This might have been entitled “Medium Game Guns & Loads”, but my experience is 100% exclusive with whitetail deer hunting. Some or all of this may apply to pronghorns, mule deer, black bear. The theories and more or less “factual” data can have applications to ALL hunting with modern center-fire rifles and loads.
Right off, I’m ruling out the “little” calibers: the .22 Long Rifle, .22 WMR, .22 Hornet, .218 Zipper, .219 Bee-all those smaller than the 5.56 mm’s (.22-250 and .223). I am, though, aware, over the years, of deer that have been killed with these smaller caliber rule-outs, by jack-lighters, poachers, and incidental deer kills made when hunting small game or varmints with these smaller calibers, and a chance deer encouter resulted in a kill. I know, too, of shots taken on deer with them that resulted in wounding and losing the deer. I’ve walked up on too many deer carcasses and skeletons during and after hunting season that were lost due to a poorly-placed or minimal penetration shots from the sub-5.56’s, and from poorly placed larger caliber shots.
Those disclaimers and qualifications out of the way, the proof of a weapon-load combination is the ability or capacity to penetrate the target animal’s vitals-the so-called “kill-zone”-and dispatch it quickly and humanely. Pumps, bolt-actions, semi-autos, single shots and double rifles chambered in the 5.56 mm centerfires on up to whatever caliber can be shot without recoil and muzzle blast discomfort, that can deliver double-lung, or heart-lung destruction are acceptable, depending on the caliber’s legality in the location hunted.
Maybe the single-most influencing factor in missed or marginal shots that wound or cripple, is felt or perceived recoil, and a resulting shooter’s ”flinch”. Granted, even the smaller calibers generate recoil and muzzle blast. It is the FELT, or PERCEIVED recoil the shooter experiences that is paramount. If a hunter shoots a .338-06 Ackley Improved, with its punishing 28.2 foot-pounds of recoil energy, and consistently “makes” killing shots (the proverbial “bang-flop” target animal reaction) by all means, continue to shoot it. I have an aversion to undeserved, or unnecessary punishment, and therefore opt for the smaller, though still more than adequate, calibers. I presently shoot a 6mm Remington, in an old 742 Remington semi-auto, topped with a 3x-9x moderately priced scope. I don’t flinch, I get consistent one-shot kills. I have it zeroed to 1.5 inches high at 100 yards. The load goes out the muzzle at a measured 3138 feet per second. and has adequate energy out to 450 yards. I ascribe to the “no hold-over” theory of shooting. This gun and load shoots within 8 inches out to 338 yards. I’ve shot it enough at inanimate targets and live animals to be completely familiar with it. I am reluctant, tho, to take a shot at much over 250 yards. I find that most hunters tend to over-estimate short ranges-say, 75 yards or less-and under-estimate longer ranges. Obviously, a laser range finder, or a range-finding scope would eliminate the need to accurately estimate ranges. Given the no hold-over theory and the 1.5 inches at 100 yards sighting in. I find I can confidently take and make the longer range shots, and be sure of quick, clean kills. I would not consider a long range shot without a completely stable rest and a stationary target, preferably standing broadside. I hate the thought of a magnificent trophy animal-be it an 80-lb. doe, or a Boone & Crockett buck-running off, gut or marginally shot, to lingeringly suffer and die.
“Expert” riflemen and their more or less recognized “standards” state that the “upper limits of recoil energy comfort level is about 15 foot-pounds”. That’s a broad generalization, obviously. I personally find I can “take” recoil,without the dreaded flinch, in the 20 ft. lb. range. Calibers on or near that level are the .270, the .280, the old 7 x 57 mm, while the .30-06, its brother .308 and the .300 mags exceed the 15-20 ft.lb maximum, but not by much.
I won’t get into the age-old argument of whether big, slow-moving bullets, versus smaller ones at higher speeds or velocities is the optimal choice. If YOUR weapon and load penetrates the vitals, the “kill-zone” adequately to make one-shot “bang-flops”, or short distance animal recoveries; then, by all means, rave on! If, on the other hand, you have developed a flinch, or find the recoil and muzzle blast of your rifle and load choice uncomfortable, check out one of the smaller diameter calibers. I’ve found that delivered energy at the range of the target in the 600 ft. lb. minimum is “adequate”. Some hold to a 750 ft. lb. delivery as minimal on medium-sized game.
My whitetail experience encompasses over 50 years, with hundreds and hundreds of first-hand shots and kills, after the fact recoveries, anecdotal ”show and tells” from other hunters and hunting buddies, post mortem analyses on carcasses done while dressing and butchering deer. I’ve read Jack O’connor, Elmer Keith, Byron W. Dalrymple, Warren Page, and many other gun writers/riflemen with that much more experience. While there is wide disagreement in the optimum whitetail/medium game gun and load, there is total agreement by all-me included-if your gun and load, and you the shooter makes consistent one shot kills, “bang-flops”-THAT is your optimum choice.
