About Ed Hale

I am an avid hunter with rifle and Bow and have been hunting for more than 50 years. I have taken big game such as whitetail deer, red deer, elk, moose, buffalo, Russian boar and African Plains game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Blesbok, and Impala and wrote an ebook entitled African Safari -Rifle and Bow and Arrow on how to prepare for a first safari. Ed is a serious cartridge reloader and ballistics student. He has earned two degrees in science and has written hundreds of outdoor article on hunting with both bow and rifle. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife Susan. He is a Patriot Life Member of the NRA.

Rifle Recoil Management and Flinching

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Ed Hale

This is Chapter 4 of my Safari eBook for those who have issues with recoil.

If you bought my e-book you would be so much further ahead. Go to the header and click the e-book on the header part of the magazine to purchase your own copy.

I believe that flinching is still responsible for more misses and poor hits on game than almost any other variable I can think of, besides not practicing to simulate hunting conditions. Flinching is a learned reaction to painful recoil. Like Pavlov’s dog that learned to salivate at the sight of food, once you have been hurt (stimulus), your (response) will usually be to flinch. It can be unlearned. It is a reaction of the body away from danger or harm and is an unconscious reaction and a normal thing however it plays hell with accuracy.

Managing recoil to prevent flinching is one of the most important things that you should consider for any big game rifle. I learned that there is more to this than meets the eye. In larger calibers the shooter learns to grip the rifle firmer and press the butt of the gun firmly into the shoulder on every shot.

My favorite option for Recoil Management is a state-of-the-art recoil pad. Most production rifles, of almost all makes, often lack severely in the recoil pad category. For a less than $40 dollar bill you can improve shooter accuracy immeasurably by making an investment in the best recoil pads on the market today providing a reduction in felt-recoil as much as 50%. Both Pachmayr and Sim’s Vibration Laboratories make pads that are either pre-fitted to your rifle model, ground to fit or slip on like a glove. These are both fine pads that will approach 50% reduction in recoil.

The concept of reducing felt recoil with these state of the art recoil pads has much to do with absorbing the kick over a longer time frame (in milliseconds), thus the rifle pushes the shoulder of the shooter rather than punching or kicking it. This is great news for those of us wanting to hunt dangerous game or for a youngster shooting his first deer rifle. We won’t have to flinch at the thought of squeezing the trigger sending our shoulders into tomorrow and our teeth back to the dentist any longer.

The table shown next indicates the caliber, bullet weight, and velocity used to formulate the chart which demonstrates the significant value the shooter gains shooting with a recoil pad which provides 50% reduction in felt recoil. I could have added other popular calibers like the 7mm Remington Magnum or the .270 Winchester but I merely want to pictorially demonstrate what happens when felt recoil is reduced so dramatically in this way.

The recoil of each caliber has been plotted twice, once without 50% reduction and once with reduction. In addition, I have included reduction in recoil when rifle weight increases on the same chart below.

The point of all this information is to demonstrate that using state of the art recoil pads, you can tame some of the bigger calibers so you can step up in power and not be clobbered in the process. By the same token you can tame a .30-06 shooting a very respectable 165 grain bullet for example to have the felt recoil of a .243 Winchester (not shown) that does not have a recoil pad.

Note that there are two upper lines that overlap on the chart circled on the right. The right circled lines represents the .416 Rigby shooting 400 grain bullets with 50% recoil reduction theoretically shoots the same felt recoil as the .338 Winchester shooting 250 grain bullets without a recoil pad. The .375 Ruger (very similar ballistics to the H&H Magnum) shooting 300 grain bullets with 50% reduction shoots with slightly more recoil than the .30-06 shooting 165 grain bullets without a recoil pad. In addition the .30-06 with a 50% recoil reduction (left circle) shoots like a .243 Winchester (not shown) with 100 grain bullets. See the red circle on the left of the chart at 9.5 ft-lbs reduced felt recoil.

And lastly you can see what an 8 to 12 pound rifle does to reduce felt recoil, not as much as the 50% reduction using these recoil pads. Yes you can add weight but who wants to carry more weight? Not me.

Sim’s also makes a strap-on Limbsaver pad shown below that spreads the recoil out over a wider area. I always use this pad when I am benchrest shooting in addition the recoil pad on the rifle.

The shoulder pad is surprisingly thin and not bulky like some other recoil pads I have seen.

