European sporting calibers ?

vpsalin

vpsalin

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I'm curious to learn more about European large game metric calibers, particularly which five are considered their most popular for bolt action rifles ?

I'm also interested in knowing what Eastern European countries use most, particularly Russians and if it differs from what the rest of Europe uses. What do they commonly use to hunt boar and moose for example?

I'm pretty sure the answer for North America's market would be;
7mm Remington Magnum
.30-06 Springfield
.270 Winchester
.308 Winchester
.243 Winchester


EDIT*I could be wrong, but for the European market as a whole, I'm pretty sure they would include the following;
9.3x62
7x64 Brenneke
7.62x54mmR
7x57 Mauser
6.5x55 Mauser


Is that about right, if so which ones am I missing?
 
Last edited:
Even2 said:
*hugs his 9.3X62*

The most obvious omissions I can see are the 7X57 in sporting rifles, and the 7.62X54R in the Russian calibres.
Click to expand...

Russians mostly use 7.62X54R milsurp rifles for their hunting then?

Is the 7X57 more popular then the 8mm Mauser for sporting uses?
 
Well as far as I can understand this chit,
the 8 X 57 is refered to as the European 30-06.
Not quite the legs as the terdy awt six, but short range
distance is pretty close.
The 7 X 57 is a sweet chambering and could be refered to
as the ladies chambering.
The 7mm-08 is close to it.
The 6.5X55 Bella Swede is a nice caliber also.
The 9.3 X ?? I know nothing about but is starting to develope
a sincere following.
Why Not aye?
 
The 8x57 is quite popular. I don't think the 8x68S would make the top 5, but you do run into them with some regularity. I used one on a boar in the former Yugoslavia.
 
I always thought the 6.5x57 would be a cool cartridge and easy to get components for. A nice full-stocked mauser action with Lyman rec sight and 20" bbl would be perfect.

That said, the 8mm Mauser should be on the list.

.
 
Not sure about Europe in general but I have hunted in Belgium and France and I have seen a lot of 300 win mag, 8x57, 9.3x72. In France 3006, 308 and other ex millitary calibers are not aloud for hunting, in Belgium they where leagalized for hunting a fer years ago and are getting extremely popular especially the 3006! I even saw a hunter shoot two roe deer with a old Winchester 1894 in 3030.
 
I have heard that after the 6.5 swede, the next popular is 30/06, and 303. I know that 223 & 308 are popular also, since most of Western Europe is in Nato. Aside from the popular Russian Cartridges mentioned, I'm sure 8mm mauser is very popular, since the millions of Mausers left from the Wars. I would'nt be surprised if its a top 5 most popular.
 
30-30s in Europe! you beauty!!
Anyone heard of Kristoffer Clausen? he can hunt.!
he mostly uses a 6.5x55, for Red/deer.

I wouldnt be suprised if the 6.5x55 was one of THE more popular calibres over there,
i would put the 6.5x55 an the 7-08 in thew same class.
 
i lived and hunted in Europe and we used a lot of different calibers depending of the country and the game.

there is many places where there is a limit on caliber, weight for the bullet and energy at a distance.

as Paul AKA SuperCub said the 6,5x57 is a nice caliber and used a lot for chamois by my uncle.

my grand father was using only 8x57IS or JS even for brown bear.

my father was using in whole Europe only the 7x64 (minimum legal for brown bear).

i used a lot the 9,3x62 but there is no Mauser name into that caliber just plain 9,3x62 (look into a Norma or Lapua box) and the 7x64 because as stated before : in France the ex military calibres are prohibited from hunting and for possession this is really hard to get.

i ve seen in Finland a lot of hunters using .308 (this is not a census just what i ve seen) and in Sweden even if the 6,5x55SE is still used most and more are using 30-06, 9,3x62 and 308.

i have to say too that the hunting way is not the same as we re doing here.

this is mostly party hunters where people get an area (renting or small city land) and they mostly dont hunt on individual side but mostly beaten drive where you unleash dogs and then on line you wait the game to cross.
 
I saw an exhaustive multi year study of moose hunting results including cartridge choice from Finland and the most common by a mile was the 30-06.
 
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