With the plethora of excellent bullets available today we are free to choose about any caliber/cartridge for most hunting situations. In fact, in today's world we have greatly increased the number of choices for the one 'all around' cartridge/caliber. With that in mind I ask of you...

What caliber do you have the most of in your battery of rifles?

Is it your favorite and/or most used (I'm kind of assuming so)?

Have you gone larger or smaller as you age?

Obviously, most of us have and use multiple calibers but do you have a preference for (your) typical hunting scenario?

375 H&H, no North American game it will not handle, very accurate and flexible as to bullet choices and loads.

1 300 H&H
1 300 WBY
2 300 WM's

300's cover alot of ground where I live, I currently shoot 8-Bore, 577 NE, 500 NE, and 505 Gibbs on the top end, so at 48 I haven't hit the slide yet, I may only have 15-20 yrs. left with the big kicker's then health and common sense may dictate a slide LOL.

Gunner

Wow, Gunner, I guess you buy into the "go big or go home" school of thought! Do you hunt NA game with any of those or are they just 'for fun' rifles right now with the .300s doing the animal control?

Redwolves, I am with you 100%! All though I love all my main hunting rifles there is just something about the awesome .375 Holly. It would probably be the last one to be wrestled from my cold, dead hands.

.30-06 my favorite for over 30 years.

My favorite caliber is the 22 WMR

I can use it for almost everything that is around my house. I can pop coyotes in the head with it to about 50 yards, I can nail squirrels at around 100 with it, and I can rabbit hunt with it.

280 Remington its a "Can Do" kinda round.

I've settled down very nicely with the 35 caliber. I own 7 rifles in the 358 Win. I did have 4 350 Rem Mags but sold 3 and now left with just one. Sold my 35 Whelen, my 2 Marlin 336 35 Rem, My Rem 600 35 Rem, Marlin 336ER 356 Win. My 358 Win will do any thing I ask it to do and so will my Model 7 CDL 350 mag.

Remington Model 7 SS 358 Win
Remington 600 Blue 358 Win
Remington 700 Matte 358 Win
T/C Encore Blue 358 Win
Browning A Bolt (Grice Ultralight) matte 358 Win
Ruger RS Blue 358 Win
VZ-24 Matte 358 Win

I think this just about covers what I have.

Ken

I have seldom owned like cartridges at the same time. I guess the caliber I've owned the most of at any one time would be a variety of .284's.

Have 7-08, 7MM Magnum, and 7WSM at this time. Briefly owned a .280 as well.

The most common in my safe is the 45-70, mostly because I wanted to try it in different platforms. First in a Handi Rifle (ouch) then a Sharps 74, finally in a 1895CB.

However I've taken more game with my 35 Whelen. Find myself more and more interested lately in smaller calibers, 7X57 and .257 Roberts. Have yet to bloody the last two.

6.5x55

Started out with a .270 WIN and have owned at least one continuously since 1978, this fall will be my 34th season hunting with one. I like lot's of other calibers, bigger and smaller and own a decent battery of rifles, but if down to my last it will be a .270 WIN.

My favorite calibers are .284 & .308. My fave cartridges are 280 Rem, 308 win, & 300 Wsm.

I have always had at least one 308 Win since 1977 & one 280 Rem since 1998.

280 Rem

Owned 2 each of 7-08, '06, and .325 WSM....

25's owned several, currently have two 250 Savage, two 257 Roberts and a 25-06.

My favorite caliber if .284
My 7 rem mag and 7mm-08 can cover pretty much any big game I'm chaseing.

Kind of along the same path

2x 7mm-08's & 1 7mm Rem mag

Use either or, depending what I'm after

Do have 2x 308's & 2x 30-06's though, enjoy the four of them but never really grab them?

To the OP...its gonna hafta be .224...in different cartridges and at different speeds...

06 then 223

My favorite would be a toss up between 270Win and 338WM. Love them both for different reasons.

Most owned 300 Sav.

Yes Mojo, the 30 thru 375's do most NA hunting for me, the 8-bore is for fun but highly effective w/a .825" 850 gn. round ball booted in the tail by 300 gns. FFFG Swiss.

The big rifle's are for a long planned african safari for cape buff/leopard and plains game.
The bigger rifle's are kinda specialized in application but still alot of fun.

