Alternatives to foot pounds of energy (fpe)

[Vetmx]

I firmly believe in the "there's more than fpe" involved.
Years ago I was hunting with a black powder 50 cal and blew right through a ram, knocked it right over, and seconds later it got up. The second round put it down. Inspection showed the exit wound was the same size as the entry. Small..............
Back home after the trip I switched slugs. The one I was using was obviously packing plenty of fpe but,,,,,,,,,,,
The slug I switched to performed much better at basically the same fpe. I shot a buck that made it about two steps and never moved again. Small entry wound, the exit was the size of my fist.

But the bottom line is a hole through the lungs or heart, no matter how big spells death. There’s no way around it. Even if an animal ambulance is waiting nearby. All the coyotes I’ve shot with a .22, .25 and .30 slug have traveled a distance before expiring with a boiler room shot. My airguns kill them just as dead as my 6mm. But my 6mm’s energy is just more than their little legs can bear most times and they get blown over. But I’ve shot them with a 9mm and they kicked in the afterburners until the lights went out. Just like an airgun.

This is why I originally said I rarely, if ever concern myself with FPE. Common sense with what I’m shooting and what I’m shooting at with regards to full penetration is all I concern myself with. You can have enough FPE but if you’re using the wrong projectile and hit the shoulder, you’ll fail. So you are correct, there is more than FPE involved. It’s called truly knowing what you’re doing through testing and experience.

 

[Vetmx]

Because I’ve killed coyotes with about everything and they keep being brought up in topics, I dug up a picture. Do you think a 325gr bullet in 45 caliber that has 2,880 FPE is enough to keep a coyote from making it out of your yard after shot. I shot this one from my stand and blew the heart completely out of it. Also took out a tree after the bullet exited. It ran 70 yards. Had to blood and organ parts trail it. We can’t control everything. But what we can control is always using enough gun with the right projectile in airgun land. Some animals are just tough and you’ll have to look for them if you want to check out the dead body and do an autopsy to confirm your setup. FPE numbers are one thing, but the right projectile is probably more important. It can help you if you’re borderline on FPE.

 

[BlackICE]

If you desire DRT with an airgun on a yote, a brain, or spinal shot below the brain is the only way to go!

I don't have 1st hand experience, but I have seen videos and believe that if you go for a double lung shot using a 220 Swift, 22/250, with the right expanding varmint bullets within 200 yards the yote ain't going to move very far. A double lung shot 458 Win mag with non-expanding bullets, good chance it will run some, not that much better than a big bore airgun.

 

[JimD]

Interesting experiences. Elmer Kieth (credited with the invention of the 44 magnum) liked hard cast flat nosed bullets. Sort of like a semi wadcutter. He was hunting with his big pistols but speeds are reasonably similar to airgun velocity. I wonder if a flat nosed slug wouldn't work better at least for larger animals than the hollow points that seem to predominate. Deep penetration but with more of a blow than a round nosed bullet.

 

[Vetmx]

Interesting experiences. Elmer Kieth (credited with the invention of the 44 magnum) liked hard cast flat nosed bullets. Sort of like a semi wadcutter. He was hunting with his big pistols but speeds are reasonably similar to airgun velocity. I wonder if a flat nosed slug wouldn't work better at least for larger animals than the hollow points that seem to predominate. Deep penetration but with more of a blow than a round nosed bullet.

Interesting thought. I wouldn’t hesitate to try them but I want them all lead.