Great post Chuck.
Like Keg "Old Betsy", to me, is the 30-30 & 303. My fathers favorite expression was, "there's nothing like a well placed shot". He usually uttered this after an unbelievable shot with the old long barrel 30-30. I believe picking off a coyote at 400 yards with an old peep sighted 303 was followed by that expression. Killing a moose at 600 yards with open sights, on an old 30-06, probably prompted the same saying. My lesson learned was that caliber selection is surely moot if you can't place a bullet in the right spot.
For the last 45 years a 270 Win and Various 7mm-08 rifles have killed most of the deer, moose and elk that I have shot as well as a number of antelope, ruffies, gophers, coyotes, muskrats and beaver. A few deer, moose, elk, antelope and gophers were taken between 300 and 600 yards with both calibers.
I just recently developed my own 6.5 EXTREME wildcat and built a long range rifle capable of 600-900 yard shots. Unfortunately health issues forced me to give up big game hunting so I sold it to a very happy young fellow. He hasn't reported shooting his deer but did manage to hit a 3 1/2"X 3 1/2" gong at 960 yards that has eluded many aspiring long range shooters.
Recently I have concentrated my efforts on long range gopher shooting. Down to my mobility scooter but have the advantage of my 20 EXTREME that is regularly putting 40 grain V-Max bullets, launched at 3635fps with 22.1 grains of powder, into 1/3" groups at 300 yards. I know that a 222, 223, 204 Ruger and a 22-250 will do the job but there is something about a well designed, efficient cartridge that makes my day.
I agree with your choice of calibers and cartridges for big game hunting and agree that they are adequate for "normal" big game hunting as we know it here in Alberta. I do, however, agree with the other **** disturbers that cartridge and bullet selection for large bears, Long Range Big Game Hunting and varmint shooting are not totally moot.
Again. A great post and just ignore the negative comments. I have learned that there are those who love to agree to disagree and that there are those who choose not to learn from others experiences. That is their loss.
|