[The Next Level]

My local gun range is currently building a 600 yard range. I have decided this is what I would like to do. There are three calibers that I am interested in. The .270, 25-06, and 30-06. The rifle I have picked out is the Savage weather warrior series. I think the 25-06 recoil should be slightly lower than the other two but is the 270 and 30-06 recoil about the same? Which should I go with concerning placing a 600 yard shot?

Thanks

[Zak Smith]

There is a sticky in this forum entitled "Introduction to Practical Long-Range Rifle Shooting - Resources". There are several that discuss cartridge selection and comparison in depth. For now, let me direct you to Page 2 of this one:


article | Practical Long-Range Rifle Shooting, Part I - Rifle & Equipment


The general criteria for selecting a cartridge for long-range shooting is that you want to minimize wind drift while keeping a reasonably flat trajectory. BC is the most important factor in wind drift. Once you have a cartridge, you should pick a load using the same criteria: pick the highest BC bullet you can shoot while still having a reasonable fast muzzle velocity.

The problem with .277" and .25" bore sizes is that the selection of high BC bullets is very, very poor. In the .30-06 case size, the best factory (non-Ackley Improved) cartridges for long-range shooting are: 6.5-06, .280 Remington (aka 7mm-06), and the .30-06 itself.