Those numbers are my own loads. Varget in the .22-250. Different powder in the .223 A.I.

Very similar ballistics but one is running a third less powder than the other and not using the almost impossible to find large rifle primer.

.260 Rem, 43.5 gr H-4350, 140 gr @ 2800 fps
6.5 Creedmoor, 42.4 gr H-4350, 140 gr @ 2800 fps

The Creedmoor is more efficient.

There are lots of reasons to choose one cartridge over another. Your own priorities and desires lead you in one direction and my priorities and desires lead me in another---in a multitude of different aspects of this game. Neither of us is right, OR wrong...we're both just engaged in the pursuit of happiness like everyone else is.

Yessir!

Could not agree more.

Before the thread dies, what about 300 PRC? What a ridiculous freaking cartridge. Doesn’t it deliver more energy on a lot less powder than a .28 nosler?

I was just looking at 30 caliber cartridges and dreaming about the next gun when I saw this on the webs. Holy carp!

https://ammo.com/comparison/28-nosler-vs-300-prc

No it does not.

That chart it bogus and it's skewing the numbers in favor of the 300 PRC, which is a mighty fine cartridge.

Put a 195 gr Berger EOL in the 28 Nosler at 3000 fps and then have a look at ballistics. Specifically energy delivery 500 yards and beyond.

I am sure that someone will jump in and correct me but I think the best milage so to speak can be had from the wsm line of cartridges.

I thought it might be a marketing piece, like most gun writing. I appreciate it.

whats the ballistics on a 215 EOL at 2900

No. The 300 PRC shooting a 212 ELDX compared to a 28 Nosler running a 180 to 195 grain use almost EXACTLY the same amount of powder. If you were using the same powder for each (Anything from an H1000 to Retumbo burn rate), they use almost exactly the same amount of powder. But, the 28 Nosler pushes a slightly lighter bullet faster, AND the 7mm bullets have a higher BC. Sometimes a much higher BC. 28 Nosler is one of my top sellers, with about 30,000+ rounds a year. We've tested it thoroughly with all the different powders and bullets. A 180 grain Berger Hybrid or VLD, 175 ELD-X (for the 9" twist barrels), and a 195 EOL (for the 8" twist barrels) will out perform ANY cartridge in drop, wind drift, and down range energy (at longer ranges). It is one of the best cartridges on the market currently.

The 7mm option bullet is also one of the best options for ELR (extreme long range) on standard actions. I've run the Berger 195 and Sierra 197 SMK out past a mile, and it will perform better than any 30 cal, and even better than the 338 Lapua/Norma Mag options with less wind drift and drop.

You know what reading on the internet will get you…

With efficiency brought into the discussion I think of doing more with less, or at least doing similar with less. There are folks on the web saying you can achieve 2900-3000 fps with a 7mm wsm built on a medium/long action with 195’s. Curious what others have to say on that.

I know my 300wsm with 165 gr bonded bullets has served me well on every thing from a grouse to cow bison in Wyoming. 165-168 gr bonded bullets.
It worked well on cow bison at 452 yds.

5 mph cross wind drift in Mil, and ft/lbs of energy at the target

28 Nosler 195 gr Berger EOL, 3000 fps MV, bullet length 1.638" G-7 .387

100Y 3578/ .1
200Y 3280/ .1
300Y 3001/ .2
400Y 2742/ .2
500Y 2500/ .3
600Y 2275/ .4
700Y 2066/ .4
800Y 1872/ .5
900Y 1693/ .6
1000Y 1527/ .6

300 PRC 215 gr Berger Hybrid Target, 2900 fps MV, bullet length 1.595" G-7 .354

100Y 3651/ .1
200Y 3313/ .1
300Y 3001/ .2
400Y 2712/ .3
500Y 2444/ .3
600Y 2199/ .4
700Y 1973/ .5
800Y 1766/ .6
900Y 1574/ .7
1000Y 1399/ .8

Out to 600 they are pretty close.

Yes they are. And I don't think any large game animal would tell the difference.

But I do enjoy the wind cheater that the 28 Nosler is. When I've shot them on my range, see mirage and hold into the wind, oops it didn't need that much wind hold. Hit the steel anyway, but almost exactly where I was aiming, into the wind.

