Got a question we all faced at one time or another.

[angus-5024]

its a wash really. If it were my decision though I would go for the .280 most likely. It sounds like whitetails at 500 yards is max so you don't need a ton of energy, and the rifle will be light. The .280 will be a fair bit flatter than the 30-06 to 500 yards and will have less recoil. I also don't shoot a bullet that I cant push over 2700 fps in the chambering, so the 06 is stuck with lighter bullets with less b.c.

 

[MudRunner2005]

The 30-06AI is nice
You can load a 110gr for plinking or varmits and up to 220gr or so for big stuff and it has the cool factor of being different and cool look of the AI shoulder angle.

Better yet, get a 280AI and a 30-06AI BOTH!

I like the way you think.

 

[MudRunner2005]

its a wash really. If it were my decision though I would go for the .280 most likely. It sounds like whitetails at 500 yards is max so you don't need a ton of energy, and the rifle will be light. The .280 will be a fair bit flatter than the 30-06 to 500 yards and will have less recoil. I also don't shoot a bullet that I cant push over 2700 fps in the chambering, so the 06 is stuck with lighter bullets with less b.c.

Yep...This is what I was talking about when I was mentioning flatter trajectory and higher BC from the .280 AI compared to the '06 when using similarly weighted bullets.


Berger 7mm 168 VLD Hunting
BC - 0.604

Berger .30 168 VLD Hunting
BC - 0.473
_____

Berger 7mm 180 VLD Hunting
BC - 0.659

Berger .30 185 VLD Hunting
BC - 0.549


As you can see, the 7mm VLD's dominate the .30 caliber VLD's in their comparable weight classes.

 

[FEENIX]

Yep...This is what I was talking about when I was mentioning flatter trajectory and higher BC from the .280 AI compared to the '06 when using similarly weighted bullets.


Berger 7mm 168 VLD Hunting
BC - 0.604

Berger .30 168 VLD Hunting
BC - 0.473
_____

Berger 7mm 180 VLD Hunting
BC - 0.659

Berger .30 185 VLD Hunting
BC - 0.549


As you can see, the 7mm VLD's dominate the .30 caliber VLD's in their comparable weight classes.

That's why those that can push it use ...

210 = .631
215 = .696
230 = .719

 

[FEENIX]

Poster on another forum made a great point for the .280.....

7mm pill in 168 grn VLD= a BC of .617 Cruising at 2800/2850 is bad news on the receiving end

As you put it, bad medicin for whitetails and pretty much anything else that crawls on all fours in the state of NC...

I'm pushing 175 Matrix VLD at 3000 FPS out of my. 270 AI ... not too shabby..

 

[MudRunner2005]

That's why those that can push it use ...

210 = .631
215 = .696
230 = .719

BC means nothing when you don't have the powder to push it to efficiently....And with a .30-06 210+ is getting kinda heavy on the top-end...I couldn't see him getting better than 2650 with the standard .30-06 and 210's.

If he went with the .30-06 AI, then he could push the big heavies alot more efficiently.

Granted, my .308 Win is pushing 210's to 2400 fps MV, but I'm also running max load. It's not a recommended load, but it shoots great for me.

I mean, if he wants smack-down at 500-750 yards, a 24-26" .308 Win with a 5R 11.25" twist heavy barrel shooting 210 VLD's at 2400+ would be about perfect. You get smackdown & efficiency.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I'm pushing 175 Matrix VLD at 3000 FPS out of my. 270 AI ... not too shabby..

Yeah, that's gettin it pretty good right there.

Never liked the .270 caliber....It was just too close to my 7mm's (.284") for me to justify owning one.

 

[FEENIX]

BC means nothing when you don't have the powder to push it to efficiently....And with a .30-06 210+ is getting kinda heavy on the top-end...I couldn't see him getting better than 2650 with the standard .30-06 and 210's.

If he went with the .30-06 AI, then he could push the big heavies alot more efficiently.

Granted, my .308 Win is pushing 210's to 2400 fps MV, but I'm also running max load. It's not a recommended load, but it shoots great for me.

I mean, if he wants smack-down at 500-750 yards, a 24-26" .308 Win with a 5R 11.25" twist heavy barrel shooting 210 VLD's at 2400+ would be about perfect. You get smackdown & efficiency.

I agree, that's why I said "those that can push it".

IIWM, I'd go with. 264 chambering; 6.5x55/AI, 6.5-06/AI, 6.5-280/AI, etc ...

 

[WildRose]

I agree, that's why I said "those that can push it".

IIWM, I'd go with. 264 chambering; 6.5x55/AI, 6.5-06/AI, 6.5-280/AI, etc ...

The plain ole .260 Rem will do anything he wants to do at that range and it's my "go to" for such uses but he wanted to limit the discussion to the other two calibers so I didn't bring it up.

I've already got the .260 and .264wm but I have to admit I kind of which I'd given more thought to the 6.5x284.

So little difference in all of them though it's really irrelevant unless one is bent on pushing the limits.

 

[BriKW]

Leaning real hard towards .280 Rem

 

[The Oregonian]

Do you reload? Any chance this is taken out against anything bigger than a whitetail?

 

[BriKW]

Do you reload? Any chance this is taken out against anything bigger than a whitetail?

Not at all.. May poke a wild pig or two.. Smash a few groundhogs, or try and bag an elk one day, but for now whitetails are on the menu.

Short of a large dangerous grizzly, I wouldn't feel under gunned by nothing I care to shoot by either caliber.

As for handloads, i Sold everything I owned about a decade ago... In the process of getting everything back now. Hand loads are in the very near future.

 

[The Oregonian]

Not at all.. May poke a wild pig or two.. Smash a few groundhogs, or try and bag an elk one day, but for now whitetails are on the menu.

Short of a large dangerous grizzly, I wouldn't feel under gunned by nothing I care to shoot by either caliber.

As for handloads, i Sold everything I owned about a decade ago... In the process of getting everything back now. Hand loads are in the very near future.

The two are very similar to begin with and I don't think you could go wrong with either on a whitetail at 500 and in. The deer would never tell the difference, so get what you want.

I went thru a similar debate with myself, but added the 280AI into the mix as well. I don't reload, so for me that made the 30-06 a fairly simple choice....more factory Amy to play with to find which one works, and a wider selection of bullets in factory ammo.

Enjoy whichever you want.

 

[BriKW]

The two are very similar to begin with and I don't think you could go wrong with either on a whitetail at 500 and in. The deer would never tell the difference, so get what you want.

I went thru a similar debate with myself, but added the 280AI into the mix as well. I don't reload, so for me that made the 30-06 a fairly simple choice....more factory Amy to play with to find which one works, and a wider selection of bullets in factory ammo.

Enjoy whichever you want.

Made my decision and will be getting this rifle in a 30-06. My son will most likely end up with this rifle for a graduation present.

I have a short action that's begging for a 7-08 chambered barrel.
Will be putting this one in a McMillan A3 stock
Printed action, full floated barrel
Full length glass bed the action
Install target trigger set at 1 pound
Badger Ord 20MOA rails
Top it all off with a Vortex target scope.

That should cure my 7mm itch.

While I'm waiting to do all that, I'll be looking forward to getting this one back to ring it out on the range before heading to deer camp this November. Hopefully will get it back before then. Heard a lot about Mr. Coleman's rifles, and after talking to him on the phone at length about this build, I'm really excited to get it back.