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

I have a few in the .308 size. In the short action's I'd have to stick with the 300WSM with 190gr bullet moving at 2800fps. Not knocking any other .308 caliber, but I/me/personally would go with that rifle if given an ultimatum to pick just one. YMMV

Re the 358 Win. Due to reasonably aerodynamic 358 bullets being so heavy, I don't feel the 358 Win has quite enough case capacity to send those bullets out with enough grunt.

Maybe the 338 Fed treads that middle ground better?

You went for the hard way.

Just up the case capacity a little to .350RM, the most useful short action game cartridge.

For a number of years, I killed everything I needed to kill in KY with a .243, with zero drama. Have killed stuff with a .308 and a 7-08. But, never warmed up to them.

Practically speaking, very little difference between a .308 and .30-06. I have a .30-06 at the moment. No need for a .308...

When you find out the handloads many use for their .30-06 you also find out they are really shooting a .308W.

260 Rem A.I.

Never quite understood that argument, UNLESS its all about past 300.....to 300, you're splitting hairs with bullets, velocity, drop, and effect, between the .358/350M/Whelen. If we're sticking to short actions, you can load for that in a .358, or stuff 90gr pistol bullets in it at 3k....or cast 300s at 1800, jacketed 158s at 2200, 180 TTSXs at 2800, 225 ABs at 2600+, or whatever....and do what you want with it. Hard to find a good way to launch stuff that heavy in the smaller bores, or the variety of bullets for various uses. My definition of usefulness probably isn't the same as others, though.

Yep... With handloads, I can easily throttle the .30-06 and the .300H&H down to .30-30 velocities. My practice loads for the .300H&H push Crod1972's 150gr Win PP's at about 2400 fps using SR4759. Not knocking the .308. Being that I hand load, I just wouldn't gain any benefit from owning one.

No doubt you can cut back on purpose. You understand where you are at. More than a few don't.

If it is not useful for the big bears it is not useful-358 Win all the way.

The most useful PAIR is the .223 and a .308.

Agreed...

This...

I don't see the 338 Fed or 358 having a thing over 308. A 308 will shoot the same bullet weights as 338 Fed within 50 fps. It'll shoot 220's at about the same speed as the 358 shoots 250's , and that is at the muzzle. Get 100 yards or farther down range and the 308 starts taking over. That is pretty much splitting hairs, especially when you consider the better penetration of the smaller bullet. If the 308 won't get the job done, then it is time to move up to a lot bigger gun than 338 fed or 358 won.

The only advantage 358 or 338 has over 308 is between between the ears of the shooter. Usually caused by people who don't understand that you really can shoot bullets heavier than 150 gr in a 308.

If held to a S/A cartridge I'd go with the .300 WSM.

284 Winchester

223 and 7mm-08

This thread could go full UBER.




Travis

Gotta be the �BER .308. It covers everything from varmints to big bears.

Especially when you have five-gal buckets full of brass.