gleason chapman - if the experts are not giving a .50 caliber roundball more credit then 50 yards, my friend who has now dropped two deer in their tracksat almost 100 yards, would disagree. And 75 yards for a .54 caliber? At 80 yards the .54 caliber I was shootinghad enough powder and energy to drop two deer where they stood. Granted the second was spined after the pass through of the first, and I finished her with a knife, but still I think the experts are under estimating a lotthere.
So after shot placement, it is penetrationwith expansion and largewound channel in my opinion that kills the animal on the spot and keeps us from from loosing deer because of poor blood trail.
I could not agree with your statementmore on that point. As for the size of the wound channel I always think a .50 cal hole VS a .30 caliber hole with marginal expansion (I say marginal because I once had a 30-06 for some reason blow a hole coming out,, no kidding here, what a mess... larger then a softball.. I have yet to figure that one out But that was the extreme in most of my cases). I have recovered very few pure lead projectiles that I cast,from deer as I normally get a complete pass through. Even last year, with a .54 caliber at 52 yards (Bushnell Pro Sport Range Finder), it had the power to travel length ways through a very small deer and still break a rear leg on its travels.
Now some of the postings of Sabotloader reference energy and velocity are most impressive. I personally am not a ballistics person. I just use what I have learned over the years, a projectile that works. By the way this is an interesting topic and I have learned a lot.. thanks.