Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Pet Caliber? Which do You Favour? And Why?

308 Win, hunt anything (except maybe the big bears) anywhere in the world with ammo generally available worldwide. Not forgetting you can fire 7.62x51 mm NATO ammo in a 308 if things go sideways in the world.

Disgusting

8mm .323" is my pet caliber. 8x57 is my all rounder and have a plethora of bullets ranging from 123gr to 250gr. Main hunting weights I use is the 180gr at 2750+/- fps and 200gr at 2600+/- depending on the rifle. Plink with 123gr, 150gr SP, 170gr. Its my "30-06" in other words.

If???

358 Winchester. I need to load for my 25-06 and 7-08.

257 Weatherby. It shuts 'em right down.

i shot a few deer over the years. i shot them with a 22-250AI to the 45-70. the 30-30 and 7x57 should be my favorites, i mean, those cartridges have killed many of my deer. the 270 and the 7-08 are great. 25-06, 6.5 Creedmoor, 308, 30-06, 30-40 Krag, 32 Win Spl, 8x57, 444 Marlin.....they all shot deer, but my 2nd favorite cartridge is 9.3x57 and 275gr WFN GC and the #1 favorite is the 35/30-30 and 200gr RCBS FN GC.

Good thread.

My favorite is 277: 270 WCF, nine rifles.

Have successfully used bullets from 85-155gr on prairie dogs to elk. Have played with bullets all the way up to 180gr.

I really like these too:
224- 222 and 22-250
338- 338-06
416- 416 Rem Mag
458- 45-70 and 450 Bushmaster

Have only burned the barrels out on two rifles. A 22-250 and 270 WCF.

Didn't say I approved.

450 Bushmaster.

Only two of the same caliber…..a .375 H&H and a .375 AI which .375 H&H’s can be fired in ( .375 H&H’s are fired in the AI to fire form cases).

They are good for all NA big game, and are legal for all of the African Big Five in most African countries! The AI produces enough velocity with a bull of good BC to make it a pretty decent long range (easily to 1000 yards for a very competent rifleman) capable cartridge! memtb

I’ve burned up more 22-250 and 243 ammo and barrels than any others.

the cabin "moose tenderizer" shelf contains some of my favorites

375 H&H. Have a few belted magnum magazine rifles and a flanged mag double.

Why, just like them.

22lr for economy and useful on small critters.

308win because it does well out of short tubes with decent performance

270win because during the pandemic it was the most available in factory form locally, as were components and it was very economical pre-2019 and still rates up there. Logistics I suspose.

45-70 as it was one of the first cartridges I reloaded. It can be loaded with cast bullets you make yourself so you aren't dependant on modern bullet technology.

I have three, all in JM Marlin lever guns.

30-30 Winchester
444 Marlin
45-70 Govt

I baby those handloads and rifles like they're an heir to the throne.

223 Rem. for economical practice and training in my Ruger African.

280 Rem. for Pronghorn & Deer.

35 Whelen for Elk & Moose.

9.3x62/66 for Africa.

404 Jeffery for stopping rifle in Africa.

Just returned from my 12th African safari in the Bangweulu Swamp in Zambia, and took all animals with my 9.3x66:
46” Buffalo
Black Lechwe
Tsessebe
Side Striped Jackel

This is quite a range of animal weights, and the 9.3 took every one with one shot only: 286 gr. NP.
Very versatile caliber in a light weight medium bore rifle.

I'm a .30 caliber guy. Bullets for reloading are easy to find. Trajectories make hitting stuff generally not too difficult. Recoil is manageable. And the biggest selling point to me is that you only have to shoot stuff once.

Three. Seven. Five.

Three H&Hs, 2 Weatherbys and a RUM.

Most of my "serious" hunting is in Africa and the 375 is just too handy over there. Here, I'll use whatever is convenient/sighted in/loaded up for the local deer or coyotes. And the 375 works for that too!

I'm 63 and when I get old and decrepit I plan to downsize to 338. Got a few of those too!

222 and 30-06