 308 and 30-06 over all the new laboratory cartridges and all of there high BCs. Great video
You truly hit the nail on the head with this video!!!! You need to redo this video so hopefully common sense may sway marketing. As always great video.
The new 6.5 generation is now all hyped up on extremely high BCs. lol. I’ll stick to my light for caliber low BC projectiles loaded around 4,000 fps. I can shoot minute of predator fur out to 400 yards when sighted in an inch and half high at 100 yards. The high BC projectiles will stick around for the goofy shot fat 6 mm and 22 cal cases but imo will go by the wayside again in a few years. Everyone thinks they’re a bench rest Olympic shooter and buys them…to use for deer hunting and finds out they don’t penetrate or expand and then swears them off. lol. Imo it’s Hornadys creative manufacturing BS that causes it just like gun writers of yesteryear.
Absolutely spot on! This is for ethical hunters who hunt at fair chase distances. Very accurate info and helpful for newer hunters like me
I did find this video enjoyable!. Like the common sense, it's not so common anymore. Doesn't take much time to read a few books for P.O Ackley and the like to realize Nobody has any real accurate way to determine "Killing Power" There are way to many one shot kills from 257 Roberts, 243 Win and the like to make arguments for days. Most real hunters never even consider taking any game over 300 yds. I never have.... not that I haven't been tempted though.
Wisdom is not always possible to pass without personal experience, so there will be a ton of people who will try to find reasons why to dissagree. To me, big thumbs up!
Yeah, this is why I so appreciate Hornady putting boat tails on their 30/30 bullets 😊
I always knew that firearms manufacturers were hyping everyone. Your concise and clear enunciation of the facts put truth to power. I have sub'd to your site. BTW: I have made it a point to leave remarks for all the "hunters" who brag about 500+ yard shots. Unethical and 1 in 50 success stories that don't get said. Thanks again!
Great content, thank you.
hornady interlock. the only bullet i've used for 40 years. 6mm remington to .338 win mag. shot placement with a GOOD bullet. i have never lost an animal to this date. 200 yard to 300 yard shots only, respect the game.
Exactly. Always respect the game more than our own egos.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 well said
Hornady's team of marketing engineers are pure genius. Anyone who can make somebody use what amounts to a .250 Savage Ackley Improved to attempt 400 yard shots on elk must be pulling down six figures. You know who you are, Creedmoor fanboys! 😉
😂🤣😂 250-3000 Savage Ackley improved. The new speed demon speedier!
The eldx is crap on big game at normal ethical ranges. Its made for lazy non skilled long range sniper wannabes. They splatter at normal ranges most of the time. Guided for 13 years and witnessed it over and over
Maybe the saying should be changed from “use enough gun” to use enough bullet”. Great video.
I'd still use Barnes even if California didn't require it. Great hunting bullet
Writer Craig Boddington suggests when using Barnes, moving shot placement slightly forward, hitting the shoulder, instead of behind the shoulder placement like when using the typical lead core for lung shots.
Great video, loved the topic. I agree with you and I have really turned away from the new high speed cartridges, I was looking at buying the 28 nosler when I realized I don't need anything like that for 300 yds and in.
I've gone back to traditional blued and walnut. From what I've seen down here in NZ, stainless steel rifles these days tend to show signs of rust more readily than blued. I have a Ruger Compact .308 and a Steyr Mannlicher 7x64 and both of those rifles stand up to moisture better than a stainless kimber hunter .280 AI I used to own.
I have owned a .338 win mag and a 7mm remington mag and a 300 win mag. I no longer own any of them because living in Colorado I didn't need them. I gave my .300 to my son and got rid of the other two. If I need magnum power I use my .35 Whelen but otherwise I just use my 30-06 or a .275 Rigby (7x57). Nothing I'll ever hunt in the lower 48 will require more than these rifles have to offer.