Not to say the big 30 wouldn't be the same way. It's close. But remember, that's a 5 mph hold. Double that hold for 10 mph. Triple that hold for 15 mph.

This thread just reminds me why my 30/06 is enough and i don’t need another rifle. Everything is splitting hairs. Except maybe a .308, not because it is better but because the last five years taught me i need one.

Boy, I must really be getting old. Those recoil levels have completely lost their appeal at my house.

my elk experience with vld is only 115, 130 and 195, but Ive heard for what every reasoning the 215 does quicker dispatch, even though on paper it essentially the same. again no personal experience with 215 so take it with a grain of salt

I want something like a 300 prc loaded with a 180
grain SST. I bet it would disembowl any critter around here.

Not going to comment on efficiency, but I'll give you numbers on my personal rifle. I shoot a 7 SAUM which is Remington's answer to the WSM. I'm shooting a 175 gr Berger EH at 2958 (chronoed) with 61.7 gr of powder. I'm doing this on a short action with a 22-in barrel. So the whole setup is on the smaller end and I'm pushing a 175 at 2958, so under someone's definition it may be more efficient.

I do know the 7 WSM takes slightly more powder than the 7 SAUM to achieve the same velocity so I would call the SAUM more efficient than the WSM.

Just my .02.....

Disclaimer: I’m not qualified to discuss killing stuff like brown bears. Especially at 600 yards. Now with that out of the way, if brown bears @ 600 are part of the criteria I would start with a .338 Win Mag and maybe go up from there. Efficiency likely would be my last consideration.

A kind of related comment… A friend of mine came out a couple weekends ago to help out with some doe culling. He brought a .300 PRC. 10 does died out to 569 yards. It was setup shooting 205 grain Bergers. That cartridge is a beast. The Berger Bullets were somewhat explosive though. Not as tough a bullet as I would want for grizzly bears. It was also to dang heavy to tote around for several days of hunting on foot.. Around 14 pounds scoped and loaded. Cool as heck rig.

For native Texas big game the 6.5’s (creedmoor, 260, swede) hit above their weight. Depending on the criteria you are judging, 7-08 is as good and may be better to 600.

I mean it sounds pretty good to me. So much mass yet so much power, your bullet explodes like a tiny claymore and still blows a big hole coming out. From 400+ yards. I like that

The WSM has about 5 grains more case capacity I would assume if you push both at max pressure the wsm would be faster though.

They make hammers of all shapes and sizes, but with efficiency as a talking point and 600 yards I think a 7mm WSM is a good contender at least if set up right.

Step one in most questions is "define the unit of measurement". What is the proposed unit of measurement?
For "fewest cartridges needed to cover all North American game" at .300 WSM is my pick. Recoil is very reasonable, and you can shoot a 150 at 3350 FPS or a 212 at 2850 FPS. The .30-'06 and .338-'06 AI are very close seconds.
For "fewest cartridges needed to cover NA and African PLAINS game" the .300 WSM is probably still the best choice, but a 9.3x62 will give you a bit more top end without breaking your shoulder.
For "least power needed to adequately take NA game", the 6.5 Creedmoor is very hard to beat, but at longer ranges or vs the largest NA game will be somewhat underpowered. Note that WDM Bell killed most of his elephants with a 7x57 Mauser, so it's technically (though not legally or practically) sufficient for every game animal on Earth. Lt.Col. Patterson killed both of the Tsavo Lions with a SMLE in .303 British (though he may have finished one off with a larger rifle.....the internet has lots of stories).
For "most fun", the answer might be "buy a bunch of rifles because you enjoy loading for and shooting them."
For "cheapest caliber that can cover most NA game shooting factory ammunition", a .308 Win or .30-06 is going be very tough to beat.
For "one caliber to cover 95% of hunting in Texas" a .30-30 or .300 HAMR is nearly impossible to beat.

My answer is a .300 WSM for everything in NA while I'm building a set of Mauser 98s for Africa with a 9.3x62 and a .458 WM. My .300 WSM has a custom neck diameter under SAAMI spec, so even though its a common round it cannot chamber much less safely shoot factory ammo. Conversely the 9.3x62 and .458 were chose specifically because those are two of the easiest calibers to buy in Africa and are both at the BOTTOM end of power required for larger African game. I bring this up because my answer involves nearly all of the possible variations on the original question.