Among my little group of enthusiastic friends, there has been a long parade of different calibers and chamberings that have been experimented with over the years in an attempt to find the optimum round that brings the most advantages on live targets in the field.
Mostly all in custom rifles where issues of economy and practicality were not really considerations, and all of them were different, and they all worked well with good bullets.
Like I mentioned previously, I like the 300 WSM for a few reasons, but a 30-06 is similar when loaded to it's potential...and I do have a lot more of those around here..:) I admit to a bias toward 30 cal, but I don't think it's the best.
The 6.5 is a contender, and I think the 7 WSM is closest to being the most perfectly balanced in most respects, and would be my choice for the "optimum" chambering; but my buddies are real impressed with their 270 WSMs, even though it was first looked upon as about the last choice, and solely because of the performance advantage it gives at all ranges over the others!
It gives the most downrange performance they can get for the cost in recoil, and can be run comfortably without a brake in a lighter rifle, and they really like that. Even the slower twist barrels that are commonly available in that bore diameter haven't proven to be a handicap. There are less great bullet choices available, but those that are available are very good and you only need one!
Looking back a decade ago, anyone even suggesting that the 270WSM is where they would end up would have been laughed off the range and forced to buy beer.
This is the reason why there are such stern warnings on this forum not to shoot the donor!
I could make do with any of these rounds, and all will do stellar work if the same amount of intelligent consideration would be directed toward bullet choice as is given to the hole in the back end of the barrel we call a chamber!
