{"id":7855,"date":"2013-12-16T16:58:40","date_gmt":"2013-12-16T16:58:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ramworks.net\/blog\/?p=7855"},"modified":"2015-11-16T17:41:58","modified_gmt":"2015-11-16T17:41:58","slug":"ballistic-bull-cartridge-crap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/ballistic-bull-cartridge-crap\/","title":{"rendered":"Ballistic Bull & Cartridge Crap"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanks to gun writers, shooters heads have been filled with a lot of ballistic bullshit when it comes to cartridges. Every month you can find a reference in the gun and hunting periodicals that deals with this cartridge or that cartridge not being suitable for certain game animals. It\u2019s been that way for a long time and I\u2019m going to lay the blame on Ruark and his 1966 book, Use Enough Gun<\/span><\/i>. That phrase has been repeated ad nauseam but no one has ever definitively defined it.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/a>
What can you kill with a 125 gr. Nosler Accubond in .30 caliber? Lots of things if you put it in the right spot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is a good reason there is no definitive definition for this \u201cuse enough gun\u201d advice. It cannot be defined. This is partly due, scientifically, to the fact that the categorizing or ranking of the killing ability of cartridges cannot be done with any certainty. It\u2019s also partly due to the fact that the assumed killing power of individual cartridges is a mythical notion based on hyperbole and unsupported hypothesis. Finally, writing about cartridges and their supposed ability to kill makes for good reading, sells magazines and serves to elevate the expertness of the gun writer who penned the opinion. And, opinion is what it is.<\/p>\n

Pontificating on how one cartridge is not suitable for killing a certain game animal is relatively easy to get by with. This is because of the simple fact that most hunters have a very limited amount of experience shooting animals. This makes it hard to actually compare your results with those of someone else. The fellow who offers for argument that, \u201cI\u2019ve shot 100 deer with the .30-06 and it worked every time.\u201d Is really providing no worthwhile information. Does anybody doubt that a .30-06 will kill a deer?<\/p>\n

\"Without<\/a>
Without proper shot placement and sufficient penetration, nothing else matters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A gun writer once told me that he felt the 6.8 SPC was not suitable for whitetail deer. Having shot a lot of deer with the smaller .223 Remington, I questioned him as to why he thought that. He said he shot a deer once with the 6.8 and it ran off and left no blood trail.<\/p>\n

I asked, \u201cDid you find it?\u201d<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

I asked, \u201cHow do you know you hit it?\u201d<\/p>\n

He looked at me like I had asked him how he knew he was a man and said, \u201cI was sure of the shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hmm. I\u2019ve been sure of a shot before; sure of shots that missed or that hit the wrong spot. Here\u2019s the thing, without evidence, you have no evidence. This is one of the reasons certain cartridges get bad reputations. Hunters make bad shots or miss and cannot take the blame; they must place it on the equipment. I\u2019ve taken hundreds of big game animals on four continents. I\u2019m not bragging, just setting the stage. I\u2019ve only lost a handful of animals that I hit. I\u2019m sure that in every case it was due to bad shot placement. Of those hundreds of animals I\u2019ve yet to see a bullet fail and I\u2019ve yet to see a good hit not result in a dead animal.<\/p>\n

\"Is<\/a>
Is 400 foot-pounds of energy enough to kill a whitetail? Apparently!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This even applies to the 140-pound buck I shot with my itty bitty .327 Federal revolver. The load was Buffalo Bore\u2019s 130-grain hard cast bullet, the range was 35 yards and the impact velocity was about 1250 fps. This means the kinetic energy at impact was only about 400 foot-pounds; well below the 1000 foot-pounds of energy often suggested by experts. The bullet broke the leg bone, entered the rib cage low \u2013 it was not a perfect shot \u2013 exited the rib cage and the deer on the opposite side. The buck ran about 25 yards.<\/p>\n