The end result of using these pads is that the shooter has also increased their inherent accuracy, thus allowing the brain to stay focused on the shot and not the recoil. Yes, there are other ways to reduce recoil but none are as simple as a technologically superior and cost effective as a state-of-the-art recoil pad, such as a Sim’s or a Pachmayr. I have them for every rifle I shoot.

The best of these recoil pads are made of specially designed rubber and air chambers that have been measured in a laboratory to scientifically reduce felt recoil. There are several manufacturers who make these recoil pads such as Pachmayr and Sim’s Vibration Laboratories. Some of these pads will require an adjustment to the length of the stock to fit you correctly. Oliver Ford and I found both the Sim’s Vibration Laboratories and the Pachmayr worked equally to reduce recoil and tested the slip-on version and the precision-fit shown below, the Pachmayr needs some work to grind and trim. We found that the Sim’s pad kept the rifles muzzle from jumping where the Pachmayr did not. Sim’s calls it anti muzzle jump technology. In addition, the Sim’s was precision-fit pad to fit brands of rifles like the Ruger M77 MK II for wood stocks shown in the lower right photo.

To install it, just remove the screws from your existing pad and use them to attach the new pad. I had to pilot a new hole for one side of the pad. It took me 10 minutes extra time. Mine fit perfect. Just measure the butt plate area in length and width and note your make and model of firearm. The Pachmayr is sold as small, medium and large. The one in the left photo is a medium and is a grind to fit and requires much more effort to in grinding. Installation is the same with 2 screws.

The Slip-on pads are terrific in a pinch but I would much rather have them permanently attached. Both Oliver and I like both the Pachmayr and Sim’s Limbsaver, however, we like the Limbsaver slip-on much better as it has more friction to grip the stock and it has the anti-muzzle jump technology built in.

I discussed the Sim’s recoil pad with a Professional Hunter Jurie Meyer of Afri-Bushveld Adventures. He offered a testimonial that his PH wife Celia weighs just about 100 pounds and using the Sim’s pads on her rifle and a double strap on Sim’s Limbsaver shoulder pad she can shoot a .458 Express round accurately without any shoulder issues.

When shooting from a benchrest your shoulder is often rolled forward placing the butt of the gun much higher, therefore I wear an additional strap on pad and a jacket to spread the recoil out as well. For shooting the .416 Rigby at the bench I shoot with all the padding I can stuff under a Sim’s shoulder pad, and have the Sim’s Recoil pad on the rifle as well. When shooting the .416 Rigby standing with shooting sticks or off hand I don’t need anything but the recoil pad on the rifle and can shoot it in a light shirt with no recoil issues at all, but at the bench it kicks the heck out of me. An important thing to remember is not to over do your shooting with the big bore rifles in one session as you can become bruised or worse learn to flinch. During the famous Teddy Roosevelt Safari, Teddy’s son Kermit had to stop hunting for a few days or so to let his shoulder heal as he was shooting big bore rifles too often.

The .375 Ruger is a much lighter rifle and weighs a three or four ounces over 9 pounds with a scope. It shoots a 300 grain bullet with just slightly more energy than a .375 H & H Magnum but with these recoil pads they tame this round very well when standing or shooting from shooting sticks. Again shooting from the bench should always include a shoulder strap-on pad to further reduce recoil. Regular practice just before a hunt with these big rifles is the best way to mentally and physically prepare.Good Hunting!©

Ballistics and Game Weight.

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Ed Hale

The Hornady Ballistics site http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator can calculate some valuable information about your hunting bullet but it does not determine the game it can kill at the velocity/energies listed. I have researched tools to aid in finding the Optimal Game Weight for a given load and distance. I have last month published articles on Sectional Density and other methods to quantify the game size/weight.

In the book, Big Game Rifles and Cartridges, the author Edward Matunas presented his famous formula: Where Velocity cubed (V³) multiplied times bullet weight squared (W²) was further multiplied by 1.5 times 10 to the minus 12th. The formula was put forth again in the Second Edition of “Applied Ballistics” by Bryan Litz

Optimal Game Weight (OGW) = V³ x W² x 1.5 x 10¯¹²

For those of you who have a XL spreadsheet and want to play with this formula, you can do so. What is not covered in this formula is the effect of mushrooming of a bullet as it penetrates and on its killing effects. Or the effect of less than full penetration if the bullet separates on entry. The value of a large wound channel and the value of hydro-static shock, on vitals is absent, which are key elements not included but the fundamentals of velocity, bullet weight and momentum.

I played with add on’s to the formula but without specifics; they were “what if” games. What if the bullet mushrooms to 1.5 times the size of the bullet diameter which often occurs in hunting bullets? What if the bullet does not fully penetrate? What then?

In order for this formula above to work well, the bullet must be constructed so that it will not come apart in the animal and that it will mushroom creating a large wound channel. I like my bullets to penetrate with ample power and hydro-static shock so there is an obvious blood trail. Further that Sectional Density is considered in choosing a bullet where SD= Weight of Bullet in grains (converted to pounds) and divided by the Diameter Squared.

For deer the ideal SD is around 2.5 and elk above 2.5 and Moose 3.0 or higher.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/rescources/calculators/php/density.htm

After that the calculation should be; How far can I shoot the animal and ensure a clean kill remembering the need for mushroom and hydro-static shock. Some bullet designers have lead bullets that mushroom at 2000 fps and that hydro-static shock occurs s in the same speed range or faster.

Even Chuck Hawkes has a section on this; http://www.chuckhawks.com/game_range_caliber.htm

Just remember, a small marginal bullet in the vitals is better that an more than adequate big bullet in the big toe especially if the animal wants to seek retribution on the hunter.

Shooting the Bull – NH Moose – Use Enough Gun

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Ed Hale

“Shooting the Bull” has never had more meaning than to kill your 1000 pound Rut-crazed moose quickly before he sets his sights on you!

Bull Moose-in-rut, are in fact, crazy as all-get-out and considered by many including me to be “dangerous game” at close ranges of 50 yards or less. When vitals are missed on these beasts they can close 50 yards in just seconds.

If that doesn’t get your adrenaline pumping, nothing will!

Ok so you are determined to shoot a New Hampshire bull moose with a 50 inch spread or greater. Good Luck because they are few and far in between. Can it be done? Of Course. NH produces some fine bulls particularly in the northern part of the state and can easily exceed 50 inches.

Whatever zone you have been assigned will determine the “success rate” for a bull with a rack that size.

Notice below in the Anatomy of a Moose rack where they measure spread. If this is the moose you are after then I recommend a Guide Service that specializes in moose and can judge a moose rack.

NH Guides can be found on the website below.

http://www.nhguidesassociation.com/hunting_directory.html

It is perhaps desirable to set a big bull with a large rack as your goal but remember that the joy comes from the hunt itself and the many days scouting and learning what your Zone has to offer.

Look at past data to get an idea and be realistic.

My Zone in 2009 was J2. I hunted in the lakes region very near to Lake Winnipesaukee. This photo is forever etched into my memory. This to me was “Heaven on Earth” and to hunt moose too. Wow! What was so great here is that I was observing good deer hunting territory as well.

My goal was simply to shoot what I considered a good representative of the species and I did. The moose I and my partner shot was a young adult and its rack was small/medium and body was fully mature and ready to mate. Its fur was without scars or blemishes and as handsome goes? He was all of that and muscularly large and ready to fight for his right to mate! He was killed at around 70 to 80 yards from us.

I have seen large bulls with giant racks but the face was scared and bony from all the fights. I had my trophy mounted and am very pleased with the Taxidermy work. While you are scouting up your moose, you may want to locate a taxidermist to mount your trophy.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/NH_taxidermists.htm

Use Enough Gun!

Rifle Cartridge/bullet Recommendations to hunt Large Bull Moose.

I favor Nosler Products Such as AccuBonds and Partitions for moose size Big Game in Africa and here in the USA because they mushroom well and stay together for deep penetration. See http://www.nosler.com/bullets/

My recommendations are based on delivering energies nearing 2500 ft-lbs at the distances listed.

My .375 Ruger shot a 260 grain Nosler AccuBond below. It went through more than 4 feet of moose before stopping under the skin in the rump.

2013 Moose Hunt in New Hampshire

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Ed Hale

Today the winners of the 2013 Moose Lottery were announced. Congratulations all. I was lucky to be drawn for a hunt three years ago. It was exhilarating beyond words. A moose hunt is a hunt of a lifetime.

