It has always fascinated me how softer bullets at higher velocities are so popular for hunting in North America. I still don't get it, but my frame of reference is limited to hunting of African game. Apart from monolithics now, we have always seen slower and heavier working better on game. Fast and light often not working at all.
I grew up with 175gr soft out of a 7x57 at 2400fps being a nice impala calibre (impala are a bit smaller than whitetails afaik). Wildebeest, gemsbok and the like being hungrier for something like 220gr out of a 30-06. .243 Winchester with a 100gr at 3000fps being suited mostly only for springbok at long ranges, with some land owners banning hunting with 6mm altogether. Almost never would a hunter use a bullet such as a ballistic tip type here. Except perhaps Creedmoor hunters who see an animal for the first time in their lives at 35 over a heavy barelled chassis monstrosity.
And I can attest that my field experience agrees with the above. I have personally seen a Gemsbok shaking a 180gr interlocked bullet on the shoulder from a 308 at about 60 paces, only to be found weakened, over a week later, with infection in the flesh wound. I have also tracked an impala for over 150m, and a wildebeest for about 300m, both with solid hits on top part of heart out of 308. Not to even start talking about warthog in dense bush. Kudu, as a bit of an anomaly, have always seemed a bit "soft" in commparison.
Curious what it is that I am missing.
Edit: As far as my favourite bullet for 6.5 Grendel; that I don't know yet. I am still to go for my first hunt with it, as it is in gunshop holding pending my license approval. I suspect that it would be either 129gr Hornady Interlock or 130gr Nosler Accubond. Both loaded for first range tests end of the month. But for any hoofed animals barring springbok, I can't see it being lighter than 120gr, and either a bonded, interlocked or monolithic design.
I grew up with 175gr soft out of a 7x57 at 2400fps being a nice impala calibre (impala are a bit smaller than whitetails afaik). Wildebeest, gemsbok and the like being hungrier for something like 220gr out of a 30-06. .243 Winchester with a 100gr at 3000fps being suited mostly only for springbok at long ranges, with some land owners banning hunting with 6mm altogether. Almost never would a hunter use a bullet such as a ballistic tip type here. Except perhaps Creedmoor hunters who see an animal for the first time in their lives at 35 over a heavy barelled chassis monstrosity.
And I can attest that my field experience agrees with the above. I have personally seen a Gemsbok shaking a 180gr interlocked bullet on the shoulder from a 308 at about 60 paces, only to be found weakened, over a week later, with infection in the flesh wound. I have also tracked an impala for over 150m, and a wildebeest for about 300m, both with solid hits on top part of heart out of 308. Not to even start talking about warthog in dense bush. Kudu, as a bit of an anomaly, have always seemed a bit "soft" in commparison.
Curious what it is that I am missing.
Edit: As far as my favourite bullet for 6.5 Grendel; that I don't know yet. I am still to go for my first hunt with it, as it is in gunshop holding pending my license approval. I suspect that it would be either 129gr Hornady Interlock or 130gr Nosler Accubond. Both loaded for first range tests end of the month. But for any hoofed animals barring springbok, I can't see it being lighter than 120gr, and either a bonded, interlocked or monolithic design.