Gee, more insights into bullet-diameter keep coming--even if they've been mentioned before in this thread. But that's understandable, because most haven't read the entire thing.
My experience on considerable big game, not only those I've taken but a few hundred taken by other hunters I've been sitting/standing next to, is that there's zero difference in "killing power'" or trajectory at "normal" hunting ranges (say out to 400+ yards) between the various "mild" 6.5mm rounds such as the 6.5x55, .260 Remington, 6.5 Man-Bun and the similar powder-capacity 7mm rounds such as the 7mm-08, 7x57, etc. That includes wind-drift IF a high-BC bullet is used--and they're available in all three calibers--as in 6.5, .270 and 7mm. I might even throw in the old, boring .308 Winchester.
But will still be checking in to hear about the vast difference in field performance of all those rounds....
Very true. At one time I had twelve Ruger M77 MKII stainless rifles in various calibers. Had to fill all the gaps and cover every base.
Not really, just liked developing loads and tinkering. 90% of the game animals I took were with the .260 Rem, .280 Rem, and .358 Norma.
I’m now down to just five of them. The three previously mentioned, a .25-06 Rem, and a .223 Rem.
Truth be told, if I got rid of two of the three rifles in the middle calibers, my ability to kill game animals would be no more limited.
