Thread: Cartridge suggestions

30-06. Can push a 150 mono pretty quick

Originally Posted by mimms2

Pussy.

.338LM

love the 338lap but how much power do you need in nz!!

Originally Posted by gonetropo

love the 338lap but how much power do you need in nz!!

Wash your mouth out.

40L60

7mm rem mag, 300 win mag and 300 WSM will be the best options for factory ammo availability.
The 270 win would also be good in this regard. 270wsm is another good but not quite as available option.

I'd avoid any of the standard short action cartridges if 400m and monolithic projectiles are involved, they just don't have the speed to work that well in my opinion.

Another one for the 30-06. Been around for yonks, lots of ammo choices, still outperforms a heap of other cartridges, and you can but over the counter ammo nearly anywhere.

.30/06 and the lead in meat thing...dont use stupidly soft projectiles....I normally shoulder shoot my deer with .270 and normally loose less than a cup full of meat....
tried copper jobbies and yeah nah....they killed but no better than std projectiles...being able to drop down in weight did allow less recoil.....so say a 130-140 in 30/06 wouldnt be bad option,but be aware there is hge difference between different mono projectiles even from same maker...some work heaps better than others.

9.3x62. Ok 400m shots may not be it’s forte, but anything within 200m is in a lot of trouble

well for my 2 cents worth, I'm a fan of speed and fragmentation in short action cartridges. so you have that covered with the 6.5 and 7m08 or 308 probably don't offer you anything more apart from ticking z government box.
You also stated factory ammo and copper. 3 ways to get s copper bullet to expand, velocity, diameter and bone/dense tissue.
at the ranges you talked about his puts you into long action or magnums.
So i would assume that limits you to caliber's like 7m RM, 30'06, 300 WM etc not that many if you want to get factory ammo.

looking at load data from Hornady with the copper 165gr 30cal even the 3006 barely gets you to 300 mtr. the 180gr does not improve the bc much for the speed loss if you want to stay in the 22-2400fps impact space.
or start reloading and step up the hole size to say a 35 Whelen with a 180-225 barnes bullet. Even if speed is down a bit the larger frontal area will do the business.
That will throw a 180gr at almost 2900 fps according to Hodgdons site.
so either 180 or 225 gr bullets are down to around 2000fps at 300mtr.
Z

.308, .30-06.

Unless you mostly hunt farm fringe, or specialise in LR ridge to ridge hunting, you don’t really need a .300 mag. Even more so if your not going to shoot a lot.
The big .300s take a bit to master and for general Sambar stalking 100 meters is a long shot. I like the 08, 06, or a .35W or 9.3. If I had to choose on the 06 is just so versatile.

Originally Posted by tnankie

Greetings,
I've got a few requirements for a rifle and I'm feeling a bit lost in the rabbit hole of cartridge selection and was hoping for some guidance.
The rifle is primarily for hunting, at a guess 200 rounds to acclimatize to it and then 25 rounds a year so barrel life isn't super important. Target species is Sambar deer in Victoria Australia, which legally means .270/6.8mm or greater with a 130+ gr bullet. I'm not the greatest shot or experienced shooter so I prefer things with higher BC and velocity, just so I have to compensate less. For reasons I don't particularly want to get into I will be using monolithic copper rounds, which means I really want velocities above 2000 fps / 610m/s at 400m for reliable expansion (I know some bullet makers claim lower expansion velocities, but I like to keep it conservative). I'm not confident in my shooting at living things past 400m, and I prefer 200m but like having some potential to stretch it out if I ever get better . I'd prefer less recoil, ideally sub 4.5 m/s in a 6 kg rifle. I will probably be using factory ammunition.

Calibers I'd considered were the .308, 7mm-08, 7mm Rem Mag and the 300 WSM and the 300 PRC, but frankly the last two seem a bit more than I really need and with more recoil than I'd like. I have a reasonable 6.5mm Creedmoor setup that I would be using if it was allowed legally, so I'd like the new gun to cover some different space/capability which is why I am less keen on the .308, not commenting on better/worse, just feel that it sits in a very similar space to the Creedmoor (likewise the 7mm-08). I know I should consider the .270....but there is just something...not sexy about it in my head. I completely expect many of you to tell me to get past that and get a .270

Thanks for reading and I appreciate any thoughts you might have.

Get a 7mm rem mag or 270 wsm and shoot 140-150ish grain bullets should be plenty for sambar at 400. less recoil than the big 30s

I emailed the OP’s question to my mate in Mansfield. He’s a sambar man who hunts both bush stalking style but also quite a lot of “overwatch” type hunting - fixed position, big field of view, glassing and longer range.

Unequivocal response: at longer range than normal stalking, on big sambar stags, copper bullets need weight, frontal area and speed. Pretty much exactly what @ZQLewis said. Plan for the biggest deer at the longest range you are willing to shoot it.

I have another mate in the Mitta Mitta who uses nothing but .30 cal magnums or 9.3x64, he shoots a lot of sambar deer in the bush at short range.

I think sometimes the guys can get a bit OTT about sambar being so big and tough because at the end of the day if you put a regular 30 cal hunting bullet into the engine room, it will stop the deer. I remember @Mooseman shot a cracking big stag with his 6.5x55 a couple of years ago. The difference with what most of us are used to and the OP’s question is the copper factor.

Up to him and his preferences but I would be very very wary of using copper at 400m without having thought through how best to get that bullet to expand to its maximum potential, and deliver the majority of its energy into the animal and not into the tree behind it. You only get one chance in that high country timber at longer range. I would be making a sensible decision on a powerful rifle and concentrating my efforts on developing a good dog!

Thanks everyone for your perspectives. Appreciate it.
Will be spending a bit more time with a ballistic calculator.
Maybe this will be the thing that tips me into hand loading...and as a few of you mentioned it would really simplify things if we could use suppressors in Oz.

Originally Posted by mimms2

You have a 6.5CM and you're not "the greatest shot"?? You must be the only one on the planet. Creedmore gives you instant kills to 10,000 yards and brings the animal back dressed into cuts and chilled.


If you're shit at shooting the next gun you should buy is a .22LR and a bucket of ammo, and learn to shoot good.


After that, a 7-08 sounds like it might tickle your balls, without the hommosexual connotations of owning a .270

Just so ou know, some of us choose to shoot .270 cal rifles, and have no discernible latent or blatant homo tendencies, because quite simply, it is a very efficient and effective round. Get an opinion you didn't download.

G'day,
If you want a sexy cartridge consider the .280ai.

I read about 7x64 and .280 being similar in capacity etc.

The .280ai is standardised and you can buy headstamped brass and factory dies.

Can pm me if you like.

.270 will do it, I have a .280ai and some of the Common chamberings.

The .280ai is close to 7rm performance with less recoil

If you want something a little different, classy, sexy or exotic or perhaps it prestige you are thinking of. I see why that's not a .270 but it's what works for you.

A 145 LRX out of a 7RM or .280AI would have to be pretty useful for the stated purpose without having brutal recoil. Dunno about right out to 400 but certainly close to 350.