Help on caliber

[Alibiiv]

The 338-06 is a lot like the 35 Whelen, both have a lot of power with out a lot of fuss or meat damage. They just work very well, chose ether one and you have a rifle cartridge that is about as close to a perfect do all big game cartridge as you can get in my opinion.

I'm currently playing with an "06" that I intend to rebarrel after hunting season is over and Santa Claus has visited the homestead! I am tossing around a 338-06 instead of the "06" just because........I don't have one. I already have a Whelen and a .358 Winchester that I use for black bear hunting. I figure the 338-06 ought to be a "middle or the road" cartridge to play with.

 

[35 Whelen]

I'm currently playing with an "06" that I intend to rebarrel after hunting season is over and Santa Claus has visited the homestead! I am tossing around a 338-06 instead of the "06" just because........I don't have one. I already have a Whelen and a .358 Winchester that I use for black bear hunting. I figure the 338-06 ought to be a "middle or the road" cartridge to play with.

I just had shoulder surgery last month and will not be able to play with my rifles for a little bit. Before I was working up loads for my .400 Whelen I bought this spring, it is being a joy working with it and I can't wait to hunt with it. I also got a 338 win. mag. from my uncle and was going to use it this year as well, but that's on hold till next year too. I don't know if I'll ever get a 338-06 as I all ready have more rifles than time to shoot (as if there is such a thing as to many rifles), but if I to build a rifle the 338-06 and 358 STA is the two I'd be looking at.

 

[Tidus56]

Wow, the 28 cal, no matter what cartridge it is being fired from, will NEVER grow in size to match the diameter of the 30 cal.
This, is reason enough that I do not, will not and will never recommend it. I will also NEVER own one.

If you compare the highest BC hunting bullets in both cals, an apple's to apple's comparison ALWAYS gives the win to 30 cal for ENERGY.

NUFF SAID.

The 338 guy could say the same to the 30 caliber guy and so on and so on.
I think there is a balance between cost, recoil, knockdown, trajectory etc. It sounds like thats 30 caliber for you and that's fine. However it doesn't take away the merits of the 6.5, 270 or 7mm. I have used a 7mm to kill bison, elk, deer and all fell dead on the spot.

 

[35 Whelen]

The 338 guy could say the same to the 30 caliber guy and so on and so on.
I think there is a balance between cost, recoil, knockdown, trajectory etc. It sounds like thats 30 caliber for you and that's fine. However it doesn't take away the merits of the 6.5 or 7mm. I have used a 7mm to kill bison, elk, deer and all fell dead on the spot.

As Jack O'Connor said with a good bullet and a well place shoot from a 270 up to a 300 mag. you won't notice much if any difference.

 

[swe123]

Well a ballistic chart can easily show you how dumb some opinions are. That's like telling someone to go hunt with a .223 or .204 ruger, I bet you'll kill an elk with one. Doesnt mean its good advice... and then acting like ballistics don't matter because in the end, it killed the elk. This is a Long Range Hunting forum, not some backroad 300 yard chipper. All the 30-06 + .308 lovers for LRH are funny

Some of us have actual experience hunting, not just reading ballistic charts on a computer.

 

[Azdbllung]

Some of us have actual experience hunting, not just reading ballistic charts on a computer.

You literally just stated the same thing MY comment you quoted was responding to. Your perceived experience hunting doesn't tell the whole story, just your version of it. The fact that you have killed animals with whichever caliber you choose means nothing. Like in my example, An elk can be killed with a little .204 Ruger, doesn't mean it's a good choice. If your going to have 1 Gun that gets all jobs done right, use ballistic charts to assist in your decision...not your Grandpas opinion of loved experience. Otherwise you'd all be shooting 30-30s still.

 

[Mram10us]

You literally just stated the same thing MY comment you quoted was responding to. Your perceived experience hunting doesn't tell the whole story, just your version of it. The fact that you have killed animals with whichever caliber you choose means nothing. Like in my example, An elk can be killed with a little .204 Ruger, doesn't mean it's a good choice. If your going to have 1 Gun that gets all jobs done right, use ballistic charts to assist in your decision...not your Grandpas opinion of loved experience. Otherwise you'd all be shooting 30-30s still.