With some help from F& G you will be able to find the best spots in your Zone but don’t just rely on that data. Talk to folks in your zone where moose are seen. I killed my bull moose in a brand new spot by listening to locals. I scouted every other week when time allowed and every week as the hunt neared but never saw a moose at all, just tracks. The problem you will run into is that other moose hunters in your Zone have been given the same information. Opening day is a great time to kill a moose but it took me and my partner 4 days of hard hunting to connect as there were hunters all around. It didn’t take long for the moose to wise up. For those that have an either sex tag, it is widely known that calling a bull in, is said to be one of your best options and I am proof of that. I used a moose-in-rut scent bomb to cover our scent and set up the shot. Go onto YouTube and watch the many moose that have been called in to get an idea of what you may also try. Take a camera with you on your scouting trips and even a trail camera if you like. Just don’t leave the trail camera out for more than a few days unless it is a remote area. I scouted about 5 spots regularly then pared that down to three of the best spots. Always keep your options open. Fish and Game did a great job teaching you how to dress, quarter and haul your moose out by hand. I was prepared to do just that. Luckily a land owner offered a front end loader to get my moose in the pickup truck.

A tip from a land owner that he had moose on his property and that we could hunt was delightful beyond words. In fact, there was snow the night before and the landowner saw moose tracks from his skidoo and saw one of the largest bulls ever. After listening to that my partner and I struggled to sleep that night. The next morning we went to that spot intending to spend every moment in the woods. I was shooting a .375 Ruger African with a VX-3L 56mm Leupold Scope and 260 Nosler AccuBonds. You can’t beat that combo as the scope can see till near the end of shooting light. My partner had a .308 Winchester with 160 grain heads.

I called the moose with my nose pinched and hands cupped like a bull horn over my mouth. In addition, I whacked trees and rusted brush and sprayed moose estrus into the air. My partner was skeptical at best. We stood at an intersecting trail where we could see more than 60 to 70 yards in three directions. The bull showed up directly in front of us as if I planned it, a rare event indeed. I shot the bull facing me as it walked forward. The nose of the Moose covered the heart area so at 80 yards I fired just to the left of his nose end entering the moose right shoulder. He did not stagger but put his head down in a charge. My parther having a better frontal shot now fired. The bull staggered and fell to his front knees rump still standing. I put a Coup de grace shot into his spine to finish him off with dignity and he fell stone dead. Upon the butchering process we found the two 260 grain Nosler AccuBonds in the skin of the rump but never found the 160 grain .308 head. It is recommended that your rifle be capable of delivering 2500 ft-lbs of energy or more to a full grown moose so check your rifles capabilities. The best shot on a moose is a broadside shot in the heart lung area where the bullet penetrates both lungs and can even hit the heart. Of course some moose do not seem to cooperate. While my partner went to get help, I did the job of gutting. A task I do not wish to do again alone. After the moose was hoisted into the truck we proceeded back to camp at dark and took the moose to check in the next morning. Moose meat is simply delicious! Go for it!! ©

Lady Smith Revolver and Ruger LCP for Women

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Ed Hale

There are many choices out there today for women who are interested in Self Defense weapons. I have just spent time with a woman firearms sales representative who shoots regularly herself and asked what is her best recommendation today in Women’s Self Defense pistols. She was forthright in asking, is she going to carry? Yes was the answer. When is she going to carry was the next question, all the time or when she goes out with friends on late night gatherings. I would guess when she is out late, I said. In that case she recommended the Ruger LCP Centerfire Pistol below in .380 caliber.

I noticed that the grip was very short when I held it but it was so small and light that you could hide it most anywhere. Women carrying in a purse, or in a internal -waistband holster. Out with friends, it is best to carry it on your person verses a handbag the sales woman said. If your hand bag is stolen you have no back up. Recoil increases because the gun is so light but not overly so. It works just by pulling the trigger. Point and shoot is all you need to know. Suggested Retail Cost: $300 to $375. They offer a small pinky grip extension for those with larger hands. Here is a demonstration below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrE371hU8m4

Go on youtube and look for other demo’s. Practice makes perfect at close range of say 7 feet. What I have observed is that those that practice with it on youtube are too far away from the target. Some women like it some don’t when it is shot but carrying is very easy.

Training with this pistol for 200 rounds and you will love this gun. Men like it very much too as it makes a fine pocket pistol.

