Pick a caliber...

.30-06 is incredibly versatile. My Savage 112BVSS is a tack driver at 600 yards with the 200gr. Sierra Matchking and IMR4350.

25-06 is another option out there. I don’t have any experience with it personally, but does move a 120 gr faster than the Roberts and is easier to find.

.280Ackley!

Saami legit, near magnum performance, and still does well when fire forming.

My Christensens the first .280AI I've owned. So far I'm getting full factory spec from .280 when fire forming (my guns got a 26" tube), and my handloads are only about 50-75fps slower than my 24" 7 mags, and 75-100fps behind my 26" 7mags.
still got some room to play as I'm running out of case capacity without hitting pressure on my slowest powders, now to start working with faster ones.

I'm actually home on Molokai this week, and gonna be using regular federal .280 ammo for hunting because I didn't have enough time to shoot dopes on my handloads.

Unfortunately, you said no magnums.

Yeah. 7 Remington Mag. I have one in a Browning X-Bolt. It’s my only big bore rife ‘cause it will pretty much do everything from pronghorn to moose.

I talked to an elk guide that’s from a flatter area in New Mexico (flat being relative compared to super mountainous Idaho, Colorado, etc). He felt it was optimum. Shoots flat as a varmint rifle, moderate recoil with the squishy recoil pad

Plenty of horsepower. Shoots sub .5’s for three shots

Other than that, just a plain ‘ole 30-06. Been doing what you want for a hundred years

The 25-06 is conspicuously absent, as is 7x57 Mauser. Both will do what you're asking. The 7-08 is ok, but I prefer the 2 I mentioned. 30-06 will give you stellar performance on the game you mentioned also. Plus, the ammo is common and there is a larger variety than with the 25 or 7mm. The only downside to the '06 is recoil, which is stout in a light rifle. In a heavier gun, its not terrible though. I'd still take the .25 over the .30, but thats just me.

The 50-110 would be fun, I can assure you. I had a 50-140 Shiloh Sharps, and it was great fun. Shot loads of stuff from armadillos to deer with it. Little heavy for 'dillos but sure would make 'em splat!

Mac

The 6.5 Swede is still alive and doing well. Accurate, hard hitting, and relatively light recoil.

You already have a 270 Winchester. To get performance much above that, you need a magnum.

.280ai

7mm08 7x57 7x64 280 280ai would be what I'm looking at, either find a gun in one of these or build it.

If you want a 50 to hold you over until you get your 50-110 I maybe willing to part with my trapdoor Springfield in 50/70.

Nother though, if your willing to deal with the recoil, the Mossberg Patriot in .375 Ruger offers better than .375H&H performance, at about 400 bucks street price.
The one I played with was actually pretty nice, tho I'd probably opt for the heavier laminate, or walnut walnued option and a kickeez pad.
The factory synthetic stocks actually pretty good, but the whole thing weights something like 7lbs.

My Browning's 8lbs, 2oz out the door, but isn't brutal with the nice squishy pad.
I've actually got a buddy convinced to get a .375 at some point, just by letting him shoot the snot out of my rifle.

troy fairweather said:

7mm08 7x57 7x64 280 280ai would be what I'm looking at, either find a gun in one of these or build it.

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7mm’s are in my opinion the greatest balance of BC and SD.

LoonWulf said:

Nother though, if your willing to deal with the recoil, the Mossberg Patriot in .375 Ruger offers better than .375H&H performance, at about 400 bucks street price.
The one I played with was actually pretty nice, tho I'd probably opt for the heavier laminate, or walnut walnued option and a kickeez pad.
The factory synthetic stocks actually pretty good, but the whole thing weights something like 7lbs.

My Browning's 8lbs, 2oz out the door, but isn't brutal with the nice squishy pad.
I've actually got a buddy convinced to get a .375 at some point, just by letting him shoot the snot out of my rifle.

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there good for deer to, most say there to much power but I've shot some deer and there is not to much meat damage. I am still on the hunt for a 375,

<*(((>< said:

7mm’s are in my opinion the greatest balance of BC and SD.

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yes I agree for deer sized game there perfect.

troy fairweather said:

there good for deer to, most say there to much power but I've shot some deer and there is not to much meat damage. I am still on the hunt for a 375,

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Yeah, most bullets are actually a little too tough for deer imo, even the soft Speers don't blow up untill you get I to the mid to high 28 launch velocity.
I've got some factory GMX that's a 250 at 2800, that's both very pleasant to shoot, and should performed well on everything i shoot besides the smaller goats and feral sheep.
If I didn't want to use my Ridgeline this trip I'd have those and my .375

<*(((>< said:

7mm’s are in my opinion the greatest balance of BC and SD.

