Comparison of medium to large plains game cartridges

[Messor]

Did this last night

Same comparison as before:

http://www.gunsite.co.za/forums/show...ame-cartridges


Same rules, only data posted which is loaded in factory ammo, aka ammo you can buy.
As before it's hard knowing what the data means, one needs real world experience to make sense of it.
If it looks all funny on Tapatalk it's probably only suited for desktop view :

Velocity ELD-X	muzzle	100y	200y	300y		Velocity Barnes TTSX	muzzle	100y	200y	300y
7mm Rem Mag 162gr	2940	2791	2647	2505		7mm Rem Mag 150gr	3060	2846	2642	2448
308 Win 178gr	2600	2440	2284	2133		308 Win 168gr	2700	2511	2330	2156
30-06 178gr	2750	2587	2428	2272		30-06 180gr	2750	2565	2386	2215
300WM 200gr	2850	2697	2546	2397		300WM 180gr	2960	2765	2579	2400
338WM 230gr	2810	2659	2513	2372		338WM 225gr	2800	2623	2453	2289
Wind Drift 10m/h inches	muzzle	100y	200y	300y		Wind Drift 10m/h inches	muzzle	100y	200y	300y
7mm Rem Mag 162gr	0	0.44	1.8	4.15		7mm Rem Mag 150gr	0	0.6	2.2	5.1
308 Win 178gr	0	0.65	2.71	5.82		308 Win 168gr	0	6	2.5	5.8
30-06 178gr	0	0.54	2.27	5.28		30-06 180gr	0	0.6	2.4	5.5
300WM 200gr	0	0.48	1.98	4.62		300WM 180gr	0	0.6	2.2	5
338WM 230gr	0	0.48	1.95	4.5		338WM 225gr	0	0.6	2.2	5
Bullet Energy	muzzle	100y	200y	300y		Bullet Energy	muzzle	100y	200y	300y
7mm Rem Mag 162gr	3109	2802	2519	2257		7mm Rem Mag 150gr	3120	2699	2326	1996
308 Win 178gr	2671	2353	2062	1798		308 Win 168gr	2720	2352	2025	1734
30-06 178gr	2988	2645	2329	2040		30-06 180gr	3023	2629	2276	1961
300WM 200gr	3607	3229	2878	2552		300WM 180gr	3503	3057	2659	2303
338WM 230gr	4032	3611	3226	2874		338WM 225gr	3918	3438	3006	2618
Bullet Drop inches	muzzle	100y	200y	300y		Bullet Drop inches	muzzle	100y	200y	300y
7mm Rem Mag 162gr	1.5	-1.6	0	5.61		7mm Rem Mag 150gr	1.5	-1.4	0	6.4
308 Win 178gr	1.5	-2.5	0	7.71		308 Win 168gr	1.5	-2	0	8.4
30-06 178gr	1.5	-2.22	0	6.66		30-06 180gr	1.5	-1.9	0	8
300WM 200gr	1.5	-1.95	0	6.08		300WM 180gr	1.5	-1.5	0	6.8
338WM 230gr	1.5	-2.11	0	6		338WM 225gr	1.5	-1.8	0	7.6
Recoil energy ft-lbf	muzzle	100y	200y	300y		Recoil energy ft-lbf	muzzle	100y	200y	300y
7mm Rem Mag 162gr	30.97					7mm Rem Mag 150gr	29.65
308 Win 178gr	29.93					308 Win 168gr	29.26
30-06 178gr	31.93					30-06 180gr	32.35
300WM 200gr	38.35					300WM 180gr	35.31
338WM 230gr	44.97					338WM 225gr	43.51

[Bonedoc]

Pretty much all of them will bring home the biltong. I am surprised that the recoil between a 308 and 7mm Rem Mag is almost the same. Obviously different rifles/stocks will impact felt recoil, but 30-06 and 7 Rem Mag have always felt significant more than 308 in the rifles that I have shot.

The slight differences in trajectory/wind drift are negligible for hunting purposes.

[Messor]

@Bonedoc

The recoil figures is the one thing I did not actually want to put in there, since all rifles differ and you don't know what powders these guys use.
I's only there because it was in the previous edition.

To be clear, you are correct, the recoil for the 308 there is definitely out of proportion, since I did not take charge into affect, it could drop as much as 10 IF I knew what they used. For now just be aware that the 308 have a small case, and the other ones much larger. The amount of powder have a big difference in recoil.

You are not wrong in your assumption.

[Messor]

Since recoil is perceived, and actually consists out of 3 factors, velocity, energy and impulse, I believe we should ignore it and only focus on the external ballistics, since those are more or less very accurate.

[C-Rex]

With my limited knowledge.. I find this quite interesting. By just looking at the cold numbers...
the 30-0-kwes (and personally I don't really know where this comes from. The 30-06 of a friend that I shot with previously, I had no such issues) should be a better sniper rifle than the 308. Excluding the recoil factor. And if the perceived recoil is pretty much the same, the 300 looks to be the better option than the 30-06. (and I perceive my 300 to kick like a mule).
However I think it comes back to usage. (and all the other factors that affects the result and performance) Impala at 50m vs BlueWBeast at 300m...

[Messor]

I think.......

If you are going to mess around with big animals and soft points, leave it to the heavies, use the 300WM or 338 because it gives you some margin, not much but a margin.

In any normal hunting scenario the 308 can work, it’s not the best, but it can work.

The 300 is a VERY versatile cartridge, it does most hunting jobs very well, soft points or mono’s alike.

In mono’s the 338 is in a league of his own, the league of overkill, it’s got the highest SD and BC bullet of any TTSX, you want to kill something and can handle recoil, this is the best option out there. When things go wrong with smaller cals this thing can put something down from any angle. I bought one for shits and giggles but soon realized it’s close to the hammer of thor.

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s enough gun for your target.