Looking for something a little bigger and something a little smaller

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hesher66

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Time to add to the gun cabinet and need some opinions. Have 4 rifles all in 30-06 and would like to get a calibre smaller (270 ?) and one bigger ( 300 weatherby ?). I have only shot 30-06's and would love some input and or debate. Keeping in mind I live in central BC. I truly appreciate your guy's help.
 
Since you mentioned .270, there is only 7/1000" difference between 7mm and .270 (.277) versus .284 (the 7mm).
The .30-06 family consist of .25-06, .270 Win., .280 Remington, and .35 Whelen.
Since you did not mention what rifles you have, maybe you want to convert one to a difference calibre by rebarrelling by a competent gunsmith. I have had a .30-06 since 1965 and this year had a rifle built around a Model 700 Action in .260 Remington. Then had the same gunsmith rebarrel my .30-06 with 24" barrel.
Since you have 4 .30-06's, when I duplicated calibres, I had a problem keeping one batch of reloads separated from the other which is a lesser problem if you are using factory loads. Signature attached so you see what a mish-mash might look like with no duplicates.
 
hesher66 said:
I have been told the 7mm does not make for a great hunting rifle. Don't know if there is any truth to that though.
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None whatsoever, do you think there's any difference between a bullet made with the exact same materials and technology that's .007" (seven thousandths of an inch) bigger than the .270's you're considering? :) They're identical in use, the .270 and the 7mm, the 7mm just has a lot more projectile options.

I'd look farther from your current range, as the cartridges you've mentioned really won't do anything your four .30-06's won't already. The mag may add a touch of reach, but 99% of hunters can't and don't use the range and buy it under curious pretences. A .30-06 can do 400 yards no problem for a good hunter, and who takes their game further than that, really?

Why not look at something more coyote to deer range, like a .257 Roberts, and something more moose, elk and up range, like a .375? Then you'd add capability to your cabinet, not just more choices to make with a blindfold on!

Good luck!
 
I'd agree with Ardent's idea to a certain extent. I'm not totally sold on the magnumitis though. So I'd say something like a 243,257 Roberts,25-06,6.5x55 on the smaller side. On the larger side,a 358,35 Whelen,or 9.3x62.
 
hesher66 said:
I have been told the 7mm does not make for a great hunting rifle. Don't know if there is any truth to that though.
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No, there is not even a grain of truth to that. I just bought a 7mm Rem Mag as my primary(and currently, only hunting rifle other than a .22 for grouse and rabbit). In fact I'd like to hear about an animal in B.C., or Canada, or anywhere for that matter that can be taken with a 30-06 that cannot be brought down by a 7mm RM.

As to your initial question, I agree with Ardent, you'd likely be better served by getting something smaller than a .270(which can also do almost anything a 30-06 can). Maybe a .243? On the larger side perhaps a .338?

In the end, get what appeals to you the most, as you are the one who will be shooting them. Enjoy shooting whatever it is that you decide to buy.
 
.375h&h

Ardent said:
None whatsoever, do you think there's any difference between a bullet made with the exact same materials and technology that's .007" (seven thousandths of an inch) bigger than the .270's you're considering? :) They're identical in use, the .270 and the 7mm, the 7mm just has a lot more projectile options.

I'd look farther from your current range, as the cartridges you've mentioned really won't do anything your four .30-06's won't already. The mag may add a touch of reach, but 99% of hunters can't and don't use the range and buy it under curious pretences. A .30-06 can do 400 yards no problem for a good hunter, and who takes their game further than that, really?

Why not look at something more coyote to deer range, like a .257 Roberts, and something more moose, elk and up range, like a .375? Then you'd add capability to your cabinet, not just more choices to make with a blindfold on!

Good luck!
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OK I'm convinced, but now what rifle ?!!!
 
hesher66 said:
OK I'm convinced, but now what rifle ?!!!
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While I'd like to recommend Ruger to be frank, there is no better value, perhaps better rifle, out there right now under $1,500 than the Winchester Model 70 .375 H&H (current one, controlled round feed). The CZ550 is a close competitor, and if you can find one as they're no longer in production, the Ruger RSM is king in my eyes, mine's been used to good effect. The BRNO 602 is also excellent for a used option. The Ruger African and Alaskan are good values if you're not choosy about whether your .375 is new or classic in chambering (they are chambered for .375 Ruger) but it pains me to admit the Winchester's likely a bit better. Speaking of the Ruger RSM, here's a sampling of what a good .375 can do, truly jack of all trades. Following is a picture string a few of us types that frequent these threads will be sick of seeing! These are only just over half its take, in the last two and a half years or so since I bought it. It's adding more this fall, likely 3 head or more worth of game planned this year. I don't even hunt with another rifle at present. I'm building a 7x57 for my cabinet, and all my hunting rifles will be represented by the .275 Rigby (7x57), .375 H&H, and a .475 Morrison. The .475 will likely be sold and I'll just use the two, the .275 and .375.


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hesher66 said:
Time to add to the gun cabinet and need some opinions. Have 4 rifles all in 30-06 and would like to get a calibre smaller (270 ?) and one bigger ( 300 weatherby ?). I have only shot 30-06's and would love some input and or debate. Keeping in mind I live in central BC. I truly appreciate your guy's help.
Click to expand...

With all that 30-06 experience, you are going to be disappointed with another hunting calibre!
I went through the same thing, years ago. Played around with a magnum or two; expensive brass, harder to reload, more recoil and when all was said and done in a real world situation, no better than the 30-06. Any good body hit and the moose falls over dead, same as it will with a magnum.
Satisfied my urge with a good 270. After a long search to find a very well hit bull elk, and even deer not collapsing the way they should, I found I had to use the best, most expensive bullet I could get, to make the 270 equal a 30-06, with virtually any bullet I fed the 30-06!
I went on to shoot moose, elk, caribou, a goat and a wolf with the 270, but eventually my first love, the 30-06 recaptured my heart.
I missed having a 243 around, after using three of them, for very pleasant to shoot, accurate play around rifles. So, I have just acquired a very good quality custom rifle in 243 and getting ready to try loads and so on with it.
A CGN on here, a good friend of mine, doesn't like my selection of a 243 calibre, so my project now is to convince him what a nice calibre it really is!
 
I would agree with Ardent in regards to calibre choice. As for rifle? I guess that would depend on what you are looking for and what you have now. I am a bolt and lever kind of guy and the bolts that Ardent suggests are definetly good. I would say go to a gun shop and shoulder everything in sight.
 
A bigger caliber, how about the 35 Whelen and smaller, the 25-06.
There you have it, a 25, 30 and 35 calibers all based on the parent 30-06.

I would also like to mention, as far as the smaller caliber in concerned might I suggest the,
257 Roberts
 
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