How much energy is needed to kill big game

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gabriel999

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I know the question sounds kind of dumb but ......

I was looking at Hornady's site comparing ballistic reports and besides bullet drop that is pretty much self explanatory,
velocity/energy differences between 2 calibers (270 win and 7mm Mag) at different ranges made me wonder how much energy is needed to drop big game.

Looking on federal site didn't help at all.

Winchester the same.

They kind of imply that 270 is not for big game and I know it's not true.

So what is your opinion ?

I understand for some people this would be a neverending caliber choice question .... so sorry for boring those guys

I have a 7mm Mag 700 Remy and I got my first mulie doe and my first white-tail buck this year .....and yyyyyeeesss I love my new hobby...
:D
 
I've seen different and conflicting nos. thrown around about this. From memory a deer sized critter is supposed to need around 1000-1200 ft lbs of energy and up and moose/elk around 1400-a Mack truck.
 
Energy dosn't mean squat, choosing the correct projectile for the intended game at the intended range is much more important. You would be better off to learn about different bullet types and how they react at varing velocitys than worring about energy.

A bow does not have much energy but it kills well because the ''bullet'' (broad head) is matched to the velocity and "energy" the bow produces. It puts a decent wound channel to the far side of the animal. That is how you kill game.
 
gabriel999, there is no such thing as a dumb question, only dumb answers. Don't worry about the "numbers". Your 7mm Rem mag with handle anything in Canada. Except perhaps a big nasty coastal brown bear, and some will argue that. This of course is IMHO.
 
there is alot of factors, bullet construction, placement, caliber, velocity, etc

if Im shooting a caliber for deer, that propels a 6mm bullet or bigger with a sectional density of .230 or more, and impact velocity is around 2000 fps or more, it will kill. energy can vary from 850 ft-lbs on up to somewhere around 1100 ft-lbs depending on bullet weight. Ideally 1500 ft-lbs or more on target would be wanted (IMO).

for elk or moose, bear etc, I want a 6.5mm bullet or bigger with a sectional density of .270 or more, and impact velocity of 2000 fps or more. energy will be 1200 ft-lbs at the low end to well over 2000 ft-lbs. Ideally I would want 2000+ ft-lbs on target.

bullet performance on impact and placement are much more important that impact energy.
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Replubic I agree with most of your post, energy is not nearly as important as bullet placement and energy transfer, which bullet construction plays a large part in.
True an arrow has little energy but the broadhead relys alot on the blades severing arteries and vessels so the animal bleeds out. A totally different killing principle.
The bigger calibers we see produced every year amaze me, I have seen many deer and even the odd elk killed with a 22LR which by no means is a powerfull cartridge. A well placed shot with a decent bullet is far more effective than a howitzer with poor bullet placement
 
Energy, shmenergy. If that deer get hit with a bullet that has 1000ft lbs of energy and the bullet goes right on through, how much was expended in the animal?

If a bullet makes a large wound channel that extends through the vitals of the game you are shooting at so that it bleeds out both holes the animal should die quickly. What ever the energy.
 
I was not doubting the power of my caliber .
I was thinking that maybe a 270 would have done the same job.
Considering that we are using the same type of bullet in same shooting conditions energy has to count ..... especially at longer ranges

I was trying to figure the efective maximum range of the 270 on big game ....at least on paper if not for practice ....
 
the 270 has enough 'power' to kill out to half a kilometer

hunter/shooter skill often is more limiting than that of the caliber he uses
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Republic of Alberta said:
Energy dosn't mean squat, choosing the correct projectile for the intended game at the intended range is much more important. You would be better off to learn about different bullet types and how they react at varing velocitys than worring about energy.

A bow does not have much energy but it kills well because the ''bullet'' (broad head) is matched to the velocity and "energy" the bow produces. It puts a decent wound channel to the far side of the animal. That is how you kill game.
Click to expand...

Agreed....You do need energy ofcourse..That being said,you can take allthe energy in the world,and if you dont have a projectile which causes at least some of it to be deposited in the animal,its a waste..Exagerated case in point,,if I shot a whitetail with my lott and a 500 gr mono,you'd probably never find him if I didnt hit bone..Its been also my finding that animal size has less to do with it than animal composition...Lots of times,you see posts on forums that ask if a 30/30 is suited for moose..My immediate answer would me no,but I'd rather shoot a moose than a hyper whitetail with one...Moose,caribou,etc seem to retire if you deposit one pound of energy/shock into them,where as we've all seen whitetail run 300 yds that we could have swore we saw daylight in....In short,in my 3+decades at hunting,I would have to say its species by species and for that matter even where that species lives..I remember one time travelling to the city.On the outskirts,in a field 4 or 5 guys were chasing this monster twelve point around in the centre of a wide open field(urban deer)I ran up and asked what was up?The deer had been shot with a muzzleloader,just marginally wounded,and lay down in the center of the plowed field..It was standing and walking in circles as the hunters(haha) were trying to finish it..How many times do you think that happens with a high country bush buck?????Not
 
Interesting question... kind of like asking how dead is really dead?
Foot Pounds of Energy has long been used by the pundits and manufacturers to qualify a cartridges killing ability. While this may be a useful measurement for comparing one cartridge to another it is not the only, nor the most important aspect when choosing a rifle/cartridge for Big Game.
Bullet construction, bullet weight, accuracy and impact velocity all affect the ability of the cartridge in question to effectively kill game.
For example.. a 150gr Ballistic Tip has nearly 3000 foot pounds of energy at 200 yards... but would you use it to hunt Coastal Grizzlies? What about a 160gr Partition with the same Energy from a .270... it is going to penetrate much more than the B/T from the 7mm and deliver the same energy!:confused:
Comparing by energy is only one aspect to consider when deciding on a cartridge for Big Game.
1200 lbs has long been the benchmark for whitetails... for whatever that is worth.
 
When this debate rears itself, I often think of all the deer that were killed stone dead with 38-40's, 44-40's and 25-20's, not to mention several other "Lethargic" [in the energy department] chamberings of that era. Don't believe you could have convinced the hunter of the day that his rifle would not kill deer. Energy is fine to compare cartridges, but there are several other factors that have an effect, and to base killing ability on energy alone is an exercise in futility. Regards, Eagleye.
 
Yes you do require enough energy for a properly selected bullet to expand and penetrate.However,I do not believe is setting minumum values of energy required for each game animal.That being said,the cartridges that I use provide much more energy than are normally recommended for the game that I hunt.I would not hesitate to use the 7mmremmag on any game in north america with the possible exception of the large coastal grizzlies.
 
Eagleye said:
When this debate rears itself, I often think of all the deer that were killed stone dead with 38-40's, 44-40's and 25-20's,.....
Click to expand...

And they are still being killed dead with those old cartridges today!

Here is a mulie buck a friend of mine shot last fall with his all original Winchester 1892 in 44WCF (44-40)

The buck sure looks dead to me! ;) LoL

49eds_44_40_buck_759.jpg
 
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