I have for decades always said the gun industry is like the auto industry. Every year there is a new and better vehicle out there. Same with firearms. They change the stock a little and is sold as new and better. As far as bullets go match your hunting bullet to your game and expected range. Leave the target type projectiles for range work. Some bullets have so much cooper in them to give a higher BC. They will not not stabilize in standard rifling twists.Everything you say is true in the video. B.C.means nothing in real hunt situations. Accuracy and penetration will get the job done. Well done.
Great video. Back to the basics!
Remington core lokt with flat base bullets have probably killed more big game at practical ranges than any other ammo. Most hunters had no clue what the BC and SD even was. They just put it in the vitals and retrieved their animal.
Desert Dog, Thank you so much for all your videos, they have helped me a great deal to cut through the ammo marketing crap, and not be dragged through a long path of figuring things out through my own mistakes, I prefer to learn from others.
Knowledge is power listen and learn excellent 👍 video
I very much share your view on BC for hunting. It is completely irrelevant for etical distances. I agree with the rest as well, but the BC discussions have a tendency to become agressive arguments.
Hey D.D. great video. Judging by the amount of grey on our chins we're probably about the same age. I agree with everything you said in relation to B.C, Energy, and Velocity. However I never gave much thought about S.D. in it's relation to the bonded core or Partition style bullets; I think you have a valid point there as well. I admit that having grown up with cup and core bullets I always reverted back to bullets with higher S.D. numbers. I recon that I'll have to think about your theory a little bit. I know you've heard this before but you have one of the best hunting channels out there and I appreciate the work that you put into it. Take care and be safe!
Way to much common sense for a hunting bullet video. 👍
Awesome video great information
Great video. I as well have seen eldx crap out on whitetail
My 7mm-08 pushing a 140gr Accubond will take down anything.
One of my favorite combos!
Question. My young daughter is elk hunting this year with a ruger mark 2 chambered in 7mm-08 with youth rifle in a 16” barrel. We will be shooting 50-150 yards. I am considering 140 gn bullets . barns TSX or Terminal Ascent or nosler partition or nosler accubond. Any thoughts on this 7mm-08 cartridge for bull Elk with a youth rifle with 16” barrel ??? Any inputs are appreciated.
Great wisdom on hunting ballistics for hunters that ethically hunt at responsible ranges,imo
I could not agree with you more.
Another great video. Thnaks again!
Bravo! I make this argument with people all the time, and they look at me as if I was an idiot. Like you can’t spend an extra 30¢ on a really good hunting bullet. How many do you need to actually hunt with? Use target bullets to practice for Pete’s sake.
There is no replacement for cubic inches.
Thank you for ironing out all this and yes hunting is at an all time ethical low point.ive been all over the place with what I use growing up in Tx hunting I started out on the 22-250 moved on into magnum mania now I'm 45 killed lots of game and I now use and stand firmly behind a wonderfully accurate rem 700 titanium 24" 3006 it flat out dead bang flop right there works out to 400 yards which I think is my Max limit 99% of the game I've shot were between 150-200 yards I use a 150 hr accubonds at an honest 3000 fps ( why I use a 24" 3006) that shoot 5 shots in one 1/2"hole at 100 yds. can take the same gun with a few clicks on my Zeiss 4.5-14x44 scope and I'm on point with 180 gr accubonds for the real big stuff.
Bring back iron sights on big game rifles.
For some reason I associate guys who hunt with Berger bullets to the classic fly fishing purist. Not a fan of either haha
.243, .270, .308, 30-06 and .375 have been killing game all across the world for decades and decades. There is no need for newer better cartridges. They offer nothing new to the average hunter.
Might as well wipe 270 and 308 off the list then cause they do nothing the 30-06 cannot do.
I still wonder what the BC of my car is.
Thank you for decluttering these concepts. I hope your viewers appreciate that.
100% agree with the ELD-X. I stopped using it for hunting. Never seen as much meat damage ever as I seen with the ELD-X bullet. Went back to partitions.
Smart move! Barnes LRX are great too.