Gunner

.284

Same here. My favorite is probably the .223 but I can't see owning a bunch of rifles chambered for the same cartridge.

Most owned is 30-06 probably because I am the most comfortable with it since I've used one since I was 12. My "elk rifle" is the good ol 338 win mag though and I've only got one of those since one is all you really need

.308 win

257 Roberts

I have owned three .308 bores and three .284 bores and two .277

But probably a dozen .22LR through the years....it's my fav!

35 Whelen and 308

I've hunted with a gamut of cartridges (up to 300Wby) but made a conscious decision to run with a standard cartridge. So, years ago, I decided to shoot the 25-06, 270Win, 280Rem and 30-06 side-by-side all summer long until I could pick a "winner". That winner was the 270 Win and I couldn't be happier. It's a sweetheart to shoot and puts the hammer on NE whitetails. I now have two 270s, both with 3-9x40 scopes, in my safe ready to go and my days of searching for the "ultimate" deer rifle are happily behind me......

.30 cal, followed by .264, .458,.224,.358,.338

I suspect there might be more .223 lovers here than will acknowledge (esp those little AI guys)!

While I am growing more enchanted with the medium bores, I have always had a love for the 6.5 bores. I could own a whole bunch of rifles in various cartridges of .264 size.

.243 here.

270 Winchester is my favorite.

I have mostly owned standard .30 cal rifles over the years .308 Win and 30.06, but in the last few years with the introduction of the short magnum cartridges I have become a big fan of the .300 WSM cartridge, I love the magnum performance you get out a short action rifle. These rifles are light, handy and powerful enough to handle any game in North America what more could you ask?..............Hillbilly.

3 223
3 257 Roberts
3 270 Win
4 7x57
5 30-06


Not sure which is my favorite?


ddj

Same bug bit me. As an earlier post read, "...my search for the ultimate hunting rifle is over." The 300 WSM has all the atributes I wanted in a cartridge. And, the Sako 85 Finnlight had all the atributes I desired in a commercial offering. Together, it's the whole package !

Still like my 308 Win though. It too is a Sako 85 Finnlight. Both in Edge stocks.

The most rifles I have chambered are 22lr, then 6.5x55, then a bunch of 30 cal from 30/30 to 30-06. The purist plinker in me loves my 22's, yet I own no centre fire .223. I might have to rectify that.

Randy

.243 & 7-08

I've owned four 358Win over the years. In a lightweight rifle it does very well on deer & heavier game alike. My current is a 20" faux TI topped with a VXII 2x7.

My 257Roberts comes in at the top of the list as well for deer sized game.

.

I mostly own 270's. There have been a pile of 30/06's and 7 mags as well. Years past I had a lot of 300 mags, 338's etc.I have eliminated the 300's and 338's and anymore 90% of hunting chores go to a 270 or a 7 mag of some sort.

I won't quibble over whether 30's and up are "better"than what I use....I've had few problems killing anything with any caliber I ever chose.

I have not gone smaller really because I have used all these caliber/cartridges for years.Just have not seen much need for anything larger than a 270 or magnum capacity 7mm...and if I do, I skip the in between stuff and go to the 375H&H.

Favourite calibre is likely .224". Cartridge would be the 22LR.
Centrefire would have to be 30 calibre, chambered in 30-06, with 300 WM coming up close.
Lately though, big bores are lighting me up -- 45-70 and 405 Winchester.

Again, another trick question, but the 7mm's are certainly taking hold!

7x57
284Wi
7x61S&H
7WSM

378 weatherby

Primarily Deer, hogs and yotes on the menu for me:

Battery of 6.5's (6.5x55 to 264 Win Mag)
two 7mm-08's
two 270 Win's
one 30-06
several 22 WMR's and LR's

That MOFO is an equal opportunity DESTROYER, I like it.

Gunner

I am a 7-08 addict. I currently own 6. When I elk hunt, I go to a bigger csrtridge/calibre but it seems lotsa folks use the 7-08 for elk hunting. If a 7-08 was my only rifle, I wouldn't have a problem using it. I'd load up some 160s and go.

Huge fan of the 25.06 Rem. for deer, just doesn't get any better! More one shot, DRT kills with this caliber than anything else I've ever used.

