Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Most underrated Rifle and caliber

With all the choices we have today in hunting Rifle manufacturers and various models and calibers, what is the most underrated rifle, model and caliber. Thanks

Just to clarify ..... when you say most under rated caliber do you really mean most under rated cartridge?

Define under rated.

Under rated meaning not received recognition it deserves. I was asking for both rifle model and chambering, not necessarily rifle in one particular caliber, but most under rated model and most under rated chambering. Example Ruger 77 tang for a rifle and 35 Whelen for chambering.

6.8SPC in a small bolt action. It's an very nice low recoiling and fairly low blast with its modest case capacity. Basically it's an analog for the old 250 Savage.

.338 Federal, good luck finding one though.

I'm not a gun writer, but in current times I think the 30-30 Win. is way under rated. And so is the 243 Win.

Both of them will kill about anything under 150yds. except for huge bears. And most people of all ages can shoot them well. Factory ammo is made perfectly for each cartridge. I've seen blood trails and holes in deer from these that you would think came from a magnum round.

35 Whelen

Yep, a 22LR and a .30/30 will put a lot of meat on the table and take the wind out of most home defense issues.

Yep, a 22LR and a .30/30 will put a lot of meat on the table and take the wind out of most home defense issues.

Winchester Model 70 push feed.... I had two many years ago (late 70's vintage), one in .270 WCF and one in 30-06. Both were good shooters..... wish I would have kept them.

25 years ago I would have said the Savage 110.
It was the bottom of the barrel, but the bottom wasn't really bad.
Somedamhow it's now expensive as crap in some forms.
OP didn't ask this, but maybe it has become very overrated?
Maybe not. They have addressed its shortcomings.



22 LR.

7mm-08 and .17 HMR

Aussie and Dillionbuck got it right! 22LR

I'll expand on that chambering and add a very underrated rifle as in "not received recognition it deserves" - the Savage Mark II in .22, specifically any of the heavy barrel models. Sample of one here although with lots of supporting anecdotal evidence, but my sample will shoot right alongside a CZ 457 and a Tikka T1x at half the cost of either.

I gotta go with The Great .358

I’ll go with the .257 Roberts as most underrated cartridge. Rifle, dunno.

6.5x55 Swedish in a modern rifle with good handloads. The Swede is truly remarkable. Problem is there are a lot of old military rifles so factory ammo isn't loaded very hot. I have a Rem Model 700 Classic in 6.5x55 and it really is wonderful. Swede gets my vote.

I suspect the most under rated cartridge is the 250-3000. Most under rated rifle either the Remington 788 or the Mossberg Patriot. I also think MAC might be right with the 6.5x55 but then I have one in a Winchester 70 FW, one of my favorites.

8x57