“powders”

The first of the Nosler proprietary cartridges, the 26 Nosler remains a flat-shooting, hard-hitting choice for hunting open country. Being a 6.5mm cartridge, it will use the high ballistic coefficient projectiles which retain their energy downrange, resist the effects of a crosswind and offer a flat trajectory.

Introduced in 1955, the 6mm Remington was designed to be a dual-purpose cartridge that could handle varmints and predators just as well as it could deer and similar-sized game.

Contributor Dennis Bradley kicks off his series on esoteric alternatives to more common ammunition, with the 6x45.

Loosely based on a shortened .404 Jeffery case with the rim rebated to the .535-inch case head of the H&H family, the .270 WSM was the third commercial cartridge using the .277-inch bore diameter, and betters the velocity of the .270 Winchester by 200 to 250 fps.

Kent Cartridge has introduced Fasteel+, a hard-hitting shotshell line for waterfowlers.

Fiocchi has expanded its Flyway offerings with Speed sTEAL shotshells. Boasting dense patterns for terminal performance Speed sTEAL is developed specifically for early-season teal hunting.

Remington’s Premier Long Range now features Speer’s revolutionary Impact bullet—available for the first time in factory-loaded ammunition—boasting match-grade accuracy and terminal performance both near and far.

If you want a cartridge that will handle deer and bear at woods distances in any state while providing the capability of being a rock-solid defensive cartridge, the .450 Bushmaster should have a place near the top of the list.

Both cartridges are easy on the ears and have minimal recoil, yet are effective for any of the smaller species for which they are suited. Which is the better choice for the hunter? Contributor Philip Massaro examines the pros and cons of each.