Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Me favorite patriotic calibers!

As I approach 70 and think of the many years me and family members spent in our nations military I keep thinking about the great calibers our U.S. Government adopted. I could easily live with these three wonderful calibers for all my hunting needs and most of my self defense needs.

The great North American hunting caliber, the 30-06, I have been using it in Alaska since 1965. No critter ever complained it was not "enough gun".

The old 45-70, what a great caliber, me and many Alaskans consider it in a Marlin or Winchester lever gun a "must have" in ones arsenal. I can think of no other round or platform I would rather be packing for bear protection when traveling in the Alaskan bush, fishing salmon streams, laying in a tent at night, etc. Mine usually lives in my truck from April till November.

The 1911 Government Model in .45 ACP, absolutely timeless and a great fighting handgun in a great caliber. I carried one in a duty holster for many years, it was a comfort to me.

There ya have it, nothing fancy, just three proven performers that were here long before me and will be here long after I am gone.

God Bless America!

Not sure why I left the 223/.5.56x45 out, old age and forgetful maybe? I have a couple of good running AR's chambered for the 5.56x45 and enjoy shooting them. I also like keeping one in the truck on road trips around the state.

Knowing what I know now I would of went with the .45 Colt long ago for my revolvers and would of scooped up a Browning 92 in that caliber also. But, the .44 mag. craze was what I got into in the 70's and I enjoy my S&W Mountain Revolver and Mod. 94 Win. that the wife claimed as her "berry picking" gun.

Great choices. When it works, it works.

Happy 4th!

For me, it's the .243, born in the year I was born--1955, and we're both still getting along fiine. A great caliber for someone
who has severe arthritis in their neck and shoulders like me. Don't ever let anyone tell you there's no such thing as
felt recoil in hunting situations. That's like Coach Bud Grant of the Minnesota Vikings, who wouldn't allow heaters
on the sidelines in sub freezing temperatures, as he told his players that feeling cold was all in their minds.

Colt 45 from the 1873 Single Action Army Cavalry.

Not to mention all the offspring of cartridges that were U.S.Government adopted. It's quite a list and one example would be the aforementioned .243, whose parent is the .308; AKA 7.62x51 NATO. Quite a few other successful cartridges were conceived from the .308 & .30-06.

Yessir!

45-70
45 ACP
45 Colt
300 Win Mag
30-06
308
223/5.56
All right here at the house.

Plus, you can get completely lost in all the Great American Sharps Rifle cartridges, A LOT of chit was quelled with them as well.

For me it's the .270 because it's uniquely American.

This is my favorite, because it allows me the freedom to choose whatever cartridge/firearm I like!

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

I like em all, some more than others.

Has to be the 400 Whelen. Colonel Whelen took the already great 30-06 and in the spirit of American ingenuity and the drive to make a good thing better, ended up giving us the greatest chambering ever to grace a standard bolt face long action rifle. That more people in this nation haven't come to accept that and adopt the 400 Whelen as a primary part of their battery, just goes to show how far we have fallen as a country of riflemen.

.45-70, .308/7.62x51, .223/.5.56x45, .45 "Long" Colt.

But am becoming pretty fond of the .50-70 Springfield after buying a first-year 1866 trapdoor last year.

Well, I do own an '06.

But I think of my .303 British Enfield #4Mk1* as patriotic as it was made by Savage Arms and then used by my father and myself for hunting.

Yup all of them no commie or chink crap in my gun case...MB

Many if not most of the cartridges we shoot here in the USA are American in their origin.

My own favorites are:
30-06.
270 Winchester because as elkhunternm said, it's uniquely American as a hunting round along with the 30-30 and the 300 Savage.
22 LR
357 Magnum
45 ACP
44 Magnum.

30-06, 270, 35 Whelen, 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 45-70, and for some reason, the 17 Cals, from 17 M2 to 17 Rem say, "America, Fuuck Yeah!" to me. I would add a 22-250 and 220 Swift, but I have neither.

.30-06, .45ACP. What more does a girl need?

.30/06, 250-3000, 300 Savage, .220 Swift, and the .30/30

Since no one else has mentioned the cartridge, my rolling block is in .30-40, and I quite like it.

Much of the same - all American;
.22 lr (rifles and revolver)
.22 hornet
.243
.308
.338
.405 WCF (1895 and double rifle)
.45-70 (1886 and double rifle)
.45-90 -1886

.357 mag rifle and revolvers
.44 mag revolver
Parker shotguns

Please note that there are few gaps in the lineup.

I don't know how one finds a more patriotic cartridge than the .30 M-1 carbine. It may not be the finest hunting round we have but it's a hellofa lotta fun to shoot It just might be the finest rifle/cartridge for home defense.....after a shotgun of course!

30-06
M94 30-30
.357 mag revolver
Ruger 10-22