Hi John,
You're right about 30-06 and 308 in Europe (except here in France) but the reason is not only effectivness (i know them and use them), it's also an economic choice and politic too.
Cartridges and loadind are numerous and cheaper (US loading) than others, be them euro or magnum.
In Norway the 6,5 stand its ground in front of the american ones (my norvegian gun writer friend made a good study about that) and in target shooting competitions it's always a great contender. Most of 308 shooters there are military using their standard rifle.
Be sure also, that without the NATO existence, the 308 would'nt be so popular in Europe.
In Russia it's becoming a new trend, because it's easier to get flawless feeding in semi auto than their rimmed cartridges and power wise they are equal to 7,62x53/54R and all euro manufacturers chamber it in lots of rifle models.
About 7x57 except in central Europe (Romania, Czech and Slovakia, Hungary also) this cartridge is almost dead, just have look at european catalog. This will confirm my saying. The R version is used by old break open and more frequent.
The 270Winchester is very well known and appreciated here, in France and in Europe.
Hunters who are ballistic minded use it, without question or doubt of its abilityy, on the biggest game up and to mooses and very big turkish wild boars (no feral pigs!)some use it also on very expensive Marco Polo and Ibex hunt because they know it can do it.
They choose heavier tougher bullets (Oryx, Partition, Mega), US or French monometal copper alloy ones if their rifle shoot them well and go hunting. The younger or new hunters more apt to follow the trends and customs often go to magnum (7mm, 30, 338)just to find that it push harder and need a bit more practice to be used efficiently...
The 7x64 does exactly the same as the 270 with 130 to 150grs bullets, with 160 to 177grs it kill like the 30-06 with 165 to 180grs, no more no less. People who say differently never used it long enough to compare. Had real good reputation in Africa with H-mantel or Brenneke Tig (Aagaard Finn...)for antelope (including big ones) and leopards.
We don't use the 6,5x55 but we hunt with 6,5x57 (not too much hunters i must say). The guys who use it are generally experienced hunters, good shooters who knows about hunting (i know one camper wrote it's no science but i think he's wrong)with this small cartridge they kill their share of big red, wild boars or mountain game. Without bashing themselves and others with BC, velocity and energy.
About wildcatting, not being US of A and not being protected by the 2nd, it's always more difficult for us to play with ammo or rifles, but we do have wildcatters and we do have handloaders (some of them handload for very long time and more calibers than most campers use or know) but most of hunters prefer to use factory ammo. And believe me not the cheaper one. For 10 to 15 years even the driven hunt guys go to better quality product.
Again to clarify in France we do use 308, 30-06, 8x87, 5,56x45 or other "military calibers" for shooting and on licence. They are forbidden for hunting. Will change soon.
Sorry if i hijacked a bit the OP thread.
Dom
