Largest caliber that you comfortably hunt with?

I use a 9.3 x 62 and it is a pleasure to hunt with. The recoil is bad on the beach only. While hunting, it is not an issue. It is legal for elephant in 5 African countries but it is not over powered for moose at all!
 
In the past I have killed a deer with a 45/120 3 1/4 Shiloh Sharps .With full loads it kicked like a mule but since I only fired one shot the recoil was not a problem
 
I've taken a half-dozen animals with the 416 Rigby. Five with the 375 Ruger. One with the 9.3x62. One with the 45-70. Big isn't too bad to deal with, but generally "big" comes hand in hand with "heavy" which is less and less attractive as the years go by.
 
I've carried my. 416 Ruger Alaskan a lot for moose and bear but never actually shot anything with it. Too picky on what bear I'm shooting and just never ran into a moose while I had it in hand.
 
BigUglyMan said:
I've taken a half-dozen animals with the 416 Rigby. Five with the 375 Ruger. One with the 9.3x62. One with the 45-70. Big isn't too bad to deal with, but generally "big" comes hand in hand with "heavy" which is less and less attractive as the years go by.
Click to expand...

Yup. That lightweight 7mm-08 carbine seems to get the nod much more, of late. - dan
 
For many years my goto has been my custom 338wm. I am thinking of shaking out my New Haven Model 70 Classic Featherweight in 6.5x55, maybe this will be the year.
 
350 rem mag is one of my main rifles. Love it! Plenty of power in a nice short rifle as it does well in shorter barrels with a good load.
 
I've owned and hunted with 5 rifles in 458Win over the years along with numerous 45-70's. Now that I be an old fook, I use short, light rifles in 45 ACP, 45 Colt & 450 Bushmaster.

The 45 caliber has always been my favorite.;)
 
Northern Shooter said:
Let's hear some accounts of those rifles and those hunts.
Click to expand...

Heck yeah that sounds interesting, Shell Shucker!

45 Colt loaded hot must be no joke at all. Never hunted with it but loved the lighter to moderate 45/70 loads for deer when it came to "eat right up to the hole"
 
Most I’ve hunted and don’t mind shooting is stickhunter’s generously long term loaned .505 Gibbs. Hunted dozens of head of game however with .375 H&H, so I suppose that’s the actual answer. Not a comfort consideration, but rather a performance one.

These days I prefer chamberings that leave the muzzle at 2400-3000fps, it took me twenty years to figure out what they did in 1884 when Paul Vieille introduced Poudre B. Currently I stock and shoot .257 Roberts, .308 Winchester, and .375 H&H, with other range only fringe flings.
 
I still love the .375H&H, although I likely won't be doing much more hunting for which I "need" it. Have only one now, might possibly get one more if I find the perfect one, and will continue to enjoy the "overkill" that people are always wailing about. Shot lots of deer over the years with it and plan to continue; a very shootable cartridge.

Africa is far in the rearview mirror now, and doesn't seem likely to come up again on the road ahead, so I have gotten rid of my .416 and .458 rifles and don't miss 'em. Really had to concentrate to shoot them well; really had to rationalize to buy ammo and components.

My largest "caliber"...not cartridge...that I use a lot is the .45, in the form of several .45-70's. Having said that, the absolute meanest, most uncomfortable rifle I have ever owned was a Ruger#3 shooting hot .45-70 handloads. I don't load them like that anymore; no need or desire to squeeze every last possible fps out of that or any cartridge. :)
 
Ardent said:
Most I’ve hunted and don’t mind shooting is stickhunter’s generously long term loaned .505 Gibbs. Hunted dozens of head of game however with .375 H&H, so I suppose that’s the actual answer. Not a comfort consideration, but rather a performance one.

These days I prefer chamberings that leave the muzzle at 2400-3000fps, it took me twenty years to figure out what they did in 1884 when Paul Vieille introduced Poudre B. Currently I stock and shoot .257 Roberts, .308 Winchester, and .375 H&H, with other range only fringe flings.
Click to expand...

Have you ever been able to find factory ammo for the 505 in Canada or have you always reloaded for it? Ive seen 458 Lott, 470NE, 500NE etc on shelves but never 505 Gibbs (or 500 Jeffery).
 
Yep, I bought a load of Superior Ammunition for it (also some .450 Rigby at the same time), but mostly handloads. Expect to pay $300 a box as of late, with components not far behind on cost.

All for what is honestly less real world effectiveness on everything on this continent than a .300, .338, or .375. But it sure was fun, I’ll never argue against that aspect of them.

Side note, all the big bores that chrono’d (sub-2400fps) slow were quite gentlemanly and not scary to shoot. Those that chrono’d fast like my .450 Rigby with the Superior loads, were some of the few rifles I’ve felt trepidation before pulling the trigger.

And unfortunately, that’s also the ballistic cutoff for modern terminal performance. So they went they way of the dinosaurs they’re made to hunt in my cabinet.
 
Ardent said:
Yep, I bought a load of Superior Ammunition for it (also some .450 Rigby at the same time), but mostly handloads. Expect to pay $300 a box as of late, with components not far behind on cost.

All for what is honestly less real world effectiveness on everything on this continent than a .300, .338, or .375. But it sure was fun, I’ll never argue against that aspect of them.

Side note, all the big bores that chrono’d (sub-2400fps) slow were quite gentlemanly and not scary to shoot. Those that chrono’d fast like my .450 Rigby with the Superior loads, were some of the few rifles I’ve felt trepidation before pulling the trigger.

And unfortunately, that’s also the ballistic cutoff for modern terminal performance. So they went they way of the dinosaurs they’re made to hunt in my cabinet.
Click to expand...

I've shot enough 458 WinMag over the last couple weeks that I can now comfortably plink away with this cartridge without any flinching. I'm aware it's the lightest of the 458 Magnums so I'm curious what some of the really heavy hitters feel like in comparison.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom