Sometimes the newest, greatest, is not really much better (if any) than the tried and true cartridges that are 100+ years old.
Using a Ballistics Calculator on the interwebs, and some published data from various manufacturers I came up with this comparison that may be of interest to some folks.
Its amazing how well the 100+ year old 30-30 Winchester stacks up against a variety of new cartridges. While at modest ranged the big 50 Beowulf dominates the energy category, the 30-30 is also bested by the 6.5 Grendel but not that not by much. The old 30-30 clearly beats the standard loads for the 6.8 SPC and the 300 AAC Blackout and is roughly the equal of the high pressure Tactical 6.8 loads at the 100 yard mark, which is a pretty reasonable hunting range here in Indiana.
Add a couple inches to each barrel, or add another 100 yards to the range and go out to 200 yards and the 6.5 Grendel starts to show clear superiority to all the choices. The biggest downside to the old Winchester 30-30 is that won't cycle through a modern AR15 rifle. Assuming an ethical hunting minimum energy of 1000 ft lbs puts the 300 AAC Blackout with an absolute maximum ethical range of 100 yards.
30-30 WINCHESTER 150grain: 2390 fps / 1902 ft lbs energy
At 100 yards . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2018 fps / 1356 ft lbs energy
MODERN CARTRIDGES OUT OF A 16" BARREL: AT THE MUZZLE
6.5 Grendel 123grain: . . . . . 2480 fps / 1680 ft lbs energy
6.8 SPC 115grain: . . . . . . . . 2500 fps / 1590 ft lbs energy
6.8 SPCII Tactical 115grain. . 2575 fps / 1694 ft lbs energy
300 AAC Blackout 123 grain: 2315 fps / 1462 fl lbs energy
50 BEOWULF 325grain. . . . . 1950 fps / 2745 fl lbs energy
MODERN CARTRIDGES AT 100 yards:
6.5 Grendel 123grain: . . . . . 2325 fps / 1476 ft lbs energy
6.8 SPC 115grain. . . . . . . . . 2253 fps / 1297 ft lbs energy
6.8 SPCII Tactical 115grain: . 2323 fps / 1378 ft lbs energy
300 AAC Blackout 123 grain: 1907 fps / 993 ft lbs energy
50 BEOWULF 325 grain:. . . . 1490 fps / 1603 ft lbs energy
*Muzzle velocity and energy figures all from manufacturers stated published data from Winchester, Alexander Arms, Silver State Armory and Advanced Armament.
**100 yard figures for both 6.8 rounds and the 300 AAC Blackout were calculated using this Ballistics Calculator
Using a Ballistics Calculator on the interwebs, and some published data from various manufacturers I came up with this comparison that may be of interest to some folks.
Its amazing how well the 100+ year old 30-30 Winchester stacks up against a variety of new cartridges. While at modest ranged the big 50 Beowulf dominates the energy category, the 30-30 is also bested by the 6.5 Grendel but not that not by much. The old 30-30 clearly beats the standard loads for the 6.8 SPC and the 300 AAC Blackout and is roughly the equal of the high pressure Tactical 6.8 loads at the 100 yard mark, which is a pretty reasonable hunting range here in Indiana.
Add a couple inches to each barrel, or add another 100 yards to the range and go out to 200 yards and the 6.5 Grendel starts to show clear superiority to all the choices. The biggest downside to the old Winchester 30-30 is that won't cycle through a modern AR15 rifle. Assuming an ethical hunting minimum energy of 1000 ft lbs puts the 300 AAC Blackout with an absolute maximum ethical range of 100 yards.
30-30 WINCHESTER 150grain: 2390 fps / 1902 ft lbs energy
At 100 yards . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2018 fps / 1356 ft lbs energy
MODERN CARTRIDGES OUT OF A 16" BARREL: AT THE MUZZLE
6.5 Grendel 123grain: . . . . . 2480 fps / 1680 ft lbs energy
6.8 SPC 115grain: . . . . . . . . 2500 fps / 1590 ft lbs energy
6.8 SPCII Tactical 115grain. . 2575 fps / 1694 ft lbs energy
300 AAC Blackout 123 grain: 2315 fps / 1462 fl lbs energy
50 BEOWULF 325grain. . . . . 1950 fps / 2745 fl lbs energy
MODERN CARTRIDGES AT 100 yards:
6.5 Grendel 123grain: . . . . . 2325 fps / 1476 ft lbs energy
6.8 SPC 115grain. . . . . . . . . 2253 fps / 1297 ft lbs energy
6.8 SPCII Tactical 115grain: . 2323 fps / 1378 ft lbs energy
300 AAC Blackout 123 grain: 1907 fps / 993 ft lbs energy
50 BEOWULF 325 grain:. . . . 1490 fps / 1603 ft lbs energy
*Muzzle velocity and energy figures all from manufacturers stated published data from Winchester, Alexander Arms, Silver State Armory and Advanced Armament.
**100 yard figures for both 6.8 rounds and the 300 AAC Blackout were calculated using this Ballistics Calculator