A couple things about hunting and guns.?

Question

First of all, when i am reading people answers they always say if you handload a gun it will shot a bigger bullet and hit harder. What does that mean if you handload it.

What is everyones opinion on Short mags. I dont know if i want a 270. wsm, or a regular 270. win. Which one do you prefer?

Everybody keeps saying a 30-378 is too big for elk, moose, black, and brown bear. I have hunted with guys that use it on mule deer and i have always wanted one. WHat is your opinion on a 30-378

Answer 1

Your question reveals that you are new to ordnance murmuring! Welcome aboard, pull up a campchair, and watch out for the campfire smoke as the wind is switchy this evening!

Many people find that the big bullets needed for some purpose aren't available in factory loads, so they roll their own. This is one of the many advantages of reloading. A reloading manual such as the Hornady or Speer mailorder from http://www.midwayUSA.com/ will teach you all the mysteries, and much more.

The regular 270 is the best all-around gun for North American game, short of the big bears. Only someone shooting across windy mountain canyons at goats needs a 270 Magnum.

The 30-378 can be downloaded to 30-30 specs for the deer woods, or 130 grain 270-ish long range open country deer loads without killer recoil to s***w up your aim, or 150 grain 270-ish loads for long shots at mule deer, or using the 150 to 180 grain bullets at 300 Magnum specs for really long shots at elk, or 200 to 220 grain bullets at full steam for the very biggest African Game, where sub-40 Calibre is legal.

The 30-378 in the hands of a savvy reloader may just be the very most adaptable "do it all" gun there is. But you have to learn reloading to qualify. Start with the manuals. Regards, Larry.

Answer 2

The first part does not make sense.  I think you mean hand-load the rounds.  It is better if you know what your doing.  You can match the rounds exactly to the weapon you are shooting by doing this.  Factory made anything is not nearly as good as hand made.  Also on the short mags or ultimags, they do have a lot higher velocity.  They will shoot flatter and hit harder but they do kick a bit more.  I would go with the .270 wsm if I were you.  The kicks not that bad.  As far as the 30-378 is concerned, If you want it, buy it.  You may destroy more meat but it's better to go big than too small and wound animals.

Answer 3

Handloading or reloading allows an individual the ability to tailor load a round that their firearm shoots the best.  It also allows one to load bullets fast or slower than factory ammunition and even use a heavier weight projectile (bullet).

Short magnums are an example of trying to build a better mouse trap.  They sell new firearms and start hype over a new round that might be better than one that has stood the test of time.

I'm not a fan of the .270 Winchester, but would gladly take it over a .270 WSM.

Answer 4

Q. #1:  First of all, when i am reading people answers they always say if you handload a gun it will shot a bigger bullet and hit harder.

A. #1:  Handloading merely means you are loading, or re-loading your own ammunition rather than buying ready-made ammunition.  Can you shoot a bigger bullet?  NO, but you can load a heavier or lighter bullet in the caliber you are re-loading..  A heavier bullet can penetrate better than a lighter bullet in big game.

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Q. #2:  What is everyones opinion on Short mags. I dont know if i want a 270. wsm, or a regular 270. win. Which one do you prefer?

A. #2:  Short magnums burn their powder more efficiently than traditional, longer rounds.  A shorter-action rifle can be used and this means that sometimes a rifle can come equipped with a longer barrel.  The longer barrel also helps the rifle burn its powder more completely.  I've never tried the .270 WSM although my bro-in-law has one and he likes it.  I have a standard .270 Winchester and I find it great for up to deer size game.  

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Q. #3:  Everybody keeps saying a 30-378 is too big for elk, moose, black, and brown bear. I have hunted with guys that use it on mule deer and i have always wanted one. WHat is your opinion on a 30-378

A. #3:  Again, I don't own nor have I ever shot a .30-378 but it sounds more than adequate for Elk, Moose & Bear.  It might be on the big-side for Mule Deer but it is better to err on the side of 'big' when hunting big game.  Mule Deer are big game albeit smaller than Elk, etc.

H

Answer 5

Some handloaders push their luck, but here's one example: I supplied a good deal of my family with 7mm08's. The factory loads are pretty well all 139-150 grain bullets. But I can handload 160 grainers easily. There's no reason other than marketing that they aren't available as factory loads, but there you are.

I also have a 270 WSM. I got a good deal on a private sale. I have handloads for it that aren't much different from the plain 270 Win, and that's fine with me.

30-378 burns a huge amount of powder. Once you get past a certain point, burning powder has diminishing returns, and pretty well all the "normal" cartridges are at or past that point. The magnums may burn 10% more powder to get 2% more velocity, and the 30-378 is just an even more extreme example of being past the point of good sense. Any velocity past about 2400 fps has little return on the investment in powder burnt, a parallel to the above discussion. And past 2700 fps, that's even more true. You can burn over 100 grains of Reloader22 in 30-378 to launch a 180 grain bullet at over 3300 fps, but to what end? 60 grains of the same propellant in a 30-06 will kill an elk just as dead, with a lot less bother. And if you feel you need more gun, it just makes better sense to pick a bigger bullet, perhaps a 250 grain bullet in a 338-06. There's still little advantage over 30-06, but you're more likely to see a difference on the game you shoot, if not very often.

Answer 6

Handloading refers to reloading your own ammo. With proper equipment ,you can make your own ammo. this allows you to fire bullet weights other than what is available from the factory.

for instance, the 30-06 factory ammo is usually loaded with bullets in the 150-200grain range. by reloading, you have a range of bullets from about 100gr up to 220gr. this allows the rifle to cover a much broader range of uses, say from varmint hunting to the largest of american big game.

the 270 is a fine cartridge. the 270wsm allows the same or better performance from a smaller lighter action. either one is an excellent choice for deer.

30-378 is a very hard hitting cartridge, and is at its best for large game at long ranges. it is a bit of overkill for many big game animals, but "more is never enough" these days.

the fact is, the venerable 30-06 will work just fine for all the species you list, up to 300 yds. If you plan to take regular shots at greater distances, get the 30-378. if most of your shots are at less than 300, as 90% of shots are, save some money and go with the 30-06.

Answer 7

First, a handload is a round that you have personally assembled. If you know what you are doing, they are higher quailty than boxed ammunition that are factory produced.

Second, I think that short magnums are mostly a fad, not an actual improvement. I would probably say you should just buy a regular .270, it has been proven as a great round.

Third, I think a 30-378 would be a tad too large for mule deer, but if you really want to use it, no one can stop you.