(Sad) You have 1 shot to kill a horse DRT What rifle and load.

[swampratt]

Ok so I was called to shoot an old horse that you could not get near and all I knew is it was needing put down and the vet would only do it if it was roped and in a corral.

That was impossible with this horse.
So I was thinking what rifle as it could be 20 yards or 150 yards.
I found out in my mind what rifle and load as I wanted ZERO suffering and the target would be the brain.

I had no idea how hard the skull was and if a side shot or head on shot was going to be presented.
I do love my 55 v max .223 but I have skidded a 30-30 round up a deer forehead and the bullet took the top of the skull off.

I do not need any skidding and so i thought heavier bullet would be less prone to change directions and go on and enter the head.
Now I chose my .308 18" heavy barrel savage and the load is a very good one for killing critters.
4064 powder and Lapua neck turned case along with 165 Game King HP boat tail.

That bullet has never let me down all 1 shot kills DRT.

I did get a side shot 70 yards and it died on the spot. Fell like a sack of bricks.
Hate that I had to shoot a horse but the owners were very happy it went quick.
I chambered another round and got to the horse quick just to make darn sure it did not need another one.
No need for another.
Told the horse it is in a better place now.

I deer and hog hunt with the mindset of 1 shot kill but I have killed many of them and know what it takes.

What would you choose in your possession when you have just 1 shot?

 

[kirk1978]

I would probably use the 30-06 (on a horse for sure). Deer or smaller I would go with the 257 Weatherby.

 

[Gunbuffer]

I’d pop him w a 45acp right at the base of the skull

 

[Fr Mulcahy]

Ok so I was called to shoot an old horse that you could not get near and all I knew is it was needing put down and the vet would only do it if it was roped and in a corral.

That was impossible with this horse.
So I was thinking what rifle as it could be 20 yards or 150 yards.
I found out in my mind what rifle and load as I wanted ZERO suffering and the target would be the brain.

I had no idea how hard the skull was and if a side shot or head on shot was going to be presented.
I do love my 55 v max .223 but I have skidded a 30-30 round up a deer forehead and the bullet took the top of the skull off.

I do not need any skidding and so i thought heavier bullet would be less prone to change directions and go on and enter the head.
Now I chose my .308 18" heavy barrel savage and the load is a very good one for killing critters.
4064 powder and Lapua neck turned case along with 165 Game King HP boat tail.

That bullet has never let me down all 1 shot kills DRT.

I did get a side shot 70 yards and it died on the spot. Fell like a sack of bricks.
Hate that I had to shoot a horse but the owners were very happy it went quick.
I chambered another round and got to the horse quick just to make darn sure it did not need another one.
No need for another.
Told the horse it is in a better place now.

I deer and hog hunt with the mindset of 1 shot kill but I have killed many of them and know what it takes.

What would you choose in your possession when you have just 1 shot?

I would have used the same load.

 

[264killer]

I was called on to shoot a horse that had been down for 2 days. Owner said horse had eaten loco weed. Shoot it 6 times in the brain . It kept trying to get up. It did not know it was supposed to die. I have killed lots of beef & hogs with 22 LR one shot & its over.

 

[Ready_fire_aim]

I worked at a meat processing plant for a short time. Plus, we raise hogs and sheep, and process them ourselves. I’ve killed my share of farm critters.

The .22lr works but must be point blank range and you must know exactly where the brain sits in the skull of the different animals.

I usually don’t get emotional about it, but a bad shot and suffering animal will turn your stomach. It’s not pretty… I usually go for a 9mm or .38 special when dispatching hogs. I like the extra thump over the .22lr

If I had to shoot a large animal like a horse and it was not tame and I could not get a point blank shot, I’m going .30 cal rifle for sure

 

[GlockPride]

Quick, y’all pile in here so we can beat the proverbial, and now quite literal, dead horse of a caliber war.

 

[PanhandleGlocker]

My dad put one down with a .44mag to the skull and put another one down with a 30-30 to the skull. (Looking at you so in between the eyes.)

 

[Snattlerake]

30.06 or 308 If I couldb\n't get a brain shot the 458 SOCOM for heart lung.

 

[PanhandleGlocker]

… just being for real here… did you butcher it, @swampratt ?