Best all-around medium power cartridge

[JD338]

Back to the OP. :grin: I've seen quite a few 7-08s in the hands of both ladies and gents that have taken quite a few head of game around here. One of my hunting buddies (now having committed the heinous sin of moving to Saskatchewan) took a lot of moose and mule deer with his 7-08. I don't recall any critters strolling away after he punched them. It would be a good one to get for a lady. However, the 280 or the 270, especially in a Featherweight, would not only accomplish the job for a lady, but do so in style.

Mike,

We are actually looking to get a M70 Super Grade.
It would be a 280 Rem hands down if a 280 Rem chambering was offered.

JD338

 

[Bruce Mc]

I guess I'm gonna loose my time out, huh?

JD, I was looking at a short action Super Grade at Carters Country this morning. It was a .308 but still, it was gorgeous. They also had a 300 Win Mag that would have come to Edna if I wasn't already out on a limb with the JOC.

 

[6mm Remington]

Back to the OP. :grin: I've seen quite a few 7-08s in the hands of both ladies and gents that have taken quite a few head of game around here. One of my hunting buddies (now having committed the heinous sin of moving to Saskatchewan) took a lot of moose and mule deer with his 7-08. I don't recall any critters strolling away after he punched them. It would be a good one to get for a lady. However, the 280 or the 270, especially in a Featherweight, would not only accomplish the job for a lady, but do so in style.

Mike,

We are actually looking to get a M70 Super Grade.
It would be a 280 Rem hands down if a 280 Rem chambering was offered.

JD338

Amen to that Jim. I wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble with a custom rifle if they would just build the darn things! Man are they missing the boat. Maybe I should have went with the MRC rifle and I could have gotten one without all the mess and fuss.

 

[DrMike]

Back to the OP. :grin: I've seen quite a few 7-08s in the hands of both ladies and gents that have taken quite a few head of game around here. One of my hunting buddies (now having committed the heinous sin of moving to Saskatchewan) took a lot of moose and mule deer with his 7-08. I don't recall any critters strolling away after he punched them. It would be a good one to get for a lady. However, the 280 or the 270, especially in a Featherweight, would not only accomplish the job for a lady, but do so in style.

Mike,

We are actually looking to get a M70 Super Grade.
It would be a 280 Rem hands down if a 280 Rem chambering was offered.

JD338

Pity, isn't it. Anything on Gun Broker or one of the other sites? I know I've loved my .280 Featherweight. It is my second one; sorry I let the first go.

 

[gerry]

Good comments fellas.

Let's consider a low recoiling choice for the ladies in our life.
That said, I'm still thinking 7-08, 7mm Mauser or 280 Rem.
The 30-06 is hard to dispute but a little more recoil than desired.
What would you suggest?

JD338

The three 7mm's you listed would work fine but I would like to point out that the new crop of tougher 85-115 gr bullets meant for the 6.8mm SPC have made the 270 Win much more versatile, add in something like the 150 gr Partition for big animals and pretty much everything is covered.

A 6.5x55, 260 Rem and 6.5/284 would also be very versatile with premium bullets ranging from 100-156 gr. That would cover a lot of hunting.....

 

[Guy Miner]

Mike,

We are actually looking to get a M70 Super Grade.
It would be a 280 Rem hands down if a 280 Rem chambering was offered.

JD338

Beautiful guns, well worth the price. The only things that kept me from buying were a too-glossy metal finish for me, and my enduring love for the Remington 700 action.

I did note that the Super Grade, equipped with a scope, was a pretty heavy hunting rifle.

I'd vote for the classic 7x57 by the way, not that there's a doggone thing wrong with the 7mm-08!

Regards, Guy

 

[nvbroncrider]

Mike and Scotty can attest to this full blown 7X57 loads are a sweetheart in the FW and those are fun rifles to shoot.

 

[truck driver]

Well a lot can be said for the 7mm rounds and I'm sure you have already made up your mind but I would still go with the 30-06 since you could load up some 125gr ABs and have a light recoiling rifle and the option to go heavy with a 220gr PT if she wanted to hunt something bigger than deer .

 

[Guybo]

I too have to say 30.06 for all around hunting. Once you mentioned ladies my first thought was the .260 rem with a good 140gr bullet.

 

[Palouser]

Mike,

We are actually looking to get a M70 Super Grade.
It would be a 280 Rem hands down if a 280 Rem chambering was offered.

JD338

Beautiful guns, well worth the price. The only things that kept me from buying were a too-glossy metal finish for me, and my enduring love for the Remington 700 action.

I did note that the Super Grade, equipped with a scope, was a pretty heavy hunting rifle.

I'd vote for the classic 7x57 by the way, not that there's a doggone thing wrong with the 7mm-08!

