What's the compromise caliber?

[MoeFaux]

I agree with @Ringbill27 on the Fudd cartridges. If you're shooting factory ammo, then choose a caliber that has great options at reasonable prices, which means going old school tried-and-true.

270
308
7mm-08

All have pretty low recoil with plenty enough power to get the job done on everything short of grizzlies IMHO.

If you care about stretching out to greater distances, the 6.5 PRC is nestled right in there with these cartridges but with better BC and fewer ammo options.

 

[Macintosh]

I agree with @Ringbill27 on the Fudd cartridges. If you're shooting factory ammo, then choose a caliber that has great options at reasonable prices, which means going old school tried-and-true.

270
308
7mm-08

All have pretty low recoil with plenty enough power to get the job done on everything short of grizzlies IMHO.

If you care about stretching out to greater distances, the 6.5 PRC is nestled right in there with these cartridges but with better BC and fewer ammo options.

To be fair, this is probably spot on, but just as one example if you include 308 and 7mm08, there is no objective reason not to include 6.5cm in that bunch. Ballistically in factory loadings its roughly equivalent to a 7mm08 if not better at longer range, factory ammo availability is multiple times better than 7mm08, and also better than 270win and 6.5prc. And then that opens the door for a whole host of other cartridges.

Isnt it more fair to simply say a middle ground is a 120ish-150ish gr bullet with a wind number around 4-5mph or better, that impacts above 1800-2000fps while having recoil under about 17-18ftlb of recoil in your chosen gun weight, or something along those lines? Theres plenty of factory cartridges that do this, many of which are relatively common. The benefit of this approach is it lets you objectively plug in your own desired effective range and gun weight, and allows you to see the objective differences, ie “this one gives me 150 yards extra terminal velocity, but thats outside the range I need so its irrelevant”.

 

[wind gypsy]

All have pretty low recoil with plenty enough power to get the job done on everything short of grizzlies IMHO.

Why short of grizzlies? I'd shoot a griz with any one of them without hesitation.

 

[Speaks]

For the last 20 years I owned M70s in 270, 7rm, 300wm, and 338wm. I never hunted with anything other than the 270 and never felt even the slightest need for any more gun. My 270 kicked a little harder than it needed to but it has a shitty birch stock, really it was fine though.

In trying to answer your same question for myself this year of what would be an optimal set up with easily available good factory ammo (and Tikka factory chamberings) I ended up concluding it was actually a pair of guns. I bought a 223 and a 6.5CM, the 223 should be good for anything I want to do out to 400-450ish yards and if I need to go longer for a specific hunt I have an identically configured 6.5cm that can stretch out into the mid 700s. If I ever need more reach I will cross that bridge when I get there and likely have burned out the barrels on my current pairing to get there.

You could quite reasonably replace the 6.5cm in that paring with a 6.5prc or 270 and maybe add an extra 100 yards of effective range. 7rm might have actually be the ideal 2nd gun for overall versatility (of factory Tikka chamberings). But 6.5cm gave me what I was looking for with the least recoil, if Tikka made a 6cm I might have gone that way, and will most likely end up with one at some point anyway.

 

[MoeFaux]

Why short of grizzlies? I'd shoot a griz with any one of them without hesitation.

I expected some pushback on that, which is why I included the IMHO. I would bring more gun for grizz.

 

[ManBun]

For myself, my custom 7 SAUM is the compromise cartridge. I have a 120 grain down load to 7mm-08 velocities for wife and kids, and a higher 175 grain load if needed for some longer range work.

 

[BigEd36]

7mm08, 270win, 308win and 30-06.

Fuddy I know but ammo availability and bullet type/weight is really good compared to most cartridges talked about on this site these days.

Will kill to 300yds and beyond. Fairly mild recoil, tons of rifle options, tons of reloading options.

They’ve been good for many years. Nothing new nothing flashy. Just old work horses.

Yep! And with the advancements in bullets they're better than ever!

 

[Choupique]

what is the optimal middle of the road cartridge for a factory ammo shooter?

375 h&h

Duh

 

[JohnJohnson]

Probably 6.5 CM or 6.5 PRC. I'm personally moving away from 6.5CM to a 6CM as my do-all hunting cartridge so I'll find out soon if that was a good idea.

 

[Fujicon]

375 h&h

Duh

I laughed at your response, which I expect was intended. But perhaps inadvertently you kind of make a point. We're all presuming North America in our responses, but the OP wasn't specific about geography. 375 H&H would easily be the primary "compromise" cartridge in Africa.

