Deep (caliber choice) thoughts from a shallow mind

[brn2hnt]

Recouping after a long hunting season this morning and doing lots of thinking about what worked, what didn't, and what to try for next year.

Thanks to the shoot 2 hunt podcast assembling so many of Form's posts into a single cohesive (mostly) train of thought, it REALLY has me debating the why of my 300wm w/215's. (braked)

I even posted about rigging up a 6mm because of it, and likely still will.

BUT...

Every single time I run numbers, the wind drift scares the beejeezus out of me. They say you pack your fears, maybe we choose our caliber based on fears too.

I am afraid of calling wind wrong.

The difference in wind drift of the 215 compared with the 77tmk, even the 108eldm, is staggering to me.

Has anyone else wondered about when the wind is worth the recoil tradeoff? I hear Ryan say all the time a 6mm is a cheat code for wind, but if it's double my 215, why pass that up?

Am I missing something? Is the lower recoil something that truly needs to be felt to realize the gains?

 

[Geewhiz]

I vote stick with the magnum.

 

[Geewhiz]

I vote stick with the magnum.

 

[PNWGATOR]

115 DTAC out of a 6UM

Run the calculations and I think you’ll be impressed.

 

[brn2hnt]

115 DTAC out of a 6UM

Run the calculations and I think you’ll be impressed.

Except you know who says he doesn't love that bullet on deer

 

[jimh406]

I guess it depends on how far you plan to shoot. If the 300WM is affecting your accuracy, you could go smaller although there is a long way from 6mm to 300WM.

Alternatively, don't shoot when it is really windy.

 

[ramsdude47]

The comment was probably in reference to elevation drop instead of wind drift, but I had recently seen a post saying the new high BC 25 cal bullets are pretty much right there with a 300WM out to 1000.

I would think 6.5 or 7mm would be a much happier middle ground.

 

[dirtytough]

Recouping after a long hunting season this morning and doing lots of thinking about what worked, what didn't, and what to try for next year.

Thanks to the shoot 2 hunt podcast assembling so many of Form's posts into a single cohesive (mostly) train of thought, it REALLY has me debating the why of my 300wm w/215's. (braked)

I even posted about rigging up a 6mm because of it, and likely still will.

BUT...

Every single time I run numbers, the wind drift scares the beejeezus out of me. They say you pack your fears, maybe we choose our caliber based on fears too.

I am afraid of calling wind wrong.

The difference in wind drift of the 215 compared with the 77tmk, even the 108eldm, is staggering to me.

Has anyone else wondered about when the wind is worth the recoil tradeoff? I hear Ryan say all the time a 6mm is a cheat code for wind, but if it's double my 215, why pass that up?

Am I missing something? Is the lower recoil something that truly needs to be felt to realize the gains?

I have a 300 PRC shooting the 215’s. I also have a 6.5 SS shooting the 156 Berger.

@1k yards there is a difference of 1.25” drift with a full value 10 mph wind. I hold the same for both rifles.

Obviously the 6.5 is pretty comfortable to shoot. A 6.5 PRC with the 156 Berger would be really close wind wise to your 300 I believe.

 

[brn2hnt]

I guess it depends on how far you plan to shoot. If the 300WM is affecting your accuracy, you could go smaller although there is a long way from 6mm to 300WM.

Alternatively, don't shoot when it is really windy.

I'm thinking this is where the "shoot and find out" part comes in. Hard to know that difference without testing both calibers. (I would think?)

 

[TaperPin]

The 300 has set plenty of 1000 yard records - definitely no slouch.

 

[Quicksilver]

You really have to run the 230-250gr bullets in a big boy 30 cal these days to outrun the 6.5/7mm bullets in the short mags. Nothing wrong with 300wm/prc…but you need a real man’s 30 cal to reap the benefits. 300 rum or something sporting the Lapua bolt face.

 

[Formidilosus]

Has anyone else wondered about when the wind is worth the recoil tradeoff? I hear Ryan say all the time a 6mm is a cheat code for wind, but if it's double my 215, why pass that up?

What are you shooting the 215gr Berger in that has half the wind drift of a 6cm?

 

[Northpark]

My opinion is that a .300 win is for killing stuff. I’ll play with the sub .30 cals for most stuff. I shoot a lot and even started using 5.56 for long range practice a lot more than anything else. Despite being comfortable with my 7-08ai with 140 absolute hammers at 3005fps and my .243 win shooting 105gr VLDs 2990fps when it’s time to kill something a ways out though I’ll grab my .300 win mag with a 199 hammer hunter at 3062fps every time. Something to be said for big bullets going fast when it comes to killing.

 

[brn2hnt]

What are you shooting the 215gr Berger in that has half the wind drift of a 6cm?

You're right, too much back and forth between spreadsheets with too many rows. Looks like it's 2/3 the drift, not half.

Same speed for both (3,000) elevation between 6-8K. Shooting the berger out of a 300wm custom throated specifically for the 215s. They are loooong. 2.998 to the lands if I remember right.

 

[Choupique]

Are you shooting at game and not killing it with the .300?

Just keep on blasting away with what you've got. A complete tear-up to a new rifle, new caliber is so expensive and time consuming.

 

[sierracharlie338]

The question I didn’t see answered is what distance are you wanting to shoot game. If you are wanting those really long pokes, stick with the WM. If you’re only sub 400 yards let’s say, your options are much wider and don’t kick as much.

I’ve owned everything from 223-338 for long range shooting/plinking. The smaller stuff is more fun to shoot and cost less if you shoot a lot.

 

[pkohler7three]

What about the 7mil mag or 280ai? What kind of range you looking at?

 

[Formidilosus]

You're right, too much back and forth between spreadsheets with too many rows. Looks like it's 2/3 the drift, not half.

Same speed for both (3,000) elevation between 6-8K. Shooting the berger out of a 300wm custom throated specifically for the 215s. They are loooong. 2.998 to the lands if I remember right.

At 5k DA the 215gr at 3,000fps MV has a 9mph wind bracket at 700 yards. At 3,000fps MV the 6mm 115gr DTAC and 112gr MB has an 8 mph bracket, and 108gr ELD-M is 7 mph.

Everyday single day I would make that trade.

 

[brn2hnt]

At 5k DA the 215gr at 3,000fps MV has a 9mph wind bracket at 700 yards. At 3,000fps MV the 6mm 115gr DTAC and 113gr MB has an 8 mph bracket, and 108gr ELD-M is 7 mph.

Everyday single day I would make that trade.

Making sure I'm tracking with you, a wind bracket is where Xmph crosswind equates to a .1 hold at 100, .3 at 300, etc?

 

[Formidilosus]

Making sure I'm tracking with you, a wind bracket is where Xmph crosswind equates to a .1 hold at 100, .3 at 300, etc?

Correct.