I brought my own comments back up, because looking at it, it looks like I'm bad mouthing cartridges such as the 270, 7mm, 6.5mm, but in fact my only negative thoughts where really against Jack O'Connor!And the 30-30 was the leader of the pack, as far as smokeless!
The 270 was was Americans first try at compromise with European calibers, 6.5 to 7mm. We've had for the most part, kinda stayed in .5" increments +- a little, which made sense in what was really needful. .50, 45, 40, 35, 30, and old Ned Robert's had a winner in the 257 Robert's. We had the 22 way back in 1800's.
They ought to dig Jack O'Connor up and hang him, for getting all this BS started! Whelen and Keith had it right! But everyone fell for good words, made an almost God out of a English teacher!
I remember reading that O'Connor said, he knew a guy in, Nevada? Utah?, who had killed 17 Elk with one 20ct box of 30-30 Cartridges!
Doug Turnbull killed a Dall Sheep just 2-3 years ago with an restored Mod 86 Win in 475 Turnbull. All the TV and magazine hype, you gotta have a flat shooting .6 bullet 3" long with a HIGH B.C. guided by a scope that ranges then a red dot appears for your target, then just squeeze the trigger. And all this, start to finish is $50,000 +!
Whelen killed one and goat to on his first trip to BC, with a 40-72 Lever Blackpowder rifle, the goat he climbed to by stripping down to bare essentials, while his partner cooked breakfast, the goat almost fell on him, less than a few feet! They kill sheep often with bows. Guarantee you been some killed with a 30-30, I believe the World Record Grizzly??
I grew up a devout reader of all magazines since late 60's, and most everybody is familiar with the O'Connor, Keith, Page, etc, pokes st each other, and really it made doe interesting reading.
But I always leaned towards and preferred hearing what a Whelen, Aggard and those types had to say! They chose their preferred rifles for what fit their needs, stayed with it, because they had confidence in them, they worked for the conditions & game!
O'Connor knew his stuff, and he started with the 30-06, always acknowledged its qualities, but it seemed he chose the 270 just so he&it could go to the top together in fame, that's what he appeared to care the most for. He even made some comments about Whelen, that he was more of a tinkerer, experimenter, or something like that, than a true hunter! In other words, IMO, he was more than anything, a legend in his own mind, but yet a good writer & hunter, but there's plenty those out there!
But regardless what I think of him, I know the capabilities of the 270, and although I have one and don't care much for it, it doesn't withhold my interest in some others, especially the 7x57 Mauser and it's twin, the 7mm08!
Which brings us to the real capabilities of what technology has made available, Spitzer in a 30-30, and so forth! Good things! And exactly what I've done with my Mod 64, FTX bulletsand LVR Powder. The 30-30 is biting right at the the famed 300 Savage, and close to the 7x57- 7mm-08, close, very close!
And thats why I love the 30-30, gave done very well on deer with it, and would gladly settle for a one perfect rifle for woods hunting in the Southeast, a 308, 7x57, or 7mm-08, if I had too. But I much prefer having more toys, 3 30-30s, and a 30-06. And I could get very interested in a 6.5x55 Swede, if I had one!
But I lovereading anyone's comments about guns, cartridges, etc, because they work for them believe in them! Not because they made themselves famous with along with it!
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