My buddy just went to Texas for a whitetail hunt with his 25-06. His dumb ass forgot to pack ammo and was forced to buy some at a local gun shop. All they had was ELD-X. After re-zeroing his scope, he shot a deer on the first day right in the point of the shoulder and the deer ran 200 yards before he could put another shot into the lungs. That first shot blew-up on the shoulder and only penetrated a few inches, allowing the deer the run on 3 legs for some distance before it stopped. Stay away from the ELD!
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 Thats exactly my experience with ELD-X, along with massive meat damage. Great bullet for punching paper if your rifle likes it. But terrible on game no matter the caliber.
10 inch pie plate for target has been a long time hunting standard for ethical wild game hunting. Terminal ballistics is the deciding factor on bullet types that create ethical game hunting. I’ve always believed in the right bullet, for the right purpose, in the right cartridge, at the correct velocity with appropriate terminal impact, all along with shot placement. I’ve never been sold on marketing and the trigger word like high BC. Hunters should know their terminal impact distances on targets for delivered energy as well as what their bullet is made of, not necessarily what the bullet is marketed for. Great video! 👍🏻😃
After rewatching this video. I have to say wiser words couldnt be said desertdog. But I have one question if you dont mind. All the things I’ve learned from you I got one question that keeps popping back up in my head. From a 243 caliber on up to 458 caliber hunting cartridges. What is the real difference when talking about hunting deer elk caribou moose? Species in that range in size. What I’m basically asking is what does caliber/cartridge have in relation to those animals? I have watched your hunting cartridge video and I just don’t have much knowledge with the whole aspect in bullet diameter for medium to large game species. I’ve always thought in my mind that as long as a high quality bullet is used a good 25 caliber or bigger should be sufficient for that type of task. Not a fan of the smaller 24 and smaller calibers for medium to large game. But I’ve seen what a 25-06 would do to medium to small bull moose. I don’t think it’s wise to hunt the big bulls with it but for us average Alaska residents in the bush we don’t do much thinking into that. For most people they see a 30-06 size case with a decent caliber bullet and that’s good enough. But for what it’s worth. Why does it matter to have bigger calibers when the smaller one that is used for that task has already gotten the job done? I feel like the whole arguement of bullet diameter might be a bit over hyped as long as people are being smart. In my mind a good 25-06 or bigger should be enough gun for most hunters. For larger game a good 7mm or 30 caliber is sufficient enough. But that’s exactly what I’m saying. If a hunter is taking say deer. Had a 25-06. Why get a bigger caliber? If I’m going after elk and have a 7mm rem mag. Why should I need bigger? For bear the 30-06 has always gotten the job done . I’m just a novice with all this I don’t know much if you can do a video on that topic to educate younger guys like me that be great. Great videos great information thank you sir.
👍
One of your best!!! Extremely enjoy soaking up this lifetime of information you share!! Good hunting, and cheers from Texas!
I see the ammunition manufacturers creating new rounds while meantime they can't keep up with the manufacture of existing rounds. How long will ammunition and components be available for most of these new firearms?
This is a great point that I should have included in the video. "Why are they making and marketing new whiz-bang cartridges when they can't even keep 30-06 on the shelf?"
When somebody tells me they shoot game at more than 400 yards …I no longer want any kind of contact with them when it comes to hunting . I’m a hunter.
I stopped hunting with those types many years ago; even good friends and family members.
Excllent points...in 28 years of hunting up here in Alaska most of my shots have been less than 200 yards. This past fall I shot my caribou at 120 yards and my bull moose at 160 yards.
Yet most people online will tell you that it’s impossible to get within 1,000 yards of these animals.
Very good video!👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks dog!
A few years back the marketing "rage" was weight retention. The intent was to convince hunters that they had to have 100% weight retention in order to be successful. Thus the guys who had successfully used their Nosler Partition bullets for years had somehow been wrong. My retort was that a military full jacket bullet has 100% weight retention, but you wouldn't want to hunt with it.
