280AI or 30-06
- Thread starter Philip
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- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
When I'm tired of my '06 I'll be tired of shooting. When I'm bored with my '06, look out David Tubb. Does a .280 AI or a 7 mag shoot flatter than an '06? Probably, but if we're talking about normal hunting ranges, why does it matter? All of these cartridges can be zeroed for any range out to 500 yards, all of their bullets drop dramatically beyond their zero range, and their performance on game at that range will be very similar provided similar bullets are chosen. Despite being the darling of Warren Page and Rocky Chandler, the 7 mag is just another nice hunting cartridge, awash in a sea of nice hunting cartridges now eclipsed by the Ultramag 7 for those who worship speed and by the .338 Lapua for those who worship power.
The frequency that you use your rifle, and the prowess you demonstrate with it, trumps the cartridge its chambered for. These days when a hunter is likely to have a specific rifle for each game animal he might encounter, that level of competence that was once commonplace by a marksmen who regularly fired a single rifle for all occasions, has become uncommon. I've fallen into the same trap, owning rifles from .22 caliber up to .45, and I can only wish that one of them had become boring. But with my luck it would be the .22.
The frequency that you use your rifle, and the prowess you demonstrate with it, trumps the cartridge its chambered for. These days when a hunter is likely to have a specific rifle for each game animal he might encounter, that level of competence that was once commonplace by a marksmen who regularly fired a single rifle for all occasions, has become uncommon. I've fallen into the same trap, owning rifles from .22 caliber up to .45, and I can only wish that one of them had become boring. But with my luck it would be the .22.
257Roberts
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Peterborough ON
Have not been able to find 280AI at Canadian Tire or Wallmart yet so the 30-06 and 180gr will have to do.
Saying that I don't own an 06 (did once until I bought a 270) so the 270 or 308 would have to work. But I might have to take one more step closer to the animal being the fact that they are under powered and all compared to the 06... and a yard is a yard you know.
Saying that I don't own an 06 (did once until I bought a 270) so the 270 or 308 would have to work. But I might have to take one more step closer to the animal being the fact that they are under powered and all compared to the 06... and a yard is a yard you know.
Knowing how many are on CGN a quick calculation yields 1/2 a person, and I assume that must be you! There are people who practice besides you, and there are "real" hunters who like something different.
280 AI or 30-06? Pretty much a coin toss, as each has its merits.
Well if your goofy enough to forget your ammo, you do realize of course, you could go to a local store & buy some standard 280s to continue your hunt.
Would you forget your rifle as well
It all depends what you call practice shooting. Shooting from a bench where the rifle sits on shooting bags is not my idea of practicing shooting skills.........it's for the purpose to zero the point of impact. Kneeling, sitting, prone, and leaning up on a post or tree and shooting at various distances is my idea of practicing shooting skills. I guess that I'm the exception and not the rule because I never witnessed anyone at the range doing so, except the guys who have black guns or handguns.
Definitley not a coin toss between the 280 AI and the good ole 30-06 in the eyes of a rifleman or reloader. In todays world of hunters the 30-06 has become mundane along with other cartridges, except for the ones who utilize the poor excuse that you can find 30-06 cartridges at the mom and pops corner store.
Good grief. I have hunted plenty with both and would gladly hunt with either again. And I might just shoot a little as well.
As a fairly new hunter, I thought the availability of .30-06 was a pretty solid reason to go with it...
Not having to worry about whether I'll be able to find it in ten years is a nice thing.
Where is the passion/knowledge in knowing a firearm chambered for a particular cartridge, instead of purchasing a catch-all for the convenience or inconvenience of ammunition. I guess that some people get into the game and others are just spectators. I'm not be-littleing the 30-06, it's a grand old cartridge, it's the lame excuses why they are purchased.
That's very unfair..... not everyone wants or has the money for a specific rifle tailored to every species they want to hunt..... a .30-06 is a great choice based on availability of ammo and different over the counter loads.....
I guess some people are hunters and some people are shooters.... there is a lot more to hunting than just "Knowing a firearm"
That is absolutely ridiculous and if anything shows a complete lack of experience and/or common sense.
Knowing your firearm and cartridge is the first and foremost important tool to know prior to going hunting. Safe handling, shooting and knowing a firearm comes first, then you go hunting. (horse before the cart) My original point was that "it is a poor excuse to purchase a 30-06 for the convienence of ammunition".
While I agree that knowing your firearm and cartridge is step 1 I disagree regarding convenience of ammunition.... the person you responded to up there is a a self admitted new hunter... he may or may not have the finances to purchase several firearms.... he made a decision to buy a .30-06 based on the fact that he knew that ten years from now they will still be available over the counter.... He likely doesn't reload....
Based on cost and availability (convenience) of said cartridge he now has a firearm he can afford to practice with... which is the only true way to "Know your firearm".... seems like he made a pretty good choice to me...
No matter what someone else's reason is to choose a firearm as long as they are willing to play within that firearm's limit then who are we to decide what is a "poor excuse".....
Give me a break. The most 'into it' hunters, that I know and hunt with, shoot 270Win, 338WM, and 30-06Sprgfld. Pretty boring chamberings by your definition. They shoot a bunch too, almost every day for one of them. Sure wouldn't call them spectators cause they don't care to shoot a 280AI...
I don't base my comments on "assuming why any person purchased the 30-06", my comments were made on "fact" from which a decision was made.........convenience of ammo. Many people purchased the 30-06 for this "reason alone" and no other reason was used.............very poor excuse.
Again... I can only see your reasoning being valid if the choice of convenience caused the purchaser to buy an inadequate cartridge.... which it did not....
What I am trying to get across here is that not everyone is interested in an uncommon cartridge... in fact most aren't.... just because people do not have a "passion" for load development and cartridge choice doesn't mean they are not good hunters or as you said "lack common sense"....
I think someone who can only afford one big game rifle buying a .30-06 because of the convenience of ammunition (readily available, will be around for years etc) shows good common sense....
In fact, I will go you one further and say that someone buying an oddball cartridge he can't afford to shoot and has to special order because he doesn't reload would show a "lack of common sense".... should we belittle everyone for buying such a "boring" rifle?.....
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
The 30-06 hasn't kept it's popularity due to ammo availability, that's an absurd statement.
It's a well balanced caliber which is a jack of all trades, master of none, and due to this reason very common. This latter reason is also why it's considered "boring".
I own a 280 AI and a few 30-06's. Both are great calibers.
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