What calibres would choose to future proof against ammunition supplies
- Thread starter Turkish
- Start date
If you reloading getting "heads" / bullets posted then up to you depending on availability
Factory ammo more so
I shoot .25-06 for example
Now ammo is a pain
I LOVE caliber bit not lot of choice so hope your rifle likes what you can get
Rebarrel will be 6.5 x284
Why?
Let's face it go with what you can get that suits you / what your doing
And the 6.5's win hands down
Next would he your old guard in .308
Plenty choice for plinking and game ..copper non toxic in .30 cal and 6.5 be daft not to consider either
I love my .2506 but unless you go faster twist barrel f9r new generation of heavier high bc bergers etc .....even then if you can get them
In short
.308 or 6.5 copper
Or fast twist.223 for roe ( Scotland)
Factory ammo more so
I shoot .25-06 for example
Now ammo is a pain
I LOVE caliber bit not lot of choice so hope your rifle likes what you can get
Rebarrel will be 6.5 x284
Why?
Let's face it go with what you can get that suits you / what your doing
And the 6.5's win hands down
Next would he your old guard in .308
Plenty choice for plinking and game ..copper non toxic in .30 cal and 6.5 be daft not to consider either
I love my .2506 but unless you go faster twist barrel f9r new generation of heavier high bc bergers etc .....even then if you can get them
In short
.308 or 6.5 copper
Or fast twist.223 for roe ( Scotland)
nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
I probably don't realise how good I've got it then. Although, it just seems like good business to me. Keep customers happy with minimal effort, but then a lot of RFDs are just guys who have turned their hobby into a job and limit their business by their views/preferences of what people should buy.
Why not 6.5-06?
No risk of introducing feeding issues, and you can use up your stocks of 25-06 brass.
Newavon arms have done for me on a couple of times and didn't take the pis* on the price.
Times were different then, the elephant herds were naive and had not previously been extensively hunted with firearms. This is important as it is likely to have been easier to approach closer and less likely that they would convert you into toe jam. There is no doubt that Bell was an excellent marksman with an exceptional appreciation for the anatomy of an elephant’s skull. These traits allowed him to make the 7x57 work effectively. More recent cullers such as Ron Thompson have used the .308 in the form of the semi auto R1 rifles to kill whole herds within 2-3 minutes. However all of this history behind smaller calibres and dangerous game is absolutely reliant on hitting the precise spot to find a path to the brain and hoping the bullet does not deflect. Believe me even a .375 is a small (but adequate) calibre for dangerous game. I have seen buffalo soak up solid hits from large calibres like .458 Lott and keep going without any reaction. What the larger calibres do though is to confer more energy for close but not quite perfect shots. This is made absolutely clear on Buzz Charltons instructional video on elephant hunting.
Yes 7x57 would be as good as anything. Seen some real attacks after using .416 450/400 and even .500. It's all about placing the pill in the rightspot.
DARWIN AWARD !
If it was more mainstream I would ....
Better even
2506 brass is a pain to get ..... thats the whole point ... availability and choice.... in .2506 I do t see lapau offering brass ...norma does bit how many got it on shelf?
How many match ammo for plinking can ypu get if you like a range day ?...1! 100grn match kings.... and again how available are they ?not much
I have a sh1tload brass but its all a mix of norma ppu federal etc
Not the done thing if chasing accuracy
Paul
Norfolk Deer Search
Well-Known Member
Put the bullet in the right place and the world will turn!
I love this type of comment. Realistically, just how many of the average stalker could consistently hit a 3-4" target on a running target ? Then throw in that if they miss, they will be killed ?
It's beyond me as to why anyone would think a 7x57 is a good idea for dangerous game, let alone CHOOSE one over any other cartridge for this scenario ?
Norfolk Deer Search
Well-Known Member
I’ve always said that I would use my old 270 and 130 grain barnes bullet and shoot anything up to dangerous game without a question of doubt, all now roll that over to the 7x57 quite comfortably!
As for dangerous game, those days are long gone it won’t be many more years before that’s all banned, so really that bit is a bit pointless
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I have my doubts about the average stalker consistently hitting a 3" - 4" stationary target, let alone a running one!
If they could, there'd be no such thing as a wounded or missed deer.
Surely you just neck down .270 brass to make 25-06? Thats what I do with .280 (neck up) which is even harder to get.
Plenty of Norma .270 once fired out there, or new .270 choices.
The same for the 6.5-06, I’ve turned .308 into 6.5 creedmoor it just needs neck turning. And .243 for that matter which doesn’t need turning.
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It won’t get banned, it happens in Africa, if you’ve ever been you’ll know they’re not quite as airy fairy as we are over here!
It’s been banned in a few places (elephant ) and the environment is paying the price. It will be decades before habitat recover and wildlife return. Elephant left to multiply unmanaged turn surrounding areas into wasteland.
Or a wounded and charging Buff or lion eh Tim.
As I said Mr Lateral friend Bell even shot running lions at distance with his .256 Gibbs (6.5x54 Mannlicher). I believe they can be quite dangerous as can be our Spotted friend the Leopard. Prefer a 12 bore for the latter though in cover and up close.
Interesting to note that Botswana banned hunting but reversed the decision and have seen tangible benefits as reported in the truly excellent documentary by the Origins Foundation here
South Africa had banned all elephant hunting including culling but have recently started to issue permits to hunt Ele in the private parks adjacent to Kruger but not in the park itself. Initially these were for RSA residents only but this has now been opened up to foreigners. Kenya remains under a hunting ban and has seen a decline in the majority of wildlife, increased poaching and human animal conflict and a dramatic decrease in wildlife habitat. To my knowledge elephant can be legally hunted in RSA, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. There may be other places too, Angola has just opened up hunting but I’m not sure exactly what can be hunted there.
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