Yes. Energy. I used a 300wsm on reindeer. But found that it did not kill quicker or deader than my 6,5x55, so now I am back to the old Classic using 120grs copper bullet. It is very efficient.
Any combination of cartrigde and bullet that will expand, go through the animal while staying together and having more energy than is needed, thus exiting the animal. Is as good as it gets!
There are so many great videos of yours that I happen upon..lol
Thank you for watching! go to my channel and scroll through them all. www.youtube.com/@desertdogoutdoors1113/videos
So well said! It really is refreshing to hear someone come out and publicly speak the truth. In every single instance my top priority when reloading cartridges is: do I have a good quality bullet? Sometimes my go to bullet doesn’t workout for whatever the reason might be, so if I have to choose an alternate bullet my criteria for a well constructed “hunting” bullet remains constant. I just will not back off this very basic principle.
When a new potential hunter asks me what rifle caliber and ammo they should get I reply with my usual answer. Choose a good quality bolt action in a standard caliber and use soft point bullets (for deer). That advice has never disappointed. You are spot on when you said shot placement and bullet construction are the top two factors for ethical hunting. Great video.
DD, another great video. As you said numerous times, "ethical hunters"! My practice distances at the range go out to 300yds. I limit myself to 300yds because I'm hunting, not targeting deer at ridiculous distances. My 7x57 is scoped with a 1.25-4x24, a perfect rig out to 300yds. This was a great explanation for ethical hunters. Take care!
Very good video.👍
I love your videos. Very informative. I've been shooting Nosler partitions out of my Winchester model 70 Super Grade 30-06 for years. If it's not broke don't fix it. Greetings from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Long story short, I just "reverse engineer" my handloads for a bullet/cartridge to bullet manufacturers terminal velocity recommendations. Sometimes slower is better depending on bullet construction. In the old days, I had to call or email them to get that information, today it's usually on the box. -Tutt
Absolutely. Sometimes slower is better
Outstanding sir. My family, friends and I combined have brought home so many game animals over just my 50 years that i don't dare try to count. With a few exceptions, most of us use standard calibers .243, .30-30, .35 remington, .300 savage, .308, .30-06. With a couple old .303 british, 30-40 krag 8mm mauser everyday average kinda stuff. Though we have tried different ammo, it is the majority's opinion out of all the the people i have ever hunted with that you just can't beat a good old inexpensive core lokt or power point or similar type average ammo. In my circle i have never heard of one failing to do its job. From ground hogs to moose. If your spending $50 for 20 rounds of hunting ammo..... You have been had my friends.
Rem 150 gr core lokt 30-06 50.00 if you can find them.
Great video!! I'm basically a whitetail hunter and for the last 40 years have taken most of my deer at less than 200 yards with the Remington core lokt mostly in 270, 308 and 30:06 calibers. Never saw a reason to change to a more expensive ammo. It has always done the job for me even at longer distances on my 3 trips to New Mexico mule deer hunting.
Rem core lokt 150 gr 30-06 50.00 for 20 rounds.
@@johnhoffman8203 bought at a local store for less than $30 two weeks ago. Unfortunately all prices are high now.
The LGS is $30 Dunhams is $50. Being on the shelf is the first step towards stabilizing prices.
Great vid sir. As being an older hunter, I totally agree with many of your thoughts many cartriges and rifles have killed meat for me for 40+ years. But always use simple ammo at inside 300 yrds. Thank you sir
Great video, I will only add, to match the rifle/ caliber/ cartridge/ bullet construction to the animal and terrain. Still own and prefer my "Bean field" rifles/calibers and will take having a DRT on a accidental marginal shot then a wounded/ no blood trail, lost animal. Again great explanation of bullet construction over math calculations. The long range shooters will now add their arguments. LOL.
Great show, and your right, back in the day, S.D. helped you choose a deer, elk, ...etc.., With the advent of the Fed. TLR Edge, (an old Ackley designed bullet.) May very well be the best designed hunting bullet out there... What is so funny is the Nosler Partition has always been under B.C., its actual bc is way higher than what they advertise, a great bullet.
