Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Best bullet diameter

I always found that the best bullet diameter was the one that fit your bore.

I guess I should’ve known I would get a bunch of vague smart ass answers from some of you...lol. I guess, I wanted to hear from the die hard .270 Win fans, or the die hard 7mm crowd, or .30 caliber guys, 6.5mm etc.. and why their caliber of choice rains supreme on the game I had selected. With all things being equal, which caliber would be the best and why, no real answers from anyone. I’m well aware that shot placement is key and that all of the calibers I mentioned will get the job done, but for you which is best and why?

For example, Jimbo picks the 7mm bullet because it would have less recoil than its .30 caliber counterpart. The bullets can usually be driven the faster....(velocity kills). The bullets will have a higher bc than most other bullets and a higher sectional density. Jimbo has taken multiple heads of game with the 7mm and in his mind nothing kills better.

What say you?....

Buy the rifle you shoot the best with.

Understand your/it's limitations.

ChanceD

The answers you got tell you plainly and simply that there is no "best" caliber, and that looking for one is a waste of time, There are a whole lot of different aspects that make bigger difference than caliber.

At one phase of my life 30 caliber was about all I was concerned with in my hunting needs. But after being given a Mauser 98 in 8mm and getting into reloading; I eventually found my self reading the fantastic stories and legends of the mild mannered (read low recoil) but effective 7x57 Mauser. It has been taking big game on nearly every continent since 1892; and is still doing it's thing today. It has become my favorite round for any deer hunt, and the 7mm bullet in 175 grain bullet has a sectional density of .310 providing good penetration at velocities as low as 1800 fps. In more modern cartridges it is basically duplicated by the 7mm-08 (and exceeded by the 7mm Mag with the associated higher recoil). It therefore is my favorite round. Will I get rid of my 308 Win., 30-30, 35 Rem, or even the 8MM Mauser. Probably not; they each have a place and role in my hunting. I love the fast and easy handling 30-30 and 35 Rem lever guns for hunting thick cover for deer.

So I am sure that others have their favorite caliber (ie; bullet diameter) with equally biased reasoning to support them. That's why we have so many to choose from. Even Jack O'Conner and his nemesis Elmer Keith both accepted that reality. To each his own, to each his "best diameter bullet"! It is what you accomplish with it that counts. As many have said, "A good bullet can not make up for a bad shot."

Seems to me ROT is more important than 6.5 (.264 )
Thé 264 WM had everything EXCEPT the right twist.
No ?

Jerry

REDUX

3 Days now and no takers ? ?

Being how most of the Venison and Pork in North America is taken at 100 yards or less, any of the options will work just fine. But a bigger hole is well, a bigger hole.

In the spirit of the original post and to answer with respect to the original intent of the thread, .284 first, .264 second, .308 third and .277 fourth, That is with the constraints provided by the O.P. and disregarding "Other....".

Not sure of your question.

The discussion was bullet diameter and my .264Win Mag has an 8 twist.

Would ya rather be shot with a bb at 3000fps or a bowling ball at 3000 FPS? Ed k

Of those listed, it's the one that is ever so slightly larger than the bore diameter and very close to the groove diameter of the barrel it's being fired in.

I’d say it’s the one someone has the most confidence in! For me that’d be my 6.5x55, even though I have all the ones mentioned and then some!

Let me state it another way.

Why was the 6.5/264 an "also ran" OR not as successful BEFORE faster twists?
When did 264s first get 8 rot ?

OR to make a statement and not a ?

The faster twist is what brought the 6.5/264 to where it is today.....IMO


Jerry

Well it seems the Swedes had it right when the M96 Swedish Mauser came out but the US was hung on .30 caliber rifles. When the 6.5 made the scene US gun makers decided to go with 1-9” for whatever reason. I still remember as a kid seeing the ads for the 6.5 Rem magnum and all the hype. “Shoots like a laser”, but that was with a 120/125 grain bullet where the Swedes had it right on with 142 grain ammo, but long range shooting wasn’t at like it is today. It took awhile for US gunmakers to get it right.

THAT was my point.

Thnx

Jerry

Wasn't the ROT of the 1903 Manlicher a 1 in 7 3/8"- or am I mistaken? (Faulty memory banks, etc.)

Easy choice for me. The .30 caliber, with the right bullet, bigger is always better.

I can easily kill anything with a 222... However not sure I will FIND the animal afterwards though.