Head to Head: Low recoil hunting rifle

[Maverick223]

There is a good reason that the .280Rem. is the most popular custom chambering (arguably that is because Remington abandons all their good cartridges), it matches the terminal performance of the '06 with a little better external ballistics. Near perfect case capacity/caliber ratio IMO.

 

[Kachok]

Check out it's score in my other Head to Head. Both the original and AI scored Exellent.

 

[Maverick223]

Yep, been there, done that.

 

[68wj]

My dad tried to tell me when I was 15 and getting my 1st deer rifle to get the .280. We didn't reload and couldn't find any ammo that wasn't mail order (yes, mail or phone), but I now regret not listening. Stubborn me wanted the .270 and it would have been a great excuse to get the press too.

 

[Kachok]

For years I never understood how the 280 could be better then the legendary 270, there was no significant difference in case volume or cross section, but later I understood that the tighter standard twist, and greater selection of heavier bullets really makes a huge difference, I did not realize how big that difference was until I did this comparison. If all you are doing is poping 150lbs whitetail within 250yards you would never know the difference between them (neither would the deer), but throw in longer shots or bigger game and the advantage of the 7mm bore and 1:9.5 twist really become evedinet.

 

[Finprof]

Low recoil

Maybe I am a bigger sissy in my old age, but I don't consider a .280 to be "low recoil" with factory ammunition as a deer/hog cartridge. It might be because my .280 is a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle, which is very light, but I might as well be shooting a 30/06 as a .280. My hunting buddy has a twin to my Mountain Rifle in 30/06 and I can't tell the difference between 140 grain Power Points in mine and 150 grain Power Points in his.
The .280 is a great cartridge and is a "low recoil" elk gun but I think you can get away with less recoil in a deer cartrdige with a 6.5x55 or .257 Roberts.

 

[Kachok]

Yeah I called it low recoil in the context of an elk rifle, less then my 270 WSM and MUCH less then my 7mm Rem Mag. Not low enough to really be included in the low recoil rifle comparison. I still perfer my 6.5x55 over everything for large deer sized game. Drops them very dead very quick I don't care what the TKO factor guys say

 

[mr.trooper]

That's because firearms 'formulas' are developed exclusively by fudds with chipped shoulders, and not by mathematicians.

 

[6.5swede]

Kachok, thanks for the Data. I've become a 6.5x55 fan for deer and hogs over the past year. My 270, 30-06, 7mm-08's are primarily safe queens now. The Swede, particularly in the Tikka T3 is a lot of fun to shoot and hunt with.

 

[BrocLuno]

So, OK, what's the heaviest and longest 6.5mm that will work well through a Carcano with gain rifling and/or through an Arisaka - anyone know?