I have to disagree with choosing ballistic charts over grandpas opinion, considering grandpa probably has a ton of life experience. Charts are great, but a chart telling me a .204 for elk is acceptable would lose credibility.

 

[swe123]

Good point. 7mm or 300wm is the safe bet

The difference between a 30-06 and a 300wm is about 300 fps.

 

[swe123]

Midway currently offers 122 factory loads between 125-220grains. I'm sure these companies have a reason for offering so many offerings for such an antiquated cartridge.

 

[MagnumManiac]

The 338 guy could say the same to the 30 caliber guy and so on and so on.
I think there is a balance between cost, recoil, knockdown, trajectory etc. It sounds like thats 30 caliber for you and that's fine. However it doesn't take away the merits of the 6.5, 270 or 7mm. I have used a 7mm to kill bison, elk, deer and all fell dead on the spot.

You would be and, are very much mistaken.
Unfortunately, I have no favourite, but people arguing that the 28 Nosler is somehow magical and covered with pixie dust gets up my goat. It is no more accurate than many many cartridges out there.

I often use 338WM, 340Bee, 338 EDGE & 338-416 Rigby Improved. Then I might take my 375 Weatherby, 375 AI or a 416 variant of some description.
I am, in fact, a huge 264 fan, own several 264WM's, 6.5x47's and 6.5-284. Have owned a 260AI & 6.5-06.
I am not in the Creedmoor fan base, probably never will be. The merits of the cartridge are fine for steel or paper punching, but LR hunting should be left to smallish deer, coyote and similar game. That is my opinion, right or wrong in others eyes....I don't care.
I limit my own 6.5x47 to 600mtrs and on small deer, goats, pigs & foxes here Down Under.
There are plenty of guys here using them double that distance with very good results, but the risk of wounding game, for me, is far too high.

Just my opinion from 30 years of hunting, shooting comp & LR range hunting/shooting.

Cheers.

 

[Orange Dust]

lol Wyatts allows 3.790 on a 300 RUM w/out mods, so im interested on how you think youll get those so-called 4 inch rounds in that gun your all talking about without major modsw.. what do I know, I have so much to learn right? You all know im right but like to throw outrageous hypotheticals out because you have so much $$ sunk into a 300 RUM thinking its the cats meow, when its not. Were not talking about some Franken-gun. A rifle you can buy from the store and shoot.

You are missing the point. I like the 28. I must, i have over $7k in the one in my drag bag in the pile of stuff by the front door going hunting this afternoon. It is a poor choice for anyone with one rifle. It is not a replacement for a larger rifle. It is an extremely overbore 7mm that requires careful maintenance and has a useful life of less than 1000rds. I really like mine.

 

[Mram10us]

I have to disagree with the statement that the 28 nosler is a "poor choice for anyone with one rifle". They are inherently accurate thanks to the case and it's proven all the time. They also have the power to drop anything in North America which is proven every day during hunting season. IMO, if you could only have one rifle up here in Idaho, it would be either a 300rum or 28 nosler. Curious, why do you think it's a poor choice?

 

[L.Sherm]

I personally like a 30 or 30-28 over the 28.
Theres only a couple inches difference between the 2 at 500 and about 15 at 1,000. If you have to dial a scope who cares if it's a few clicks more, it's more important to know exactly how many.
With a brake recoil is a moot point and barrel lif goes to the 30.

 

[Mram10us]

I personally like a 30 or 30-28 over the 28.
Theres only a couple inches difference between the 2 at 500 and about 15 at 1,000. If you have to dial a scope who cares if it's a few clicks more, it's more important to know exactly how many.
With a brake recoil is a moot point and barrel lif goes to the 30.

My rum and 28 have the same brake and there "feels" like a noticeable difference between the 175-195 vs the 225s from the rum. I love my rums though