Stopping power of .30-06 vs .50 round lead ball

I kill a lot of hogs. Have killed hogs with .22 LR, .22 Magnum, lots of them with a .223, .308, .30-06 and .300 Win Mag to name a few. However, most of my hogs have been killed with a .50 caliber muzzleloader using the excellent 240 grain .430 Hornady XTP bullet. That bullet and my old CVA StagHorn has accounted for well over 200 hogs: Some of those hogs weighed over 300 pounds. One went 352 pounds field dressed. That muzzleloader is just as deadly on hogs at 100 yards or less as my .300 Win Mag is; maybe more deadly.

I'm not sure the pine board is really a good measurement. I don't think those will even stop a .22 at close range

I don't know the answer to the question, or if there even is a correct answer, but the key to dropping them is placement, not caliber, in my view. Neck shots or "high shoulder" shots are the key.

But if I had to venture a guess to the question, I'd say the high-speed bottleneck round has a higher chance of instant drop *with a vital organs shot* due to the effect of velocity spiking the blood pressure higher, instantly, which can sometimes cause the animal to drop, if it coincides with the right timing with the heartbeat - the way I understand things.

What causes a bullet to kill an animal....

What is the bullet doing to the beast to cause it to cease functioning.....

If you know the answer to these questions, then you know which... bullet or ball, that will turn off an animal the mostest and bestest.(these are words, I know this because my grandson says it)

It's energy, not velocity, that matters.

Click to expand...

It's probably more something along the lines of energy transfer over time -- which brings us back to velocity.

Click to expand...

Don't forget sectional density, which incorporates both diameter and mass.

There are multiple factors that interrelate. No one's published a "unified theory" as far as I've seen.

I don't know about the stopping power of the .50 ball. I however do think that the 30-06 with the right load should drop a white tail deer on the spot. If the shoot is placed well of course.

By and large, for deer it's a wash. In the old days, .54 caliber roundballs were the medicine for buffalo and grizzley, so a .50 roundball would be adequate for deer. However, in my .50 caliber deer rifle, I use a 360 grain Lee Improved Minnie Ball, and I have to say it hits with great authority.

Both Taylor knockout and hydrostastic shock theories are just that..theories..and very weak to begin with....

A whitetail hit in the same spot, let's say at 100 yards, by a soft point 150 gr. 30-30 bullet is going to die as fast as being hit with a 30-378 Weatherby Magnum and with the same amout of damage (assuming an in and out shot and same diameter expansion with a thicker jacket for the 30-378 to account for the higher velocity) unless the 30-378 Wby explode fragmenting or yaw violently or tip over because of its much higher impact velocity...

Don't forget sectional density, which incorporates both diameter and mass.

Click to expand...

Bingo....

You answered your own question with the first two word in your question. Shot placement nothing beat it and if you are not sure of your shot placement then get to the range and practice until you are for your saftey and mine.

I have killed a lot of deer with both 30 – 06 and muzzle loaders. With the muzzle loader either .45 or .54 using a patched round ball, I never saw a difference in their ability to drop a deer. Shot placement is, of course, most important. I have found that the state of the animal is also a significant factor. If he is just wandering along, minding his own business when you put a ball through his lights, he will generally drop in his tracks. Of course a spine or head shot will also drop him in his tracks. I have seen that happen many times on game even with a .22rf. If the deer is on an adrenalin high when you hit him, he is going to run. On one hunting trip, I shot a deer that looked like he had just had an encounter with a bigger buck. He was prancing around like he was expecting more trouble. I was using my .30 – 06 with 165 gr. bullets, and hit him just behind the last rib as he was quartering away from me at about 125 yards. After I hit him, he took off running, and I had to track him over 200 yards. The bullet put a 2 inch diameter hole in his liver, destroyed both of his lungs, and clipped of the top of his heart. I found the bullet, mushroomed perfectly, under the hide on the off side. I can find no fault with that bullet performance. I did not get a chance for a follow up shot. I think the results would have been the same with a .50 cal. round ball.

I have found that the state of the animal is also a significant factor.

Click to expand...

Indeed. When I was wounded (got 'zinged' by 7.62x39, barely broke the skin), I was so hopped up on adrenalin that I didn't even know I was hit!

When the corpsman pointed out that I had been shot, I started wailing like a girl. Up until that point, everyone thought I was as tough as John "fix-up-my-buddy-first" Wayne.

FlyinBryan said:

actually, southern folk just shoot better.

(joke)

Click to expand...

You have to, what with those runty little deer.

Only time I've ever seen deer get put down in their tracks is when you hit em in the spine.

Click to expand...

I can attest to that, I shot my deer in the spine(my fault but it worked out alright) with a .30-06 and 180 grain soft points. It dropped like a rock but after about 5 minutes it was still lively as ever and kicking its legs but unable to get up. I took pity on it and finished it with two .45 slugs from my XD.

Well first, there is no absolute certainty of any caliber or cartridge always dropping a deer right on the spot unless you hit the brain or spine. That said I have killed deer with a 50 cal muzzleloader and with a 30-06. Despite being much bigger in caliber my 50 cal never seems to put deer down as quickly as a modern cartridge like a 30-06. Some times it drops them right there but most of the time they run a bit. I guess it's just the difference in velocity. So of the two I'd definately go with the 30-06 for more rapid kills.