6mm, 257, 6.5mm, 277, 7mm which caliber cartridge and why

[tammons]

For hunting.
Just curious.

I have owned rifles in all the above calibers, but recently switched to a 270 win
for a flat shooter to take advantage of the new 95 gr TTSX designed for the 6.8 SPC.

[bootsmcguire]

My two favorites are 243 Win (mine is an Ackley) and my 308 (I know not on your list). Personally I have yet to see a deer shot with a 243 that was not just about DRT. Same for the 308. Easy recoil, factory loads easy to find just in case the need arises on a trip (if I ever get to take one :-\) and both cartridges are ussually accurate and pack enough punch to get it done clean. I am thinking of trying my 6BR this year if possible, for all of the same reasons above, but undecided on the enough punch part. I would think it would be ok.

[tammons]

Take that back. I have never owned a 25 cal rifle.
When I was looking for a round that would shoot inside 4"
out to 300 it was down to a 25-06 or a 270.

Already was loading the 95 gr TTSX for a 6.8 SPC so I thought
I would try a 270 win since I have never owned one.
Actually nobody in my immediate family owns one.
Dont know why, just always passed it by.

We have a 243 BLR and a 243 remi semi auto that I use sometimes.
Have it loaded with 80 gr TTSX bullets over RL17
but have yet to shoot a hog with it.

Hunted with a 308 for the last 1.5 years. I really like the 208 amax over RL17.
Its a good hunting bullet even though no designed that way.

I used to have a 6mmBR setup and I hunted with it a short while but never got a shot,
besides long barreled hunting rifles drive me nuts.

It would certainly be more than enough with the 80 gr TTSX. Not sure about RL 17
in that round because its more efficient than a 243.

I flip flop around so much by hunting season I will probably have something else.

[Samdweezel05]

7 twist, 22" sporter weight 6mmbr. Just sayin.

[Dennis]

It's hard to beat a 308! I have four of them!

Great all around hunting gun and dayum good F-TR class gun!

PS: I also have 4 6mm's and one 6.5x47L, my next choice would be in the 6mm/243 class! Again this caliper is great for both sports! And gets the job done.

For hunting, I mainly use my sporter 308 and 270.

Sounds like a lot of guns, my two boys also shoot with me!!! They have fell in love with my 6br and 6x47Lapua. I had my oldest son shooting the X ring on his 7th shot @ 600 yds with the 6br (first time on a 600 field). I must have used the right load ;D


I guess it's what you really want!!!

[chainsaw]

7mm/08 is an excellent deer rd. Flat shooting and hard hitting.lots of bullet choices too.

[BoilerUP]

260 Remington.

Hunted with my R700 Mountain LSS for 3-4 years now, and its accuracy is second only to the sheer effectiveness of the 120gr Nosler BT on whitetail.

I have struggled to find a consistently accurate recipe for my 110 in .270, while 41.5gr H380 and the 120 NBT to a OAL of 2.78" in my R700 shoots 3 shots inside a half inch at 100yd...with POI almost identical to factory Remington Accutip ammo. Interestingly, this same load has also proven quite accurate in my 26" Criterion varmint barrel at 100yd.

That said, its also hard to beat the 7mm08 if you want to sling a larger bullet or 243 if you want unbeatable factory ammo options & availability.

[tammons]

I think my favorite high BC hunting round so far is the 7mm-08 with 162 gr amax or 308 with 208 gr Amax over RL17.
Both great rounds for hogs.

I just got an itch for a super flat shooting round, plus I like the TTSX bullet performance on game.

The best acrobatic action I have gotten shooting hogs has been either a 338-284 or a 375 ruger.

[Dennis]

I might take my 338 Edge on my next trip, :D

Just to see what happens!

[tammons]

338 IMO is probably the best all around heavy hitter vs recoil vs trajectory out there.

That said inside of 400-600 yards I prefer the 375 ruger for a heavy hitter, but most of that is just bragging rights.
Overkill for just about anything in North America except maybe Buff or AK brown bears.

The trajectory with a 270 gr TSX bullet is better than you would think.

[Dennis]

95 gr TTSX

Your shooting the above bullet out of your 270?

If so, I will have to try it!

[Tracer]

Tammons,....... I have owned and shot all but the 257 Weatherby caliber! The 6mm Remington I used years ago in a model 700 BDL bull barrel. It was the cat's meow on hunting groundhogs in the clover fields back then and did a good job on whitetail deer to, as long as you were not walking a lot with the riflel. It was a bit heavy!

The .270 Whinny I started with back in the early 60's using it on my first elk hunt. I soon found that a bad choice especially using 130 grn cheap bullets, that fragged on a shoulder. I was young and not very experienced on big game in those days. A great caliber for pronghorn and whitetail across the bean fields you betcha.

Now the 7mm mag, is a sure shooting pleasure of delight, when going after those mature bull elk in the high country. It is easy to shoot and puts those 160 grn bullets out their in a hurry, like a shot from a bow at 10 yards.......nice and flat. Plenty of power or kinetic energy and penetrates very well with premium bullets I used called Nosler Partitions. The recoil was about the same as the 30-06 and most folks had no problems shooting it accurately.

