Small caliber regret

[kkp005]

No regret. I mainly only shoot 223 and 6cm now. Heck I’ve got a Sako 300wm sitting at the back of the safe that doesn’t even have a scope on it anymore

 

[TaperPin]

Anyone swapped to a small cartridge such as 6 creed and had regret? Obviously the small rounds are getting tons of love nowadays.

While many have just discovered the 6mm, a large number of us started out hunting with it, and if you know anything about young guys we will shoot any and every bullet through a rifle. The use of soft fragmenting bullets isn’t anything new, despite popular thoughts that a 103 gr bullet makes the 6mm a giant killer, while a soft 100 gr produced since the 243 came out in 1955 is SOOOOOOOO much different. *chuckle*

A 243 works, but there are much better choices and everyone I grew up with gravitated to larger cartridges. If it worked as well as larger cartridges it’s not like we wouldn’t keep using it, everyone I know still has one in the closet ready to go, we just don’t see it as the be all end all. A cow shot double lung with my rifle went almost 400 yards, luckily out in open sage. In some thick overgrown areas that don’t show hoof prints, 400 yards can be a very very long way and many elk are lost in half that distance. There are much better choices. The 25 calibers are a much better minimum choice.

Time and time again guys say since going to a smaller cartridge they shoot more, but they should have started with a smaller rifle and always had it to practice with. I call it confusing practice rifles with hunting rifles.

 

[bnewt3]

I haven’t regretted it one bit.

You missed the point I believe. I don’t think he’s implying it as more powerful, but more pleasurable to shoot. The bigger issue with the bigger calibers is you have to shoot a heavier bullet to match bc and then the recoil factor goes up.

If that's the point i definitely missed it. Ive been known to be a dullard from time to time.

 

[Treeman_MG]

My only regret is not making the switch sooner. Sold my 300wm, 6.5 creed is now my "big gun", and will be going to Alaska with me next September for moose. Using .223 and .22-250 as my main deer guns now. Yet to see a downside.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

While many have just discovered the 6mm, a large number of us started out hunting with it, and if you know anything about young guys we will shoot any and every bullet through a rifle. The use of soft fragmenting bullets isn’t anything new, despite popular thoughts that a 103 gr bullet makes the 6mm a giant killer, while a soft 100 gr produced since the 243 came out in 1955 is SOOOOOOOO much different. *chuckle*

A 243 works, but there are much better choices and everyone I grew up with gravitated to larger cartridges. If it worked as well as larger cartridges it’s not like we wouldn’t keep using it, everyone I know still has one in the closet ready to go, we just don’t see it as the be all end all. A cow shot double lung with my rifle went almost 400 yards, luckily out in open sage. In some thick overgrown areas that don’t show hoof prints, 400 yards can be a very very long way and many elk are lost in half that distance. There are much better choices. The 25 calibers are a much better minimum choice.

You make a great point about the old 100-grain bullet versus the new 103-grain bullet, but I don’t follow you the rest of the way.

What is it about a .257 caliber 100-grain bullet that makes it so much better than a 100-grain .243 caliber bullet? Does the extra 0.14” diameter make up for the lower ballistic coefficient? Or does the .257’s superior performance with 134- or 138-grain bullets set it apart from the .243, which tops out around 115- or 117-grain bullets?

I’ve had double-lung shot deer run 400 yards after being hit by .30-06 and .45-70. Does that mean I need a bigger bullet?

People switch to larger calibers because that’s what gun culture tells them they are supposed to do, not for any truly rational reason.

 

[Kurts86]

I don’t regret getting out of magnums but I will say I found .223 rem hard to see splash on misses in the 450-600+ yard range solo and I find the hotter heavier 22’s (.22 arc, .224 Valkyrie, etc) and lighter 6mm’s make calling splash misses solo easier at middle longer ranges. This is a range problem and personal preference not an indictment of .223’s hunting capabilities within minimum opening velocity ranges.

6mm is a happy medium for me. The cost savings of .223 doesn’t really factor in given my limited range time and my kids are still half a decade away from rifles so I’ll revisit .223 again in the future.

 

[Steve300xcw]

6 creed is small?

I'm no hipster so the 243 still works for me. Have never felt under gunned with that round.

Now sitting up on the side of a windy ass canyon with a 223....Yea I've wished for a bit more in situarions like that. Cant say it ever kept me from doing qhat I needed to do though.

 

[MT-nuffgun]

Sold my 7 mag to buy a suppressor for my fast twist .243 win. I would have no issues going down to 22 ARC or 22 creed but went with the tikka .243 win in case I ever hunt in a state with a 6mm min. My rifle is a dream to shoot suppressed and that 108 eldm at 3000 FPS is devastating.

 

[MCS]

I switched from a 300 win mag to a 6.5 creed and killed quite a few deer and antelope with it. The 6.5 does not drop animals like the larger magnums do. Now I've been shooting a 7mm with 180's and a 30 Nosler with 225 eldm's. Smaller calibers work but not as good.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Switched from 300win mag and 7mm mag to 6.5 cm and now 6cm, getting a 6arc put together off of a savage action I had lying around. Man I love shooting the smol bois! I can shoot all day with those and it doesn’t hurt my shoulder or my wallet. Love my .223’s but I’m limited to .243 or above here in Co. for big game everything is threaded and suppressed and a joy to shoot, spotting impacts, fun to practice and predator hunt with. Wish I would have started with the little guys!

