Escape Pod wrote:Hey thanks, Texas Sheepdawg!
In researching for the fall hunt, I stumbled across this great resource. Reading between the lines, they would seem to warn against my 450BM and it’s 2.5-10x scope as suitable for what they say should be comfortable shooting out to 400 yards across canyons. It’s curious, since the same outfitter guides archery hunters to inside 60 yards. Must be different stalk techniques, or different expectations about nabbing a “trophy.”
https://www.arizonahunting.net/listofitems.htmBut they definitely echo the sentiment that “there’s no such thing as overkill.”
Since I can’t afford a guide anyways, I’ll just have to refine my spot and stalk technique to get me within 300y. Unless of course I can get my hands on some of those CEP 160gr screamers
the problem isnt that the 450 bm isnt a 400 yd cartridge... so TL:DR - you're gonna have to get yourself within range of your gun before you start blasting away.
its that there arent bullets suitable design to expand at those ranges - and the terminal (impact) velocity without them just punching right thru like a FMJ would - simply put, they wont expand because its just too slow. i dont even think maker produces a suitable 100yd to 400+ yd bullet for this caliber.
that and if you look at the drop chart for typical 450bm .... you damn well better have a rangefinder with you, and know your clicks to have any kind of prayer of getting a hit at 400+ yds if you were to take one with this cartridge and the typical bullets used for it.
simply put - its about a 200-225yd cartridge, max. at least for effective terminal velocity to get some expansion initiated with typical bullets.
i had a buddy who's quite the marksman shoot at a doe last season that was facing him, 250 ftx black load. just over 300 yds. good solid hit, the bullet essentailly entered high chest, and ran right down the backstrap next to the spine. he put her down with a follow up shot and got a successful kill and didnt find out what the first bullet did until he started butchering and found the wound track all down the basically wasted backstrap and out near the texas heart shot hole lol
he now has a little better understanding of the limitations of the cartridge, or more importantly the projectiles that we use to hunt with. and knowledge is power and all that.