Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Favorite medium bores of members

Yes, 375 Ruger is another great choice although maybe not as available as the H&H

To me it would depend on what I was gunning for and where.

I have a SS M-70 Classic (NH) in .375 H&H, an AHR CZ 9.3x62 and an Alpha Arms Alaskan .338-284.

The M-70 is a rugged gun with synthetic stock. It wears a Zeiss Victory 1.5-6 in Talley QD's and has NECG irons. To me it's a solid using gun and isn't uncomfortable to shoot. The AHR is a fancy gun but is heavier than the M-70. The Alpha Arms is a good shooter, but isn't my favorite.

To go Nilgai hunting, etc, I'd pick up the .375 and not look back. Lots of options regarding loads and a near fool proof delivery system. I wouldn't worry about scratching it up on S. TX sticky brush. It would be a good choice for wet climates like AK. Just an all around gun.

IMHO,

DF

my late hunting partner carried a BROWNING BLR 358 win for the last 16 years,we hunted and constantly kidded me about dragging a cannon around for hunting with my 340wby and 375 H&H for most of that time,and yeah I still do, looking back on 40 plus years of hunting elk,all I can say is all three rifles killed both elk and mule deer and over that whole time frame I remember just three times either of us had an opportunity too take a shot at game at over 300 yards so the extra range potential of my 340wby was not a huge advantage.
pick what ever your comfortable with and practice a good deal, the 358 win and 35 whelen have the advantage of cheap 308 and 30/06 brass

340MAG,

if you are really worried for the brass they can be done with 30-06 brass even if i prefer the 9.3x63 brass ...

I'm a big 338/06 fan...So happens mine is in AI attire but certainly nothing wrong with the standard version.

Make mine a .338WM. I carried one as my primary Alaska rifle for 23 years.

There's a wildcat/hybrid of the .338/06 Improved in my gunsafe waiting for me to figure out how to get it to shoot.

Ed

Favorite / ideal cartridges and rifles are definitely subjective.
My subjective 2 cent opinion, which could vary day to day,is:

325 WSM for a using lighter medium
338 Win Mag for a using medium medium
375 Ruger or H&H for a using larger medium
416 Ruger or Rem Mag for a just the hell of it heavy medium
And a 45/70 Lever gun, just because.

I have the aboves and my order of favorites are the 375 Ruger, 338 Win Mag, 416 Ruger, 325 WSM's. The 338 Win Mag with 225gr premium bullets would be the one I consider the mythical most all-around from whitetails to bear. Though personally with bear in the equation when moose hunting, I prefer the 375's with 270gr TSX. The 416 Ruger with 350gr loads could move to the top of the list, depending on the terrain/foliage. The 325 WSM, I really like this cartridge for a lghter rifle option with 200gr TSX. The new Swift reloading manual #2 has some great looking loads for 200 & 220gr A-Frames.

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I had that itch a while back and built a 338wm off New Haven SS Model 70 Classic. No regrets, shoots very well and kills well. Perhaps because of the round count I have on it or the good quality glass and components I have complete confidence with this rifle as to where the bullet is going to go - every time.

The ballistics and bullet selection of the 338wm, in my opinion, hit that sweet spot between great range, moderate recoil, and a broad selection of bullet choices readily available.

FWIW in my view there is little real world difference in ability to kill stuff from calibers ranging from .308 up to .375. To be honest I cannot swear it kills better than my 3006 but it is the rifle I always reach for out of the safe.

Always liked my 350 Rem mags ,and the handy little Remington carbines.

My favorite rifle/cartridge is my .300 Weatherby. I would not hesitate to hunt any North American animal with it. I never considered the .300 Weatherby as a small bore cartridge but with the parameters of this thread, I guess it is.

So within these parameters, my favorite medium bore rifle/cartridge is my .375 Ultra mag. This cartridge has the trajectory of a .30-06 and the energy of a .416 Remington.

I've taken my .375 RUM on two African hunts, and used it to make one shot kills on a variety of animals from 25 lb Steenboks to 1500+ lb Buffalo and Eland, at ranges from 30 to 350 yards.

338-06 is the cartridge that gets my vote!

210 grain TTSX @ 2800 fps will leave a good exit and entry wound on anything I am liable to shoot at.

I have a 358 Win and a 9.3x62 and both are fine rifles for hunting large game in NA; especially if you hand load. My 9.3x62 is hard hitting and gives me a bit more distance (300+yards). If bear is in the mix, I'd probably choose my 9.3. For deer, elk and hogs under 250 yards or so, my lighter-weight 358 Win is what I carry. I like them both!

Hello Dwayne

Every time I shot that 378 after that my teeth were fully clenched like a dog on a meaty bone. Solved that problem.

How's your fall going so far? Been out quite a bit myself for deer but have seen no big bucks just spikes.

The moose I shot earlier in Sept is the worst moose ever to grace a plate in my life. It taste fine but tough every bite. Old bull on the decline for awhile.

Hope all is good

Hmm maybe a tradex 8x57 should come live in my safe for a while. I could always have it rebarrelled to .338-06, .35 Whelan or 9.3x62. Although those zastava m70's with a full stock are very tempting.

I have shot the most big game with the .358 Winchester. I have a number of rifles chambered for it.

I have other BG including the 264 thru the 375 ready.

If there were a choice when I got my favorite, the Savage 99F .358 and the .338 Federal was available I might have chosen it.

The 180 Nosler .338" bullet is interesting.

.358 is an easy cartridge to shoot. I enjoy carrying and shooting a 99F lightweight .358 and it's very effective.

My favourite medium bore is my Ruger #1H in 405 Winchester. Why? Well, in the #1 platform, I get a 300 grain bullet going downrange at 2450 ft/sec. It's old and powerful enough at medium ranges for any and all game animals in North America, including the Sasquatch.

I'll have to choose a big 35,,in this case my Norma. It's been traded for a Big Horn Armory 500 S&W so my 30Gibbs has rebored to 35 gibbs so no 35 withdrawals will hit me.

I'm enamored with the 35 Whelen and the 9.3x62. The 375 Ruger sounds ideal for ballistics and power, but I'm sure it is out of my comfort range recoil-wise, at least in a gun I'd be willing to carry all day. I'm not a fan of muzzle brakes either, and will never own one. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd likely get the Whelen first!

I'm inheriting a nice Marlin XLR 444 from my dad, and have been excited to carry it after elk in the high timber for a long time. It will be an opportunity to carry another part of him with me. He has had Alzheimer's for some years now, and his days in high mountain meadows are past.

That's what I found, my 375 Ruger was accurate but I didn't enjoy shooting it from the bench much. Really enjoy my 35 Whelen though and like what the 9.3x62 offers but don't own one as of yet.