“sierra gameking”

Developed in 1976 by Ken Waters as a wildcat cartridge, the 7-30 Waters is based on the .30-30 Winchester necked down to 7mm to improve velocity and trajectory, with a significant drop off in felt recoil. In 1984, Winchester began to produce rifles chambered for cartridge, legitimizing Waters’ dream, and establishing it as a commercial cartridge.

What happens after you pull the trigger depends on your bullet choice. Choose wisely.

With respect to overall performance and ammunition availability, here are the five best all-around cartridges for North American big-game species.

While there is a lot of overlap in the .30-caliber cartridge lineup, and many great choices available, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cartridge with a better blend of powder efficiency, low recoil, quick cycling and striking power than the .308 Winchester.

Curious about what loads to buy for hunting at greater distances? Here are a few of our top choices for the task.

Engineers at Browning and Winchester teamed up to create a cartridge that offers magnum performance with a modern high-BC projectile, yet is chambered in a short-action rifle for shorter bolt throw and less weight. The 6.8 Western was designed to be the ultimate long-range cartridge that is capable in any big-game hunting scenario as well as long-range target shooting.

With a sleek bullet, both cartridges maintain over 1,000 ft.-lbs. of energy out the 500-yard mark, and both offer a trajectory any hunter can quickly adapt to. What makes or breaks the deal in choosing one over the other? Contributor Philip Massaro takes closer a look at the pros and cons of each.

Your photos provide not simply a review of your accomplishments and endeavors over the past year, but a revealing snapshot of a nation full of dedicated American hunters.