Looking for the Goldilocks round in terms of energy transferred down range. (Preferably with equal or less powder relative to its peers)

Max range is 600 yards.

Wildcats are fair game.

What say ye?

180+ grain 30-06!

Is it too late to change that to 175 grain 7 mag?

Better ask JG or Chad.

I would rather to choose my position based on zero experience and argue my point relentlessly until i get the last post before the thread dies.

On second thought, i would rather to ask JG or Chad

Depends on the big game sought big game covers a large spectrum of needs

LOL! When you say "Big Game" are we talking elk and moose, or bigger stuff?

On the "regular" hunting calibers, the hardest hitting round I've seen is the 28 Nosler with a Berger 195 Hybrid, 190 Hybrid, or 197 SMK. The downrange energy at longer ranges is very high. It retains it's velocity and energy because of the high BC and high muzzle velocity. I've shot this and 300 WM with 220 and 230 grain. The 300 WM with the heavy 225 and 230 grain hit VERY hard, but a 28 Nosler with 195 Hybrid running 3000+ fps is stupid hard hitting. (This is just the observation watching steel targets swing and move after being hit at longer ranges.) Yes, you can argue for bigger rounds, like a 338 Lapua or Norma Mag, and yes, those hit hard also. But you're getting into bigger actions than a standard magnum. 28 Nosler gets my vote. But a big 30 cal magnum is right on it's heels, like a 300 WM or PRC.

But, everything becomes a trade off at some point. Do you want heavier bullets (i.e. going from 7mm to 30 cal) going slower with good BC, or decent hunting weight bullet (like a 7mm 180 or 195 grain) going faster with a high BC with a little less weight.

But, when you say "efficient", I automatically think about good gas mileage. The 325 WSM is one of the most "efficient" rounds for pushing the heaviest bullet the fastest with the least amount of powder. It does this by good case geometry. A few weeks ago in another post we were talking about the 338 WSM (325 WSM necked up). That also makes for a VERY efficient round.

Big game meaning, it will kill anything in North America

Specifically, not what caliber delivers the most energy down range in absolute terms.

But what caliber delivers the highest ratio of energy relative to its charge and bullet weight.

Is there such thing as a magical combo of case design, bullet weight and charge that yields above average energy relative to its peers.

28 Nosler

195 gr Berger EOL

MV 3000 fps

You should see it hit the far steel. It is a 12 pound sledge!

My 7 Rem Mag and 180's has served me well. But it's getting retired and replaced with the 28 Nosler combo, in a lighter rifle.

When you say big game how big are you talking? In the US any of the big 7s or 30s. In Africa there is only one, 375 H&H or any of the other cartridges that were designed to duplicate the 375 H&H performance.

.338 Win Mag with .225 Accubone, no tracking needed.

30-378

The walking reloading encyclopedia has spoken.

Efficiency to me is what gets you the energy down range with least powder and a bullet that will be slippery and hold it’s velocity well.
7PRC might be in that Goldilocks spot. 300 Ruger Compact magnum isanother that does that well.

You will like it. I hunt with a guy that has a custom 28 Nosler with a 22" barrel. He is getting 2965 with the 195's, and hit a good accuracy node and stopped right there before hitting any sign of pressure. The performance I witnessed on deer between 270 and 578 yards was outstanding.

The smaller the cartridge the more efficient they are. A 300 blackout is much more than a 300 Winchester magnum.

But a 300 Magnum delivers way more energy on target than a 300 blackout. So you really wanting a balance (IMO) and when you really look at it you're going to end up with a 30-06 as being the best balance that there is. That's why it's been King as long as it has. Best balance of power to powder used, and recoil absorbed.

6.8 Western


I really have no clue, just know some of the podcast guys rave about it.

That is what I think of as well. Killing anything in North America out to 600 yards knocks a lot of efficient cartridges out of the running.

The best answer yet!

How big is big? 130 lbs whitetail, 300 lbs of hog, or 600 lbs of black bear??????????? And I haven't even left North Carolina yet.

I’m of the opinion here that there is no replacement for displacement so something like a 300 norma mag or a 338 Lapua or even a 416 chey tac..

Kill anything that you can see within a mile..

Do it big, don’t fool around with a little tiny 7mm

I choose to ignore the entire concept of "efficiency" when it comes to cartridges. I think it's a silly notion from the git-go.

.22-250, 75 gr A-Max, 35.0 gr of powder 3200 fps

.223 A.I. 80 gr ELD-M, 24.0 gr of powder 3080 fps

Doesn't the .223 A.I. look more efficient?

From "efficiency" stand point its the .280 Rem. The .270 is slightly over-bore & the .30-06 is slightly under-bore.

NO, not really.






I ran ONLY Varget in those calculations, figuring that's probably the powder you looked at...but I really have no clue where you pulled up those numbers.

Velocity comes at a cost, that's all there is to it. "Efficiency" of a cartridge means nothing to me---it'll either do the job, which is to launch the bullet I want to use at an acceptable velocity, or it won't. If I'm not willing to buy powder by the keg then I don't load .50 BMG.

It is my opinion that efficiency, energy, and all these calculated characterizations are just mental masturbation.