Bang Flop

[338 Bear Hunter]

Last week I got to reconnect with my brother who hunt birds but not large game.

The discussion moved toward my most awesome choice for bear hunting, the .338 Federal, which he treacherously asserted was unnecessary. His explanation centered around the notion of a "bang flop" on your target animal, and that any round capable of doing so reliably was perfectly suitable. Sacrilege, I know.

With the possible exception of my 2020 bear hunt where I shot a bear out of a tree, I have never achieved a "bang flop". I never even try, as it seems the central nervous system targets are less than ideal. I always go for the double-lung shot. I've seen deer culls where shooters attempt head shots, but its not something I've ever tried.

So what do people think? Do any of you attempt bang-flops? Any have it happen regularly? I watch a lot of videos and the only game where I see this routinely is coyote.

 

[JDK]

920 pound (dressed) bull moose- 75 yards-300 Weatherby- BOOM-Flop
825 pound (dressed) bull moose- 125 yards-30-06- BOOM- Flop
Two caribou- 125 and 150 yards- 308 Winchester- BOOM, BOOM-Flop Flop
Numerous white-tailed deer- 8 feet to 75 yards- 250 Sav, 308, 270, 30-06- BOOOOOM- FLOOOOP

Shoot the shoulder and rarely move an inch

 

[338 Bear Hunter]

920 pound (dressed) bull moose- 75 yards-300 Weatherby- BOOM-Flop
825 pound (dressed) bull moose- 125 yards-30-06- BOOM- Flop
Two caribou- 125 and 150 yards- 308 Winchester- BOOM, BOOM-Flop Flop
Numerous white-tailed deer- 8 feet to 75 yards- 250 Sav, 308, 270, 30-06- BOOOOOM- FLOOOOP

Shoot the shoulder and rarely move an inch

I had read something about that regarding the deer family. That there is some nerve bundle in this area that causes a bang-flop if hit. Don't know if it works on bear.

 

[longbow]

My favorite shot with a rifle is front quartering.
Take out the front shoulder drops them quite a bit of the time. So yes I try for that shot. On broadside shots I usually aim tight to the front leg center of the body vertically.

 

[mowbizz]

Top of the scapula, so they say…

 

[338 Bear Hunter]

Interesting. I've always been a double-lung guy. Broadside preferred, center height right behind the front leg. I try to avoid hitting bone.

Don't know if its just luck, but I almost always seem to get the option for a broadside shot. That's the one I wait for.

In 2020 when I took the bear from a tree, my usual shot was unavailable to me, so I did a shoulder shot. It did seem to produce instant death or at least immobilization.

 

[JJM6]

I won't attempt a head shot after seeing someone blow the bottom jaw off of a doe with a 30/06. Luckily the deer ended up passing another hunter soon after who put it down or it would have been a long miserable death. I refuse to do that to an animal. Not enough room for error,

 

[JJM6]

Agree on the front quartering shot. Its worth wasting one shoulder to anchor them right there and now!

 

[Flatlander]

I've had several bang flops. Shot a bull moose with a 308 that was facing me . Put the crosshair under his chin , after I got the site picture back his feet were sticking up in the air. 2 bears with a 280 , threw the chest. Both went right down and rolled around for a few seconds. Numerous deer with a variety of rifles. I think velocity helps

 

[Shooter Buck]

Extensive Field-Tested Rifle & Cartridge Research - BallisticStudies.com

Expert rifle & cartridge research, carefully compiled through extensive field-testing & freely offered to the firearms community.

www.ballisticstudies.com

This site has some good info on the bang flop and what it takes to make it happen.

 

[arlow]

I had read something about that regarding the deer family. That there is some nerve bundle in this area that causes a bang-flop if hit. Don't know if it works on bear.

Not really a nerve center but it does affect the nervous system. , You're hitting fairly heavy bone, which causes the bullet to transfer more of the kinetic energy into the body of the animal. This causes what is called hydrostatic shock. It is like a shock wave that travels through the body and basically turns the lights out.

 

[JDK]

I bang flopped a woodchuck yesterday with a 22. High shoulder shot at 25 yards. Garden theaven bugger