Calvin45
Well-Known Member
.30 is my favourite caliber. I think it's the most versatile. 7mm, 30, and 338 are the main 3 do it all diameters in my opinion. The 7mms can shoot flatter and stay supersonic longer than the 30s with less recoil but for big game at distance I feel that 200+ grain 30 bullets offer a level of killing power that the 7mms can't match (acknowledging that many many folks have great success with the 7s, just my opinion). There was a time when the 338s dominated the 30s for long range external ballistics but not anymore. Terminal ballistics yes they're much bigger but as far as drop and drift and downrange stability the big 30s really don't surrender anything anymore. For me, the 30s are the upper limit for blast and recoil tolerance in rifles of reasonable weight and portability for hunting. (meaning the capacity to shoot accurately - many people talk about how they can take recoil like a boss and it doesn't affect them, but the groups tell another story).
I'm not good enough a shooter or loader to justify getting a custom build done, even if I had the means, but one intriguing factory option to put the 30s firmly near the top of the heap is the browning x bolt long range, because it is available in 300 rum with a 1:8 twist. This will stabilize the new 250 grain a-tip from hornady. .87 g1 bc moving at 2800-2900 fps doesn't really need to concede anything to the 7s or the 338s in my book.
I'm not good enough a shooter or loader to justify getting a custom build done, even if I had the means, but one intriguing factory option to put the 30s firmly near the top of the heap is the browning x bolt long range, because it is available in 300 rum with a 1:8 twist. This will stabilize the new 250 grain a-tip from hornady. .87 g1 bc moving at 2800-2900 fps doesn't really need to concede anything to the 7s or the 338s in my book.