****************************************************

The “Lady Smith” is a fine all around 38 snubnose revolver that has 6 shots and no hammer to get in the way. It takes 6 rounds in the cylinder. A point and shoot firearm at close range. Larger than the Ruger LCP but not by alot. My saleswomen friend likes the Lady Smith too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M34sCIEt6Y

This a very good handling conceal carry gun and a great home revolver.

Both guns need to be shot regularly to maintain proficiency. Bullet stopping power is fine for both of these guns. Whichever is most comfortable to carry and shoot well should be the best. This will vary from woman to woman.

Call you local indoor range like Manchester Firing Line http://www.gunsnh.com/ to see if they have models that you can shoot to see if you like them.

Or go to Chester Rod and Gun in Chester NH this Saturday 9 to 4pm and Sunday 10 am to 3 pm are open to the public to shoot Smith and Wesson guns like the Lady Smith and talk to Smith Representatives to try it out.

Good Shooting! Be Safe!©

Serious Long Range Hunting and Target Dope

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Ed Hale

In preparing to discuss Long Range Target and Game Shooting, NH Rifleman began to research what is out there for information. On game hunting it is always a critical axiom that you are capable of a clean kill at the ranges that you shoot.

At all distances it is important to be aware of delivered energy to a game animal such as deer (empirical data estimates 1000 ft-lbs minimum for deer, 1500 ft-lbs for elk and 2500 ft lbs for Moose).

Other official sources suggest to include a minimum bullet speed as well upon contact due to the need for the bullet to mushroom(data on mushrooming debatably suggest to be in the vicinity of say 1800 to 2000 fps (2000 fps being ideal speed to fully mushroom a lead bullet).

A .243 Winchester 90 grain spitzer designed for deer hunting can ethically kill a deer at just over 300 yards. My M77 Hawkeye African in .375 Ruger with 260 grain heads can kill a Moose easily at 200 yards with the above criteria. A 30-06 can do it with a 180 grain at 100 yards though longer shots are regularly taken successfully. According to “The Target Book of North American Big Game” Middleton and Moran” the Cartridges you are commonly familiar with, limit deer and elk shots beyond 650 yards because of where the intersection of energy and bullet mushrooming occur best. If you minimize the mushroom aspect then shots can be taken much farther- Campfire fodder. After that, target shooting takes over pretty much.

In target shooting it is all about the accuracy of the cartridge and bullet ballistic coefficient shape, diameter of the bullet, boat-tail style, ability to buck wind drift with the least recoil to shoot lots of bullets.

Long Range Ballistic Applications beyond 300 yards:

All that being said; There are many Apps for Long Range Ballistic solutions so you may want to do some independent investigation if the desire to learn about the effects of Coriolis Force, Spin Drift, Ballistic Coefficient calculations based on real time drop data, reloading considerations, Wind Drift, Atmospheric Conditions and Altitude on shooting well beyond 300 yards. Did you know that a bullet traveling west, you have to aim higher because of earth spin and lower if shooting east? Me either.

Below is a review already written for this BulletFlight App (M) for Military use that can be used on an IPhone, IPad and other hand held devices that you can take to the range. It is a very top of the line tool for long range application for $30 bucks. There are less expensive versions as well. See your I-tunes web for other brands as well.

http://www.shootingillustrated.com/index.php/22012/knights-armament-bulletflight-m-app/

another article

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2944/how-does-the-earths-rotation-affect-the-path-of-a-bullet

A great book many say! I have not yet read it but will soon.

http://store.appliedballisticsllc.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ABFLRS2nd

Armed with skill and practice the target shooter or hunter can make shots on game and targets farther than he thought with the right tools, and practice.

Long Range Shooting excellence takes study, patience, a calm nerve, and lots of Practice.

NRA Keynote Address – Life Changing

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Ed Hale

This was more than an address to the 2013 NRA Convention by Glen Beck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WXDTFJEiyg

The 2013 Keynote address was about a place for Guns in our Society that went beyond, included Man, Responsibility, God, and, Freedom.

And for Americans to Stand and Fight for what we believe about the value of the Constitution of the United States and the need to Keep and Bear Arms to protect our families and our way of life.

Please Click the link and watch. I think you will receive a gift today if you listen in the entirety. It is long but worth it. Perhaps one of the best speeches of Becks Career.

Ed Hale – Editor

A New Rifle and Scope?

