Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Can a person ruin a cartridge for you?

I got real tired of 270win vs 30-06 when I was a kid and avoided them until now. I'm sick of the 6.5 hype, got tired of Jack O'Conner stories but it's not a dig on the cartridges. Past few years I finally acquired a 270win and 30-06 because they offered economy and availability in ammo and components compared to other things I've used. For me my main tools are all about logistics logistics logistics. For thelat reason it's 5.56, 270win, 308win, and 30-06 as primary firearm tools. Yes a 6.5 Creedmoor could fit in there but I just don't have a need for it

I don't much care what other people say so the answer is "no."

Unless you shoot at ranges much over 400 yards, the CM holds no real world advantage over your .270.

I was never really put off from a cartridge because of what others said or did. Probably the closest I ever came was that, for years, I had no interest in getting a .308. I loaded .308's for my brother and a couple of friends, but it just seemed such a dull cartridge....

Then a guy called me one night. One of my sons had told him I might be interested in a No. 1B he had for sale. It had a 3.3-10 Nikon Monarch and SKB hard case, was in like new condition. The price was right too, he needed money fast. I knew the provenance of the gun was legit. The only problem was, it was a .308. Oh, what the hell, maybe I'll make a .30-06 out of it. I put a 1 1/2 - 5 Leupold on it and proceeded to start killing deer with it. It has become one of my favorites. Maybe I'm getting old, but it seems there's nothing wrong with dull cartridges at all anymore.

No. I wish I could afford a 106mm Recoiless Rifle. What’s not to love about it?

I just stick with cartridges that are popular, widely available, cheap and effective for my uses. In other words "practical". A term many loonies seem quite unfamiliar with. Don't give a damn what somebody else uses but think picking a cartridge because it's "cool", offbeat/different/obsolete or "has soul" is as fuucking retarded as not using one because somebody you don't like does.

I suppose not for me, but I am a bit prejudice towards the .25 auto just because.

No, because I’m not one that gets emotional about inanimate objects and still have my wits about me enough to make rational decisions.

Come to think of it, I’m kinda embarrassed about even responding to this touchy-feely thread…

Always some Debbie downer trying to be the buzz kill. Cartridges, brands, food, whatever. Probably a step or 2 lower, than pain in the ass spelling Nazi's. Just a waste of time.

Due to my background in more general journalism, once I starting to write more for "gun magazines" in the 1990s decided to try to be as objective as possible about various cartridges. This doesn't always work, because like most humans something else always introduces itself. But have tried to be objective--which includes actually shooting, handloading and hunting with various rounds.

One thing that resulted was that the longer I hunt and use more cartridges myself, or witness them in action in the hands of various hunting partners, is how little difference in performance there is between 'em--usually far less than many firmly believe.

Though one thing I did discover about myself is that often when more hunters/shooters badmouth a round, the more I want to try it...if I haven't already.

Wisdom right there

Yep. Cartridge is the '06, the person is my father.

Never heard “smaller was better”…

But guess that round has no haters. No derangement syndrome.

Safe choice.

DF

No.

Obnoxious Uncle's can ruin almost anything. But their influence is usually short lived.

:-)

Way underpowered, light bullets, low velocity, no stopping power at all. Go with the 32ACP. You'll thank me later.

i did on myself. years ago, i had the 243 Win (Remington m7 and m700 BDL) and i began to hate it. there was no problem accuracy-wise (except one). 100gr Hornady, Seirra and Speer (RN and SP) with IMR4831 would be under 1" at 100 yards (5 shots/bench). it did not matter what kind of bullet i used and it did not matter if the deer was shot on the shoulder or behind the shoulder, the deer would run after the shot. 50 - 125 yards later, the deer would die. (my shot would be 20 - 60ish yards) i was about to give up on the 243 when i heard about this Barnes X bullet. it was Barnes first mono bullet. so i ordered 85gr Barnes X bullets. i went thru many different powders, but i only found that i could shoot it 1 1/2 - 2" at 100 yards. the rest of the powder were 2" - i better throw that target away. i shot a doe at 25ish yards behind the shoulder and the doe runs. i wait about 15 - 20 minutes and i begin to track her. i find a drop of blood every 40 - 50 yards. oh, i was on my knees and hands tracking her thru the brush and mountain laurels. i was mad, to say the least. anyway, i found her dead about 225 - 250 yards away. when i done gutting her, i found that the X bullet wasn't what it was hype up to be. the wound track was like a pencil sized wound thru the lungs. basically, it was like shooting 22lr into a gas full self sealing tank. it was at that point, i'm done with the 243 and i haven't shot one since. my good friend kills deer with his Rem m788 in 243 and 100gr whatever is cheaper factory loads. he's been killing deer since he was 12yo.


when i first started hunting deer (swPA), it was either the Rem m760 pump '06 or the Win m94 30-30. there would be a bolt or two 270 Win or Marlin 336 in 35 Rem somewhere, but you would either have a pump or lever action rifle. it was around the early '90s when about everybody traded their pump/lever to a bolt and there was magnum in about 50% of them. i never got into magnums (except the 44 Rem mag) but i have shot them.

the '06/270 and the 260/6.5CM debate has been getting old. i own or have owned them except for the 260 Rem and on the 260/CM debate, i'll go with the old 6.5x55. my dad (RIP) had a Rem m760 in '06 for years and then he got a Rem m7 in 7-08. i've had '06s in Rem m700 A,B and CDL & mountain rifle, Savage m116 adjustable muzzle brake and m110. i can't complain about them, 125gr FNHP thru 220gr RN have killed a pile of deer. the Savage m110 and a Ruger #1 in 270 Win have killed a pile of deer too. i have a early sporterized Arisaka Type 99 in '06 and the Ruger #1 in 270. oh, i have my dad's m760 too.

For sometime the anti Leupold crowd made a job of the same thing in reverse....and the lemmings ran off the cliff...

This.

Jack O’Connor and the .270. I’ve owned a couple over the years but they never stayed around very long. I didn’t care for Jack and damned sure couldn’t stand the .270