Advice on new caliber/cartridge

[Orcon]

If you're a reloader you might as well spring for the 280 Ackley, nearly the same ballistics as the 7mm mag. My friend has a Cooper Long Range in 280AI and absolutely loves it. He claims that they will rebarrel the Long Range series after you shoot the barrel out you for $150 but I'd have to hear that from the horses mouth before believed it.

As an unabashed short action and 30 cal fan, I'd pick the 300 WSM every day and twice on sundays. Load it down to 30-06 performance or to full magnum velocities, it's a versatile cartridge and .308 bullets are prolific.

 

[Orcon]

Unless you plan on shooting heavy bullets (like 200gr plus) I think the .280 actually makes more sense than the .30-06

Look at similar bullet weight for .308 diameter vs .284 / 7mm diameter, the 7mm bullets have better ballistic coefficient and sectional density. For example I'm looking at Hornady interlock boat tails:

165gr .308 diameter, B.C. = 0.435, S.D. = 0.248

162gr .284 diameter, B.C. = 0.514, S.D. = 0.287

All else being equal, a .280 shooting 162gr bullets should shoot flatter and hit harder than a .30-06 shooting 165gr bullets.

Ah, this tired arguement again. B-b-but the SD and the velocity and and... yeah. Look, the 7mm is a fine caliber but you have to understand the importance of bore diameter in terminal performance.

In order for the 7mm affect the same wound profile as a .308 cal it necessarily needs to be longer and maintain a higher impact velocity. The same is true when comparing .308 to 8mm, 8mm to .338 and .338 to .358. Again, it absolutely requires a higher SD (material for expansion) and a higher impact velocity (energy by which expansion is possible).

At close ranges this stuff is largely unimportant but as impact velocity drops it can become a factor. I'm not knocking the 284 cal family of cartridges, I'm just putting out some food for thought.

 

[RevJim]

.280 all the way! It will do at 350 what a 7mm Rem Mag will do at 450, but with less blast, etc. No elk alive can walk off with a 140 TTSX nor 175 Sierra 175 SBT...your choices are many and varied!

 

[CB900F]

Mlp021;

The .280 is a fine cartridge & will everything you need it to do in a typical Texas hunt. But, another one you might wish to take a look at is the 6.5 x 55 mm Swedish Mauser. In a modern action it produces numbers that would make you believe it was invented three years ago, not over 120 years ago.

My hunting load is still carrying well over 1100 ft. lbs. of energy at 500 yards, and it's not a hot load either. Also, I live in what I call Outer Montana, where it's perfectly possible to hunt both sides of the same acre, and I hunt elk every year with mine. Just suggesting that you give it some thought.

900F

 

[CaliCoastie]

Of the ones you listed, 280. If the ones you didn't list? 30-06.
My backup gun for moose or brown bears? 30-06. I trust that gun more than any others. Shoot placement is bigger than caliber.
Buy what you want, practice with it. Hit where you aim, take good shoots.
Harder than it seems, takes time and effort.