There is an issue that Mr. Hawks doesn't address in his chart... felt recoil... those weapons with the higher killing factors tend to have high levels of felt recoil... therefore while as he states perfect situations rarely exist in normal circumstances... flinching due to heavy recoil exists for anyone unable to handle heavy recoil, your killing factor makes no difference if you fail to hit your target... I recommend a caliber that you are comfortable shooting... forget the high power loads unless your physique can handle them... YMMV
LOL no 17HMR just to powerful and can't over come that, great varmint caliber but on small game I like my meat not bloodshot / more meat less hole. it is a perfect crow caliber.
many can't handle the sound as well as recoil for those a longest barrel single shot in 223 up to 7.62x39 or lever in a pistol caliber 38 spl/357 mag 44 spl/ 44 mag or 45lc
Recoil is a compounding element that must be dealt with appropriately! My most often used hunting rifle has a steel butt plate, and the recoil is quite stiff, yet I shoot it very well! Others need a muzzle brake to be able to shoot more then a single round, so a shooter needs to address each rifle and his abilities to shoot despite the hit to the shoulder! My .375 Weatherby magnum is a prime example, I use that rifle a LOT, and I practice with it often so that when that one shot comes, I'm more then ready, and in all honesty, when that shot comes, I don't really hear it or feel it! That rifle has actually been measured at the butt for recoil, it produces 55 foot pounds of impact to the shoulder, quite stout actually! Yet I can drive tacks with it because I practice with it and know it intimately! As long as I do my part, that rifle never misses!Any of my rifles kick hard, it's expected, and actually welcome as it reminds me what I hold in my hands! Give me a kicker, I don't mind at all!
I've made a few interesting recoil related observation over the years on the range, but one stands out. I had a lady silhouette shooter from out West (Wife of another RSO) who would sit at the bench and shoot 80 rounds of 7mm Rem Mag in an afternoon. I commented on the fact that the rifle had a solid butt plate, and she said she'd replaced the original recoil pad to get the length right for her, and that the recoil was easy to handle if you "didn't let the rifle get a running start at your shoulder." I have since passed that advice along to hundreds of shooters, and hopefully made their shooting experience more pleasant. I have injury related issues with recoil, but as a reloader I can adjust many of them in pistols and rifles to meet my comfort level. There are still two that I find brutal. 8mm Lebel in a French M16, and .43 Spanish in a Remington Rolling Block burning the Holy Black with paper patched bullets. Neither rifle fits me well, being shortish for my long arms, and both will need lots of taming to be comfortable.
Brutal recoil? How about a 6.5 pound break open 12 gauge 3.5" turkey chamber hurts as well especially when it was fitted with a youth length stock. frickin ouch.
I am sure that compares to my 12Ga 3" Magnum Bolt action Super Goose Gun.... My GodFather had a special Mount setup in the Blind, to shot that from, in his later years, as his shoulders couldn't take the recoil....
Most forget the most important "shot placement" you can have the heaviest,fastest bullet on earth but if it miss
I don't agree at all. people have for decades made up charts that justify big heavy bullets and ignore proven science and hunting results. Big heavy bullets do have an advantage at low velocities as in pistols and black powder. And it depends on what you are shooting. He mentions the Alaska DNR but lies about what they actually found. The 30-06 was one of the top rounds top 4 or 5. Far above many he rated as superior. Killing power depends on many factors but the main ones are energy and bullet construction. It also depends on the animal you are shooting, some require bigger heavier bullets and different construction. But placement trumps any formula. The worlds largest Brown bear kill for decades was shot with a single shot 22 long rifle, think about that A guy named Bell killed dozens of African elephants with a 7x57 Mauser. You don't need those high recoil rounds for anything in the Americas unless you like them. They do work, just not better..
Do your homework and choose a rifle and cartridge that works for : What you hunt... Where you hunt... How you hunt... While not legal , I could use a .22 rifle to kill a deer...but I have much better choices with my .30-06 rifle , or my .54 Hawken rifle... The same goes for grouse...while legal to shoot a grouse with my .30-06 , while big game hunting...its much better to use my .22 rifle. It seems to me to better to choose a rifle and cartridge that fits how ,what and where you hunt...and practice with it as often as you can...than to use a rifle and cartridge that some chart or "expert" says you need.... Andy
High velocity bullets have less recoil per unit of energy and more killing power as well. Major ammunition manufacturers know what works and they will give you a picture on the box of what you can shoot with it. For instance 7 MM Mag has lighter faster expanding bullets for deer and heavier slower expanding bullets for Elk. Best to use ammo tailored for the game you are shooting. Those are designed by real ballistic engineers and they know a lot more than some writer selling what people want to hear. But this is American shoot what you want. Believe what you want, just don't ask me to believe you.
I like to see the legs fold out from under whatever I have just shot right where they are standing. Only things I have had to follow up in the last few year have been the Cape Buffalo (no matter his heart had an apple sized hole right through it) and a couple of meat animals (Fallow Deer) I took and they were only really because I was in steep country and gravity carried them both down about 15 metres. Last season I think I took 37 fallow deer, bar those two the rest were DRT. Matching the projectile to the game is important but shot placement trumps them all.
What gets me is someone using a .300 mag on these Louisiana deer when a .22 would be better. But I guess I’m in the same boat when I use the .45-70 in black powder. I like the kick,noise and the smell of blackpowder.
I guessing its mostly pipeline hunters who shoot the 300 win mag. Personally I'm with you on the 45/70 during B.P. season. Regular season 300 B.Out
