On or behind the shoulder?
#200888
07/31/2019 3:07 PM
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 190
short30
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OP
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Neck shot question and responses got me thinking. I was always taught to shoot behind the shoulders (with rifles) but with handgun rounds like .357 Mag and even 44 Mag I have seen deer run considerable distance. Not intending to make it a bullet thread; do you shoot behind the shoulder preserving a little shoulder meat or in the shoulder to put them down within a shorter distance?
First Handgun Deer: ~1982 8" S&W .38Spl SW 7.5" 686-7 with Matchdot II SBHH .45LC 7.5" Contender G2 .35-30/30 (Bellm), .22LR, .22 Hornet, 25-35 Glock 40 10mm; G21 Poly80 w/ 9 inch barrel (in work)
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: short30]
#200890
07/31/2019 4:16 PM
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Joined: May 2015
Posts: 107
Bigbrowndog
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I try and take a shoulder out, which depends on animals angle at time of shot.
Trapr
NRA Endowment mbr. USPSA/IPSC U.S. Practical rifle/shotgun national team
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: Bigbrowndog]
#200891
07/31/2019 4:27 PM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 860
karl
old hand
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old hand
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Posts: 860 |
Behind the shoulder with expanding bullets if I can. If possible, I try to shoot low to take the top off the heart or open some of the large vessels. It often doesn't work exactly as planned but still seems to work well.
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: karl]
#200894
07/31/2019 5:23 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,332
Randy M
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Both. Totally depends on the situation, animal, alertness, weather, etc.
The meat won't fry if the lead don't fly.
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: Randy M]
#200895
07/31/2019 5:37 PM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 34
Curly
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I prefer going thru ribcage and leaving the shoulder out of the equation. Especially if I am grocery shopping. It?s a guaranteed pass thru, excellent blood trail, and a very short walk. I wait for the perfect shot angle. If is a nice buck then what I just stated does not apply.
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: Curly]
#200896
07/31/2019 6:16 PM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,006
Zee
Shooting Expert
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Depends on the angle presented and what I?m using.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: Zee]
#200897
07/31/2019 7:52 PM
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Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,821
45MAN
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Pooh-Bah
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SHOULDER, SHOULDER, SHOULDER, ESPECIALLY WITH REVOLVERS
"ADAPT OR DIE". I USE ALL CAPS, NOT BECAUSE I AM YELLING, BUT BECAUSE IT IS AN OLD HABIT FROM MY ARMY DAYS, PLUS IT IS EASIER TO TYPE AND READ.
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: 45MAN]
#200899
08/01/2019 3:53 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 818
sixshot
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old hand
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I use both depending on distance & angle. I'm always shooting a heavy for caliber cast bullet so I always get pass through's except for a couple of HP's in the last 4-5 years. Even then most of them are pass through's. Shoulders on deer don't offer much resistance to a quality bullet of any kind. If I were guessing I'd say that too much speed might be the cause of most bullet failures. Just a guess.
Dick
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: sixshot]
#200900
08/01/2019 7:48 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,963
KRal
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Shootist
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Depends on situation, bullet and gun being used. But, if all is well, I try to take out at least one shoulder - preferably two.
It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger squeeze.
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: KRal]
#200910
08/03/2019 8:37 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 526
sw282
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: KRal]
#200911
08/03/2019 8:38 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 526
sw282
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: sw282]
#200914
08/03/2019 12:20 PM
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 164
rougerocco
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Behind the should low, with an expandable bullet. Leaves a good blood trail if they run.
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: short30]
#200926
08/03/2019 11:04 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 920
billa
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old hand
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It depends on the situation and the gun I am using. For deer I typically shoot for the top of the heart regardless of the angle. Quartering away that can catch the off shoulder. Quartering toward just in front of the facing shoulder. Broadside just below center on the leg - low shoulder. On a big buck go for both shoulders centered to anchor him. When I was in Africa they ALWAYS tell you to go for center shoulder every time on any size animal.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,... " Matthew 28:19
Handgun hunter since 1979 - haven't used a rifle since! HHI member #992, NRA, SCI.
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: billa]
#200928
08/03/2019 11:10 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 169
abner
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I shoot for the lungs. If there is a shoulder in the way fine otherwise an expanding bullet behind the shoulder works just fine. That doesn't go for dangerous game which I have no experience.
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: abner]
#200942
08/04/2019 2:19 AM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,669
Chance Weldon
Distinguished Expert
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I've typically aimed just behind the shoulder. The results varied depending on the bullet. A 155 grain A-Max between the ribs downed my first handgun buck after only two steps, while a 200 grain XPB in the same spot on a medium doe resulted in a 150+ yard run.
Within reasonable ranges, I might start attempting shoulder shots if I'm shooting tougher bullets.
Formerly TN Lone Wolf
"We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided." - J.K. Rowling
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: Chance Weldon]
#200944
08/04/2019 2:49 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,861
Franchise
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I love big bore handguns and heavy bullets, but the fastest one shot kills ALWAYS have come from lighter, faster, more frangible bullets..keep that in mind...deer are not huge, they are thin skinned and not hard to penetrate..go lighter and faster..you'll notice a difference..my fastest WT kills have come from 125 gr Blkouts
The Eyes are Useless, When The Mind Is Blind
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: sw282]
#201236
08/17/2019 7:35 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 212
bscott
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"THEY FALL LIKE DEAD WEIGHT!"
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: short30]
#201302
08/20/2019 7:42 PM
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Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 90
Memtb460
journeyman
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journeyman
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If I don?t have my ? head up my behind?, I?d go thru the shoulder. But, many years of rifle hunting will probably cause me to shoot behind the shoulder! At handgun velocities, particularly with cast bullets, I believe that it would make a quicker kill. Not only will you break the animal down in the front-end.....but the bone fragments will cause secondary damage to lungs, vessels, ect. memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
~Molɔ̀ːn Lab? Sk?la~
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: Memtb460]
#201307
08/21/2019 12:35 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,155
Bob Roach
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I have until very lately always processed my own deer. I normally wait for a broadside behind the shoulder shot to minimize meat loss. I am sure that expansion with most jacketed rifle bullets at handgun velocity would be much more impressive hitting a shoulder.
Bob R
See You At The Range
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Re: On or behind the shoulder?
[Re: Bob Roach]
#201313
08/21/2019 8:35 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 159
Roger in NC
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High shoulder since I switched to hard cast. So far, pass through on both shoulders and DRT.
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