Running Shots At Less Than 200 Yards

How much real world difference is there in shooting game suitable to  the .270 Win, .308 Win and 30:06 with various commonly used factory loads? Specifically in the case of running shots at whitetail deer inside of 200 yards. The Simple answer is NOT VERY MUCH. Real world practical difference is essentially none from a ballistic stand point.

NO, I AM NOT advocating anyone take running shots.  I think we should all try to become proficient in doing so at the range, however 9 times out of 10, I think we should pass on taking a running shot, UNLESS you know the deer is already hit from a previous shot.

In a table I came across from Chuck Hawks (one of my favorite writers) here are figures for all three calibers. Table shows the .270 Win with bullets weighing 130, 140 and 150 grains. In the .308 and the 30:06, showing 150, 165 and 180 grain loads.

If you look at my previous post on taking running shots, there is virtually no real world difference between the three, especially inside of (100 yards which is probably the outside distance I would be comfortable in the N/E mixed terrain with a running shot).

I guess I could never really decide before which one I liked best since until recently I owned all three calibers. I still have the .270 Win and the .308 Win. The .270 is a Ruger model 77 MKII and the .308 is a Savage Weather Warrior with the accutrigger. I no longer have the 30:06 as I simply found I didn't use it much. For me the Savage .308 has much better ergonomics and I just like the way it handles. It is also deadly accurate and easy to maneuver in tight places, and while still hunting.

Dan

Open the link below and you can find several other articles by Chuck Hawks.

Here is a link to Chuck's article and an excerpt concerning the trajectory and ballistics of the three guns:

To save space, the following abbreviations are used in the table below: Wb = Weight of bullet (in grains); MV = Muzzle Velocity (in feet per second); BC = Ballistic Coefficient; MRT = Mid-Range Trajectory; yards = yds.; inches = "; MPBR = Maximum Point Blank Range; BT = Ballistic Tip; FP = Flat Point, HP = Hollow Point; RN = Round Nose; Sp = Spitzer; SP = Spire Point; SSp = Semi-Spitzer.

Cartridge (Wb@MV)

Bullet BC

100 yds.

200 yds.

MRT@yds.

MPBR (yds.)

http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_trajectory_table.htm

.270 Win. (130 Sp at 3140)	.416	+2.5"	+2.4"	3"@150	305
.270 Win. (140 AB at 2950)	.496	+2.6"	+2.1"	3"@140	293
.270 Win. (150 Sp at 2900)	.481	+2.6"	+2.0"	3"@138	287
.308 Win. (150 BT at 2800) .435 +2.7" +1.7" 3"@135 275 .308 Win. (165 Sp at 2700) .410 +2.7" +1.3" 3"@130 264 .308 Win. (180 Sp at 2610) .483 +2.8" +1.2" 3"@125 259 .30-06 (150 BT at 2910) .435 +2.6" +2.0" 3"@145 287 .30-06 (165 Sp at 2800) .410 +2.7" +1.7" 3"@135 273 .30-06 (180 Sp at 2700) .483 +2.7" +1.5" 3"@125 269	.481	+2.4"	+2.6"	3"@160	320