Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting The best non-magnum long range deer round?

At risk of starting another flame thread, perhaps the observation should be made that USMC Scout/Snipers routinely live up to the credo of "one shot-one kill" with the 7.62x51 (308Win) at ranges of 1000 yds and beyond. (& yes, for those that think that target shooting can't relate to hunting, these "targets" shoot back). For the metric crowd, the old 7x57 & 8x57 when loaded to their potential are not exactly anemic.
Strangely enough I haven't seen too much support for the old 45 and 50 caliber Sharps cartridges for long range hunting. Maybe Billy Dixon's computer is broken. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Well Charlie, I think there is a whole lot more involved in shooting the BPCR rifles at long range than a lot of people realize, that is untill they try it

The stuff is there for sure as far as the energy goes, but man,
the trajecctory is "to the moon!" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

I have four of them and have shot them all out to 1K, and although it is a whole bunch of "YAHOO!", I don't think I would want to try a long rnage shot on a critter with them.

But we'll see.....! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Cat

What exactly is that "ammo everywhere" part to mean, blasphemer.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Anytime someone asks me if the 270 is better than the 25-06, I am forced to answer that I don't actually know, 'cuz I ain't never owned a 270.

But I'm always happy to babble about the 25-06s that have graced my fumbly paws. Of course if I'd started out on 270s instead of the other, might sing a different tune. Both are perfectly fine cartridges, near's I can tell.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I think considering the 6.5-284 as one of the best rounds sounds interesting considering it's offered commercially and because of its success in the 1000yd bench matches. It seems that after considering ballistics with rounds like 25-06 and 270 Win, that brass stretching becomes a factor...at least for the hand loaders. Not sure if the brass stretching or considering ammo supply should be factors in choosing the caliber as "best non-magnum round", but it certainly creates a conundrum when making a choice of which to go with. Do these threads ever produce definite answers? Ha! Nah, but it's fun.

6.5whitetail,

What is your load recipie for those velocities in your standard .280? Im getting 3150fps with 139s as well.

If you are going to be shooting factory loads there's no practical difference between any of the 06 cassed rounds.

IMO the differences show up if you handload and make use of the lighter bullets for each cartridge. IE: I see no difference between a 25-06 and factory 120 grain bullets and a 270 with 130 grain factory loads. BUT load the 25-06 with bullets of 100 grains and lighter and compaire THAT to the 130 grain 270. You will see a difference there.

Same - same for the 150 grain load in the 270 compared to the same bullet weight in the 280 or the 30-06. Not much difference there. If you load 120 grain bullets in your 25-06 you just castrated the cartridge. You may as well be shooting a 270.

If a guy is going to have only one rifle (gasp) any of the 06 bassed cartridges will do fine. Just decide how heavy a bullet you are going to need for the largest game you are going to shoot and go with the cartridge that will launch a bullet that size. It's a "can't go wrong" deal.

Hey! This must be why I've always preferred 100gr bullets for deer in my 25-06s, in particular the 100gr Btip.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Also loaded some 117gr Sierras for deer many years ago and was forced to load 120gr Sierras for the ol' girl's Ruger, but she couldn't be talked out of it, (grumble, moan, $#%&).

100gr Btips kill deer so well in the 25-06, could never see the point in anything heavier. They also do a spiffy job of lifting woodchucks up outta the hay stubble in the summertime and whirling what's left of them through the ether.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

One load, no extra fussing from one season to another. The shooting from the bipod practice comes in handy when deer season rolls around again, should the opportunity for a long poke present itself.

The only factory 25-06 loads I've ever fired, were a mess of Rem. 87gr HP loads I bought cheap many years ago, just for the brass. A local shop had about a half-pickup load of ammo stacked on the floor against one wall, from another shop's going-out-of-bidness auction, (dealers only). My local guy had successfully bid on one entire lot of factory ammo.

Spent about a half hour rootin' through all that stuff, picking out all the boxes of the 87gr Rem. ammo that I could find. IIRC now, it cost me $5 per box back then. Those 87gr HPs shot almost as well as my 87gr Sierra varmint load of the day. Ain't fired a 25-06 factory load since.

I bought a 25-06,and one can make stats say anything.I suppose the 7mm-08 is better than the 280 and 7mm-mag.Usually less powder=less velocity=less kick and less energy.The longest shots at game have been successfully taken with a 30-06 for myself.But my last two deer have been taken with a shotgun..

