by MarkCO » Wed Jun 04, 2014 7:48 am
Americans suffer from "magnumitis" and lack of practice. That ends up being a quest for 3500 fps so that if you clip a deer in the hoof, it will flop over dead. Europeans shoot moose and stags with 6 to 7mm slugs at 2500 to 2800 more often than anything else.
I no longer even own a Magnum rifle caliber, just don't see the need. Knowing your DOPE means you actually have to shoot the guns and keep track of things. I have shot game at distances some would never consider and some even call "unethical". The horsepower of the 450 is impressive, and there are certainly benefits to the caliber over "faster" rounds. But, for me, velocity is secondary to energy. I can make adjustments for drop, but I can never get more energy on target by shooting skill. When I look at loads, I want to deliver the most energy, at range to do the job on target.