For elk and/or moose, probably doesn't get any better than a .300 Win. or WSM.

That said, my next deer/elk combo rifle will almost certainly be a .270 WSM.

I have mostly .243's and .300 WSM's but I love the .264 WM the best.

Most owned is .45-70. Fave right now is .25-06.

Most I own is two 308s, but my fav is the 708, but my 6mm Rem isnt too far behind. Its definitely more enjoyable to shoot of the lot.

My favorite 270 Win
Most owned 270 Win, I think there is 7 in the house. But I have owned, traded and played with many more.

I'm kickin' around getting a 6.5x284, 7mm-08, or a 270 Winnie.

That would be a .284 for me....favorite 7mm cartridge would be the 280 Remington followed by the 7-08.

most owned would be a .270 but my favorites would definetly be my .264 win mags and 300 weatherby mag

Tru dat!!!!!!!!

well,i've owned about 20 270win's in the last 30yrs. killed well over 200 deer,around 10 bear plus i used to load it down and varmint hunt. i know i've killed a few thousand groundhogs.

i have 2 now,tikka t3 lite and i just picked up a mossberg ssi-one in 270. that gun shoots as good as my tikka,may have to drop something with it this fall.

..like Ken above I like the .35s for hunting... Currently have:

Remington 600/.350 RM





Remington Model Seven KS/.350 RM





Ruger 77MKII .350 RM cut down to 18.25"




Ruger Frontier .358 Winchester




Marlin 336D .35 Remington 18.5" barrel





Also have .308s, .405s and .41 Mags...but the .35s are the "Go-To" when it comes to hunting...

Bob

If KTP still has that Hawkeye in .338 Federal when I finally get a day off it's going to look a lot like that .350 when I'm done with it. I need to finalize what's going out the door....

George

I own more 7.62 Russians than any other caliber. My favorite is probably the .308Win. I like the .300WBY and the .22Mag, also.

Being rational again Bob? After I get a pre-64 in the lineup, I am going 375 H&H hunting.

Most owned are the .338 calibers! .338win mag custom burl swirl walnut stock Browning Bar semi-auto, 338mag bolt gun, stainless .338mag bolt gun, .338-Edge, .338/06 lightweight.

My favorite for last 12 years has been the 25-06 around our place but now it is the 6.5/06 (.264/06)

My favorite African rifles are plains game .338win mag & .375-Wby. Dangerous game is the .416mag and the .458-Lott.

Well, I can honestly say that over the years my favorite bore size has increased while my bullet velocity has decreased! Anymore 2400-2600 f.p.s. is entirely adequate for anything that I am likely to hunt.

The most owned chambering at any one time in my arsenel has been the .308 Win. I believe I owned 11 at one time. But I have cut that down a bit.

Currently own:

1- M-70 Lwt Carbine
1- M-660 Rem,
1- Sportco target rifle
1- M-1903-A3 Sprg.
1- M-40X Rem
1- Sako Custom
1- H&R Ultra 300 (FN action)

(There may be another hiding out in the dark recess' of my cave that I forgot about...)

I also love the 6.5x55... Currently own:

1- Remington M-40X
2- Carl Gustaf Swedes - one full custom, and 1 semi custom mannlicher.
1- Carl Gustaf '94 Carbine
1- Sako A-V Hunter
1- Antonio Zoli AZ-1900
1- Remington M-700 Classic N.I.B.
1- Ruger #1

But most of all, I think I like the 35's... I have:

1 M-7 Custom M/S in .358 Win
1 Ruger #3 in .356 Win/.358
1 Mk-X Mauser Custom in .358Win
1- Ruger M-77 flatbolt in .358 Win
1- Remington M-7 Custom KS in .350 Rem Mag.
1- Remington M-700 Classic in .350 Rem Mag.

Add one Remmy M-700 C-grade in .280 Rem and I'm pretty well set... And if I sold all my other rifles I'd never want for an adequate rifle to hunt with...

GH

The most common bore diameter I own is.264". Seven chambered from Swede's up to 264 Winny. As of right this moment my 280 Ackley, followed closely by 6.5 Swede or 7 Rem mag is my favorite.