Great video!
Your best video on an important topic. The bullet hype is like the covid.
Great video
Sierra Game King are crap. at 110 yards NOW I have 350 30.06 & 100 300 RUM LOADED that fly to bits on hitting the skin. on a elk hind 30.06 without hitting a rib one bit of brass took out a lung .most did a left turn, took out liver ,both kidneys booth fillet stakes , I found a small bit of brass by its ass .didn't hit one bone .
30-06 killing deer for 115 yrs
And will for another 100 years....
Real advice from a real Hunter I for one highly appreciate it. Thank you once again!
If bullet SD is antiquated, can you please make a video on selecting bullet weights for different calibers and game classes?
As long as your particular cartridge and bullet combination is enough to reliably get complete pass-throughs on not-so-perfect shots, SD can be ignored and you can enjoy a flatter-shooting, lower-recoil load. Almost any bonded or mono 160-180gr bullet in a high-power rifle cartridge will easily do this to an elk from ethical distances.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 how about deer sized game? Thanks
@@clapton924 The Great Jack O'Conner said that 1300 Ft/Lbs of energy is the ethical limit for deer; that would make a 25-06 a 400-yard deer rifle. That 1300ft/lb number has been the gospel ever since; even though O'Conner based that number on the old Bronze-point and Speer bullets he was using at the time. O'Conner later realized that energy doesn't kill animals; tissue damage and blood loss do - and he shot the Nosler Partition after that. Deer are not tough animals, and almost any 85gr+ bullet will reach vitals and deliver good energy on your typical broadside heart/lung shot. But what if the deer is quartering? What if you prefer the shoulder shot? Well, more penetration is needed for that, and you need additional mass to get the job done. I have found that a tough 115-120gr Partition or bonded bullet, or a 100gr monolithic bullet are capable of reliably doing the job at ethical rifle velocities.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 thank you for taking the time to respond. Much appreciated!
I often find myself agreeing with you a little over 90% of the time.
The equations that determine energy on target and balance between velocity and projectile weight, need to be blended with real levels of resistance. I feel that this is an ignored aspect of ballistics.
That is to say, the resistance of an elephant skull or Elk pumphouse is different but relatively stable among similar sized animals of same species. The resistance level of an elephant head and elk's pump-house is different but relatively stabil no matter the range. Granted, slipping a round between the ribs of an elk is different than hitting a rib, but hopefully, you get the idea here. The variable becomes the distance and decreased velocity/energy the round has at that range compound with (like you said) bullet construction. A bullet delivering an "advertised" energy of 1500 FTLBS at 400 yards but the bullet breaks apart quickly isn't as effective as a round with the same energy at that range that mushrooms and relatively stays together.
You have to have an idea of what your round delivers to a particular level of real life resistance. This is why at the ethical hunting distances you talk about, I like 30-06 and 270 for most North American game with the right projectiles. Dangerous game? Of course step up your cartridge and projectile for the level of resistance and range you expect to encounter.
BTW, I really appreciate that you pointed out that meat damage from overpowered rounds works against the ethics and ideals of most hunts.
I try to teach these aspects of education to my kids as well because it doesn't matter how well you punch paper. It matters when metal meets meat. One of those bullets you talked about have been the inspiration for more than a few friends to call me to help track shot animals over the last few years. Yes, they were hit, but they were not harvested ethically. If it doesn't kill correctly, the numbers don't matter in the woods.
Thank you for your insights and the courage to be public about them.
Fast becoming my favourite channel. Very well explained 👍🏼
I want try and school you I have been shooting a 3006 for almost 50 years and don’t see any reason to buy another gun. I have never shot over 200yards and have killed animals weighing up to 500lbs. Most fall to the ground and none have ran over 100yards
What you described is how rifle hunters should hunt. Use your skills to stalk close, ethical shot with enough energy to kill quickly, no wasted meat.
