Caliber advice

[Calvin45]

You're not missing anything. There are a multitude of capable cartridges. There likely is a sweet spot that has a smaller group of calibers in it but truthfully, that sweet spot is fluid. We have all sought the right gun and then found that it was overkill or didn't quite get it done as efficiently as is desirable. Thats why we have a safe or two full of other sweet-spots.
I suppose a good thread would be "If you could only keep 3 long guns, which would you pick?". Let me think about that...

12 gauge with 3.5 inch chamber. 22 long rifle. .30-06 or .300 win mag. Really not much lacking there

 

[KurtB]

I have a Kreiger 8 twist, 26". BC is more like .810 with that twist. Somewhere about 68.6gr of H1000 gets me to 2950fps, but 1/10th grain more leaves ejector marks so I backed off to the best node before that, in the 2840 fps neighborhood. So you're right, 3k is a bit over what I could achieve. The message isn't lost though. At distances most people shouldn't shoot, the 7mm Rem Mag with high BC, long, slippery bullets, is MORE than adequate to be humanely lethal on really big game.

These choices are almost always preference. Uncountable numbers of elk have met their end with various 24, 25, 26, 27,28 and 30 caliber bullets fired from handed down, shot out, retired military and borrowed guns. It's hard to imagine how many moose have been undone at the hands of a 6.5 Swede... We just like to do it better. Thats why we calculate, post, debate, tweek, practice and buy more gear than we can carry. I prefer it so. It is this that makes reading all of these posts and considering all of these opinions worthwhile. Those that aren't like us, just drag out grampa's old 270 or 30-06 come October and buy a box of whatever is on the shelf, content and none the wiser.

That sounds like a great load. I was getting great accuracy and velocity with the 180 eld and RL26. My elk country starts at 8500 and last two my son killed were over 12,000 feet elevation. In fairness he was using a 180 Scenar but point being, the 7mm is a long range hammer with various high bc bullets. I don't shoot to 1200 yards but they make the 500-700 yard stuff much easier.

 

[5.56×250]

My reasoning for the 300wsm is based on the max range shot on the max sized animal . To me, that is the logical place to go when a question is asked like the OPs. A smaller non magnum cartridge will work . Just not with any room for shooter error or less than ideal animal positioning. Is the 300wsm overkill on the other end of the OPs spectrum, I'd say so, for me anyway . A 200yd shot on a 175lbs deer surely doesnt take a magnum 30 cal . Better to give yourself some room for forgiveness in shot placement than to waste an animal because you wanted to prove you could kill a moose at 600yds with your whitetail special.

 

[Overkill338]

My reasoning for the 300wsm is based on the max range shot on the max sized animal . To me, that is the logical place to go when a question is asked like the OPs. A smaller non magnum cartridge will work . Just not with any room for shooter error or less than ideal animal positioning. Is the 300wsm overkill on the other end of the OPs spectrum, I'd say so, for me anyway . A 200yd shot on a 175lbs deer surely doesnt take a magnum 30 cal . Better to give yourself some room for forgiveness in shot placement than to waste an animal because you wanted to prove you could kill a moose at 600yds with your whitetail special.

Maybe we should neck the 6.5 PRC down to .243. I've always thought the .243 is the best way to balance varmint and deer with the same gun.

 

[yorke-1]

Maybe we should neck the 6.5 PRC down to .243. I've always thought the .243 is the best way to balance varmint and deer with the same gun.

It's been done by quite a few folks and I drew up a reamer for a guy a while back using the 115 DTAC. The problem is the OAL ends up closer to 2.900-2.950" with the DTAC loaded where most people want them, making it less than ideal in an AICS pattern mag. The 6 SS or 6 SST might be a better choice in a short action.

 

[Kimber7man]

That sounds like a great load. I was getting great accuracy and velocity with the 180 eld and RL26. My elk country starts at 8500 and last two my son killed were over 12,000 feet elevation. In fairness he was using a 180 Scenar but point being, the 7mm is a long range hammer with various high bc bullets. I don't shoot to 1200 yards but they make the 500-700 yard stuff much easier.

Kurt I'm gonna fling that 180 Scenar out of a 7 SAUM one of these days....

 

[KurtB]

It'd dig for sure. If I was building a 7 again, I'd throat it for the Scenar. Give up some BC to the ELD but seems like they hold up better on meat. These days its still the 140 6.5 vld and soon maybe the 147 eld plodding along out of short barreled 6.5x47s.

 

[Travis H]

I am looking for advice on caliber for a custom build.
Max range: 600yds
Game: Medium to large sized game
Rifle Specs.: Barrel length less than 26 inches (I want the rifle to be easy to maneuver and carry but hit like a hammer)

I was originally thinking 300 WM but with a barrel less than 26 in I don't think it would be a good choice. What about 300 WSM?

Not sure if its been said yet or not (not gunna read through 15 pages) but have you considered the new 300PRC? Im a big fan of my 7mm Rem Mag and like the great Jack O Conner said any big game in North America can be taken with the tried and true 270Win.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I am looking for advice on caliber for a custom build.
Max range: 600yds
Game: Medium to large sized game
Rifle Specs.: Barrel length less than 26 inches (I want the rifle to be easy to maneuver and carry but hit like a hammer)

I was originally thinking 300 WM but with a barrel less than 26 in I don't think it would be a good choice. What about 300 WSM?

7mm SS, with a 1:8 twist barrel, shooting Berger 195 Elite Hunters or 175 Elite Hunters.

 

[seattleman1969]

I know I am about to commit sacrilege for you magnum this .33 whiz bang tha guys but how about the venerable old 270 Win. Readily available ammo EVERYWHERE, excellent ballistics with modern powders and bullet construction = much better performance than Jack O'conner Would have ever imagined.

This load from Choice ammo down the road from me here in Montana gets near WSM velocities from the standard 270 with an accubond 140 gr.

https://choiceammunition.com/product/270-winchester-140-grain-nosler-accubond-100-hand-loaded/

 

[seattleman1969]

I have a Kreiger 8 twist, 26". BC is more like .810 with that twist. Somewhere about 68.6gr of H1000 gets me to 2950fps, but 1/10th grain more leaves ejector marks so I backed off to the best node before that, in the 2840 fps neighborhood. So you're right, 3k is a bit over what I could achieve. The message isn't lost though. At distances most people shouldn't shoot, the 7mm Rem Mag with high BC, long, slippery bullets, is MORE than adequate to be humanely lethal on really big game.

These choices are almost always preference. Uncountable numbers of elk have met their end with various 24, 25, 26, 27,28 and 30 caliber bullets fired from handed down, shot out, retired military and borrowed guns. It's hard to imagine how many moose have been undone at the hands of a 6.5 Swede... We just like to do it better. Thats why we calculate, post, debate, tweek, practice and buy more gear than we can carry. I prefer it so. It is this that makes reading all of these posts and considering all of these opinions worthwhile. Those that aren't like us, just drag out grampa's old 270 or 30-06 come October and buy a box of whatever is on the shelf, content and none the wiser.

Those none the wiser just assume the rifle works and is accurate. I would argue it's more about 100% confidence in our equipment, knowing it will work the way we expect every time but especially when we need it most.