Aside from the 30 Cals, what's the most versatile caliber for hunting NA big game?

Buckmastr said:
Old or historic is fine but can it be safely loaded to compete? Depends on the gun I’d guess. Mid length cartridges have no advantage imo.
Click to expand...

Compete in what? Hunting? Certainly. Current shooting fads? Maybe. Depends on the rifle itself. Mid length cartridges work just fine, again, choose your action wisely. - dan
 
The 8mm's offer anything the 30's and 338's could do in performance. Availability is another story.

8x57, 8mm-06, 8x64, 325 wsm, 8x68s, 8mm Rem mag. Good range of weight 124-250gr.

A great time proven all around caliber just like 30 and 338 class.
 
dgradinaru said:
The 8mm's offer anything the 30's and 338's could do in performance. Availability is another story.

8x57, 8mm-06, 8x64, 325 wsm, 8x68s, 8mm Rem mag. Good range of weight 124-250gr.

A great time proven all around caliber just like 30 and 338 class.
Click to expand...

For some reason I glanced right over the 8mm class when I was thinking about this topic. I don't own a 8mm myself, might have to add one to the collection eventually.
 
MiG25 said:
Barness published a 170gr 8x57 load doing 2963, this beats every 170 and 175 grain factory 7mm Rem Mag load that I know of (by 150 fps so not just barely)and the claimed velocity of most 160 grain factory 7mm Rem loads. It's claimed the 8x57 can drive the 160 TTSX over 2900fps (though I haven't made it there), this beats the published specs of 160 grain 7mm RM from such Companies as Remington and Federal.

Heck, the 8x57 can even beat Nosler's Trophy Grade 300 Win Mag.

Back when I had a 7RM I never chrono's a 175gr 7RM factory load that went over 2820fps and 2800fps was average.
Click to expand...

You are comparing HOT loaded 8x57 to factory 7RM.
Factory 8x57 is SLOW as #### lol and the 7RM can be loaded safely to a few hundred FPS faster then most factory loads depending on bullet weight and powder used.
 
Hitzy said:
You are comparing HOT loaded 8x57 to factory 7RM.
Factory 8x57 is SLOW as #### lol and the 7RM can be loaded safely to a few hundred FPS faster then most factory loads depending on bullet weight and powder used.
Click to expand...

What's you're point? Versatility favours the Handloader.

Factory 7mm RM is slooowww.
 
Hitzy said:
162gr at over 3000fps isn't too bad for factory
https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/7mm-rem-mag-162-gr-sst-superformance#!/
Click to expand...

Check out bartel's factory ammo thread.

7mm Rem Mag, Hornady American WT 154gr Interlock ~ 3035 fps claimed
24.4" Tikka T3x ~ 2744 fps

7mm Rem Mag, Federal Premium 160gr Nosler Partition ~ 2950 fps claimed
24.4" Tikka T3x ~ 2800 fps

I never chrono'ed a factory 7mm 175 grainer that went over 2820fps.

154-175 grain bullet at 2800 fps, I'd say the 8x57 can duplicate the factory 7mm RM.
 
MiG25 said:
Check out bartel's factory ammo thread.

7mm Rem Mag, Hornady American WT 154gr Interlock ~ 3035 fps claimed
24.4" Tikka T3x ~ 2744 fps

7mm Rem Mag, Federal Premium 160gr Nosler Partition ~ 2950 fps claimed
24.4" Tikka T3x ~ 2800 fps

I never chrono'ed a factory 7mm 175 grainer that went over 2820fps.

154-175 grain bullet at 2800 fps, I'd say the 8x57 can duplicate the factory 7mm RM.
Click to expand...

You already said that lol, can duplicate when reloaded.
I run a 7rm target rig, with 26" barrel I've had 162's over 3150fps, accuracy node was 3000, that's what I run it at and no brass stress at all. Could probably get it to 3300fps without any issues with modern powders but brass life would get short.
 
Never looked at the numbers, don't own either one. But its surprising that even 8x57 comes so close to factory 7mm RM. To me at least.

Course so does 30-06 then so maybe shouldn't be that surprising.
 
I'm a fan of the .30-cals, and used a .30-06 for everything for a while. Also done that with a 7mm Rem Mag for many years. I remember reading a lot of stories about the .270 Win as well with 130's for deer and antelope and 150's for moose and elk. That was a do-all big game cartridge. All three of those old timers are better than ever with newest powders and projectiles extracting the maximum performance.

Over .30-cal there are lots of good options as well. I'm a fan of .338-06, .35 Whelen, and 9.3x62 - they might suffer a little on trajectory for a long poke on a pronghorn but chasing moose in thick cover they are hammers. Obviously you could step up to .338 Win Mag, .358 Norma (or STA - might be my favorite!), or 9.3x64 but those generally exceed my recoil tolerance for a box off the bench.

8mm isn't spoken about much but my uncle had an old Mauser that had been reamed out to 8mm-06 that seemed like it would be a hammer as well, he always had issues finding ammo so I handloaded it for him for a while. I think 170gr Speer bullets? I can't even remember anymore, but wouldn't mind seeing that old rifle again.
 
mikeyb said:
I'm a fan of the .30-cals, and used a .30-06 for everything for a while. Also done that with a 7mm Rem Mag for many years. I remember reading a lot of stories about the .270 Win as well with 130's for deer and antelope and 150's for moose and elk. That was a do-all big game cartridge. All three of those old timers are better than ever with newest powders and projectiles extracting the maximum performance.

Over .30-cal there are lots of good options as well. I'm a fan of .338-06, .35 Whelen, and 9.3x62 - they might suffer a little on trajectory for a long poke on a pronghorn but chasing moose in thick cover they are hammers. Obviously you could step up to .338 Win Mag, .358 Norma (or STA - might be my favorite!), or 9.3x64 but those generally exceed my recoil tolerance for a box off the bench.

8mm isn't spoken about much but my uncle had an old Mauser that had been reamed out to 8mm-06 that seemed like it would be a hammer as well, he always had issues finding ammo so I handloaded it for him for a while. I think 170gr Speer bullets? I can't even remember anymore, but wouldn't mind seeing that old rifle again.
Click to expand...

8mm-06 and its Ackley version are great hunting cartridges, the 8mm Gibbs as well. I usually reload mine with 185 gr bullets, as I have quite a few of them. - dan
 
dan belisle said:
8mm-06 and its Ackley version are great hunting cartridges, the 8mm Gibbs as well. I usually reload mine with 185 gr bullets, as I have quite a few of them. - dan
Click to expand...

Yup good old 06, I always consider it the base line between magnum and non magnum. And any caliber in 06 improved case seems to match most magnums velocitys and with less powder.
 
For cartridge, I would say 7mm rem mag, it’s so common and has been around for a long time, although I have only ever owned one rifle for it. I currently have a rifle in .280AI, and am kind of partial to that rig, outside of the 30 Cals.
 
Joel said:
Never looked at the numbers, don't own either one. But its surprising that even 8x57 comes so close to factory 7mm RM. To me at least.

Course so does 30-06 then so maybe shouldn't be that surprising.
Click to expand...

Joel, the majority of our arguments (discussions?) about these different cartridges are the gun nutz version of "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin". There are no real definitive answers, except in personal circumstances. - dan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom