The "classics"

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buckchaser

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Might be some cabin fever setting in with winter nearly over and shed hunting / wild turkey still a few weeks away, but the topic of "classic" hunting cartridges came to mind today.

I have a keen interest in history (I teach it at the high school level - don't judge, do my best to instill critical thinking skills and not "program" your children ...).

What would make your Top Five global hunting cartridge "classics" list for game of all sizes across the globe?
 
The 6.5x54 MS and 7x57 Mauser (275 Rigby) were very popular in the early part of the 20th century.

Wiki says:

Hunting use

Walter Dalrymple Maitland "Karamojo" Bell, who shot more than 1,500 elephants in the period 1895-1930, had a very high regard for the 6.5mm Mannlicher–Schoenauer, using it for approximately 300 of these kills. Daniel Fraser of Edinburgh, Scotland built him a special, lightweight rifle in that calibre. He only set it aside when he was unable to acquire dependable ammunition for it, and turned to a .275 Rigby Mauser magazine rifle instead. The .275 Rigby cartridge is interchangeable with the 7×57mm Mauser. Bell's legendary name has remained closely linked with the 7mm Mauser, but the 6.5 Mann.–Sch. was his first preference.

The 6.5×54mm was referred to by the writer Ernest Hemingway as the .256 Mannlicher. Though it never replaced his favorite .30-06 Springfield, he did speak highly of it as a lion cartridge, and it was the favorite of his African guide and professional hunter Phillip Percival The Kenya game warden and naturalist A. Blaney Percival also favored the 6.5×54mm.

There is written evidence that there were Mannlicher-Shoenauer rifles aboard the ill-fated Karluk expedition to the Arctic in 1913.
 
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6.5x54 MS , 7x57 , 303 Brit , 30/06 , 375 H&H . I'm sure others will disagree , there are quite a few others that fit that description . I should have included the lowly 22 long rifle , probably the most used cartridge world wide . I'll quit while I'm ahead or this will read like War and Peace .
 
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What about the 8x57 Mauser, the Grandfather of most of the "Classic" cartridges. It sired the 30-06, the 7x57, and a heck of a lot of the cartridges we use today.

Add the 30-30 Winchester, a cartridge downing deer and game since 1894.
 
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If I am going to dream about "classics" they will be chambered in classic side by side rifles... off the top of my head;

1. .22 Hi-Power for varminty stuff
2. 7X65R Brenekke for little hoof stuff
3. 9.3X74R for medium hoof/claw stuff
4. .470 Nitro Express for big hoof/claw stuff
5. .45/90 for close and slow stuff and fun
 
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For classic"ish" stuff already in the closet, I have a small assortment of No.1's;

1. 7X57 Mauser
2. .303 Brit
3. .35 Whelen
4. .405 Winchester
5. .450/400 NE 3"

And also classic"ish" M77 MKII rifles in;

1. .257 Roberts
2. 6.5X55 Swedish Mauser
3. 7X57 Mauser
4. .30/06 Springfield
5. .350 Rem Mag
 
My favorite classics would have to be:

6.5x55 Swede
7x57 Mauser or 7x64 brenekke......hard to choose between the 2
8x57 Mauser
9.3x62
375 H&H


Some other honorable ones: 257 Roberts, 30-06, 303 British, 35 whelen.
 
If I was restricted to five chamberings for the rest of my life to hunt anything on the planet?

Dunno what counts as a classic cartridge - like isn't .223 classic by now? - but...

.22 LR
7x57
.300 H&H
.416 Rigby

Huh. That leaves one left over. So... .223
 
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My five:

22 LR
257 Roberts (1st alternate 7x57)
270 Winchester (1st alternate 30-06)
30-30 Winchester
375 H&H

These definitely have a North American bent. The 7x57 and 30-06 are alternates in that they were designed as military cartridges, whereas the others were designed from the outset as hunting cartridges.

If I had to cut down to two, they would be 270 and 375.
 
You owe it to yourself to have at least once a..
220 Swift
257 Roberts
338 Win Mag
375 H&H
and a 416 Rigby.

And a 45-70 and a 270 and a 222.......
 
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