These conversations should not be based on minimums. They should be started with what is functional. Would we use the minimum level of floatation in a life vest on a white water raft trip? The minimum level of quality in a parachute? The minimum amount of air in a scuba tank? I think not!
In this photo, since I was there, shot the eland, and took the photo I can tell you first hand every detail.
The lower bulge is from a 9.3X62 and a 286ish? Northfork bullet. The eland was hit at just about 50 yards, no bones hit.
The upper bulge is from a 165 grain TSX shot from my 30/06 at the same distance plus or minus a couple yards. The TSX bullet went through the scapula on the off side.
As you can see the puny little 165 grain bullet penetrated equally to the 9.3X62. The bullet was about 45% lighter weight too. I would not use a 30/06 on any DG animals. Yet the 9.3 is considered functional for them.
Hmmmm interesting eh!
I too agree that the 9.3X62 is a good choice for DG, but I would not be using these bullets. Instead I would opt for something in the mid 200 range, say 240-260ish and it would 100% be a TSX bullet driven as fast as I could push it from that rifle. I am quite certain that a TSX loaded this way from that 9.3 would have exited. This Eland was about 2000lbs. I huge young buffalo will be about 1500 and more likely 1200-1300 for an over the hill trophy bull.
These results cannot be argued, look at the photo, it's clear as a bell that the 165TSX and the 286ish Northfork penetrated exactly the same and ended up right where you see them.
