Long Range/Flat shooting/Open country Gun

[ADH]

Hey guys,

I was reading the thread about the 7-08 and it made me think... I am considering a new gun for open country and long range hunting. I currently have a 3006 and It has worked just fine in the past so the purpose of the new gun is just to own another gun. I already know the 3006 works fine for what I want anywhere it just lobs em...

That being said I wanted to find one that is flat shooting but was still a common enough caliber. I was thinking 7mm rem mag or 270.

Just figured Id get some opinions... let me know what you think.

[vcool]

Look at the .257 wby

[Scott N]

You could add 270 WSM to your list as well, maybe 25-06, or a host of others..... there are a lot of good choices out there. Honestly though, as you already mentioned your 30-06 works just fine, so if you just want to buy a new rifle, I'd pick something that is a lot different than a 30-06, not just a little different. A 270 or 7mm Mag really doesn't offer a huge difference over a 30-06 as far as shooting flat.

[boner54]

I love my 25-06 for eveerything. Have one shot more deer then I can think of and never had a moose take more then a few steps. Reaches out a long ways

[north american hunter]

270 wby mag!

[u_cant_rope_the_wind]

300 Dakota

[dmcbride]

300 win mag.

[tikka250]

It depends what are you hunting? And how far do you call "long range"

[ADH]

It depends what are you hunting? And how far do you call "long range"

Jackalopes... Kidding!

It will definitely be a mulie/Elk gun as I would likely never hunt whites or moose on the prairie. That being said I don't think species matters as much as distance in this case. My furthest shot on an animal to date is 325 Yds with the .06... Id like to have a range in the open country up to 400 or 450. Obviously this takes a lot of time at the range, however Id like a gun that will shoot that distance with a little more ease. Again purely because I am looking into a new gun and NOT because I don't think my .06 cant make it happen.

[dmcbride]

Jackalopes... Kidding!

It will definitely be a mulie/Elk gun as I would likely never hunt whites or moose on the prairie. That being said I don't think species matters as much as distance in this case. My furthest shot on an animal to date is 325 Yds with the .06... Id like to have a range in the open country up to 400 or 450. Obviously this takes a lot of time at the range, however Id like a gun that will shoot that distance with a little more ease. Again purely because I am looking into a new gun and NOT because I don't think my .06 cant make it happen.

Well in my opinion the 300 win mag is pretty much a faster, flatter shooting 30-06.

[CanuckShooter]

Jackalopes... Kidding!

It will definitely be a mulie/Elk gun as I would likely never hunt whites or moose on the prairie. That being said I don't think species matters as much as distance in this case. My furthest shot on an animal to date is 325 Yds with the .06... Id like to have a range in the open country up to 400 or 450. Obviously this takes a lot of time at the range, however Id like a gun that will shoot that distance with a little more ease. Again purely because I am looking into a new gun and NOT because I don't think my .06 cant make it happen.

Try lighter bullets in your 06....ones with good coefficients....study the charts online and you can compare ballistics. I suggest with bullet selection you will find them very similar.

As it is a new gun your looking at, maybe the caliber isn't really your main consideration?

[packhuntr]

Just splitting hairs with any talk of caliber. Ones as good as the next. Want to kill stuff? Buy a 30-30 if u simply need a new rig, and spend your time as a student of the persuit /animals, not another tech head wanna be long range cowboy. Better yet buy a bow. Guaranteed you will start seeing some game doing lip stands in the short grass. Rifles, even short rge stuff just dont seem fair once you know how to close and deliver.

[brother1]

The ballistics on a 270WSM are awesome, very close to a 7mmSTW, which is a wicked calibre, but the 270WSM is easier to get over the counter ammo for.

[wildside2014]

400 yards is FAR from being long range for any 30-06. I thought you were leaning towards distances of like 1000 or so. 400 should be no problem putting a 30-06 round between the eyes if you choose to make that shot.

300 mag is just silly. No need for something that heavy when deer hunting at any distance.

[dmcbride]

400 yards is FAR from being long range for any 30-06. I thought you were leaning towards distances of like 1000 or so. 400 should be no problem putting a 30-06 round between the eyes if you choose to make that shot.

300 mag is just silly. No need for something that heavy when deer hunting at any distance.

I agree with you. But the Op stated he wanted something as he said (Obviously this takes a lot of time at the range, however Id like a gun that will shoot that distance with a little more ease) The 300 win mag will do just that.

