.25-06 Rem is very underrated and factory ammo is plentiful and reasonably priced. .257 Weatherby can cost $5-$6 a shot. I have dropped very large moose with mine. Plus wolf, black bear and caribou. 75gr to 120gr bullets.
Do all hunting caliber under .275
- Thread starter Onagoth
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BTW...not terribly relevant but I know the army is looking into 6.5 as a standard intermediated cartridge for deployed troops
If that goes ahead, would it be 6.5CM or some other variant. I’m not too familiar with the testing that they’re doing
If it’s 6.5CM....there could be tons of ammo in the future (eventually)
If that goes ahead, would it be 6.5CM or some other variant. I’m not too familiar with the testing that they’re doing
If it’s 6.5CM....there could be tons of ammo in the future (eventually)
Well, you're not alone in that situation.
Most people are using two guns, like a 22-250 and something else for big game.
Most of the one-gun folks are using 270's and 243's.
If travelling around going after bigger animals is in the cards, stick to the 270 and use good bullets for that. Think 150 Partition.
Also consider that the 270 won't be pelt-friendly if that is a concern.
There are other fairly common calibers like 25-06 that can serve you well.
If you are willing to stock up or you reload, you have plenty of options. People seem to have a knack for inventing new cartridges, so you have your 243, 6mm rem, 6xc, 6mm creedmoor, 240 weatherby, 25-06, 257 roberts, 257 weatherby, 6.5mm creedmoor, 6.5x47, 6.5x55, 260 rem, 6.5x284, 6.5-06, 264 win mag, 26 nosler, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 mannlicher-schoenauer, 6.5 carcano, with all dimensions under .275.
Since cartridge name seems a somewhat universally accepted interpretation of "under 275", you have 270 win, 270 WSM, 270 weatherby.
Under the same criteria, you might not have issues with a rifle stamped ".275 Rigby" which just is another name for the 7x57.
Now since it's not a well-written law and I don't know the case law here, perhaps one could argue that the 7mm's are included? Of course, you don't want to be a pioneer and have this as your hill to die on when you meet a sufficiently zealous CO. But for academic reasons we could argue, citing many gunsmithing texts, that the "bore" is the diameter of the hole that the gundrill put in the barrel, using the machining operation known as "boring", and that bullet diameter and groove diameter that the rifling cutter left are therefore not the "bore". Are "bore" and "caliber" synonymous? Well, if that held weight, then you have your 7-30 waters, 7x57, 7mm-08, 280 rem, 7x64, 284 win, 280 AI, 7mm WSM, 7mm rem mag, 7mm STW, 7mm Practical, 28 Nosler, 7mm Dakota, and 7mm RUM, if not others.
Now note that the rule was apparently set to prevent hunters from shooting up the countryside with surplus rifles post WW1. Then note that since then, hunters have been safely using small-bore rifles with greater range for a long time without any issues. Many of the small cartridges listed can send a bullet into the next county. Many of the larger ones won't. And it has never been an issue anyway. So my point is clear that if it's not merely an obsolescent law, it's certainly a silly one.
Most people are using two guns, like a 22-250 and something else for big game.
Most of the one-gun folks are using 270's and 243's.
If travelling around going after bigger animals is in the cards, stick to the 270 and use good bullets for that. Think 150 Partition.
Also consider that the 270 won't be pelt-friendly if that is a concern.
There are other fairly common calibers like 25-06 that can serve you well.
If you are willing to stock up or you reload, you have plenty of options. People seem to have a knack for inventing new cartridges, so you have your 243, 6mm rem, 6xc, 6mm creedmoor, 240 weatherby, 25-06, 257 roberts, 257 weatherby, 6.5mm creedmoor, 6.5x47, 6.5x55, 260 rem, 6.5x284, 6.5-06, 264 win mag, 26 nosler, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 mannlicher-schoenauer, 6.5 carcano, with all dimensions under .275.
Since cartridge name seems a somewhat universally accepted interpretation of "under 275", you have 270 win, 270 WSM, 270 weatherby.
Under the same criteria, you might not have issues with a rifle stamped ".275 Rigby" which just is another name for the 7x57.
Now since it's not a well-written law and I don't know the case law here, perhaps one could argue that the 7mm's are included? Of course, you don't want to be a pioneer and have this as your hill to die on when you meet a sufficiently zealous CO. But for academic reasons we could argue, citing many gunsmithing texts, that the "bore" is the diameter of the hole that the gundrill put in the barrel, using the machining operation known as "boring", and that bullet diameter and groove diameter that the rifling cutter left are therefore not the "bore". Are "bore" and "caliber" synonymous? Well, if that held weight, then you have your 7-30 waters, 7x57, 7mm-08, 280 rem, 7x64, 284 win, 280 AI, 7mm WSM, 7mm rem mag, 7mm STW, 7mm Practical, 28 Nosler, 7mm Dakota, and 7mm RUM, if not others.
