Is shot placement more important than bullets?

[coldboremiracle]

Hey guys, after seeing the Sh@t show about the ethics of long range hunting thread, I thought I would share this one. These are just my thoughts having hunted for a modest amount of time. Give it a read if you have a moment:

Is Shot Placement More Important than cartridge and bullet selection?

cartridge and bullet selection are important subjects, but are they more important than shot placement on the target?

coldboremiracle.com

 

[K22]

In my opinion they are both equally important but if I was forced to pick one, I would choose shot placement with some conditions as explained below.

The greatest bullet ever designed is not going to work if you don't place it in the vital area. Oh, you may cripple the animal, track it and finally harvest it but that should be avoided for obvious reasons.

The nature of the game animal is also a significant factor, i.e., dangerous vs not dangerous, size and toughness, etc. with regards to degree of penetration needed to reach the vital area.

Distance of shot and remaining energy is also a factor, i.e., terminal performance at the distance the shot is made.

Caliber of firearm to produce sufficient energy at the distances you plan to shoot is another factor.

So, the bottom line is that there are many factors involved and I don't believe there is simple answer to this question.

 

[JASmith]

Shot placement more important?

YOU BETCHA !!!!

Even the best bullet will do nothing unless it hits the mark.

 

[AWS]

I think it is a combination of both,

I've had perfect placement of a bullet and the bullet splash on the surface, the deer was recovered after a long follow, range was 8' with a 308 150gr SP bullet. ust small fragments of jacket penetrated into the lungs.

Again, high lung shot at distance, the deer never even flinched or did anything other than keep walking, I found it 50 yards into the forest with zero blood trail. 243 100gr SP, early days of the 243 bullet performance could be sketchy back then. The bullet went clean through the deer and never opened it cut an artery going through. When I gutted it the body was full of blood

So a perfect shot from an FMJ/or bullet failure and you might not even know you hit the animal.

A bullet designed for the game your hunting and shot placement are both important.

 

[wboggs]

They are both important.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Yes

 

[Carl S]

Bullet placement is key.ive shot lots of deer with different calibers.gut shot it's a runner no matter what.head,neck or spinal shot normally drop on the spot heart and lung shot it may run a little but not far.shooting at distance a bigger caliber and heavier bullets help but if it's not in the right place it's still a runner.also shooter error and conditions come into play at range.ive shot deer with my 6BR 85grn bullet at short and long range and it's killed deer as good as my 6.5x47 120grn bullet when I've placed the bullet in the right place.personal experience is that over the years I've found bullet placement is key.

 

[marchx]

It is a false quasi-alternative, the problem setting is wrong. It's not either-or kind of problem. It's an equation with multiple variables. By the way, I don't like pictures of dead animals.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

Hey guys, after seeing the Sh@t show about the ethics of long range hunting thread, I thought I would share this one. These are just my thoughts having hunted for a modest amount of time. Give it a read if you have a moment:

Is Shot Placement More Important than cartridge and bullet selection?

cartridge and bullet selection are important subjects, but are they more important than shot placement on the target?

coldboremiracle.com

Shot placement always is the deciding factor, not trying to toot my horn but I've killed hundred of coyotes, most posted on here with ,17, hornet,17,wsm,and the lowly 22.No run offs. as for the 22 check out three dropped dead in tracks at 105, and 125, 112 yards lasered, head shots. It can be done, know your equipment abilities, and limitations. I can do this all day long. Shot placement rules.

 

[Enosiophobia]

In my view, order of importance:

1. Placement
2. Bullet type / selection

I don't mind photos of dead animals..... as I'm not a vegetarian.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Shot placement more important?

YOU BETCHA !!!!

Even the best bullet will do nothing unless it hits the mark.

Exactly!! Well said!!

 

[ohlongarmisle]

In my view, order of importance:

1. Placement
2. Bullet type / selection

I don't mind photos of dead animals..... as I'm not a vegetarian.

Yes sir, bullet type don't go cheap, all coyotes shot drt were shot with either subsonic, or high velocity hollow points, they drop as if hit point blank with a 12 ga. Usually anything around the acreage is .22 shot, I run a Hawke 6x24x50 with a floating black dot, it's a joke how easy this is. A 22 kills very quick even north of 100 yards. A lot of scope puts things up real close and personal, it's amazing how big a coyotes head is on 24x a relatively large target even at 150 yards, width of skull average about 4 inches, double that for length. If you can hit a golf ball at 100 yards you can put a kill shot in a coyotes noggin easily.TRY it .If you can't hit a golf ball at 100 yards with any caliber you shouldn't be hunting.

 

[pdugas]

Shot placement is king .

 

[dellet]

The "wrong bullet" in the right place generally works out a whole lot better than the "right bullet" in the wrong place.

 

[Beiruty]

Bullet in the dirt == waste of money
Bullet in the deadly zone == meat on the grill

 

[Bill K]

Shot placement is the #1 goal. But you do want to use a good bullet also.
But as some mention, shot placement with any bullet will do the job. A, so called good bullet, in the wrong place will wound or do nothing to make a quick and ethical kill.

 

[moorepower]

Shot placement.

 

[Drop Port]

One in the same, for long range, hunting I use the most accurate bullet so I can have more confidence in placement. Unless the terminal performance of the bullet sucks then I would use the second most accurate bullet with adequate terminal performance.

 

[David Milisock]

Hey guys, after seeing the Sh@t show about the ethics of long range hunting thread, I thought I would share this one. These are just my thoughts having hunted for a modest amount of time. Give it a read if you have a moment:

Is Shot Placement More Important than cartridge and bullet selection?

cartridge and bullet selection are important subjects, but are they more important than shot placement on the target?

coldboremiracle.com

An interesting discussion, when people write they write from their experiences it's very difficult many times to expand beyond that. After reading your link I offer some thoughts below.

First there is over kill, a tough projectile that's heavy for caliber used in close from a magnum cartridge that hits no bone can exit and travel quite aways. There's a few houses in my area that can attest to that. One might want to consider your caliber choice in many areas. I find an 8x57 with expanding projectiles, a downloaded 06 or even my 444 Marlin work well in many situations.

Good shot placement will always kill game, however it does not improve animal recovery. A heart shot from a full metal jacket may allow one to run off and not be recovered regardlessof range.

A heart shot with an expanding bullet should improve recovery but not in all cases. Take for example a small caliber hyper velocity projectile that fragments without penetration at close ranges where the velocities are still too high.

A heart shot from the same cartridge and bullet reaching out too far may have the same effect as a full metal jacket as the drop in velocity may now be below the expansion threashold.

So the thought process needs expanding, it's good shot placement from a cartridge bullet combination that fits the environment and range you hunt in.

 

[coldboremiracle]

it's good shot placement from a cartridge bullet combination that fits the environment and range you hunt in.

Thats exactly the point I made. Shot placement with enough bullet and energy. I went over those points tediously.