The Miser's Cartridge

DANCESWITHEMPTIES

DANCESWITHEMPTIES

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With a vast array of hotrod cartridges. Some costing $4 to $5 a piece just to roll your own. It got me thinking: What if your frugal (cheap bazterd) & want the best all around cartridge? (Cause your certainly not going to own two rifles!) Being of this mindset, your naturally going to cast and reload your own ammo, counting every grain of powder you use & b!tch about it! I had a hard time figuring this one out. It came down to the 25-20 or the 32-20... The 32-20 took the win in my books. Having a heavier bullet weight and slightly more sectional density that might give it more success on bigger game. You could also load it down light enough not to destroy the meat on small animals as well.

What do you guys figure is the best "cheapest" all around centerfire cartridge out there?:ar15:
 
I would say 308. Many times if you pay attention you can get quantities fairly cheap weather it's FMJ or bargain Soft point and it will be good for practice (FMJ) or hunting (SP). The round will just about take anything in N. America with ease. If you get reloadable brass coupled with sales on powder and cheap hunting bullets - even better.
 
223, Brass is free or nearly so, fmj bullets can be had for 12 cents, good hunting bullets can be had for 70 or 80 cents.
 
MiG25 said:
223, Brass is free or nearly so, fmj bullets can be had for 12 cents, good hunting bullets can be had for 70 or 80 cents.
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Can you hunt big game in B.C. with .223 legally? I know there are bullets out there that can do the job if the placement is right...
 
If it's cheapest and cast your talking about. Something with cheap, available brass that typically travels slow. Even with "premium" in this case any jacketed bullet.

My vote goes to 45-70. Brass is pricey, but lasts forever. Large grain bullets, but cast is cheap. Load it with light say 300gr cast and pistol powder for a rifle a 10yr old can handle. ....or chase 458 win mag performance with 500 gr cast and a stomper load.

Mice to moose.
 
I'd choose .308. Handloaded of course in a Lee loader. Much more capable on quarry like moose and bear than a .223, more economical than the rare and expensive brass for the antique and underpowered 32-20, and can be loaded down with just a few grains of pistol powder and a buckshot pellet or a light 100 gr. cast bullet for the smallest game. Milsurp ammo is plentiful and cheap, and most rifle types are chambered in this cartridge. 30-06 would be a close second. 8x57, 7x57 .303 and a couple other military cartridges would do as well, but cases/bullets are not as commonly available as .308 is now, and many of the available rifles are too old and tired. Anything smaller or larger is not quite as versatile in my opinion. A 30-30 would serve the purpose too I suppose, but usually .308 ammo/brass/bullets can be found cheaper and is more capable for the bigger jobs.
A argument could be made for the .357 magnum in place of the OP's choice the .32-20. Would do any small game duties just as well as the .32-20 and would do many bigger jobs better.
 
If you're a real miser cast bullets are free because a real miser has his free lead figured out. Primers are primers, price doesn't change with caliber. With low pressure cast loads cases last more or less forever, so that's a tie. that just leaves powder. Light loads with pistol powders are so small that a few grains one way or the other doesn't matter very much. Just shoot what you want and have some fun. :)
 
nowarningshot said:
If it's cheapest and cast your talking about. Something with cheap, available brass that typically travels slow. Even with "premium" in this case any jacketed bullet.

My vote goes to 45-70. Brass is pricey, but lasts forever. Large grain bullets, but cast is cheap. Load it with light say 300gr cast and pistol powder for a rifle a 10yr old can handle. ....or chase 458 win mag performance with 500 gr cast and a stomper load.

Mice to moose.
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This is pretty spot on. 45-70 or 30-30 get my nod.
Both can be loaded on a lee load all ($50 for a complete loading set up) bullets can be cast from wheel weight or cast bullets can be bought for mere pennies/ pcs. A small charge of a pistol powder like red dot ( 8.5 gr for the 30-30 ,13gr for the 45-70) and you have a lethal out to 150yds huntung gun. Brass lasts forever...both charges shoot between 1100fps and 1300fps with those velocities.. I'd say the 45-70 is my top choice as it is more capable than the 30-30 in this configuration but it is about $0.10 more expensive. Currently I load 45-70 @ $0.48 and the 30-30 @ $0.38 per round.....and I buy hard cast I dont cast them myself...405s in the 45-70 and 165s in the 30-30. Cant get much cheaper than that...heck 22lr are getting close to that per round lol
 
Great feedback! With convincing examples... I know the territory you live in will dictate the power & range you'll need to meet minimums & legal calibers. Yeah I know finding a rifle in this caliber may cost a pretty penny if it wasn't inherited. But the cheap guy would not have bought his own rifle LOL!

 
if really miser the 300blk fits the bill
large variety of bullets from 110gr@2400fps to 180gr@1800fps
the powder is among the cheapest H110/A1680 and CFE-BLK
small case volume
the only disadvantage is the range but how many of us hunt over 200yds?
 
44 magnum.
Yeah, the range ain't great. But anything inside 100 yards is dead, it's easy to load, and cheap on powder (unique and bullseye).
The way rifle primers and powders are going, pistol in a long gun is the way to go.
45 colt, 357 for the same reason.
 
legi0n said:
if really miser the 300blk fits the bill
large variety of bullets from 110gr@2400fps to 180gr@1800fps
the powder is among the cheapest H110/A1680 and CFE-BLK
small case volume
the only disadvantage is the range but how many of us hunt over 200yds?
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That depends where you live. Where I am 200 yards is considered a very short shot, and if you miss at 400 you have to ride home in the back of the truck.:)
 
Probably 30-06, cast bullets, and two kinds of powder, maybe 4064 and Red Dot. At my stage in life, I could get along just fine with a single stage LEE press, a set of Lee dies, a couple of Lee bullet molds, and a good old 94 30-30.
 
DANCESWITHEMPTIES said:
With a vast array of hotrod cartridges. Some costing $4 to $5 a piece just to roll your own. It got me thinking: What if your frugal (cheap bazterd) & want the best all around cartridge? (Cause your certainly not going to own two rifles!) Being of this mindset, your naturally going to cast and reload your own ammo, counting every grain of powder you use & b!tch about it! I had a hard time figuring this one out. It came down to the 25-20 or the 32-20... The 32-20 took the win in my books. Having a heavier bullet weight and slightly more sectional density that might give it more success on bigger game. You could also load it down light enough not to destroy the meat on small animals as well.

What do you guys figure is the best "cheapest" all around centerfire cartridge out there?:ar15:
Click to expand...

I have had both 25 and 32 WCF firearms. Unless you are already set up for relaoding them, they arent cheap. Bulk 223 or 308 would likely give them the nod for "cheap". Maybe black powder, you can cast balls or bullets for it, can even make your own flints. And make your own powder, though it is difficult. - dan
 
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