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Still my favorite caliber......and admittedly as much as I'm enjoying my new .280, the 7rem mag is still my favorite 7.

since you mentioned you wanted it in a contender or encore may I suggest 6.5 BRM or 6mm BRM.

https://www.eabco.net/TC-ContenderG2-Accuracy-Barrel-6mm-BRM-24-Blue-18-Twist_p_15790.html

Send your 270 to Jes and get it turned into a 35 whelen

Not a bandwagon sort, but with the plethora of firearms and massive interest in 6.5CM and based on your specs, that seems the obvious choice. 7mm-08 is also a great choice.

My favorite is 7-08. I also like the 30-06 a lot and 7 MM mag. Not crazy about smaller calibers than 7 MM for hunting especially Elk, Moose or Bear. For deer only there are more options. 308 is just as good as a 7-08 but any of those 4 gives you a great cartridge for the game you mentioned and all are proven winners in long range accuracy and widely available in great loads. Which is why I avoid the .270 even though it is a good deer cartridge and favored by old gun writer/salesmen. And it and the 6.5 CM are less than 7 MM. Why use them when there are better more humane options.

6.5 Creedmoor

30-06 is about as good of an all around caliber as you can get, especially if you aren't willing to move into the magnum ranks. Relatively cheap and widely available ammunition is a nice extra bonus with the caliber.

WestKentucky said:

I currently have a few calibers of centerfire rifle but want to add another one in the next year or so. I want fast, flat, and at least 6mm/.243 bore size. Whitetail, Muley, pronghorn capable... elk capable would be nice. No magnums. Contender or Encore pistol calibers are also preferred but not necessary.

So let’s start off white the centerfires I have... in order of oomph
30 carbine (marlin 62)
.256 win mag (marlin 62)
.223 (AR, hbar profile 18”)
30-30 (marlin 336)
7-30 waters (contender pistol barrel)
6.8 spc (AR, heavy 22” doublestar)
.270 win (rem700, barrel is shot out...5000 or more rounds)

So... looking to essentially retire the .270 or perhaps go a bit higher on the power/versatility spectrum.

The rounds I have looked at...
.260 rem
.280 rem
.257 bob
7-08
375 h&h
6.5 cm
.308
30-06
35 whelen
50-110
.458 lott

Leaning 7-08 because of experience with a custom model 70 a friend had, but I’m open. 50-110 is a pipe dream I will eventually chase, but likely not now. Are there any standout awesome calibers that I missed?

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Turn the 270 into a 280AI.

308, 7-08, or 6.5 CM will do everything you want to do. All are elk capable out to at least 400 yards. Retire your old 270. 30-06 used to be considered versatile, but in 2019 it is on the heavier side. I've used one for 40 years, but unless most of my hunting were for elk size game or larger will no longer recommend it. I've had most of the magnum cartridges, 280, 30-06, 35 Whelen and 338-06. Other than the 30-06 all of the others are now gone. I do almost all of my hunting with either a 6.5 CM or 308 and would hunt every game animal in North America with either. Nothing at all wrong with 7-08, but 308 rifles and ammo are more readily available and less expensive. I hand load now, but when I got invested in 308 did not. If choosing today I might well go 7-08.

6.5 CM gives you the most performance for the least cost and recoil.

260 is a dying cartridge. The 6.5X55 is a classic, but the problem is finding quality factory rifles and ammo. If you want to go with a custom rifle and hand load your ammo it is a good choice. Pretty much everything said about 6.5X55 is also true of 257 Roberts. If you're into nostalgia they work, but 6.5 CM does everything slightly better and is the future.

280 is arguably the best long action, non-magnum cartridge, at least on paper. In the real world it doesn't do anything 30-06 or 270 won't do. But if you just want to go with something less common you could do a lot worse. But once again out to 400 yards it doesn't do anything 7-08 won't do. Unless you're good enough to take game at 500+ yards the advantages are lost.

The only thing 35 Whelen does better than 30-06 is kick harder. Heavy for caliber (200-220gr) 30-06 bullets will out perform 35 Whelen with 225-250 gr bullets.

The 375 is a great cartridge. If someone wants ONE rifle versatile enough for everything from deer to elephant that is the one to buy. But while it is possible to hunt deer, it is also possible to buy a Peterbuilt to run to grocery store and drop the kids off at school. If someone can afford to hunt game where a 375 is truly needed they can afford 2 rifles.

50-110, if nostalgia trumps everything else.

I can't think of any reason to buy a 458 Lott.