Hmmm. Like Sitka dumb fu ck said there's not such thing as knock down power. Why aren't you using a .223 Rem?
bsa: I realize your question was rhetorical, but, while I have no doubt a .223 pill to the brain would instantly stop a charging brownie, the odds of making such a shot are very slim indeed. I read about a fellow who shot a large feral hog at 40’ with a .35 Whelen and he stated that it blew fragments and blood 30’ feet out the other side of the hog. Can the same be said of the .223?
I am not an expert, but I have done quite a bit of reading on this subject and I do have some understanding of physics. My understanding of ‘knockdown power’ is that it’s largely an arbitrary term. If we define knockdown power as the ability of a specific cartridge to cause enough ballistic trauma to immediately incapacitate, then we should review Newton’s Second Law of Motion (F=ma), which summarized, states that the speed and mass at which an object travels determine the energy it imparts. A heavier object traveling at the same speed as a lighter object will impart more energy, and if we think of this energy as kinetic energy, or ‘shock’ as Sitka deer defined it, we must realize that this transfer of energy, in and of itself, is not a sufficient or reliable killer. Kinetic energy may stun, but cannot be relied upon to kill, in most cases. I think the potential to do enough damage to immediately stop a threat requires more than just energy transfer. A true one-stop shot will rely more on a combination of shot placement, penetration, and kinetic energy transfer rather than how much energy alone a bullet can deliver to a target. So unless we’re dealing with a howitzer, I think the term knockdown power has little true meaning, in terms of hunting cartridges.
Originally Posted by mitchellmountain
Has anyone considered a 7600 in 35 whelen? Cheap synthetic replacement stock, duracoat the steel parts($40) and you've got a fast repeater bear thumper!!
mitchellmountain: I haven’t, but I can see the appeal.
Originally Posted by elkhunternm
HN,have you thought about a .358 Norma Mag?
Ken: Yes, I’ve definitely considered the .358NM. I read great things about this cartridge. The reasons I prefer the .35W and 9.3x62 is because they both have quite a bit less recoil and because I prefer a non-belted cartridge.
Originally Posted by 458 Lott
No such thing as stopping power in regards to shoulder fired hunting rifles. The only thing that matters is placing a good bullet in the vitals and doing sufficient damage to kill the animal. Stopping power is 99 1/2% shot placement provided one chooses a bullet that will penetrate deeply enough for the shot that is presented.
458: I wrote my reply (above) before I read your post. It sounds like we are on the same page.
Last edited by High_Noon; 07/04/16.
l told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Make your life go here. Here's where the peoples is. Mother Gue, I says, the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world, and by God, I was right. - Del Gue
