WoodsQuest

I've been thinking about adding a .260 for a few years. Wouldn't bullet construction play an important role in this? The sectional density of most .264 bullets in the 125-140 grain weight range are very similar to .308 bullets of 180 grains. Just looking at Nosler Partitions, a 180 grain .308 has a sectional density of .271 and a 140 grain .264 has a sectional density of .287. Partitions are pretty tough bullets. If a .308 Winchester or .30-06 pushing a 180 Partition at 2500-2700 fps is fine, why would a 140 Partition at 2650 fps not work? Even stepping up to a 220 grain Partition the sectional density of that bullet is .331. I'm a novice hunter and have never hunted moose so I have no clue what I'm talking about. I browse hunting forums a lot and always see recommendations for small cannons for all kinds of game, why?

Ridge Runner

we are all inn agreance that the 260 will kill a moose, however think about this, the faster you make him dead, the less chance he will get somewhere such as the middle of an impenetrable tangle, nor even the middle of a lake. making it almost impossible to retrieve. bring enough gun.
RR

WoodsQuest

What cartridge guarantees a quick kill? Isn't that subject to a lot of variables outside the control of the hunter?

Ridge Runner

The one that makes them leak that red liquid the fastest after you put the bullet where it needs to be. so on identical shots which will put a bigger hole and expend the most energy a 260 or a 7mm mag?
RR
edited to add: If a hunter does as he should, thinks things through, preps himself and his equipment, there is nothing outside his control, if there is, mistakes were made. If a carpenter shows up to do a project, and brings an axe instead of a hammer, is it outside his control that he can't get the job done?

WoodsQuest

Won't shot placement contribute more than the slight differences between a .264 and .284 bullet moving a few hundred feet per second different from each other? I read about people choosing a more powerful cartridge so they can take more difficult shots to fill a tag, but aren't we running into an ethics question at that point? Really, what kind of difference will a 7Mag have over a .260/7-08 within reasonable hunting ranges? Seems like more blast, recoil and few hundred more fps of velocity. I don't understand why someone would want a magnum for normal hunting ranges.

What I'm trying to say is- if a bullet design and weight is capable of providing necessary penetration and expansion, what good does it do to drive the bullet a few hundred fps faster when it is still impacting within it's expansion/penetration velocity window when fired from a non-magnum cartridge?

Ridge Runner

cause it expends more energy on the animal, causing more shock, more trauma, more disorientation slowing the animal down. if you ever used a ultra high velocity on ig game you would see the difference, my 7mm stw is devastating on game, having shot deer with the 7mm JDJ, the 7mm-08, the 280, the 7 mag, the 7 stw and a 7mm Allen Magnum, the difference in the animals reactions are plain as day, faster bullets kill faster, no doubt about it. Have had deer make it out of sight a lot with the '08, couple with the 7 mag, none with the stw, ever had one go over 8' with the 7mm AM, that's 54 deer shot from 307 to 1350 yards with the 7mm AM. I'm here to tell ya, speed kills
RR

WoodsQuest

How much meat damage does that do, and is it worth the increased blast and recoil? Also, what about range? The ranges you're indicating are a lot farther than most people are going to shoot. Where I am a 150 yard shot would be long range. So, inside 300 yards how much of a benefit do the magnums have over standard cartridges? I can understand the need for a magnum if you're shooting something at 800 yards.

Ridge Runner

knew this was coming, your way better off on big game to stay off shoulder, especialy with a small cartridge at close range, will the bullet penetrate the shoulder and take out the lungs? maybe, ever saw a partition fail? I have so many times I no longer shoot them. s to me you've appointed yourself an expert with limited experience. my experience, lung shoot till your below 2800 fps, then clip the back edge of the shoulder blade to aid expansion, do what ya want, I told you how it works, buy your 260 and go grizz huntin, they weigh 1/2 what a moose does.
RR

WoodsQuest

I'm asking questions. I don't fancy myself an expert at anything.

Ridge Runner

you have to find a happy medium of killing ability and tolerable meat damage, muzzle blast and recoil are negligible. trust me faster bullets indeed do kill faster, bigger faster bullets kill even faster, and do less meat damage cause they expand less. I just feel for game like moose ya will be better off with a 160 gr bullet around 3000 fps.
RR