 

[sierracharlie338]

I don’t regret anything but occasionally I miss the authority of steel ringing at those longer distances. Luckily I can pull out the ole 338 Lapua and sling some 285-300grainers down range

 

[wyosam]

I like my lighter stuff alright, but sometimes it is nice to mix in some CLANk!! With the “tink” on the steel.


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[Deerfield]

No regret at all. I have noticed no negative change in performance since I dropped down in caliber.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I miss the authority of steel ringing at those longer distances. Luckily I can pull out the ole 338 Lapua and sling some 285-300grainers down range

Yup! Every once in a while dragging out the 300rum is a good time. More wapow is always awesome!

Soon as the barrel goes, I'm going smaller with it though

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I have been shooting a 25-06 since 1969 when I built my first one (it was a wildcat then). I probably have killed over 100 deer and antelope with my Ruger M77 which I bought in 1973 and still shoot. You guys just discover small calibers?

I still shoot my Ruger #1 in .300 Wby today and have since I bought it in 5 years ago. I had another .300 Wby that I gave my son, since 1980. I am 84 and just shot it today getting ready for my elk hunt in 2 weeks. My only admission to my age is I have a muzzle brake on it.

These 2 guns are my go to hunting guns for everything I hunt and will be until I die.

 

[TheViking]

Switched from 300win mag and 7mm mag to 6.5 cm and now 6cm, getting a 6arc put together off of a savage action I had lying around. Man I love shooting the smol bois! I can shoot all day with those and it doesn’t hurt my shoulder or my wallet. Love my .223’s but I’m limited to .243 or above here in Co. for big game everything is threaded and suppressed and a joy to shoot, spotting impacts, fun to practice and predator hunt with. Wish I would have started with the little guys!

I grew up in the Midwest shooting a 270. We never shot deer more than 100 yards away. Smoked them every time. I moved out west after college, got into elk hunting and ‘needed’ to buy a bigger gun. You know, because elk are damn near bulletproof. I bought a 325 WSM and shot 200 grain Accubonds. Shot a handful of elk, nothing too exciting killing wise. They all ran fairly far, all died like they should. That cartridge kind of died off and ammo was insane, so I bought a 7mm WSM (had a thing for the short mags ). Similar results, but elk seem to die faster. Got out that gun, bought a 6.5 PRC - pretty much all bang flops now! Faster, lighter, more frangible bullets - and MUCH more enjoyable to shoot. Bought a 6 creed now and absolutely love it. Waiting to put a bullet through an animal to give me some confidence with it. But so far, going with a smaller cartridge has definitely been the much better choice! I still have some fudd in me, so I’m not sold yet on 6 cm for large animals, but I don’t think it’ll be long!

Edit: I won a 7 PRC this spring and shot a cow with that earlier this year, just because I had to try it out. Great gun - double long, ran 75 yards and tipped over. Federal Fusion Tipped. Kind of wish I used the 6 CM, oh well. Not sure what I’ll do with that 7 PRC.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I have been shooting a 25-06 since 1969 when I built my first one (it was a wildcat then). I probably have killed over 100 deer and antelope with my Ruger M77 which I bought in 1973 and still shoot. You guys just discover small calibers?

I still shoot my Ruger #1 in .300 Wby today and have since I bought it in 5 years ago. I had another .300 Wby that I gave my son, since 1980. I am 84 and just shot it today getting ready for my elk hunt in 2 weeks. My only admission to my age is I have a muzzle brake on it.

These 2 guns are my go to hunting guns for everything I hunt and will be until I die.

Never had any mentors who steered me that way. It was all flat shooting magnums and whallop, which makes sense because they grew up with out range finders and a flat shooting super fast cartridge definitely had a place, still kind of does for MPBR shooters.

Now with high BC, frangible bullets from fast twist barrels, range finders, ballistic calculators, chronographs it makes the small caliber thing much more of a science. Plus Rokslide has done a good bit of anecdotal research in this matter. You sir were ahead of the curve clearly

 

[Pharmseller]

If that's the point i definitely missed it. Ive been known to be a dullard from time to time.

Cut yourself some slack.

You’re almost always a dullard.

 

[mtnbound]

Anyone swapped to a small cartridge such as 6 creed and had regret? Obviously the small rounds are getting tons of love nowadays.

I started with a 243 and killed deer, bear, and elk, but I decided I needed a bigger bullet and more energy, even though I had years of evidence showing differently. I only spent a few years chasing that nonsense until I started going back down in caliber, which was one of my best decisions. That was 30 years ago, when the bullet choices were nowhere near what they are now. My only regret with smaller calibers is that I sold my first .243 to buy a .300 Winchester Magnum.

 

[EastHumboldt]

My brother and I both switched from 30-06 to 7-08 this year. He just shot a bull elk pretty much broadside at 65 yds with a 150 grain ELDX. It went down fast, like 3-4 steps. It was not a double lung shot behind the shoulder, but he missed by a bit and went forward of the shoulder at the base of the neck. (He was shooting from a poor position) I think he took off one of the top “ spars” of a vertebrae and maybe a little spinal cord with it. He walked up to the still thrashing animal and shot it in the heart.

So not quite DRT but pretty close. Sample size of one but no regerts yet!