Worried About My 7 mm Mag Lethality
05-25-2015, 04:09 PM
#41
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West TN
Posts: 847
Years ago I had a PH in Africa tell me that you should place your bullet in a spot where the actual target is the far shoulder. Where it enters the body is less important than where it ends up. If you shoot for the far shoulder the bullet has to pass through the heart/lung area in order to get there. This simple trick eliminates having to do a lot of guess work. Simply go to the far leg and come straight up to the halfway point in the chest. This shot works no matter what angle the animal is facing.
So after doing that a time or two I came up with the "field goal shot"! That being, I imagine that the animals front shoulders are uprights of a football field goal & of course I want to put the "bullet/ball" as close to dead center thru those uprights. That 99% assures of a hit thru BOTH lungs & most times, damages the heart (or at least its "fuel lines") as well. Now obviously the classic broadside, two clean broken shoulders plus wiped out lungs is THE most lethal but when your shot angles change, the terminal ballistics likewise change accordingly!
06-02-2015, 11:00 AM
#42
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: IL
Posts: 6,575
You could shoot 2 deer with the same load distance etc.... and one drops right there, and another, acts like nothing happened, runs off and tips over in 200yards.
the 7mm mag and 140ttsx is certainly lethal on mulies.
if a different load gives you more confidence, go with it, but I think, that's mostly just the randomness of hunting/shooting/killing big game animals.
I remember a buck my dad took with a 12ga slug at maybe 50yds, just stood there, my dad put I think 4 rounds into the deer, eventually it staggered off, died, when field dressing we found 4 rounds all right in the heart region, good tight group, crazy to think the deer didn't just fall over after the 1st shot, but that's hunting.
It was a big buck however...
the 7mm mag and 140ttsx is certainly lethal on mulies.
if a different load gives you more confidence, go with it, but I think, that's mostly just the randomness of hunting/shooting/killing big game animals.
I remember a buck my dad took with a 12ga slug at maybe 50yds, just stood there, my dad put I think 4 rounds into the deer, eventually it staggered off, died, when field dressing we found 4 rounds all right in the heart region, good tight group, crazy to think the deer didn't just fall over after the 1st shot, but that's hunting.
It was a big buck however...
06-02-2015, 06:16 PM
#43
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
I remember a buck my dad took with a 12ga slug at maybe 50yds, just stood there, my dad put I think 4 rounds into the deer, eventually it staggered off, died, when field dressing we found 4 rounds all right in the heart region, good tight group, crazy to think the deer didn't just fall over after the 1st shot, but that's hunting.
It was a big buck however...
It was a big buck however...
Now you know why you don't want to be under gunned when hunting dangerous game !!!
07-02-2015, 04:36 AM
#45
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: central Ky
Posts: 2,867
Don't fall into the trap that so many do, assuming the rifle cartridge/caliber needs to be more powerful because of dismal results of the chosen bullet. I've done things with various 7mm cartridges that God and the manufacturer never intended to be done with em. Barnes do expand kind of slow most of the time. Also no 2 deer are going to react the same exact way when shot, even if hit in the same place. Try Nosler Ballistic Tips, Nosler Accubonds, or Bergers and I'm positive you'll see quicker drops.
07-02-2015, 08:22 PM
#48
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
Super,
Seems you missed the point.
I shoot ground squirrels with a .17HRM, .204, even a .223 & they still crawl back to their holes with their guts spilled all over the ground.
Now, if I'm gotta hunt bears.............?!?!
Last edited by Sheridan; 07-03-2015 at 09:29 AM.
07-03-2015, 11:31 AM
#49
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VA.
Posts: 1,415
