Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Looking for something with a little more horsepower.

I agree that the .280, 7RM, 300WSM, .30-06, etc, are all too close for you to ever really notice a difference on game or at the bench. Seems to me like the bigger hole is between the 6mm and the .280, to which I would say that the .25-06 would fit the bill perfectly, especially if it's just for deer and smaller- even though I carried mine for elk this year...

If you have a '06, none of the choices you outlined are gonna give you any significant added punch. Except possibly extended range with the big 7. Sorry to say, but if you're deer hunting, the .280 and the '06 have got you covered.
If you were to get a .338, it ain't gonna kill the deer any deader than you're killing them now. It'll beat you up more but that's for you to decide. If you reload and water it down to the level of what you've already got, what's the point of having it?
If anything, go the other way and get you a 7-08 or .260. They're both excellent deer cartridges that really come into their own with hand loading.

Rin,
Dadburn your hide. Here you are talking experience and common sense. As are quite a few of you.

When I mentioned horsepower, I guess I should have clarified. What I am looking for specifically is added range. (percieved though it may be.)

Hey Rin,
I had to go back and read your post about turning 60. You mentioned having a pair of .270's and a 7mm mag. (I assume Remington.) I read where you said the 270 and the 280 were virtually two peas in a pod. Then a couple of lines down you mention that the 7 mag is more gun than a .270.

It would seem that you found a use for a 7mm mag in an area beyond the .270/.280?

Heresy!!!

HeeHee!

CrimsonTide, the only thing I haven't seen here is what game you intend to use this rifle on, and in what conditions (though I gather it's open country). Power and flatness of trajectory are two different things.

If elk's on the agenda, I'd consider the .300 Weatherby. Best of the .300s, IMO, significantly more power than any of the 7s, flatter than nearly all. A cartridge I have a deep affinity for is the .338 Win Mag - powerful, accurate, relatively flat shooting - great elk cartridge.

On the other end, if elk isn't on your list and flat shooting is for deer and antelope sized game, I'd take a hard look at the .257 or .270 Weatherby Magnums. The 25-06 is likewise outstanding.

All this said, with your 30-06 gone, I'd get another. If there's a more versatile cartridge on earth, I haven't seen it.

I suggest the 7mm RM for you. It is more powerful than what you have and will reach as far as common sense says to shoot. In fact its that perception that you mention and the not so bad recoil that made the 7mm RM so popular.

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I was going to leave my suggestion above alone however just as Brad selected a Kimber in 300 WSM I like certain rifles more than certain cartridges. Thus I would be tempted to look close at the design of the Kimbers, M70's etc. The features that the Kimbers come with such as an easy to use M70 type safety, CRF, etc. appeal more than any particular round.

But, heck, this is the fun of guns. Get what you want today and be happy today. They are easy to trade later.

7RM is a fantastic use of the belted hull. Use an action with plenty of room, a barrel of a goodly length/twist, and throw the lawn darts.....

If you have an itch that needs scratched forget the baby steps and move up to a .338 of some sort.....how about a .338 RUM?? That'll move you up the horsepower scale.

Given what you already have and I wanted a step up in power for deer, I would go to something like the .35 Whelen. Of the ones you list I would choose the .270 WSM. I don't know if you can call it a step in horsepower from the .280/06 (I wouldn't really call the others that much either), but it will shoot the flattest of the bunch which is a bit different than what you have.

Lou

Aha! Now we get to the rub of it. What you really need is a .257 Roy. That is the first case we have talked about that has a performance envelope that has any significant difference from the .280/30-06, and also avoids a whole bunch of recoil that you don't need.

I have spent money on arms like a middle east dictator and have learned that if you want an obvious increase in terminal effect over a 270/280/7RM then go to 9.3 or 375. There may be a "picket fence" in the lineup of cartridges but there is not such in actual effect on big game animals. Listen to BobinNH's advice.

Yep. When I read "horsepower" I went bigger. If this is the criteria then I'd look really hard at the .257 Wby.

One day I'm gonna go crazy, find a .257 I really like and hunt everythng with either it or my .340. (Well, other than my 30-30, but that's for sentimental reasons)

Oh Man!
the .257 Roy does make a bunch of sense for what I want. I will have to go gunbrokering. My sincere thanks for all the replies.

If it's more horsepower your looking for the 338 win mag is hard to beat. It is the "go to" gun for many people around my area for elk. You already have an excellent deer and thin skinned game getter (the old faithfull '06):I think everyone should have an 06 or two laying around.I've heard the 7mm rem mag refferred to as the ballistic twin to the 30-06 (not that I believe that because it is flatter shooting and it retains more energy with similar weight bullets). As for the 300 wsm and 300 win mag, they have their downfalls (trust me, I don't want to go into specifics):Besides that, the 30-06 can almost duplicate the 300 mags when you shoot the federal high energy and hornady light magnum loads.

I'm sorry, I didn't see your side note for more range not necessarily "more horsepower". If that is what you are looking for, I'd go with one of the fast 7's. They have a very high ballistic coefficient, so the retained energy is greater and the trajectory is flatter. That was easy now that we are clear about what you want.

None of the ones you listed are substantially more than the 30-06 you've already got. If you really want more the 338 WM is the way to go. If you just want another rifle, been lots of good suggestions. The 338 is the one I carry more than any other.

I think if you load your own ammo you can handload the 06' or 7mag to do anything a 300 can do in the best factory loads. I would also agree that a 375 would cover what is left over by downloading it. But if your hell bent on a 300 mag the original win mag is time tested and available everywhere.

Get a 416. weatherby or 50. bmg