You are correct, assuming your audience is a group of experienced hunters! :hmm:
These formulas serve a useful purpose in educating those who have never killed, or seen game killed with a gun. They may have heard that someone's favorite frontstuffer does the job, but they don't know if theirs will do so, too.
With the formula for KP, you can compare your caliber and load to that of your buddies and get a pretty good idea of what you have, and don't have. You can also compare your MLer to modern gun calibers you may know have the " right stuff " for the game you are hunting. :hmm:
Other than that, I tend to agree with both of your assessments: The formulas are NO SUBSTITUTE for actual experience in the field. I know what a .50 caliber PRB will do to a deer, because I have done it. It is my personal observation that gives any validity to any of the " formuli" thrown around by writers, including me!
Having admitted that, I would rather give people the best formula to use for comparison available than to let them struggle with Ft.lbs. of energy, or velocities, etc. When MLers are compared to modern guns, and then you ask the shooter of the modern gun just how far away has his longest shot at a deer been, he quickly finds out that he has too much rifle, re; velocity, and too little rifle Re: bullet caliber and weight for the distances he hunts.What good does a flat shooting, +3000 fps gun do you if you are shooting game at 150 yards and less? :v :thumbsup: