Shocked by some numbers

[badguybuster]

I was bored yesterday while laying in my hospital recovery bed (Im fine btw). So, using the Killing Power math that Elmer Keith used in his 45 Colt article I ran thru some of my common hunting loads. I was quite literally shocked at some of the figures, as these loads have relatively low KS numbers but are excellent hunting rounds. I rounded up or down depending on the decimals.

Speer Gold Dot .223 64 grain at 2950 fps = 27 KS
This load is an awesome whitetail deer slayer.

10mm 220 grain hard cast at 1200 fps = 37 KS
Its a great load out of my S&W 610 revolver.

300 Blackout 125 BTHP at 2175 fps = 38 KS
Another absolute monster on deer sized game

357 mag 158 grain JSP at 2000 fps (levergun) = 45 KS
This is my all time favorite hunting load for deer and black bear and has never failed me.

45 Colt +P 300 grain XTP at 1500 fps (24" barrel) = 64 KS!!! I have yet to hunt with this load but its extremely accurate and performs incredibly well in penetration tests. I have no doubt it will slay anything in North America.

Too put those numbers in perspective, a 170 grain Core Lokt at 2250 fps from a 20" 30-30 has a KS of 53 and a 308 with a 150 grain jacketed soft point traveling at 2820 fps from a 24" barrel has a KS of 60.

 

[noahmercy]

Love it! I tend to agree with Elmer. He always maintained that big bullets at moderate velocities works every time when properly placed, and it is hard to argue with. While the .223 load you mention is very good (I use it for whitetail and pronghorn), would it be as effective as the 170 grain 30-30 if you had to take a steep raking shot? I think Keith had a pretty good handle on things after killing as many different critters on as many different continents as he did.