Note: Fav's are subject to change without notice.

Oops, now its 348 Win.!

Joseph

For me I guess it is the .25s

currently:

2 - Marlin 62 in .256 win. & T/C contender barrel
2 - Austrian single shot and T/C contender in .25-35
10- .250-3000s of various makes and models
1 - Winchester pre-64 in .257 Roberts
1 - .257 Roberts Ackley Improved custom Mauser 98
1 - .25 WSSM Model 70
1 - .25-06 Cooper 54

Lots of other likelable calibers (and I really do like them all) but use the .25s mostly

.22LR

Favorite(s):

1. 30-06 (long action)
2. 7mm-08 (short action)

Most owned: 270 Winchester

I've owned 11 30-30's so they are my most owned. I've only owned 4 .30-06's but they are my favorite. The .270 Winchester is my favorite to shoot off the bench though and as I get closer to forty I'm thinking how much fun a .25-06 would be.

.22LR for sheer numbers, seven currently in the house.

30/30 win first rifle. Had up to four 30/30 rifles at one time. Down to two special ones. Mod 64, 24" and a mod 94 20".

.308 win for longest lasting. I have had one since my early 20's.

.284, specifically the 7x57.

6.5, in both 6.5x55 and 6.5 Jap.

Played with others, these have stuck around.

Most owned caliber, interestingly (outside of .22LRs) would be .311". Several 7.62x39s, and a bunch of .303Brits.

Caliber: .308"

Cartridge: 308 Win. I'm feeding six of them.

Rifle
338WM or the 450 Marlin...


Handgun

45ACP, 45 Colt, 480 Ruger

I can't seem to get outta the 30cal business for too long.

308win would be the darling of the lot, have had 6 rifles thus chambered in my life and I am sure I will always have at least one.

Caliber? 6, 6.5, and 7mm used HEAVILY for much of what I do.

6mmBR - owned more Customs in this, while having had several 260s, 6.5x55s, and 7/08s.

A 6BR is all I 'Need' from paper thru deer/hogs to 400 yds, assuming proper 8 twist, though a 243 w/9 or quicker ROT would satisfy.

A 260/Swede/708 would reach more if needed, or be used when hunting say thru elk.

Good bullets + 'thru vitals' = quick kills.

Less Recoil and blast helps the pilot.

6.5s topped w/a 6x are first to grab and would be last to sell.

Oh, wisdom has taught me - often 'less is more' in many ways.

A few years a go the answer would have been .308 win. But now I find myself with 4 - 7x57 rifles, two "standard" and two of the rimmed version.

.30-06 by quite a bit.

I have more 45-70's than any other caliber, a Remington Rolling Block, a Pedersoli Sharps, a Browning 1885 BPCR, a Winchester 1886 (modern) and two 1895 Marlins (one a 26" bbl Cowboy). Not necessarily my most used round, just the most rifles in that caliber.

DF

Fave - .308 especially in .300 H&H
Most Owned -.223

6.8 SPC. Great for varmint through deer and from 25 to 400 yards.
After that 30-06

3x .223
3x .243
3x .270

Like em all, but the .270 WCF is my #1.

2 - 257 Bobs
2 - 7mm08's
2 - 7mm WSM's

Good things come in pairs!

favorite- 30-06
most owned- 22lr

for ELK, but work ok on deer
340wby
375 H%H

are my favorites

I use these for deer , but since I generally hunt both deer and elk I want something with some punch if I happen to see elk while mostly looking for deer
358 win
35 whelen

Caliber of cartridge?

Thre are several calibers I return to for various reasons;

6mm
.257
7mm
.308
.338
.458

Can't seem to find any animals those "calibers" will not handle.

John

�What caliber do you have the most of in your battery of rifles? �
.308�
1x .30-30
1x .308 Win
3x .30-06
1x .300 WM

�Is it your favorite and/or most used (I'm kind of assuming so)?�
No, my .257 Roberts is my favorite. But ask me tomorrow�


�Have you gone larger or smaller as you age?�
Yes to both.

"Obviously, most of us have and use multiple calibers but do you have a preference for (your) typical hunting scenario?"
If I had to choose ONE caliber/cartridge for all my hunting it would be a 7mm RM. BTDT, no regrets.