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Forum Index > Rifles general discussion > Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards

Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards

22 Jul 2018
@ 08:40 am (GMT)

Ryan Nafe

Fellas,

Firstly let me say thanks to everyone for the replies and information they shared in my two recent posts. Life gets a little busy sometimes and I get forgetful, so don’t take it too seriously if I don’t reply right away or respond to every individual.


Here’s the situation that prompted this particular post:

The rifle, cartridge, and ammunition I’m using for whitetail deer is as close to optimal as I could reasonably ask expect. 20” barrel .308 Winchester, 165 grain Superformance SST’s at just over 2,700 FPS. For the game weights of 150 to 225 pounds, this is just fine. BUT, I’m somewhat bored with this combination and want to experiment with a new setup that consistently offers significantly faster killing.

The main options I’m considering are these:

- .45-70 (full-power loads suitable for levers and Ruger #1)
- .270 WSM
- 7mm Rem. Mag. (Maybe WSM)
- .35 Whelen


I would appreciate some input on what you guys think would provide the fastest killing possible for the above mentioned game weights, out to about 125 yards. Handloading is an option, as is factory ammo. One major consideration is that I would really like to keep the overall length of the rifle to an absolute maximum of 44 inches.

Replies

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15 Sep 2018
@ 02:32 pm (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
Or you could stop f#@*&^g around! load some cheap 💪220gn round nose bullets, use what you have(three oh hate) and "Pile👊drive" Bambi's relatives. An 🔪put them in your freezer. Job done son👍👍👍🍻
15 Sep 2018
@ 03:13 pm (GMT)

Ryan Nafe

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
Ha, well yeah Warwick that would work fine. But that’s not quite the point, it’s not what I’m after. I’m mainly just curious about how it would be to experience an entirely different class of killing performance than what the likes of .308 or .243 or .25-06 can produce.

The .308 would be adequate for literally any animal on the North American continent, given appropriate bullet selection and ranges. So from a practical perspective I really don’t need anything else.

But curiosity, exploration, and new experiences are probably the three strongest motivations for my mind in general, for basically everything I do. So in the realm of guns and hunting, it’s the same thing:

These three things will always pull me towards different tools and targets. Even if what I have and what I’m capable of is adequate for my practical needs, I will probably never stop looking for other stuff. It’s kinda just the way I am. Round and round I go. :-D
16 Sep 2018
@ 01:56 am (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
That's really good personal awareness about yourself that you have Ryan. You don't have to be sick to get better?
Thanks for sharing your reasoning. I'm happy when I
get a tool that works. I keep it clean and ready for work. All the best with your learning. Warwick
17 Sep 2018
@ 08:45 am (GMT)

Thomas Kitchen

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
hi Ryan
please have a read of this https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Resources/Discussion+Forums/x_forum/17/thread/9545.html
and i agree with you about learning "the only thing no one can take from you is your ability to learn"
20 Sep 2018
@ 05:23 am (GMT)

Ryan Nafe

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
Thomas, well there goes that idea:D
22 Sep 2018
@ 04:28 pm (GMT)

Luke Lahdenranta

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
Ryan if you want to explore new ballistic vistas over the 243/308 just go to the store and buy yourself a Remington SPS in 7mm Rem Magnum. You will have a new rifle to play with and all your paralysis by analysis will be over. As Nathan says nobody is ever unhappy with a 7mm mag.

Shoots as flat as a 270.
Hits like 300.
Recoil like a 30-06.
Ammo at every corner store...

Plus you get the official Terminal Ballistics Research seal of approval!

(Not like I'm biased because I just bought one, or anything like that) :)
22 Sep 2018
@ 06:09 pm (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
35 WHELEN
24 Sep 2018
@ 02:31 am (GMT)

Ryan Nafe

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
Well at the moment I’m just keeping an eye on the used rifles available at the town gun shop and the Cabela’s that’s a half hour away. The only real enticing option so far has been that Ruger Hawkeye African (no brake, earlier model) I mentioned a while back, but the price they’re asking is not quite as low as I’d like, to the point where it’s about the same as a basic Remington or Savage Weather Warrior.

But in the event that I don’t find any used ones worth picking up by the end of the year, then I’ll just buy a new stainless 7mm Rem Mag. The Remington AWR comes with a decent stock and a stainless 5-R barrel, which would definitely make it worth the extra cost over an SPS to me, though it does have the shorter 24” barrel which kinda sucks. If it was 26” it’d be fantastic, a bit more velocity with less muzzle blast.

One point is that I may not be quite as keen on the DIY bedding/stabilizing as I’d initially thought I would be, so it would be imperative to either get a rifle with an aluminum bedding block stock, or leave enough room in the budget to pick up a B&C or HS Precision. Glue and Screw method would probably be the best way to go at the moment.
21 Oct 2018
@ 08:50 am (GMT)

Ryan Nafe

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
A question for everyone:

Would a 175 grain ELD-X at 2,900 - 2,950 produce a similar effect to a 162 grain SST at 3,100?

For some reason I’m becoming interested in the idea of using an appropriate 175 grain bullet and pushing it to 2,900 or more. It’s very close to .300 Win Mag power levels, certainly more power than anything from a .30-06 with 180’s. And that ELD-X has a crazy-high BC of .66, but I’m not sure if the reduction in muzzle velocity is compensated for by the heavier bullet.

Even if I can’t get the 700 to shoot the ELD-X well, I could always use a Partition or perhaps a Hawk to do it.
21 Oct 2018
@ 09:19 am (GMT)

Lane Salvato

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
Ryan,

They can handle larger animals such as elk and red stag. Nathan writes about the 178 grain ELD-X in his latest book. Why don't you go load some up and see if your rifle likes them. Kill a couple of animals and see how you like them.
21 Oct 2018
@ 05:07 pm (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
35 Whelen with Hornady Superformance ammo 200gn @ 2900fps inside 125 yards? What's not to like about it?
21 Oct 2018
@ 06:58 pm (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: Cartridges for Fast Killing Inside 125 Yards
Damage at 65 yards maybe too much!
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/Wound+Database/.358+cal+-+Hornady+Interlock.html?__utma=1.1228204712.1537401746.1540094491.1540101129.182&__utmb=1.3.10.1540101129&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1537401746.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=124247178
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