Caliber advice

WAHOOYAHOO said:

You're not missing anything. There are a multitude of capable cartridges. There likely is a sweet spot that has a smaller group of calibers in it but truthfully, that sweet spot is fluid. We have all sought the right gun and then found that it was overkill or didn't quite get it done as efficiently as is desirable. Thats why we have a safe or two full of other sweet-spots.
I suppose a good thread would be "If you could only keep 3 long guns, which would you pick?". Let me think about that...

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WAHOOYAHOO said:

I have a Kreiger 8 twist, 26". BC is more like .810 with that twist. Somewhere about 68.6gr of H1000 gets me to 2950fps, but 1/10th grain more leaves ejector marks so I backed off to the best node before that, in the 2840 fps neighborhood. So you're right, 3k is a bit over what I could achieve. The message isn't lost though. At distances most people shouldn't shoot, the 7mm Rem Mag with high BC, long, slippery bullets, is MORE than adequate to be humanely lethal on really big game.

These choices are almost always preference. Uncountable numbers of elk have met their end with various 24, 25, 26, 27,28 and 30 caliber bullets fired from handed down, shot out, retired military and borrowed guns. It's hard to imagine how many moose have been undone at the hands of a 6.5 Swede... We just like to do it better. Thats why we calculate, post, debate, tweek, practice and buy more gear than we can carry. I prefer it so. It is this that makes reading all of these posts and considering all of these opinions worthwhile. Those that aren't like us, just drag out grampa's old 270 or 30-06 come October and buy a box of whatever is on the shelf, content and none the wiser.

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5.56×250 said:

My reasoning for the 300wsm is based on the max range shot on the max sized animal . To me, that is the logical place to go when a question is asked like the OPs. A smaller non magnum cartridge will work . Just not with any room for shooter error or less than ideal animal positioning. Is the 300wsm overkill on the other end of the OPs spectrum, I'd say so, for me anyway . A 200yd shot on a 175lbs deer surely doesnt take a magnum 30 cal . Better to give yourself some room for forgiveness in shot placement than to waste an animal because you wanted to prove you could kill a moose at 600yds with your whitetail special.

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Overkill338 said:

Maybe we should neck the 6.5 PRC down to .243. I've always thought the .243 is the best way to balance varmint and deer with the same gun.

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KurtB said:

That sounds like a great load. I was getting great accuracy and velocity with the 180 eld and RL26. My elk country starts at 8500 and last two my son killed were over 12,000 feet elevation. In fairness he was using a 180 Scenar but point being, the 7mm is a long range hammer with various high bc bullets. I don't shoot to 1200 yards but they make the 500-700 yard stuff much easier.

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msp21 said:

I am looking for advice on caliber for a custom build.
Max range: 600yds
Game: Medium to large sized game
Rifle Specs.: Barrel length less than 26 inches (I want the rifle to be easy to maneuver and carry but hit like a hammer)

I was originally thinking 300 WM but with a barrel less than 26 in I don't think it would be a good choice. What about 300 WSM?

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msp21 said:

I am looking for advice on caliber for a custom build.
Max range: 600yds
Game: Medium to large sized game
Rifle Specs.: Barrel length less than 26 inches (I want the rifle to be easy to maneuver and carry but hit like a hammer)

I was originally thinking 300 WM but with a barrel less than 26 in I don't think it would be a good choice. What about 300 WSM?

Click to expand...

WAHOOYAHOO said:

I have a Kreiger 8 twist, 26". BC is more like .810 with that twist. Somewhere about 68.6gr of H1000 gets me to 2950fps, but 1/10th grain more leaves ejector marks so I backed off to the best node before that, in the 2840 fps neighborhood. So you're right, 3k is a bit over what I could achieve. The message isn't lost though. At distances most people shouldn't shoot, the 7mm Rem Mag with high BC, long, slippery bullets, is MORE than adequate to be humanely lethal on really big game.

These choices are almost always preference. Uncountable numbers of elk have met their end with various 24, 25, 26, 27,28 and 30 caliber bullets fired from handed down, shot out, retired military and borrowed guns. It's hard to imagine how many moose have been undone at the hands of a 6.5 Swede... We just like to do it better. Thats why we calculate, post, debate, tweek, practice and buy more gear than we can carry. I prefer it so. It is this that makes reading all of these posts and considering all of these opinions worthwhile. Those that aren't like us, just drag out grampa's old 270 or 30-06 come October and buy a box of whatever is on the shelf, content and none the wiser.

Click to expand...