Use Enough Gun? - Ranging Shots

Guns Magazine, August, 2003 by Clint Smith

Without the question mark, Use Enough Gun is a famous book of African hunting lore by Robert Ruark. What does this mean to us?

Over the last 10 years, I have guided people hunting in different places for different kinds of animals. Here in Texas they often use the time-tested "go to food and water" elevated hunting stand technique. Often berated by non-Texans, I personally find some value in it.

I can provide new first-time hunters with a stable firing platform that hides all of their buck fever and fidgeting. Often these hunting neophytes bring some really big guns. I mean really big considering that an average Texas whitetail weighs maybe 150 pounds.

We are talking big rifles like a .30-338 with a 20x scope and a muzzle brake that looks like something from a German Tiger tank. So first things first, we go to the 100-yard line at the range and they show me their idea of a zero. After we have a zero we agree on, it's "a hunting we will go."

Well one thing I know for sure -- at 100 yards give or take some and even armed with a .30-338 topped with a 20x scope, if you yank on the trigger you often miss. And just because you hit the deer somewhere between his white tail and his black nose doesn't mean the deer is done running. Another point of interest is the one rifle on the ranch I let non-rifle people use is a Ruger M77 extra lightweight. This rifle with a simple 4x scope and chambered in .308 Winchester has taken more deer than any other 10 rifles brought here combined.

So here's a thought, maybe a rifle I can hit with is "enough gun?"

"Missy, I Don't Know About That Gun"

Early this year Ms. Heidi, my treasured hunting wife was given a Christmas present of a guided hunt for Eland on the famous Indianhead Ranch in Del Rio, Texas. In preparation, good hunter that she is, Heidi faithfully wrung out her Shiloh Sharps .45-70 charged with 65 grains of Goex Cartridge powder.

As we talked to folks in passing she gleefully told them of her upcoming exploit. Many a long face appeared before our eyes. Seems few of the experienced African hunting types thought much of Heidi shooting her blackpowder rifle. "Well Heidi you know those African antelope are really tough to stop." "I don't know Heidi those Eland are big and surly; better be careful!"

Well on January 8th, 2003, after scouring most of 10,000 acres, Heidi put a 520-grain Brooks flat-point bullet a third of the way up behind the right front leg with an exit through the left front shoulder on the opposite side. The 1400-pound Eland moved about 70 yards because programming told him to. And that was that.

Apparently no matter what continent a game animal comes from, a shot like that leaves a mark. Maybe if you learn your rifle and shoot really well it will be "enough gun?"

"But I Shot Him Really Good!"

If Lady Luck doesn't have red hair she should -- and if she does it has to come in a, form the likes of Ms. Wanda. Wanda, a Motor City mother of two is quite a conversion. Over the last few years she has gone from, "I'm not sure about this gun thing," to a husband's dream and a bad guy's nightmare. Trust me -- she will poke your eye with malice as required.

Part of this transition includes starting to hunt. Well you have to know Wanda like I do and slick that I am, I talked (or tricked) her into going hunting. Well let's go big or stay home; we'll start on the largest land animal in North America, the American Bison!

Well, Wanda's game for the challenge, so it's off to blackpowder rifle school to learn the intricacies of sights and loading etc. Wanda's a sponge, and a smart one at that; so she got it.

Progressing, we sneak up on this bison and she proceeds to shoot this monster five times with a .45-70 over a period of 10 minutes or so due to other bison traffic, milling around and so on. You want to be careful to not shoot two -- one is enough work for the day.

So I am watching this bison get hit, and Wanda says to me, "Well I am hitting him good, aren't I?" Why yes Wanda, you are. So after 3,000 grains of lead the big wooly falls down -- well sort of -- and Wanda shoots him once again and it is in fact over. Funny thing, upon skinning the animal all five projectiles hit the bison a third of the way up behind the front leg and all five holes could be covered by your closed hand. The autopsy showed the heart completely riddled. So maybe you can use "enough gun" and what you are shooting at has never read a book on ballistics.

Shooting at animals (or people for that matter) is sort of like when the doctor gives you medicine. Sometimes the medicine works right away, and then again sometimes the medicine doesn't work right away -- or at all. Certainly, you should "use enough gun" but the real secret is to use enough gun well, and even then, be prepared for it not to work as expected.