The primary factor when it comes to a cartridges killing ability is not foot-pounds or velocity, its not bullet weight or caliber; it\u2019s a combination of shot placement and terminal performance. The amount of vital tissue a bullet destroys can be directly correlated to how effective it will be at killing. Miss the vitals and you have a mess, hit the vitals but do little damage, another mess, and different circumstances. Of course, we\u2019ve all known all of this for a long time. Finn Aagaard told us so years ago and there is little I can add to his wisdom\u2026<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The first gun writer to make ballistic sense.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cGiven sufficient penetration, what does any additional bullet weight add to killing power? Nothing, absolutely nothing.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cOne can select figures and dense formulas to bolster about any preconceived notion, and therein lies a major weakness of any of these killing power calculations \u2013 they reflect merely the personal opinions and prejudice of their authors.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cKilling power is a matter of biology, not math and physics, and is influenced almost totally by shot placement, accompanied by sufficient penetration.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cRather than relying on fanciful formulas, hunters would do far better to learn field marksmanship and to make some study of animal anatomy, in which subject most of them, including most outdoor writers, are woefully deficient.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cUse cartridges that experience and common sense suggest are reasonably adequate for the work, Then:\u00a0 proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Finn Aagaard, Selected Works, Killing Power Myths, 2007, Wolfe Publishing\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll sum up all this wonderful Aagaard wisdom for you, just in case you are having trouble with it. Select a gun you\u2019re comfortable with, choose a good bullet and learn how to shoot!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thanks to gun writers, shooters heads have been filled with a lot of ballistic bullshit when it comes to cartridges. Every month you can find a reference in the gun and hunting periodicals that deals with this cartridge or that cartridge not being suitable for certain game animals. It\u2019s been that way for a long time and I\u2019m going to lay the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2509,2522,2500],"tags":[378,379,61,380,381],"class_list":["post-7855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-defense","category-hunt","category-shooting","tag-1000-foot-pounds-for-deer","tag-best-big-game-cartridges","tag-finn-aagaard","tag-killing-power","tag-terminal-performance"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5hujZ-22H","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15812,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/picking-your-expert-cartridge\/","url_meta":{"origin":7855,"position":0},"title":"Picking Your Expert\/Cartridge","author":"gunwriter","date":"January 3, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m not a rifle hunting cartridge expert. In fact, I\u2019m not sure how that qualification could even be obtained. I am however often asked for advice when it comes to cartridge selection. Because of its nonpartisan stance, my answer\u2014my standard answer\u2014never satisfies.","rel":"","context":"In "Empty Cases Exclusive"","block_context":{"text":"Empty Cases Exclusive","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/empty-cases-exclusive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/BB-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C591&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/BB-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C591&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/BB-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C591&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/BB-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C591&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8793,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/mashed-taters-red-heads-and-mopars\/","url_meta":{"origin":7855,"position":1},"title":"Mashed Taters, Red Heads and Mopars","author":"gunwriter","date":"April 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"We have to make a lot of choices in life. Early choices deal with the food we eat. In grade school there was this kid who really liked mashed potatoes. When they were available he\u2019d heap his tray and then eat them, and never close his mouth during the process.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "HUNTING"","block_context":{"text":"HUNTING","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/hunt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Not a practical car for a dedicated hunter but teenagers are not very practical.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/CAR-5-300x236.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7930,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/enough-gun-or-something-like-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":7855,"position":2},"title":"Enough Gun or Something Like It","author":"gunwriter","date":"January 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"A couple years back I ordered a full-custom rifle. I had many decisions to make concerning the rifle and one of the hardest was what cartridge to have the rifle chambered for. The rifle was to be used mostly for whitetails were I spend the most time hunting them: Here\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \".223 Remington\"","block_context":{"text":".223 Remington","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/tag\/223-remington\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Select a cartridge you can shoot comfortably and then learn how to shoot your rifle.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/30-AR-150-Accubond-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8395,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/unasked-questions\/","url_meta":{"origin":7855,"position":3},"title":"Unasked Questions","author":"gunwriter","date":"February 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"You cannot answer a question no one is asking but when a new cartridge is offered up \u2013 wildcat or factory - that seems to be the standard response. I mostly blame this sort of reaction on neophobia, partly because that is what it is and partly because it sounds\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \".32 H&R Magnum\"","block_context":{"text":".32 H&R Magnum","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/tag\/32-hr-magnum\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"All these cartridges were designed to bring something new to the AR 15. One - developed by me and several smart ballistic engineers - has never before been seen. I could tell you about it but the blog ninjas afflicted with neophobia would immediately start with the same old same old. To learn about this cartridge check out the April 2014 edition of Shooting Illustrated magazine.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/CC-4-1024x578.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/CC-4-1024x578.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/CC-4-1024x578.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/CC-4-1024x578.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6979,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/ballistic-excitement\/","url_meta":{"origin":7855,"position":4},"title":"Ballistic Excitement","author":"gunwriter","date":"May 21, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Look what the UPS man delivered today. (Every time he delivers me ammo he asks, \"How do you get all this ammo? Know where I can get some small rifle primers?\") It helps to know important people and I know this guy named Randy Grove who works for Remington. In\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "HUNTING"","block_context":{"text":"HUNTING","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/hunt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/30-AR-Hog-Hammer-1-300x268.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15335,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/the-last-cartridge-standing\/","url_meta":{"origin":7855,"position":5},"title":"The Last Cartridge Standing","author":"gunwriter","date":"December 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Like Arthur of Camelot, the 6.5 Creedmoor has pulled the sword from the stone. Regardless of how bad that hurts your feelings, or undermines your love for some other cartridge, the Creed just might be, the last cartridge standing.","rel":"","context":"In "EDITORIAL"","block_context":{"text":"EDITORIAL","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/editorial\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/CREED-10.jpg?fit=999%2C525&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/CREED-10.jpg?fit=999%2C525&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/CREED-10.jpg?fit=999%2C525&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/CREED-10.jpg?fit=999%2C525&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7855"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12625,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7855\/revisions\/12625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}