Convince Me Which Caliber to go With

[antiqueguy]

I’d stick with something readily available ammo wise .300 win mag .338 win mag 7mm mag if 2020 to 2024 taught me anything stick to common cartridges.

Unfortunately theirs lots of gimmicks out there that promise to be the next best thing that won’t stick around forever.

 

[pete dobinson]

For a light rifle and for reasonable priced ammo 270win. It's flat enough for mountain hunting without much recoil in a light rifle. That would be my choice, actually it is, I have a kimber 84L 270.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

Yes there are more magnums for sale as it seems, but your just assuming it must be recoil. Did they buy a different magnum instead, did they want the better twist in the newer tikka models instead, did they realize you dont need a mag for a deer, did they not realize the cost per shot difference? We dont know unless we are the one selling it.

Does it really matter why? There are a lot of magnums up for sale, because people don't want them. The why is somewhat irrelevant.

That a lot of people don't want their magnums should be a warning for those considering a magnum.

 

[9-ball]

Does it really matter why? There are a lot of magnums up for sale, because people don't want them. The why is somewhat irrelevant.

That a lot of people don't want their magnums should be a warning for those considering a magnum.

Like i said assume away.

Crazy enough there are so many rimfires for sale they had to make a subforum in the buy and sell. That should apparently be a warning.

 

[struff55]

338 Win Mag.
You'll regret anything smaller.

338 win mag the only thing you will regret is that choice

 

[struff55]

If you want to use something other than the 308, I'd give the 6.5 creedmoor a go.

 

[hoytcanon]

Does it really matter why? There are a lot of magnums up for sale, because people don't want them. The why is somewhat irrelevant.

That a lot of people don't want their magnums should be a warning for those considering a magnum.

And yet... when I was in Africa in March there was a lady there from Spain, she would have been 110 pounds soaked... she was shooting a svelt European rifle in .338 Win Mag with 220 grain bullets. We were at the range together and I saw her shoot 20 rounds out to 400 yards. We had a brief conversation about rifles and she asked if she could try my .375 WSM and I said "sure," she then proceeded to drill the center of the bullseye at 300 yards. She subsequently took ten animals with a single shot each... granted, she was a pretty kick-azz little lady, but at 110 pounds you can't convince me that an average sized male can't handle that rifle, unless he believes going into it that he can't handle the rifle.... hmmmm, what do we call that?

 

[struff55]

if you actually think you will shoot past 500 yds and have the ability and equipment to do this then a 7 rem mag with 160 gr ish bullets or a 300 win mag sigh 180-200 gr bullets
also you should be hand loading for long range
out to 500 yds 308 win 280 rem 30-06 with 160-165 gr bulletts will do just fine the 270 with a 140 gr pill is very capable
the real factor is your ability the cartridges are all capable

 

[Evanguy]

Does it really matter why? There are a lot of magnums up for sale, because people don't want them. The why is somewhat irrelevant.

That a lot of people don't want their magnums should be a warning for those considering a magnum.

Is that the same reason you see so many civics and Corollas for sale, because no one wants them, or because they are the most popular car sold so there is more on the used market?

I also always see 12g shotguns for sale, like so many of them, must be no good, too much recoil.

But on the other hand there are the most 22 rim fires for sale, is that because they are too small for any practical use, or is it about the sheer numbers of the sold?

 

[9-ball]

Really we all know that whatever caliber the OP chooses, half will applaud it, half will say bad choice.

Just see what ammo is available where ever you live, price it out so you can shoot a lot and be proficient in the ranges you set for yourself.
Go out and have fun with it.

 

[murph83]

308 should work just fine for your intended purpose. But if you have your heart set on changing calibers...7mmremmag

 

[DGY]

hmmm I would put this in here, buy what you want and figure out the rest afterwards, ammo not readily available, reload! Price too high reload! Don’t like the recoil resell! When you buy something you are lot stuck with it for life! I decided on the 30-06 cause I like it I have 4 of them. I have 2 9.3x62 cause I like them. The reality of it is I do t care to shoot games at over 300 yards cause I prefer being close. Some will say it’s cause you can’t shoot past 300 yards and I say maybe( I shot a dozen rounds of 338 Lapua at 590yards and hit the clanger at least 10 times with a rifle I never shot before, to a distance I never shot before with a cheap bushnel 6500 2.5-16x40 hahahahaha)
Anyway buy something you like, a rifle that fit you in the brand you thrust in a caliber(chambering is the right focking terminology ) you think will be best for you and if you change your mind then sell everything amd start over again. It doesn’t matter!

 

[pathfinder76]

And yet... when I was in Africa in March there was a lady there from Spain, she would have been 110 pounds soaked... she was shooting a svelt European rifle in .338 Win Mag with 220 grain bullets. We were at the range together and I saw her shoot 20 rounds out to 400 yards. We had a brief conversation about rifles and she asked if she could try my .375 WSM and I said "sure," she then proceeded to drill the center of the bullseye at 300 yards. She subsequently took ten animals with a single shot each... granted, she was a pretty kick-azz little lady, but at 110 pounds you can't convince me that an average sized male can't handle that rifle, unless he believes going into it that he can't handle the rifle.... hmmmm, what do we call that?