[wildside2014]

I agree with you. But the Op stated he wanted something as he said (Obviously this takes a lot of time at the range, however Id like a gun that will shoot that distance with a little more ease) The 300 win mag will do just that.

agree to agree!

Id suggest a 270 cal. Pretty hard to beat the 270 for any type of hunting. I run a savage 30-06 and although I love the gun, I do take my 270 out from time to time.

[CanuckShooter]

agree to agree!

Id suggest a 270 cal. Pretty hard to beat the 270 for any type of hunting. I run a savage 30-06 and although I love the gun, I do take my 270 out from time to time.

I did a crazy thing, sold my 30-06 and got a 338 win mag and a 243....2 fer 1. Doesn't matter how you cut it, I always have a back up rifle that I can count on.

[Saul Goode]

270 Wby
7mm Wby
300 Wby.

[Dog hunter]

.270 wsm with a 130 grain corelokt is flat shooting and effective to 800 yrds, try some superformance ammo and it shoots flat like a 22-250

[huntin]

264win mag

[colroggal]

Begin the argument between flatter tragectory and terminal ballistics. Getting out to 800 yds and hitting is the first challenge. The second is effecting enough trauma/carrying enough energy at range to cause an ethical kill. If you use and like a long action stick with a long action. OP said 450-500 yds. No magnum is necessary. A .270 will run fairly flat. 25-06 will be flatter and the long for caliber heavies out of a 25-06 will carry greater energy down range than the .270.

Then again I think my longest kill is barely more than 100yds. I likes my woods.

Colin.

[Speckle55]

ADH yes to the Rem 7mm Mag ... I shoot 175 PP(27$ a box) .. and have harvested lots of long range ungulates

but then I am bias

here is a chart
Cartridge Maximum effective range[35]
7.62×39mm 600 m
5.56×45mm 600 m [36]
7.62×51mm (.308 Winchester) 800 m
7.62×54mm R 800 m
.30-06 Springfield 800 m
7 mm Remington Magnum 900–1,100 m
.300 Winchester Magnum 900–1,200 m
.338 Lapua Magnum 1,200-1,500 m
.50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO)
12.7×108mm (Russian) 1,500–2,000 m
14.5×114mm 1,800–2,300

for reference

David:)

[ADH]

Just splitting hairs with any talk of caliber. Ones as good as the next. Want to kill stuff? Buy a 30-30 if u simply need a new rig, and spend your time as a student of the persuit /animals, not another tech head wanna be long range cowboy. Better yet buy a bow. Guaranteed you will start seeing some game doing lip stands in the short grass. Rifles, even short rge stuff just dont seem fair once you know how to close and deliver.

I have a bow... I have taken many animals with it. It is definitely not about that.

Thanks Everyone else...
Like I said this is more of a backup or a second gun with some different properties. Just for fun All great info guys.

Cat thanks for the table and that's kind of what I was starting to think!

[ADH]

Begin the argument between flatter tragectory and terminal ballistics. Getting out to 800 yds and hitting is the first challenge. The second is effecting enough trauma/carrying enough energy at range to cause an ethical kill. If you use and like a long action stick with a long action. OP said 450-500 yds. No magnum is necessary. A .270 will run fairly flat. 25-06 will be flatter and the long for caliber heavies out of a 25-06 will carry greater energy down range than the .270.

Then again I think my longest kill is barely more than 100yds. I likes my woods.

Colin.

This is also great info... and definitely something to consider. Again I am simply trying to diversify for fun.

[ADH]

Just splitting hairs with any talk of caliber. Ones as good as the next. Want to kill stuff? Buy a 30-30 if u simply need a new rig, and spend your time as a student of the persuit /animals, not another tech head wanna be long range cowboy. Better yet buy a bow. Guaranteed you will start seeing some game doing lip stands in the short grass. Rifles, even short rge stuff just dont seem fair once you know how to close and deliver.

Oh and I already have a beautiful Winchester model 94 30-30 taken a few animals with that one too.

[Jordan Smith]

Nearly any modern CF rifle will work well out to 400-450...

[outdoorsman12b]

300 win mag or 7mm mag proven and can't go wrong.

[huntingd]

7mm mag.

[mcreg]

.300 W/M with HSM 210gr Bergers! Check out the ballistics for this round and it should put all your questions to rest.
Howeveer, if the recoil of the .300 is too much (and it is for some people!) try a 7MM with HSM 168/180gr Bergers still very adequate!!