Depending on whether you like a longer action or a short action. If short action, my two recommendations are 7/08 or 260 Rem.

If long action, then I would go with the traditional versions of above with long throats, 7 x 57 and 6.5 x 55.

257 Roberts would get honorable mention but I'd lean toward the above if Elk was in the mix. 6mm Remington is also a favorite cartridge of mine.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire

This thread is kind of like deciding which is the best breakfast cereal. Totally subjective. And about 40 "right" answers.

Don't leave out the 30 cal's. Bullet selection is mind blowing. Most 30's can be loaded up or loaded down and it's nice to have a little weight if the deer doesn't present the perfect broadside shot!
There,....... that's my 2 cents

7mm-08


I really like mine

but I was about to buy a 260 and could not find one,

For what it's worth in no particular order:



- 7x57

- 7-08

- 6.5x55

- .260

- .257 Roberts



Don't believe you can go wrong with any of 'em, no matter what anyone says...





Hank

I really meant that as a gentle poke at people for not sticking to the topic. If 7mm had been part of the equation I would not have suggested the .260 as I think there is better match bullet selection in the 7mms. But even so you only need to find one good match bullet that your rifle loves, then pray it's not discontinued. So I wouldn't discount the .260 anyway.



I don't believe there is a convincing argument given the deer/target criteria of this post. I believe premium bullets level the field considerably between cartridges, to the point it takes a good 15-20% difference in weight or velocity to make any difference on game. I don't think there are many hunters that will shoot enough game in their lifetime to discern any difference between those two.



Those two cartridges are a smaller metric reflection of the .270-.30/06 debate where on game smaller than elk, maybe even including elk, it's a coin-toss IMO. I can't imagine staring at a bull elk with my .270 and 140gr X-bullets or 150gr partitions and passing up the shot thinking "...if only I had my /06 and 180gr bullets..."

Hank,

anyone who criticizes any of them evidently does not know what he is talking about, period!

cheers
seafire

1. 7MM-08
2. 6.5X55
3. 6.5-284

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the above. You have received many excellent suggestions.

can some one make a convincing arguement to choose the 6.5x55 over a 7x57??? or vise versa???

thanks

Dave

I would go with .257 Rob. I have taken every thing from ground hogs to blue wildabeast with mine.The ammo I use for big game now is Hornady light mags and reload for the small stuff remember shot placement is the key and pick the rigth shot (when indout get closer) wells

I have to cast another vote for the 260 Rem as long as the game is no larger than deer. The loading manuals show 3000 fps with 120 gr bullets. This is enough velocity to give a decent trajectory to 300 yd and is enough bullet to ensure reliable lethality on deer or antelope.
If one is forced to shoot factory loads, the 260 is the hottest 6.5 around, excluding the overbore 264 Win. I own and shoot a 260 and a 264. I love them both, but the 260 is a joy to shoot with 120 gr NBT's @ 3000 fps and the 264 is work to shoot with 140 Sierra spbt's @ 3100 fps.(Chrony). Anyway it starts to become work at about 40 rounds in an afternoon.
I am one of those that love balistic tips on deer size game. They totally devastate the entire heart/lung cavity on deer, even if you do lose a six inch diameter circle of rib meat.
Several writers responded in favor of the 25-06 and 270. The 25-06 only beats the velocity of the 260 by 100 fps and the 260 allows the option of using 130, 140, or possibly even the 160 gr Hornady round nose. I admit I would be hard pressed to find a use for the 160. The 270 does beat 260 balistics, but at the expense of larger powder charges with the attendent increases in muzzle blast and recoil.
It is hard to argue with the 7-08, except for the trajectory of the 260.
In the two years that I have had my 260 Rem (boat paddle 77), it has come to rank with my favorites. I have now pulled the scope from mine and equiped it with a peep sight from the Cabelas catalog, which attaches to the receiver in place of the rear scope ring. I can no longer hit whistle pigs reliably at 200 yds with it, but it sure makes a handy little deer rifle.