ORIGINAL: DM
This has been discussed in detail by Craig Boddington and I dare anyone in this forum to dispute that man's knowledge
I don't dispute what Craig has said, he bases his knowledge on HIS experences!! At least i hope he does.
"I" on the other hand base my knowledge on MY experences! AND, my experence says that "speed kills"!!!!
"If" you have pass throughs without damage at higher velocities, then your useing "too tough" of a constructed bullet for THAT situation!!! These days there's just "no excuse" for a bullet to NOT expand well at low V and also hold up well at high V!!!!
A factory 45/70 load will NOT kill a deer better, faster, easier or any other objective you want to use than, say my 30-06 loaded with a factory 150 grain load!!!! Don't believe me???? Try it yourself! I have!! Better yet, let me use 150 grain NP's!!!!
SPEED KILLS, as long as you use the proper bullets with it!!
Drilling Man
Well said BUT I've seen too many handloaders spend months finding the most accurate loads that deliver the most energy only to find that the darn deer still runs a couple hundred yards after being hit. Most of those accurate and fast bullets are designed for varmint hunting and varmint bullets are supposed to expand as fast as possible. Hit a deer with them at those super high velocities and they explode on contact leaving hamburg just under the skin but healthy organs deep in the chest cavity. A 45/70 hits like a freight train and keeps on going like one too.
Ask any archer what penetrates better, a light arrow or a heavy one. The heavy arrow will dig deeper each and every time. The same goes for bullets.