Tozman said:
I have read an article where the author was saying that the length of the shot string is a determining factor in obtaining a "clean kill".
For example, a bird hit simultaneously by 3 pellets will be killed more "cleanly" than the same bird being hit by the same 3 pellets reaching the target within a fraction of a second of each other..... This is due to the "shock" effect. Pellets hiting at the same same time creating a greater "shock" effect than the same number of pellets hitting at different times...
Unfortunatly, I am unable to find that article. I would appreciate your comments on that subject.
Well certainly in theory you are more likely to hit a moving target with a "square" shot string than you are with an elongated one because your entire pattern is going to be filled in at roughly the same time whereas with an elongated shot string, the tail end may not arrive in time to hit your moving target at all, depending on the speed the target is moving and the shot velocity. So theoretically, although a longer shot string might produce denser patterns on paper, the pattern on a moving target might be more sporadic.
This is often touted as an unforseen disadvantage of magnum length loads by appreciators of the standard load. In reality... well, it's probably not so, given the velocity of ammuniton. In reality, I think that the milder recoil,ease of handling, and regularity of the standard loads account for their greater individual hit probability on moving targets than anything else.
As for the concept of "shock effect" from projectile impact: It's a subject worth discussing not just in terms of shotgunning, but terminal ballistics in general. First, what is "shock" in terms of terminal ballistics? Everyone seems to talk about it, but very few will can tell you exactly what it is. And I have never heard of a satisfactory definition of it from a qualified person. Everyone seems to take it as a given. Personally, when I am talking about "shock effect" in terminal ballistics, I am talking about two things. First is the compression of soft tissue in what we call the elastic, or temporary wound cavity that is created when a projectile penetrates the body. The temporary wound cavity is often many times larger than the permenant wound cavity. A quick look at any ballistics gel tests will reveal what I mean. Among other things, this may create a spike in blood pressure that could cause systems in the body to immediately fail or overload the CNS (central nervous system) if the spike is large enough. The second is sensory effect on the CNS. Which is to say how much pain the impact of the projectile causes. Is it possible, in fact, for the impact and power of the projectile to be so grevious and damaging as to render the target instantly unconcious?
The fact is that we do not know. No tests have ever been created to measure "shock effect" in these terms.
What we DO know, and know for a fact, is that regardless of the "shock effect" of a projectile, gunshot deaths are caused by hypovolemia (blood loss) or by physical disruption of the CNS (blowing their brains out).
So, to answer your question after all of that round about: It probably doesn't matter.
