Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles "Most useful short-action cartridge"?

I find the .223 a lot more useful.



Travis

And that's pretty hard to argue with.

Most useful in a variety of situations or on a variety of game? I could probably shoot everything I hunt from now on using nothing but the .308, but using it on some critters, both large and small, would properly be categorized as "stunt" shooting. For North America, I think that the .243 Winchester is probably truly more useful for a somewhat greater variety of game than the .308.

That said, the .223 is probably regularly used to take a greater variety of game these days than any other "short-action" cartridge, although it wouldn't be my first choice.

Well ya the 308 is a very useful cartridge. I taken it to Africa three times and used it to take 33 animals. From jackels to Impala to eland on the high end all with the 165gr TSX.

Is it the most useful well that's debatable.

Can't used the .223 to hunt in Alberta or Saskatchewan. Not sure about other locations. .308 would be my choice as a result.

ETA, I shoot a 7mm-08 and a .30-06.

SS

I cast my vote for the 308 as well for its versatility via good bullet selection.

7 WSM

Our own Brad's sig line about the .308 being a low drama cartridge, around since 1952, kicking little, yet killing a lot, pretty much says it all.

I like your sig line�..


Black dogs bark at night�.

And let's not forget the .338-08, which has become legitimized as the .338 Federal. An excellent cartridge for elk in the timber, and for whitetails.

Ymmv

Whatchu just said????

I don't think I heared you right.

Most useful short action cartridge(s)?

308 Winchester
300 Winchester Short Magnum

When people ask me what I shoot, I tell them a 308 Short Mag.

ingwe;
Good evening to you sir, I hope this finds you folks well.

I recall exchanging some correspondence with MacKay about his sig line when I first started showing up in these parts. Somehow I recall the other part of the message to be something about John having a long mustache.....

We've got a neighbor who is a retired Vancouver PD constable that takes in all manner of dogs now. He's stone deaf so it doesn't bother him that most of his dogs bark all night - only some of them being black.

To the OP's question, while I really should have bought a .223 years and years ago, because of my relatively new relationship with the cartridge I can't say for sure it's the "most useful" quite yet. It does appear though that a decent .223 would get a whole lot of use at this point.

Based upon what we have played with over the years a fair amount, I'd have to agree with MacKay and the posters who've voted for the .308.

That said, there's no flies on a 7-08 either and our journey with the .250AI has been a smooth one for sure too.

Anyway ingwe, all the best to you folks and good luck on your hunts this fall as well.

Dwayne

How's the 223rem more useful?

Don't see anything the 243 can't do as well or better than the others.


An embarrassment of great bullets pushed at meaningful velocity. It's kinda a big deal that dont cause much of a fuss.

You can't kill anything larger than elephants with the .223.

Like the .22 short, but this isn't about uber short, just plain vanilla short.

Carry on.

[quote=SansSouci]I have always thought that the .308 Win was one of the best cartridges -not just short action- ever designed. I.../quote]

Agreed. Not that I own one currently. Sold both of mine to fund my first AR in .3oo Blackout with an extra 5,56/.223 upper.

Hmmm.... 4 Merlots in Cody don't help my typing, but love this town...

It'll still kill a prairie dog as effectively as a moose or bear...was the point. Sure, its not optimal for prairie dogs, but prairie dogs ain't likely to kill you for merely pissing them off, either. I'm not arguing 'best', just broadest big game usefulness. Even a .243 isn't necessarily ideal for everything, though I own a few.;)

In terms of usefulness....

.22LR
.30-06
..223 Rem/.5.56 NATO
.308W

Just MHO, YMMV.


The usefulness of the .223/5.56 and .30-06 are up for discussion, but I'll stick with the .30--06 first.

Even though the .30-06 is not a short action...

For use on North American game the .308 is the obvious choice as the "best" short action cartridge. It is adiquite for anything from field mice to big bears if properly placed.

On the low side (varmits) it might be a bit more gun than is comfortable, but will kill a prairie dog just as dead as a high-speed .22 caliber. There is no such thing as "too deadly" so argument against the .308 based on varmit use just don't hold water.

On the other end of the spectrum, the .308 is getting very close to not being enough gun against the largest game animals. This is particularly true against the big bears which can bite back. However, a well placed .308 shot will definitely kill any bear that ever walked.....you just have to be careful.

It has the trajectory to be effective to 400+ yards....which is as (if not farther) than the "average" hunter should be taking game anyway.

The only legitimate challenger to the .308 (in my opinion) would be the .358. It would give up just a bit of range, but also give a bit more "whump" on the largest game.

Actually I have always felt the .308 was the most versitile ONLY because of the guns it is available in that won't chamber a longer round. If one is not limited to a short action rifle the .300 Magnums would be my choice as "best" for an all-around cartridge (the .30-06 would be almost as useful but I give the edge to the .300's due to being able to send the heaviest bullets with a bit more authority).

I've never really bought into the whole short action argument anyway. The .30-06 length cartridges are available in bolt, single shot, pump and semi-auto actions and I cannot see where a half-inch shorter action is any advantage. That is however my own opinion and I know lots of folks who spend big money to build short action rifles and believe they are superior. Confidence is such a big part of success so, for them, the short action IS better.

There is one argument that makes the .308 far superior to any .300 or .30-06. The Savage 99 cannot be made to handle anything longer than the .308.....so that makes it the "best" cartridge.