Now note that the rule was apparently set to prevent hunters from shooting up the countryside with surplus rifles post WW1. Then note that since then, hunters have been safely using small-bore rifles with greater range for a long time without any issues. Many of the small cartridges listed can send a bullet into the next county. Many of the larger ones won't. And it has never been an issue anyway. So my point is clear that if it's not merely an obsolescent law, it's certainly a silly one.
hey im guna say .243 for factory ammo variety and plenty of wallop for Deer, if larger than deer is desired then go up to that 270 win option..
sounds perfect for a .257 Roberts , but its strictly reloading.... So the 25-06 pending on factory ammo prices would be handy for sure... mostly flat and fast.
sounds perfect for a .257 Roberts , but its strictly reloading.... So the 25-06 pending on factory ammo prices would be handy for sure... mostly flat and fast.
My vote is tbe 2506. Its the best dual purpose round for deer and varmints. Winchester grey box 90gr positive expansion are absolutely amazing on varmints and coyotes while plenty of offerings are real deer bullets between 100 and 120grs. Mild recoil. Fast flat accurate.
Southern ontario regs go by what is stamped on the barrel. A 275 ribgy is legal. A 7x57 is not. A 2506 will kill anything a 270 would with equal bullet placement and construction and it offers loads for both big game and varmints.
Its chambered in entry level class rifles and up depending on your budget. Weatherby and kimber offer the 2506 as does cooper
One may argue the 270 throws a heavier bullet for moose and id agree but ive seen the 2506 in action against big bodied white tails and 300lb class bears. A moose shot in the heart and lungs with 120gr .257 bullet will not go far
Southern ontario regs go by what is stamped on the barrel. A 275 ribgy is legal. A 7x57 is not. A 2506 will kill anything a 270 would with equal bullet placement and construction and it offers loads for both big game and varmints.
Its chambered in entry level class rifles and up depending on your budget. Weatherby and kimber offer the 2506 as does cooper
One may argue the 270 throws a heavier bullet for moose and id agree but ive seen the 2506 in action against big bodied white tails and 300lb class bears. A moose shot in the heart and lungs with 120gr .257 bullet will not go far
Militaries have been looking for a replacement for the 556 for decades. At the end of the day, nothing offers enough of an advantage though - you might get better ballistics but you lose on weight and bulk... And when you've already got the guns, the gear, the supply lines, etc, the new ammo will have to be pretty freaking awesome to spend the money to change calibers.
Thus, they might adopt a 6.5 for limited special purpose use but the 556 is going to continue as the primary infantry round until something truly new comes out that can make a real difference - caseless ammo or something, a novel design/technology, not just a new cartridge using the same old technology they've been using for over a century.
Long story short, don't expect to see surplus 6.5 anytime soon.
BigUglyMan
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6.5 Swede immediately came to mind.
Deer and varmints only as a non reloader -.243
6.5 CM will be better if you add larger bodied game. Traditionalists Pooh Pooh the Creedmoor but the fact is that it’s a great cartridge, tons of factory ammo and rifle options. The .260 Rem and 6.5x55 (my choice) are great but if you don’t reload the CM is a much more practical choice.
If I was you it would be a clear 6.5CM choice.
.270 Win would be my other option.
These threads are always entertaining - guy wants a versatile chambering under 7mm and explicitly says he doesn't reload and then gets recommendations for chamberings that are really expensive, or barely commercially available chamberings. Get a Hoenig rotary action in 6.5x65R!
6.5 CM will be better if you add larger bodied game. Traditionalists Pooh Pooh the Creedmoor but the fact is that it’s a great cartridge, tons of factory ammo and rifle options. The .260 Rem and 6.5x55 (my choice) are great but if you don’t reload the CM is a much more practical choice.
If I was you it would be a clear 6.5CM choice.
.270 Win would be my other option.
These threads are always entertaining - guy wants a versatile chambering under 7mm and explicitly says he doesn't reload and then gets recommendations for chamberings that are really expensive, or barely commercially available chamberings. Get a Hoenig rotary action in 6.5x65R!
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I think 270 win is your best choice of all of them, based on cost and performance, with the others mentioned being not far behind.
Keep in mind the 25-06 should have at least a24" barrel to get the great velocities vs excessive middle blast i got in my 22 inch bbr.
Keep in mind the 25-06 should have at least a24" barrel to get the great velocities vs excessive middle blast i got in my 22 inch bbr.
Yeah, as I said, they might adopt a 6.5 for limited special purpose use, but it won't be outright replacing anything. Even the 308 wont be replaced by a 6.5 for many of the same reasons - the benefits just don't outweigh the costs. The point is, buying a 6.5 with the hope of getting cheap surplus/bulk ammo down the road is unlikely regardless of whether a 6.5 gets adopted in limited numbers or not.
Even from the commercial end of things, the 6.5 is popular in low volume, high accuracy activities where high quality ammo is required. In that sort of environment cheap bulk stuff has little purpose. The guys shooting 6.5s are by and large not shooting the volume of fire that the guys who buy crates of 556 and 9mm do (at least, not with their 6.5s, I'm sure lots of them have 556 rifles for high volume plinking/practice/3gun/whatever.)
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The US is already incorporating the 65 Creed. It will eventually replace the 7.62x51 aka .308 for snipers
Hunters in the Scandinavian country's have been proving it for many years .
