So I want something big and slow, to counter balance the small and fast already in my safe (270 and 243 winchesters). It would be a hunting rifle for large game, moose and elk sorta thing. I know my 270 is plenty capable, but I like variety and options. Doesn't need to be capable of particularly long range work, but useful trajectory out to 200 yds is ideal. I don't own a range finder, so I need something flat enough to deal with guesstimating range between 100 and 200yds. Also I would prefer it to be a light weight rifle without viscous recoil, although those are factors that can have some variability in it.
A few specifics I am looking for is over 200gr bullet weight, .338 cal or bigger (preferably 358cal or bigger), and something in the 2000-2500 fps range. I plan to reload for whatever I get. I am also a frugal person (read cheap if you must) so I need to consider all factors in purchasing - rifle, ammo, reloading gear, ect
So here is the list of cartridges I've been mulling over, feel free to comment on any of them, or add to the list of what you think might work. I will list the reasons I like/dislike each.
9.3x57 - Cheap rifles from TradeEx. Non-existent factory ammo. Probably not the cheapest dies. Fits a lot of my other goals though - I like the bullet weights, the caliber is good, velocity, rifle weight, and recoil all fit. The complete lack of factory ammo makes it hard though, I usually buy a few boxes of ammo to give me brass. I think this is one of the cheaper options in the long run, but having to buy the whole reloading setup to shoot the rifle really adds to the up-front cost. The idea of using something that not many others use in Canada is intriguing to me.
9.3x62 - Affordable rifles from TradeEx. Available factory ammo. More common dies. A bit higher on the recoil scale than I was looking for, especially if I want a lighter weight rifle, but very very capable. Certainly a contender, but I question whether it really fits big and slow, or just big. Factory ammo isn't cheap, so its still not the best way to get brass. I hear you can make it from 3006, but I don't have expanders or anything so thats more upfront cost.
35 Whelen - Can find decent priced rifles on the EE. Factory ammo and dies are available, plus I have access to 3006 brass (not to mention my 270 brass) to make 35whelen brass from. Like the 9.3x62, I'm not so sure it meets the criteria of big AND slow.
358 Winchester - less common. Rifle would probably cost a bit more. Ammo exists, although I'm not sure how common it is. Brass is easily formed from other sources (308).
35 Remington - Lever action rifle is an option. I don't have one of those, so thats cool. Ammo is available but uncommon and expensive. This is one of the only ones that concerns me about trajectory, a flat or round nose 35cal bullet doesn't exactly have top notch ballistics... Very tame recoil though, rifles can be pretty light, reloading supplies are readily available. I really like this one, but with a 100yd zero its dropping like 10 inches at 200yds, that might be too much for my purposes...
45-70 Gov't - Ol' Faithful. With today's hand loads or stuff like Buffalo Bore, its a real eye opener. Again, lever actions are available (and the most common repeaters). It can meet both the big-and-slow category, and the big-and-powerful category depending how its loaded. Recoil and trajectory varies depending on how its loaded. My biggest draw back to this one is rifle price - at $800+ for a rifle, once I get reloading stuff I'm looking at a solid $1000+. Thats nearly twice what a 9.3x57 would cost, and a few hundred bucks more than most of my other options too. Trajectory is also questionable on this one, unless you use a lighter bullet with terrible sectional density. Recoil can get pretty high too.
338-06 - Cool caliber. Not common. Rifles wont be cheap. Caliber is a bit small, but the numbers on this particular caliber are very nice. I certainly want one of these some day, I'm not sure its the rifle I want for this particular task though, as I think recoil would be a bit stouter than I'm looking for unless I compromise on weight. (Although if the price was right, I'd be all over it.)
So, if you were buying a gun to hunt deer, black bear, moose and elk with, and you specifically wanted something bigger and slower than your 270, what would you pick, and why? (I also have a 303 british, which will chuck 180gr pills at 2400+ fps, so its got that middle ground pretty well covered.)
A few specifics I am looking for is over 200gr bullet weight, .338 cal or bigger (preferably 358cal or bigger), and something in the 2000-2500 fps range. I plan to reload for whatever I get. I am also a frugal person (read cheap if you must) so I need to consider all factors in purchasing - rifle, ammo, reloading gear, ect
So here is the list of cartridges I've been mulling over, feel free to comment on any of them, or add to the list of what you think might work. I will list the reasons I like/dislike each.
9.3x57 - Cheap rifles from TradeEx. Non-existent factory ammo. Probably not the cheapest dies. Fits a lot of my other goals though - I like the bullet weights, the caliber is good, velocity, rifle weight, and recoil all fit. The complete lack of factory ammo makes it hard though, I usually buy a few boxes of ammo to give me brass. I think this is one of the cheaper options in the long run, but having to buy the whole reloading setup to shoot the rifle really adds to the up-front cost. The idea of using something that not many others use in Canada is intriguing to me.
9.3x62 - Affordable rifles from TradeEx. Available factory ammo. More common dies. A bit higher on the recoil scale than I was looking for, especially if I want a lighter weight rifle, but very very capable. Certainly a contender, but I question whether it really fits big and slow, or just big. Factory ammo isn't cheap, so its still not the best way to get brass. I hear you can make it from 3006, but I don't have expanders or anything so thats more upfront cost.
35 Whelen - Can find decent priced rifles on the EE. Factory ammo and dies are available, plus I have access to 3006 brass (not to mention my 270 brass) to make 35whelen brass from. Like the 9.3x62, I'm not so sure it meets the criteria of big AND slow.
358 Winchester - less common. Rifle would probably cost a bit more. Ammo exists, although I'm not sure how common it is. Brass is easily formed from other sources (308).
35 Remington - Lever action rifle is an option. I don't have one of those, so thats cool. Ammo is available but uncommon and expensive. This is one of the only ones that concerns me about trajectory, a flat or round nose 35cal bullet doesn't exactly have top notch ballistics... Very tame recoil though, rifles can be pretty light, reloading supplies are readily available. I really like this one, but with a 100yd zero its dropping like 10 inches at 200yds, that might be too much for my purposes...
45-70 Gov't - Ol' Faithful. With today's hand loads or stuff like Buffalo Bore, its a real eye opener. Again, lever actions are available (and the most common repeaters). It can meet both the big-and-slow category, and the big-and-powerful category depending how its loaded. Recoil and trajectory varies depending on how its loaded. My biggest draw back to this one is rifle price - at $800+ for a rifle, once I get reloading stuff I'm looking at a solid $1000+. Thats nearly twice what a 9.3x57 would cost, and a few hundred bucks more than most of my other options too. Trajectory is also questionable on this one, unless you use a lighter bullet with terrible sectional density. Recoil can get pretty high too.
338-06 - Cool caliber. Not common. Rifles wont be cheap. Caliber is a bit small, but the numbers on this particular caliber are very nice. I certainly want one of these some day, I'm not sure its the rifle I want for this particular task though, as I think recoil would be a bit stouter than I'm looking for unless I compromise on weight. (Although if the price was right, I'd be all over it.)
So, if you were buying a gun to hunt deer, black bear, moose and elk with, and you specifically wanted something bigger and slower than your 270, what would you pick, and why? (I also have a 303 british, which will chuck 180gr pills at 2400+ fps, so its got that middle ground pretty well covered.)
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