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Ed Hale

So you have a new Leupold VX-1 nice choice. You mounted it on a new rifle 30-06 Springfield, on your favorite Rifle Manufacturer like Savage, Ruger, Remington, Winchester, Kimber, TC and many more.

For discussion sake say you have purchased over the counter Winchester ammo with Nosler 150 grain E-Tips for your hunt. A polymer tipped solid gilding copper bullet that flairs into a mushroom with petals.

Note: gilding copper leaves very little residue in the barrel unlike other soft copper bullets.

Lets go to the range and bore sight your rifle and scope at 25 yards. After that we want to shoot it at 100 yards to fine tune your shot placement and shoot for group.

And finally we want to determine your Maximum Point Blank Range (MPBR) with this Cartridge. If you are not familiar with this term let me explain. MPBR was developed so that the hunter can hit a kill zone of 6 inches from zero yards to a point where the bullet still falls in the six inch kill circle often well past past 200 yards.

But first things first lets get you sighted in.

(Muzzle velocity of the 150 grain E-Tip is 2900 fps is written right on the box. This combo is great for short or long range as the e-Tip will stay together as it flairs. It has an SD (Sectional Density) of .226 and is best for deer, black bear and elk according to many experts. It is great for large New England deer in the 200 lb plus class.)

Sighting in – Without spending a dime on bore sighting tools you can take the bolt out of your new rifle and do what is called bore sighting and you won’t have to use up your expensive ammo. If you like some aid in gadgets the Leupold Magnetic Bore Sighter is a great tool. Check it out on the web.

We will need a firm steady front and rear rest. Sand bag rests are great and cheap. My best front rest is a Caldwell for 39 bucks and a sand bag rear rest that cradles the stock.

Place your target that has a one inch grid pattern on it such as a Champion Redfield Sight in Target at a distance of 25 yards.

Place your rifle on sand bags that hold the rifle with out you touching it. You can use bench rest leather or fabric sand bags or purchase a rest like the Caldwell as I said.

Look down the bore where the bolt was, and place the bore in the bullseye of a target. keeping the rifle still adjust the scope left right up down so that the scope matches the bore image. You may have to get your rifle in focus by turning the rear focus ocular bell see your Leupold scope manual.

At 25 yards with a scope that has 1/4″ clicks for 100 yards, it will take 4 clicks to move your crosshair 1/4 inch at 25 yards and one click to move it 1/4 inch at 100 yards. If you are 2 inches left visually (no shooting yet) at 25 yards then you will need to move the scope right. How many 1/4 inches are there in 2 inches? There are 8 therefore multiply 8 x 4 = 32 clicks. It will take 32 clicks to get the scope on the target bull.

Now take a shot. The fore-stock should be in the front rest and not the barrel.

The shot is one inch high and one inch left. Make the same adjustments with the 25 yard formula which is what?

For the one inch high shot you will need to come down 4 x 4 =16 clicks. The same 16 clicks to come right. Yes that is alot of clicks but because you are shooting so close it takes that many to move the point of aim.

Take a shot. Chances are you are smack dab in the x-ring. and you only took 2 shots to get there.

Now place your target at 100 yards.

Take a shot with the scope adjusted to 9 power for better visibility of the bullseye.

Ok you are 3 inches high and one inch to the left. You are almost done. Lets bring the scope down so you are in the bullseye. How many clicks? 12 is correct. And to the right you move windage 4 clicks. Now before I shoot for groups, I will tap a scope lightly with my knuckles like knocking on a door or tap it with a small rubber mallet to set the windage and elevation adjustments firmly into position.

Load a round put the safety on and take it off safe when you are ready to shoot taking 3 shots.

Shoot so that the sand bags do all the work of holding the cross hairs on target so all you need to do is keep the rifle firmly into your shoulder (need a good recoil pad) take a breath and let it out half way. Hold your breath and squeeze the trigger. Wait 2 minutes or more between shots. Great Group! 3/4 inch at 100 yards! Nice shooting. Shoot another group and average them.

For the hunt you may want to know Maximum Point Blank Range for your 150 grain e-Tip traveling at 2900 fps. The 150 grain has drag Ballistic Coefficient of .469. This is a very good BC. Now go to the Hornady Ballistic Calculator in the header of this website and enter the speed of the bullet and the BC. Choose 550 yards for farthest shot at 50 yard increments. It is a hot day so I chose 80 degrees with a 10 mph wind. I zeroed the rifle at 200 yards.

As you can see the bullet drops to 2.8 inches below center at 250 yards. Close enough to 3 inches low to call this your MPBR. In other words you are in the kill zone of a big game animal out to 250 yards by holding the cross-hairs dead on in the heart lung area. Wow! Just be aware that the bullet drifted 4 inches at 250 yards with the 10 mph wind so you should compensate or limit your shot to no farther than 200 yards. The wind was the limiting factor here.

Now practice without a bench rest from standing, kneeling, using a tree to brace your rifle, a backpack as a brace and you will learn your best killing distance. Learn to shoot with a bolt rifle by working the bolt between shots. Get back on target and shoot again. Practice that a lot so you can just do it at will. You will know when you are getting good! Good Hunting! ©

Stopping Power and Accuracy – Campfire Fodder

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Ed Hale

Great stuff to talk about after dinner at the campfire. What your skill level is, the game you are hunting, the distances you expect to see and shoot at game play a part in what cartridge and bullet you use to hunt with and kill game.

It has been my experience and those of millions of veteran hunters that accurate bullet placement is the beginning discussion of stopping power. Accordingly, without good bullet placement in a vital area the discussion simply evaporates into the smoke rising from the campfire. First things first, shoot accurately!

Having said that it is important to understand the elements of Terminal Ballistics when discussing big game such as large northern whitetail deer, bear, bison,and moose. If a bullet has sufficient energy to damage vital organs it will kill cleanly, some cartridges do this better than others. I believe it is better to err on a moderately larger rifle cartridge if you can shoot it accurately especially if you are a hand-loader.

Cartridges that are adequate in stopping power for deer abound. I believe the 6 mm/ .243 is an excellent starting place as long as bullet construction and weight are designed for deer where the shot is broadside and distances are known. Clean kills for this caliber are well documented to 300 yards with a 90 to 105 grain bullet and recoil is very low. Those who are veterans and can handle recoil better may prefer a cartridge that has more power/kinetic energy and bullet weight such as the .308 Winchester, 7mm08, .270 Winchester, and the 30-06 Springfield. Most of these do well in the 120 grain to 180 grain weights. Jack O’Connor created worldwide fame of the .270 Winchester with a 130 grain bullet because it had moderate recoil and packed tremendous downrange energy but Jack hunted mostly out west where trees and branches were not in the way. Still the .270 Winchester and the 30-06 corner the market for most adult hunters. Those of us that hunt in brushy areas may want a heavier bullet that deflects less in brush such as the 35 Remington,444 Marlin or .375 Winchester for quick examples. The .338-06 and .338 Marlin are great for hunting game in brush too but can reach out when needed. Of Course if you hand-load you can make some big bore rifles shoot slower or faster as there are loads and bullet combo’s that can achieve this, like my .375 Ruger which replicates the .375 Winchester and the old 38-55 Winchester when hand loaded for deer and bear. At full power the .375 Ruger shines for Bison and Moose. There are time when hunters may want more stopping power for the game they are hunting because either the game is potentially dangerous at close quarters or of such size that they want to anchor the animal right there or both. I anchored this 800 lb small Bison with one shot from my M77 Hawkeye African in .375 Ruger with a single 260 grain Nosler AccuBond traveling at 2600 fps.

The bullet entered the last rib and drove forward through the chest cavity wrecking the heart and lungs and exited the far shoulder. The bull collapsed in just a few steps. Stopping Power is a nice ally in that situation as there was ample hydro-static shock and penetration.

Where “stopping power” by definition seems to have derived its roots is the effect of “hydro-static shock” effect on blood and tissue, so fast and severe that it can rupture tissue far away. It is not just speed of the projectile that produces the effect of “Stopping the animal in its tracks” it is a combination of speed and penetration that does it. Penetration has a lot to do with bullet speed and weight, its cross sectional area, shape and momentum.

A bullet that travels faster than the speed of sound for example carries with it a bow wave as it travels.

Bow shock wave image from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_bow_shockwave

I believe that this wave may be responsible to a large degree for hydro-static shock that can damage tissue and organs not near the wound channel. In some cases via hydraulic effects in arteries this wave can induce shock as far away as the brain especially if speed is sufficient with penetration. The shock wave in general disrupts tissue to such a degree as to turn it to a jelly like mass. The liver can be an organ that is inedible if it encounters hydro-static shock as it has happened to me.

