Greatest cartridge ever invented? no magnums

I've been thinking of picking up a Ruger 77 Mk II Hawkeye for a general purpose fun scoped rifle that might go up against a moose as well as a 200 Meter steel target...spent a couple of enjoyable hours looking at articles and forums on all the new short action magnum calibers.

Even though I originally wanted a short action I was surprised to find that the 100 year old 30-06 was still the best multi-purpose caliber for me.
 
I love the 45-70!!!! But for the greatest cartridge from rabbits to Cape Buffalo......12 G.A(if that counts)
 
6.5x55 is easily the winner .
Many of the other cartridges mentioned here are truely great in many ways but time has marched past them and they are mainly leftovers from days gone by unfortunately .
30/06 would be a very close second and in the future may very well out live the Swede .
 
Another stupid thread...


From a western perspective the obvious choice is .30-06, but since the .30-06 is a reaction to the great Mauser cartridge, then clearly the real "best cartridge ever" is the 8x57.
 
That is an agonizing choice to make, but I think the 30-06 has to be the North American choice, since here it is the chambering all others are compared to. A lot of virtue in choosing the 7x57 or the 8x57 though. I have all three, and would not feel the least bit undergunned if I was forced to use only one of them for everything in North America. For Rimfire, the 22LR wins, hands down. Regards, Eagleye.
 
308 Winchester. How so much power can come from a little dinky case I just can't figure. Accurate as well and available in so many action types. It makes into a nice light compact carbine. Also ammo is every-where and cheap.

30-06 is good...but so damn boring.

350 Rem Mag is no 2. See above for .308 but with 25% more bullet weight. Sort of like the 308's big brother. Not really a magnum, as it's expansion ratio is about identical to the 308.
 
The 8x57 was designed in 1888, the 7x57 in 1893. The .30-06 was designed based off the 2 German cartridges (in 1906)... as much as I love the .30-06, it is backseat in this discussion.

All modern center-fire cartridges owe their basic design to the 8x57.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom