01-10-2012, 03:09 PM
LRRPF52 Wrote:Does anyone know what the original rim diameter was for the .280 Enfield? The .280/30 seems to have been an appeasement to the US to use the .473 rim diameter.
The rim diameter was .4580".
I agree this was a great cartridge that was neglected for the wrong reasons. What I have learned by using various calibers on the game fields all over the world, is that an intermediate cartridge is really the best all around choice. Preferably one that has long for caliber bullets, so this leads us to something in the .25 to .28 diameter range at modest velocities. In Africa, the 6.5 X 54 and 7 X 57 are revered for their effectiveness on game above and beyond more powerful calibers. In my opinion .25 is too light and 7mm is getting into excessive recoil with long for caliber bullets so 6.5 is ideal in my humble opinion.
My first encounter with the 6.5x55 was one of doubt until I saw it perform on Dall Sheep, Caribou, Moose and Grizzly Bears. This was on the Brooks Range of Alaska and I was a young guide, expecting to have to use my big rifle, but never did. In fact, I could tell no difference in effectiveness on Grizzlies between the 6.5 X 55 and the .375 H&H. The bear would roll around bite at the wound and die. Of course shot placement is still a critical determining factor and every hunter I guided with the 6.5X55 placed his shots perfectly. These were mostly northern European hunters from Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Germany.
When you combine the similar performance of the 6.5 Grendel to the 6.5X54 or 55 and combine that with the wonderful ergonomics of the AR platform, it is truly a great system, and when used intelligently, is a very capable in the game fields, on the target range, or for social applications.
Bob