Great video. I do believe that all these factors do add some part to killing an animal. I do not think that any one feature is THEE thing that kills an animal. Accuracy is the most important factor in shooting at game in my opinion. If that happens then all the other things work together to cleanly and quickly kill the animal.
My favorite eastern Whitetail rifle is a 7mm 08 loaded with 175 grain accubond bullets. I only get 2300 fps but I get very consistent expansion and penetration. This works better than most anything on quartering shots.
Someone once called 7-08 as 308 Lite. And that stuck with me. Great for deer hunting with low recoil.
Just found your videos yesterday while off work with Covid, have been binge watching and subscribed today. I like your practical and simple approach for what is necessary for ethical hunting. Thanks for the great videos!
As a hunter(killer) we all owe it to our self to read..
Look up Dr.Ed Ashby..
Let the hate mail begin😜
Amen!! Finally well said !
Love by bro!
My little 20" .308 shooting 167gr monolithic bullets at 2600fps will kill any african plains game with good shot placement. I don't need anything more than that.
That is the truth.
DD, I'm a hunter/shooter from New Zealand and I really enjoy your videos. In my opinion you're one of the most sensible firearms professionals on UA-cam. I especially like your attitude towards ethical hunting distances. Unfortunately, there are alot of guys down here who would much rather take a deer at 800 yards, than stalk within MPBR of their particular cartridge.
Excellent video. Cuts through the hype.
Just now seeing this, and your work, and stellar, boiled-down delivery, are both unique and captivating.
This, is probably the most important tutorial on not just the hype of hunting, but the fundamentals of what's really going (and important) during the exercise of hunting.
For some reason, young hunters (the ones seemingly driving and parroting the new, techie cartridges) don't want hunting to be to much effort, or too messy.
Understanding a quarry's behavior, defense, and the best tactics for stalking and successfully defeating them--in THEIR element--is just more than they want to deal with.
Added to this, is the "sexiness" of futuristic rifle builds designed to snipe, rather than hunt, and the glorification of combat sniping in recent wars with young solders returning home...and it seems to add up to a foundation for the current environment.
300-400 yards and less.
The same old cartridges.
Mebbe that's become too boring...
Hornady brought the RCMs out, let them die out, then they came out with the new PRCs.
You are a 100 percent right game bullets not match bullets I shoot deer with a 44 mag revolver barnes 225 grain and nosler 240 grain my longest shot where I hunt is 98 yards
I know this is an old video. Just saw it. You bring up a lot great points and I am seeing a lot archery and firearm overlapping. After practically bouncing an arrow off a deer I knew I had to go a different route. I’m had found a UA-cam channel called the Ranch Fairy a long with the Dr. Ashby foundation. They talk about heavy arrows. One of the biggest points they make is arrow and broadhead integrity just like what you said about bullet integrity. Dr. Ashby was the one that helped legalize archery hunting in Africa.
Thank you for all of your knowledge that you are sharing.
As a hunter I don't concern myself with the bc of a bullet. I consider a 400 yard shot a long one and within that range any rifle I hunt with will have a good enough bc to do the job. Consider a 35 caliber 225 grain bullet. It has a pretty low bc but has the energy needed and a flat point blank range if fired at a reasonable velocity.
yep, the 25 and 35 caliber cartridges are the real victims of the BC hype; absolutely fantastic killing and flat shooting rounds that get ignored due to BC brainwashing.
Every new generation they get em w hype and marketing. We're going through this now for like the 3rd time 😊
Many many thanks for your informative and completely competence. I'm a German hunter, a blue collor lumberjack and I'm hunting since 1976. In this decades I used a lot of rifles, bullets in different calibers. To be honest, - in my first times I often failed or missed ! If the shot is pointed in the deadly target-area, the animal drops down and die fast and painless. This area is different in every species, and so you have to aim.
Very good books about wrote by Kevin Robertson "The perfect shot".