Now days I still get out my 25/06 now and then, carried it for a dozen years or so around the place.......my go to gun for most things in my state. I put down groundhogs at over 300 yards and plenty of whitetail bucks. Shooting those speed goats in Wyoming and other states was a no brainer for my 1/4 bore. I have since gone to a 6.5/06 almost 2 years ago. I have not killed a lot of animals with it yet but it dose seem to like putting those 140 grn bullet into 1/2 inch groups at a 100 yards. Not bad for an o Old Man with bad eyes and hands to boot.
I figured it will be a step up for mule deer and pronghorn antelope, even thosugh I never needed more than my 25/06. I just thought it would suit my big game hunting needs a little better but school is still out on that fact as of yet. On paper it is a step and a half ahead of the 25/06 and I wanted something new for out West Coyote hunting passed the 350 yards range. It sure seems to be able to fly far down range and keep things tight as far as groups go. I have placed shots out to 400 yards and kept them in the 3 to 4 inch range.

[Tracer]

Tammons my favorite caliber is the .338 for hunting big game in this USA but I am getting more prone to grab the .338/06 nowdays since it is lighter than the others. Those being a .338 win mag wood stock and a .338 win mag Hogue stock stainless. Then my .338-EDGE also with a Hogue stock, weighs in at 12 pounds and is a long range Hammer Of Thor on big game down range. I use a .275 grain Swift A Frame mostly in this rifle because it likes em a bunch~ ;D

[jglover_81]

My vote is 270... why? Its fast... effective.... and my dad always had one and said I should get one ::)

[Dennis]

Tammons, are you good and confused now?

They all shoot, it's what you are comfortable with!

[Samdweezel05]

.50 BMG

[Tracer]

Tammons if you really want to experience a heavy hitter, then check out the .416 Rem mag, if shoots very flat and hits em like a Mack Truck going down hill at 80mph!

[tammons]

I did a hit and run on this one and forgot to notify.

I was just curious on everybody else's opinions.
I know what I like, IE not really confused, and I have hunted with a lot of different calibers.

IMO, I think two of the best for the southeast are the 6.8 spc for a light recoil hard hitting round,
and either a 25-06 or a 270. I shoot the 270 because I already reload for the 6.8 and
the 95 gr TTSX bullet is a sledge hammer. If I was out west hunting elk I would use a different round
like a 300 or a 338 etc. In AK a 375 or 416.

Yep I just had a real heavy hitter set up.
458 win mag.
I really wanted to know if I could handle it more than anything else, and after a few months with it, no problems. I could probably handle a 458 lott but that would be about it. My daughter was going to Africa but that did not work out.

I had the 458 win mag loaded long with 600 grain barnes solids over a full case of H4895.
Figured it was about 65# of recoil as my rifle weighed 10#.
One afternoon I shot 10 hot rounds of 300 gr loads followed by 10 rounds of 600 grainers most off a bench.

After I got it sighted in with the 600 grainers on a bench which was rather challenging, I shot the rest standing which was no big deal.

Cant say enough good things about the duromax stock, because I was not sore at all.
On the flip side a box of shells through my old 444SS would leave me black and blue.

[bootsmcguire]

Hey Tammons,

I ended up buying that 458 setup from the gentleman you sold it to.

If you don't mind, can I get some of your load data for it. If not I understand.

I have a feeling this thing is going to be a butt-kicker, hopefully my brake will help tame it.

Thanks

Boots

[sami1971]

For hunting.

If I was limited to only one caliber, it would something in 6.5mm. LA action in 6.5x55, SA in .260, 6.5CM or 6.5x47. Capable of long range with a wide range of bullets for hunting critters all the way up to bears.

[tammons]

No problem and will send it along. Quickload does not do well with that cartridge and chamber due to the
extreme freebore. Runs about 250-300 fps low and a lot lower pressure.

PM coming with load data.

Hey Tammons,

I ended up buying that 458 setup from the gentleman you sold it to.

If you don't mind, can I get some of your load data for it. If not I understand.

I have a feeling this thing is going to be a butt-kicker, hopefully my brake will help tame it.

Thanks

Boots

[Tracer]

I have hunted and shot game with the 6mm Remmy, .243 win, 270 win, 7mm Rem mag and now have a new rifle in 6.5/06 caliber. They all are very good calibers but one needs to know his or her limitations and those calibers too on certain size game etc. A hunter must also select the proper bullet and weight for the animal to hunt.

[Apache]

25-06AI with 80grn TTSX......nearly 4k fps. Got a post on it somewhere. See what that does in your ballistic calculator compared to the others.

[moe2]

i also like the 25-06 this is what i set up for my son, shoots1/2"at 100 with 100grn sgk,killed every he has shot at, i shoot the 257wm with 110 ab also very accurate have not killed with it yet but hit bowling pins at 400 yds easy.put up my 7rm when i bought 257wm it shot under 3/4" at 100 with 120 nosler b/t very deadly an flat shooting.it was a hard choice hope i dont regret it

[Tracer]

Tammons my experience with the .458 Win mag is to use those 450 grain bullets, keeps the velocity up higher and it still penetrates deep. A 600 grain bullet just pulls the velocity way down and you lose a lot of energy etc. The .458-LOTT is good with 500 grain bullets but once again the 600 takes up to much powder space.