 

[MuleyFever]

I laughed at your response, which I expect was intended. But perhaps inadvertently you kind of make a point. We're all presuming North America in our responses, but the OP wasn't specific about geography. 375 H&H would easily be the primary "compromise" cartridge in Africa.

I thought the 6UM was the new African compromise caliber.

 

[Unckebob]

No, this is not a 223 or 6mm is too small debate. I know that they work and am using a 6mm now. This is about a balance between what will work at the minimal legal vs what one may be comfortable with.

I have heard it expressed that you need to be confident and comfortable in your set up. We do better when we are confident in our setup. So if I know I don't need a magnum but don't feel comfortable at the 6cm level where do I look as a factory ammo shooter. Is there really a difference in the 6.5CM to 308 calibers? Is the 25CM worth waiting for?

This. All of the 308 based cartridges provide good performance on most NA game if Hunters can get in range and use the correct bullet. The 6.5CM, 7-08 & 308 are solid choices of for all around cartridges.

In the real world, they all do the same job 95% of the time. None of them will really beat up a shooter with excessive recoil.

The 6CM seems perfect for someone skewing to the light side of things. The ‘06 based cartridges are good for someone who wants more velocity.

 

[TaperPin]

The cartridge compromise is real, but I see it as a matter of comfort and convince. In these days of heated and air conditioned seats to keep your hoo ha at exactly the correct temperature, 3/4 ton trucks sprung like a 4 door Buick, satellite radio to never miss Joe Rogan, and sissy tailgates that automatically fold down and deploy a loading step like some mini corporate jet, people just don’t like loud noises or any recoil out of a rifle. If it sounds and recoils like a dog fart everyone loves it. Rather than hold it like a Clovis spear about to off a mastadon, folks strap it to their pack so their hand doesn’t cramp. Way too much time is spent discussing what brand of plastic is better for gun parts, rather than throwing that junk in the recycling bin to be made into Trex decking and nylon spatulas.

Make a rifle big and all steel, with a flame that jumps out the muzzle and recoil that sets you back in the seat like an alcohol powered dragster. Make the thing loud like some good fireworks. Shoot the damn thing until you’re accurate with it, rather than complain it’s too hard to get to the range, or the weather will make you melt, or never zero in the wind, and rely on dog fart recoil to make you accurate. lol

Not going to lie, I do wish my jitney had heated seats, so what do I know.

 

[Macintosh]

Too true. I dont think anyone will argue with me when I say that one’s hoo-ha can never be too temperature controlled.







Yes, that was a challenge.

 

[MTWop]

270 win for ammo availability. If stretching further than 500 yards (I don’t), I’d opt for the 6.5 PRC.

 

[Choupique]

laughed at your response, which I expect was intended.

Dual purpose.

Its comical. Its also one of the few options for a shootable long range capable caliber that can be used everywhere for every hunt in the world that I am aware of.

 

[Erussell01]

Dual purpose.

Its comical. Its also one of the few options for a shootable long range capable caliber that can be used everywhere for every hunt in the world that I am aware of.

Do we consider it a big thumper?

 

[TheViking]

Big 6.5 PRC fan here. I personally can't think of a better middle ground cartidge.

 

[Erussell01]

Big 6.5 PRC fan here. I personally can't think of a better middle ground cartidge.

Do you think the recoil is a factor for 6.5 prc or is it manageable for most people?

I'm asking genuinely, having never shot one I'm not sure what the recoil is like in a normal hunting weight rifle setup. I thought I could tolerate recoil, which I can sort of. But I shoot 308 and everything with less recoil than 308 better than I do anything above. It made me change my mind on magnums and magnum recoil.

This is heathen style unbraked, unsurpressed just for comparison sake since I'm a barbaric idiot and I haven't ponied up for a surpressor yet

 

[MoeFaux]

Do you think the recoil is a factor for 6.5 prc or is it manageable for most people?

I'm asking genuinely, having never shot one I'm not sure what the recoil is like in a normal hunting weight rifle setup. I thought I could tolerate recoil, which I can sort of. But I shoot 308 and everything with less recoil than 308 better than I do anything above. It made me change my mind on magnums and magnum recoil.

This is heathen style unbraked, unsurpressed just for comparison sake since I'm a barbaric idiot and I haven't ponied up for a surpressor yet

308 and 6.5 PRC are, on average, essentially the same in recoil. 6.5 CM will, on average, give you an 18% reduction in recoil over the 308.

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