North American’s are recoil wimps.

 

[jmill]

100 rounds a session? Sounds like an expensive afternoon.. At current prices for the accubonds I shoot from mine is a $350 session.

More to the OP Original ask... He has money burning a hole in his pocket and has come to his senses that there are better calibers than the 308..

Find that beauty wildcat. The more I read about, the 6.5prc and the 7mm backcountry sound fun to mess with.

Honestly these are two that I’ve been starting to look into

 

[DGY]

North American’s are recoil wimps.

I’m not recoil shy at all, but my 458 win mag with 500gn bullet going 2150ish fps off the bench hurts especially the next day but with 350gn at 2580fps feels just right!! And for up here plenty for everything… can’t imagine shooting anything with more recoil and having fun off the bench lol! I really want to buy a nice set of shooting sticks.

 

[antiqueguy]

And yet... when I was in Africa in March there was a lady there from Spain, she would have been 110 pounds soaked... she was shooting a svelt European rifle in .338 Win Mag with 220 grain bullets. We were at the range together and I saw her shoot 20 rounds out to 400 yards. We had a brief conversation about rifles and she asked if she could try my .375 WSM and I said "sure," she then proceeded to drill the center of the bullseye at 300 yards. She subsequently took ten animals with a single shot each... granted, she was a pretty kick-azz little lady, but at 110 pounds you can't convince me that an average sized male can't handle that rifle, unless he believes going into it that he can't handle the rifle.... hmmmm, what do we call that?

It’s all in the brain mostly lots of things are just mental. Shooting stance is another important point. Theirs people in this world that can’t handle .223 and for them maybe shooting isnt the hobby they should have. Muzzle brakes in my mind also don’t have any place on a hunting rifle and theirs no reason I should have to double up on hearing protection in the waiting area of a range while someone shoots their .300 weatherby with a brake. Adding weight to the rifle will knock down recoil energy and velocity. I could happily carry a 10lb gun all day hocking through the woods.

 

[Dogleg]

Recoil is mostly in your head. If it wasn’t how do people get used to it? Nobody grows a callus on their shoulder, or got an armour plate surgically installed. The only thing that changes is perception, one day the shooter realizes that it isn’t a big deal, and thats because it never was in the first place.
I’ve got weakness for Kimbers in magnum chamberings, up to 338 Win. Not a big deal at all. A titanium PGW in 7 Stw that scales at 5.5 pounds is proving to be no big deal either.

 

[ShrtRnd]

Does it really matter why? There are a lot of magnums up for sale, because people don't want them. The why is somewhat irrelevant.

That a lot of people don't want their magnums should be a warning for those considering a magnum.

Same could be said for the amount of 6.5CMs that seem to always avail.. Do people feel under-whelmed by it? Do they want a bit more punch at range? Who knows.. but there they are, alongside the Magnums, Non-Magnums, PRCs etc etc that are always avail.

As stated “the why is somewhat irrelevant”

People move up & down the Cal range based on their needs, wants or simply gotta haves. There’s rarely a reason or logic to some of our choices, but it is a part of the journey isn’t it?

 

[Rman]

Recoil is mostly in your head. If it wasn’t how do people get used to it?

The flinch, or the result from it, isn't mostly in your head. It's mostly an unvoluntary reflex to multiple stimulations at the same time. Mostly.
You can't control the reflex when the doctor hits your knee with hammer... but you may control some of it if you hit the knee with the hammer yourself.
People get used to it the same way as everything else. Practice.
If you blink, you flinch. The degree of flinch is mitigated with practice. Lots of guys wear two sets of hearing protection, Other shoot free recoil, others have a firm hold, and so on.
It can't be eliminated, but obviously it can be controlled. Mostly.

R.

 

[Rman]

Looking to replace one of my current rifles, a T3X Lite .308, to get into a setup that will be more suitable for longer range shooting and mountain hunting.

In practice, I'd like to shoot 600-700 yards, hunting would probably be a more realistic max around 500 yards. The ideal rifle would be fairly light (6-7lbs bare rifle would be reasonable), I'm not partial to any caliber, really just one that's not going to break the bank to shoot, and is readily available.

In terms of price, it would be ideal if the rifle itself were under $1500, probably $2000 max. I know this will be the limiting factor.

Give me a good reason why a particular caliber would be better than others.

As far as this goes... Mountain hunting to most is UltraLight, which is around 6 pounds all up. Light weight stuff starts around 7 all up. This is usually a short action with a light stock, short barrel and so on.
Based on that... and the distance, a suggestion would be a true short action rifle and a fast 7mm. WSM or SAUM. You get the speed you need and the payload. required.

R.