Regards, Guy

I agree with guy. My hunting rifle is a Super Grade Model 70 in .270. It is beautiful and accurate! It is very very heavy!!! I think a featherweight 7x57 is about ideal although I have never hunted with one. I have one, a tang safety Ruger, it is light fast handling and accurate, although I insist on taking my beautiful heavy gun into the canyons and tearing it apart! I'll never learn!

Todd

 

[Palouser]

Bruce...the advertised BC of the ABLR's isn't accurate....the 6.5mm 129 ABLR is very close to being accurate...the rest of them are pretty far off (5-12 percent)...the 270 ABLR is the worst of them, and really needs a 1 in 9" twist to be at its best...even then, its way below the advertised BC.

This has been range tested...not computer estimated.

In truth though....all that doesn't really matter at 400 yards...the difference will be a few inches in whatever direction, but not necessarily enough to cause a catastrophic miss.

The 150 ABLR, with a G7 BC of .295, is the level best 7mm bullet there has ever been...by the numbers...its light enough to get going very fast, and with an excellent BC (even at 5 percent less than advertised)...it flies flat and straight.

No "normal" round can fire a heavier, higher BC bullet fast enough to matter...not within the practical range limits of the caliber (800 yards)

The 6.5mm 129 ABLR hit a similar sweet spot...those 2 bullets, Nosler knocked out of the park, in terms of form factor....by the numbers.

The field performance remains to be seen...


Edited to add:
If that 270 ABLR was 140 grains....it would be better....as would the 7mm ABLR at 154 grains, I think.

Not trying to disagree, I don't know how the BC could be off, Nosler does not estimate the BC, rather it is calculated in their underground range at their Bend facility. I was fortunate enough this last summer to take a tour and to witness with my own eyes. Pretty impressive stuff. They have chronograghs at the muzzle and downrange and the BC is calculated using technical formulas based on how "fast" the bullet slows down over a given distance, not based on a computer simulation. The ballisticians they have on staff were incredibly knowledgeable and professional. My 270 has a 10 twist and I think you are right about needing 9 or even 8.5 as I just couldn't quite get them to group. If you are ever in Bend, I would highly recommend getting a tour however book it long in advance!

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I'd love to take that tour...I've been to Bend a few times,,,just never had time to stop in.

I'm glad you posted because if I'm wrong...I want to know it...lol.

I'm not saying their ballisticians are all wrong...they aren't...they're doing the best they can with what they have.

I always just figured the BC's were computer generated...and for being wrong, I apologize.

But, you can't get an accurate BC on a 100 yard range...for a long list of reasons, enough to write a small book about. You need at least 300 yards to get a reasonable BC, and 600 is better....and 1,000 is better still.

And therein lies the rub...its pretty hard to find even a 300 yard range, let alone 1,000...A truly accurate BC is impossible, because its a moving target...but 100 yards just isn't enough to get even a reasonable read.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Bryan Litz tested the ABLR's (and many,many others) using acoustic sensors and doppler radar instead of chronographs...and by firing them at long range....his new book covers some new ground in regards to twist rate and how it affects BC.

 

[Palouser]

I'd love to take that tour...I've been to Bend a few times,,,just never had time to stop in.

I'm glad you posted because if I'm wrong...I want to know it...lol.

I'm not saying their ballisticians are all wrong...they aren't...they're doing the best they can with what they have.

I always just figured the BC's were computer generated...and for being wrong, I apologize.

But, you can't get an accurate BC on a 100 yard range...for a long list of reasons, enough to write a small book about. You need at least 300 yards to get a reasonable BC, and 600 is better....and 1,000 is better still.

And therein lies the rub...its pretty hard to find even a 300 yard range, let alone 1,000...A truly accurate BC is impossible, because its a moving target...but 100 yards just isn't enough to get even a reasonable read.

Yup, you are spot on. Hard to calculate BC at 100 yards. I suspect that is why Sierra posts different BCs for different velocities. It is prob spot on, for that velocity and distance. Seems that is why most ballistic programs feature a truing function to shore up BC in real world situations.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Now don't take all that wrong...I'm not bashing Nosler or their bullets...the ABLR's are currently the best BC's available...even at their true BC's.

 

[Palouser]

I also misspoke, I think Nosler uses radar, not chronos.

 

[Palouser]

Sorry I hijacked the OP. My bad...back to the original topic.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Sorry I hijacked the OP. My bad...back to the original topic.

Yeah...me too...I can't help myself...I truly am a bullet geek. :grin:

 

[IdahoCTD]

I say a fast 6.5mm. Something like a .264wm, 6.5saum, 6.5wsm, etc. would be my choice. They kill well and the recoil is fairly low for a magnum.

 

[Oldtrader3]

If you are including elk and moose, I would say 7mm to 9.3x62 Mauser. Or in US terms, .280 to .338 or .35 Whelen.