What is your favourite hunting caliber and

valczer said:
What is your favourite hunting caliber for medium to large North American game up to 500 meters and why is it 30.06?
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soo i was going to chime in just to make it 100 replies to the topic,,,,, an i was going to say current fave is the 30-06..........

Why....
cos i used to dislike how common it was an danced around it an the 308 immensely.... opting for anything other than one of the two.

now, i tend to really like what the 30-06 can do an wouldnt be foul if it were a .308..... lol
 
For some reason, the smaller the cartridge the more proficient the user is. Maybe he needs to be. Maybe the cartridge enables it. Don’t know. Just an observation.
 
WhelanLad said:
soo i was going to chime in just to make it 100 replies to the topic,,,,, an i was going to say current fave is the 30-06..........

Why....
cos i used to dislike how common it was an danced around it an the 308 immensely.... opting for anything other than one of the two.

now, i tend to really like what the 30-06 can do an wouldnt be foul if it were a .308..... lol
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Makes two of us, I just opt for the .308 as light and compact rifles are my jam. I always was playing with 7x57s, short mag wildcats, and other “interesting” things, but found I grabbed a .308 more than any other single chambering. Down to just .257 / .308 / .375 on the bench now, and the .308’s the hardest to eliminate.
 
The 338 wm, because I bought one when I was 24 and then moved up north.

I don't know if it's the best chambering and those arguments bore me. I just like it, and it has never done me wrong and that's enough.

I've had flings with others; almost went steady with the 270, and the 8x57. But I keep coming back to the 338.

Yes the 9.3 shoots heavies faster, yes there is one high pressure 35 Whelen 250 load that approaches its velocity. Maybe belts are antiquated, it's certainly over bore, 30 cal bullets are cheaper too. But I never had one of those in my hands while sitting in the Halfway River valley listening to Elk come into my bugles for the first time, or when a moose snuck up 5 metres behind me coming in to my hand calls.

Didn't have one backing up my buddies on bison and grizzly hunts or on my back while looking out over the mountains by Kitimat or Liard and feeling that kind of awe that makes you feel a little afraid and a lot alive either.

Sometimes it's about more than foot lbs or trajectory I guess

Just need to move back to where there is a point in using one. Current plan is to be north of 60 wearing out the bluing on my SAKO by fall next year.

A boy can dream, it's been a good almost decade in the bush playing and working, the chambering seems secondary.

I get asked by a lot of young guys at work etc what gun they should buy, like Chuck I always suggest a 270. " do as I say, not as I do"
 
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conor_90 said:
I've had flings with others; almost went steady with the 270, and the 8x57. But I keep coming back to the 338.

Yes the 9.3 shoots heavies faster, yes there is one high pressure 35 Whelen 250 load that approaches its velocity. Maybe belts are antiquated, it's certainly over bore, 30 cal bullets are cheaper too.
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I respect the .338 Win, it’s quite literally just a one step bigger .30-06 when you look at velocities and case capacity to bore (.30-06 is 96% of the .338’s case capacity to bore ratio). It’s one of the few magnums that isn’t overbore, it actually has a lower overbore ratio than the 6.5x55. ‘Magnum’ almost does the round a disservice, it’s a moderate medium bore of very sensible capacity and capability. There isn’t an animal I’ve hunted I wouldn’t use it confidently on .375 restrictions notwithstanding.
 
My favourite caliber is 30 cal.
My faourite cartidges are 30-30 for deer in the bush, 308 for deer out of the bush, 300WM for elk/moose.
I may try hog hunting in the future. For that I have an LR308

The OP asked what is your favourite, NOT what is, in your opinion, best.
 
pmt said:
My favourite caliber is 30 cal.
My faourite cartidges are 30-30 for deer in the bush, 308 for deer out of the bush, 300WM for elk/moose.
I may try hog hunting in the future. For that I have an LR308

The OP asked what is your favourite, NOT what is, in your opinion, best.
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Yeah, did he ask caliber or cartridge? Or imply both with the post? I only answered the caliber part which indirectly lands .264 to .277, If I had to answer the cartridge part I really like the 6.5 Grendel and .270 Win, the why with 6.5 Grendel is 'no fat', the why for the .270 win was because it was easiest way to achieve goals during that time period, so I used the .270 win for quite awhile but moved to the 'no fat' option once it became readily available off the shelf in our part of the world...some 15 years after introduced sadly.
 
I respect the .338 Win, it’s quite literally just a one step bigger .30-06 when you look at velocities and case capacity to bore
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Yes with heavies it is not overbore and shares the trajectory of a 308 while launching 250s which was my preferred load. Who can complain about that?

I have moved on to 275's because my current 338 likes them and my aforementioned scientific process of " I think they're cool".

I shot a couple deer with 200 grain Hornady cup and cores and a small black bear with 225 grain Federal bear claw(?) factory ammo. Performed admirably but there's plenty of chamberings that will launch a 200 grain bullet to a reasonable velocity, seems like a waste of potential.


If I felt like playing the justification game I'd probably mention that it is available in normal long actions (yes I know, the H&H can be shoehorned into one).

My current gun is 7 lbs, I've had lighter. I think if you went any heavier in bullet weight/case capacity/ chambering it would cross the line for me into too uncomfortable to shoot with 225-300 grain bullets (though I regularly shoot 200 grain loads from my kipplauf, they don't approach med bore magnum speeds).

I think the 358 Norma and 375 CT might excel in my criteria but I'm already invested.

I've pondered that emotions aside: the 338-06 firing 225s might be the perfect NA game cartridge, maybe a two way tie with the 280 Rem
 
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The 338 Win Mag is a very capable chambering for anything in N. America.

I have owned several over the years, but have moved over to the 8mm
crowd. The 325 WSM is quite authoritative, and even more so, the 8mm
Rem Mag. [A 220 grain bullet at 3100 MV is flat shooting, and hits hard.]

Too bad it is a bit of an orphan. I use mine primarily for Elk. EE.
 
Had as many .338s show up to hunt the North Coast as 6.5 Creedmoors. That’s not a big number in either case, but they were present the odd year unlike some of the boutique stuff. Very well regarded round in Alaska and NW BC still.

One firearm regret I have was passing on a Ruger Express as new in box, .338WM, because I’m not a .338 guy. It might have started something, but in the end .375 is my gal when things get heavier.
 
Eagleye said:
The 338 Win Mag is a very capable chambering for anything in N. America.

I have owned several over the years, but have moved over to the 8mm
crowd. The 325 WSM is quite authoritative, and even more so, the 8mm
Rem Mag. [A 220 grain bullet at 3100 MV is flat shooting, and hits hard.]

Too bad it is a bit of an orphan. I use mine primarily for Elk. EE.
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Agree. Have owned and used all of those except the 325 wsm. The 8 Rem Mag is probably the best all around elk cartridge extant. - dan
 
Wouldn't mind a blr in 325 wsm. Hard to find straight grip ones and they move quick it seems. Must be a few guys " in the know"
 
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