Thread: Cartridge suggestions

I emailed the OP’s question to my mate in Mansfield. He’s a sambar man who hunts both bush stalking style but also quite a lot of “overwatch” type hunting - fixed position, big field of view, glassing and longer range.

Unequivocal response: at longer range than normal stalking, on big sambar stags, copper bullets need weight, frontal area and speed. Pretty much exactly what @ZQLewis said. Plan for the biggest deer at the longest range you are willing to shoot it.

I have another mate in the Mitta Mitta who uses nothing but .30 cal magnums or 9.3x64, he shoots a lot of sambar deer in the bush at short range.

I think sometimes the guys can get a bit OTT about sambar being so big and tough because at the end of the day if you put a regular 30 cal hunting bullet into the engine room, it will stop the deer. I remember @Mooseman shot a cracking big stag with his 6.5x55 a couple of years ago. The difference with what most of us are used to and the OP’s question is the copper factor.

Up to him and his preferences but I would be very very wary of using copper at 400m without having thought through how best to get that bullet to expand to its maximum potential, and deliver the majority of its energy into the animal and not into the tree behind it. You only get one chance in that high country timber at longer range. I would be making a sensible decision on a powerful rifle and concentrating my efforts on developing a good dog!