I think it is the 280. Why? Because I own one and I like it. Pretty much like most of the other choices I have seen on this post.

Long

PD Shooter posted it best. Thread completed!

MtnHtr

I haven't found anything thaat works any better than a 6.5-284 put together by a benchrest gunsmith, using all the tricks that the 1000 yard shooters have learned. I have used 25-06, 270, and various 7mm cartridges for antelope, but I really like the half-minute performance I am getting from this gun.

I'd pick the .270 Winchester.

I agree with one of the earlier posters - the gunwriter who wrote those quotes on the 7mm/08 doesn't know what he's talking about. It's easy to cherry pick data to make it show what you want.

For deer: 270 Win. You don't need a Howitzer magnum to kill a deer.



2Seventy

the ballsitics from remington and federal show it,its in plan english,go look at em,and compare the 140 grain with both calibers,and you will see.i dont see any cherry picking on them sites anywere.

It's because the data is comparing a plastic-tipped boattail high BC bullet for the 7-08 to semi-spitzers in the others. That makes the downrange numbers look better for it--with high BC bullets loaded in the others it would be a more fair comparison and the numbers would be different.

I just took exception to the term "Ballistic Twin" being used rather loosely. Just because a 7-08 can launch a 140 as fast as a 6.5-284 does not make them ballistic twins--ask any 1000 yd competetor which he'd choose....

ok..i give up...the hornady light mags in the 139 sst are no slouch...im just a deer hunter..

P270A1
210
270 Win.
140 / 9.07
Nosler AccuBond
2
24


P708A2
210
7mm-08 Rem.
140 / 9.07
Nosler AccuBond
2
24


Velocity in Feet Per Second


Muzzle
100
200
300
400
500

P270A1
2950
2760
2579
2404
2236
2075

P708A2
2800
2613
2433
2260
2094
1935

Energy in Foot Pounds


Muzzle
100
200
300
400
500

P270A1
2705
2368
2067
1796
1554
1338

P708A2
2437
2122
1839
1587
1363
1164

Wind Drift in Inches 10 MPH Crosswind


100
200
300
400
500

P270A1
0.6
2.5
5.8
10.7
17.4

P708A2
0.7
2.7
6.4
11.9
19.1

Average Range


50
100
200
300

P270A1
-0.2

-3.1
-11.3

P708A2
-0.2

-3.6
-13.1

Long Range


50
100
200
300
400
500

P270A1
0.6
1.5

-6.7
-19.5
-39.3

P708A2
0.7
1.8

-7.7
-22.3
-44.5

theres the same 2,with 140 each and the accue bond.

I've been reloading for over 20 years and fired many a round downrange from both. I know what they are both capable of. I know a little about external ballistics and I've written many ballistics programs for small arms projectiles. Both are very good rounds but the 7mm/08 is no .270 Winchester. That's not a bad thing or a slight on the 7mm/08 - it just is what it is.

Firing a 130g Barnes TSX out of a .270 Winchester at about 3170 fps will give the .270 Winchester ballistics the 7mm/08 just can't match. Moving down to the 140g TSX at 3050 fps will also put it out of the reach of the 7mm/08 as well. Mind you neither one is going to compete at 600 or 1000 yards against something like a 6.5x284.

If you base your argument off published ballistic tables, it's a losing battle. Factory ballistics are usually somewhere between slightly and significantly off.

I'll take my -06 any day of the week. Right now I have a handful of hunting buddies That shoot .270-7mm mag,.300,.300 why. And one shoots a .243. Now I know that the orignal post was for non- mags but this is just from my limited expeirence with these 5 guys. IMPO, I think my 180gr -06 bullets hit the gong more at ranges between 500-1000 yds because they out weigh the .270,7mm, and .243 rds. And my buddies with the magnums, well 9 out of 10 times I'll put them to shame and I;m pretty sure that's a recoil problem they have. We shoot at these ranges off of our hunting packs. JUST FOR FUN. I've only shoot at big game twice at over 300 yds. and did the job both times. Now I've never shot a 7x57 or .280 with 175gr pills. Nor have I used a .308. But my -06 has proved it's longrange ability to these other caliber's mentioned above. Just my 2 cents. It could be that I'm just that good or they are just that bad. But I'll take a heavier bullet and manageable recoil anytime!! CD

i know the 270. is flatter,just going on the ballistic charts,and i know the 270 will really reach out there farther when handloading.