The cross sectional area and shape of the bullet face and bullet weight known as Sectional Density (SD) contribute to penetration and momentum that continue to provide damage to vital organs

From Wikipedia:

“Sectional density is the ratio of an object’s mass to its cross-sectional area. It conveys how well an object’s mass is distributed (by its shape) to overcome resistance. For illustration, a needle can penetrate a target medium with less force than a coin of the same mass.

Sectional density is often used in gun ballistics where sectional density is the ratio of a projectile weight, to its diameter. Sectional density is important to understand when selecting a cartridge bullet combo.”

Here is more on its value from Chuck Hawkes http://www.chuckhawks.com/sd.htm

To find the SD of your rifle bullets: http://www.beartoothbullets.com/rescources/calculators/php/density.htm?

I found the SD for the 90 grain .243’s I am testing to be very adequate for deer.

Further there is discussion of the Controlled eXpansion (CXP) Performance Rating System developed by Winchester is here. http://www.chuckhawks.com/cxp.htm

Bullet Construction can be Lead, Copper sheathed spitzer and round nose, Partition/A-frame, solid gilding metal that can flare like the Barnes and Nosler E-Tips. Note: a round nose bullet or flat point must use more energy up front to enter the skin and tissue and provide more of this shock wave value at entry.

As an example all Dangerous Game bullets are round nosed or flat-point of sufficient SD and mass that it is like getting hit with a fast moving barn door instead of a knife blade.

Further that if we assume that a higher SD bullet that grows in diameter (mushrooms) as it penetrates tissue, providing a larger wound channel.

Buying new 22 Long Rifle Ammo- and shooting the old stuff

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Ed Hale

When you can get some; The 22 Long Rifle Cartridge is perhaps the most popular rifle ammo in America today and it is in short supply at your retailer as I have written before.But is the old stuff you and I store at home for years just as good? Read on!

If you are just target shooting then standard velocity is just fine at around 1050 fps in a bolt action rifle. In a semi-auto you will lose some of the velocity as the gas ejects the spent round and a new one is chambered. Today sub-sonic 22 LR are great to have for pests in the back yard but they will not eject in a semi-auto. I have seen these recently on shelves along with CCI 22 short ammo so the stock is coming.

My Marlin rifle loses perhaps 50 or so FPS from published velocities. My father always kept a good supply over the years and I followed suit. Dad has passed away but his legacy lives. Dad bought it when it was on sale for 3 or 4 dollars per 100 rounds.

If stored correctly in a dry safe and secure location, this ammo is likely just as good as when it was made. Since I have access to a chronograph, I decided to check out the velocities of some major brands that have been kept for 10 years or less in the family ammo can. Most brands that say High Velocity are typically 1200 or so FPS for a 40 grain round nose. Since I hunt with them I want a faster bullet like the High Velocity type.

The first 5 shot batch I tested were Remington HV that have been around for 10 years since my Dad had them. The average velocity was 1123 the spread was 56 fps. One round dropped to 1043 fps and pulled the average down.

The second 5 shot batch of Winchester Super X HV 40 grain heads I shot was as old as above. The average velocity was 1130 with the spread at 58 fps.

The third 5 shot batch was CCI Mini-Mags with 40 grain heads and were the same age. The average velocity was 1177 with a spread of 38 fps

The fourth 5 shot batch was newer 1-year-old Federal 38 grain Hollow Point. The came out at around 1180 fps with a spread of 30 fps.

The total variation was less than 30 fps.

I have some older stingers but honestly the packaging was so good that they look brand new, bright and shiny.

If age of 10 or so years has caused a degradation, at all, it is appears minimal in my small sample.

This is a very small sample study for sure but the data trend is goods. It is important to get bullets that are plated to some degree as they are resistant to oxidation.

So when the shortage is over and it will be, then over time stock up so you don’t get caught in the same situation. I ran into a fellow today that has built stock of 22 LR ammo of 10,000 rounds but is holding them like gold bullion. Personally for the average occasional shooter buy a brick of 500 rounds and when it is 1/2 gone buy another brick. It is important to buy what shoots well in your guns so don’t rush out a buy irrationally. Test what works best in your pistols and rifles. Patience is the key! Happy shooting and Hunting! ©

July 2026

Author Archives: Ed Hale