RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

Go to the link. Look at the watermelon being shot. Does it get knocked off the post? No, it explodes all over the place. Even in the direction the bullet was coming from. Same thing happens in an animals chest. This is why some animals drop on the spot while others do not. There has to be enough damage done to seaperate the passage of messages through the nerves to the muscles.

http://www.nacinc.com/image_gallery/archer.wmv

RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

Darn, that looked like a good melon.:D

RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

californiadoctor I like your point, on that note what it boils down to is where the object hits you hence shot placement.... a 150 grain bullet at 3000 fps a baseball at 90 mph or a bowling ball at 45 mph hitting you in the head I think any of those will do you in but if any of those hit you in the foot yeah i think you will survive unless you bleed to death from the bullet. LOL

RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

This is always an interesting topic. I've probably shot around 50 or so whitetails with my 30-06.... mostly with winchester pointed soft points. I've had a few deer just pile up, but most jump and "stagger" 30 yards or so. I've never had a problem.... in fact most of the time you can see them go down. It's amazing how many guys (and some girls) I meet every year looking to buy "whitetail flatteners". Rather than go into a big philosophical discussion, I've taken to saying 35 whelen when one's on the market, 350 Remington Magnum now that the 673 is out, or the 7mm magnum because they're easy to get and ammo's cheap. In the past 5-10 years I've sold such things as 338 win mags, 338 ultra mags, 300 weatherby mags, 300 ultra mags to people who ONLY hunt deer and ONLY hunt in the East. It's crazy! A real phenomenon.

RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

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RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

I can't say I know anyone that does this. I know alot of people that has these guns, that use em in Africa, or Canada, or Colorado. But can't say I know anyone that has used it in the east. I hear guys all the time say this statement, that they know so or so that uses these rounds for deer in the east. But they can't show me any of these guys.

I guess I get ticked off hearing people dog Eastern US hunters. Just because somebody lives in the west sure don't make them the superior hunter. I know 5 guys off the top of my head that use 300RUM's in Wyoming, and Colorado. They use em for deer, elk, whatever.
I also have known Western hunters that doesn't have the patience to sit on a stand bowhunting 12 hours straight. They try thier same stalk technique here in the East and scare the whole woods out.

Sure, the west has one of the most majestic, great animals you can have, which is the elk. But sure doesn't mean killing a WT is any less prestigous.

RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

I have shot a few deer with many different calliber rifles ranging from a 7X57 to the .366DGW. My customers fill in what I have not used. That is one of the neat parts of having a custom gun shop. From what I have experianced and been told by friends and customers I have come to several conclusions.
First size does matter!!! That did not sound quite right but you know. On paper a foster style slug and a 30-30 are rather close in energy but the slug far more effective as to knock down.
Second, velosity is not as important as bullet construction, a bullet that either passes threw or one that blows up on the hide is not what we want.
Next from what I have found out both here and in Africa is that unless you are using an exploding bullet like a H.E. round, if enough shock does not get to the spine, chances are the critter is going to go some where. Not far mind you but a critter gut shot or hit on the frindges is going to go. So big guns do more damage but the bottom line is shot placement ans a spined critter in down and out.

RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

I could not agree more and can't add anything meaniful to that statement.

RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

An example of the "bigger is better" disease.

There are three guys I know that have 7mm stw's. None of them hunt anything but whitetails in Alabama and Georgia. One guy had his 7mm Rem mag rechambered. After he did that a friend of his, and mine, had to have his rechambered to the STW also. I asked him why. His answer was "I don't know, _________ talked me into it". Now the first guys son had to have one for Christmas. He bought his chambered for the STW though.

None of these guys hunt anything but whitetails in the South East. They got it bad.;):eek:

RE: Thoughts on "real" knockdown power
 

In my opinion KE or Knockdown power is math applied in ballistics. Now do heavy bullets hit harder than light bullets, yes for the most part. Personally i believe its bullet placement into the animals body that will knock them down. I have shot them in the head with 22 shorts and they dropped in thier tracks graveyard dead. Neck shots will do it too if spine is hit. Chest cavity i have had more drop and stay down by the bullet taking out both front shoulders. Any other shot doesn't seem to keep them down and they regain thier feet and put that dying run on you. [&:]