jamross65
Well-Known Member
I said it on a previous thread and admitted that I am maybe just easily pleased, but if I was handed a 308, 7-08, 260, 6.5x55, 6.5x47 (in short actions) or a 270, 30-06, 25-06 (in long actions) and was told I could only use one of them for the rest of my life, in my choice of rifle I genuinely would not care. I have at some point owned and stalked with 5 of these mentioned plus some others including the 243. Just deviating ever so slightly from the theme, the point is with any cartridge from say 6.5 up to 30cal in popular stalking chamberings, I think the terminal effect on deer for stalking is way beyond what would be seen as a minimal performance, providing suitable bullets and weights are used. Realistically with common bullet weights none of these chamberings require any adjustment out to 200yds assuming between 1" and 2" hight at 100yds and even pushing it to 300 will all drop somewhere between say 7 and 12 inches. I don't have a table with me so happy to be corrected on those figures. The point being for stalking the argument is almost academic. On targets beyond normal stalking distances then There may be an advantage but that is something I know very little about. Since the use of sound moderators recoil is no longer an issue in lightweight rifles and even the once thought of as hard kicking calibres are now a joy to use.
That is why I said earlier that nowadays I may just plump for the 7-08 to try something different, but I have no argument beyond that as to why. I have been through the fastest, flatter, higher BC and so on phase in my life and now feel that it is almost irrelevent for stalking deer at stalking distances.
Above table is off the 6mmBR website and was compiled using a 168grn bullet. Gives an idea of the (small) benefit per inch of barrel length. Couldn't find one for the 7mm though. Between 20'' and 24'' which I would consider the 'norm' for a stalking rifle a grand total of 100FPS of a difference.
Just to clarify what I said about using any one of these chamberings. I would be happy providing it was built on a BAT or Stolle action...
That is why I said earlier that nowadays I may just plump for the 7-08 to try something different, but I have no argument beyond that as to why. I have been through the fastest, flatter, higher BC and so on phase in my life and now feel that it is almost irrelevent for stalking deer at stalking distances.
Powder | 20" | 21" | 22" | 23" | 24" | 25" | 26" | 27" | 28" | 29" | 30" | 31" | 32" |
44.5gr Varget (ADI 2208) | 2592 | 2620 | 2646 | 2671 | 2694 | 2716 | 2736 | 2756 | 2775 | 2792 | 2809 | 2825 | 2841 |
44.5gr IMR 4064 | 2628 | 2656 | 2681 | 2705 | 2728 | 2749 | 2770 | 2789 | 2807 | 2824 | 2841 | 2857 | 2872 |
Above table is off the 6mmBR website and was compiled using a 168grn bullet. Gives an idea of the (small) benefit per inch of barrel length. Couldn't find one for the 7mm though. Between 20'' and 24'' which I would consider the 'norm' for a stalking rifle a grand total of 100FPS of a difference.
Just to clarify what I said about using any one of these chamberings. I would be happy providing it was built on a BAT or Stolle action...
Last edited: