Thread: Looking for a good all around rifle

It's a nice theory but in practise the evidence is that a good .224" or 6mm bullet drops them more or less on the spot when shot more or less anywhere in the front shoulder, same as a .270 or any other cartridge with a good bullet. Can't get deader than dead.


This thread is pretty informative https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....ml#post1593826

Originally Posted by gimp

It's a nice theory but in practise the evidence is that a good .224" or 6mm bullet drops them more or less on the spot when shot more or less anywhere in the front shoulder, same as a .270 or any other cartridge with a good bullet. Can't get deader than dead.


This thread is pretty informative https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....ml#post1593826

Ive, just out of interest, gone through that entire thread. So whats there? The vast majority is fallow deer. After that comes red hinds, yearlings and spiker's.

Whats also there is a few very experienced hunters killing most of the animals.

Whats not there? Many big mature red stags. Roughly half of those that are there, have been shot by one person.

What that tells me is that its a tool for experienced hunters who can push the calibre too its limits. Who have the knowledge and patience to wait for the perfect shot, or even pass up a chance.

Whats also not there? any reference too situations where things did not go to plan.

Im going to use an analogy now. A good big Boxer will always beat a good small boxer!

There are things a 270, since it was used as an example, can do much better than a 223. Tough angled shots. Breaking the spine on a big animal if the shot gos high. Running shots where you dont have the same ability to put the bullet exactly right. Follow up shots when things have gone wrong.

This advantage of course lessens as you go up, so yes a 243 is a better choice, but there is still some advantage too a bigger projectile. Or we would all be using the small calibers for everything.

Originally Posted by whanahuia

There are things a 270, since it was used as an example, can do much better than a 223. Tough angled shots. Breaking the spine on a big animal if the shot gos high. Running shots where you dont have the same ability to put the bullet exactly right. Follow up shots when things have gone wrong.

This advantage of course lessens as you go up, so yes a 243 is a better choice, but there is still some advantage too a bigger projectile. Or we would all be using the small calibers for everything.

Wrong.

Learn a bit about sectional density and bullet construction.

The headstamp (FYI, that's the number and letter (s) that are on the back of the brass casing) don't matter as much as what comes out of the muzzle.

There is no such thing as a '270' or '223' bullet.

People were killing animals with round lead balls but they were hardly much better than the wound left by an arrow, unless that ball struck bone and broke through, you'd get little in terms of expansion and fragmentation.

Also on that note, with regards to the 'old rifles better/rose tinted glasses/hunting from the nursing home' brigade, there were probably old timers telling people that the musket was just as good and it wasn't worth spending money on these new fangled 'rifles' with fancy barrels... get an old blunderbuss it will be just as good!

Originally Posted by caberslash

Wrong.

Learn a bit about sectional density and bullet construction.

The headstamp (FYI, that's the number and letter (s) that are on the back of the brass casing) don't matter as much as what comes out of the muzzle.

There is no such thing as a '270' or '223' bullet.

People were killing animals with round lead balls but they were hardly much better than the wound left by an arrow, unless that ball struck bone and broke through, you'd get little in terms of expansion and fragmentation.

Also on that note, with regards to the 'old rifles better/rose tinted glasses/hunting from the nursing home' brigade, there were probably old timers telling people that the musket was just as good and it wasn't worth spending money on these new fangled 'rifles' with fancy barrels... get an old blunderbuss it will be just as good!

Honestly. Thats a stupid response!

Sectional density is important for a number of reasons, But no one realistically believes that a good 277 calibre projectile doesn't have plenty enough sectional density. That sounds like an argument to use when you have nothing else. With a 270, what "comes out of the barrel " is a projectile with more than enough sectional density, around twice the weight, Travelling at the same or greater speed depending on exact projectile being used, All things being equal- exactly the same ability for the projectile to function correctly re expansion and impart its energy, more energy to impart, and a greater projectile diameter.

All of those factors help a projectile kill well.

For the last 30 years ive used both calibers with .223 and .270 on thier head stamp. Both a great in thier own way. I am under no illusions on which one though has the greater ability on big game.

Originally Posted by whanahuia

Ive, just out of interest, gone through that entire thread. So whats there? The vast majority is fallow deer. After that comes red hinds, yearlings and spiker's.

Whats also there is a few very experienced hunters killing most of the animals.

Whats not there? Many big mature red stags. Roughly half of those that are there, have been shot by one person.

What that tells me is that its a tool for experienced hunters who can push the calibre too its limits. Who have the knowledge and patience to wait for the perfect shot, or even pass up a chance.

Whats also not there? any reference too situations where things did not go to plan.

Im going to use an analogy now. A good big Boxer will always beat a good small boxer!

There are things a 270, since it was used as an example, can do much better than a 223. Tough angled shots. Breaking the spine on a big animal if the shot gos high. Running shots where you dont have the same ability to put the bullet exactly right. Follow up shots when things have gone wrong.

This advantage of course lessens as you go up, so yes a 243 is a better choice, but there is still some advantage too a bigger projectile. Or we would all be using the small calibers for everything.

I'll go shoot a few more big stags for you. It will be a chore and I'll be terribly sad to do it