Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters What are your favorite obscure cartridges???

22 hornet, 222 Rem, 7x57, 300 Savage, 35 Rem, 348 Win. But I think when it's all said and done the're still be more of these "obscure" rifles around than some of these new super duper short mags.

250 Savage, 257 Roberts, 7.62x39 (handloaded, 308 cal.), 7x57 and 6mm rem. The 250 Savage is way under rated as a young hunters cartridge.

.218 Bee, .250 Savage, 6.5x64mm Mauser (not Mannlicher, though it is also great), .300 Savage and H&H, .30-40 Krag, 9.3x62 and 9.3x74R, .405 Winchester, .416 Rigby. Ah, hell, I like 'em all!

351 Winchester self loader for my 1907 Winchester Semi-Auto rifle.
Bill

I had a Marlin lever gun chambered for 25-20 (recent manufacture-not an old one) that I foolishly let go, and I've regretted it eve since. It was just so darned fun to shoot. I never tried it on deer, but would think if you were careful it would work on close shots. Hunting ground hogs was a real adventure, as it didn't exactly have a flat trajectory. Just a fun little gun to play around with. My meat gun is an old 300 Savage. Keep the 308's and make mine a 99 any time. I also have shot the 225, and found it to be a good round.

7x57, 300 H&H, 411 Hawk, 500 Jeffery, 32-20 Win. Working on a 275 H&H!!!

it's nice to see others have recognized the 7x64 and 9.3x62

both show that new isn't necessarily progress, the .270 then .280 weren't improvements on the 7x64, and the 7 mags were insignificant improvements on it

the 9.3x62 squeezes everything possible from the '06 case if you want a big bullet

I've also got some of the later released cal's I mentioned, but they were essentially reinventions.

I finally got fed up with trying to locate cases and in a moment of madness sold a Mauser 98 that had been rebarreled and chambered for the 10.75x68 Mauser. At original ballistics it was a nice, mild to shoot big bore, loaded up it would equal the factory 404 Jeffery. Much under appreciated, I dont think I'll forgive RWS for stopping its production of cases.
Cheers...
Con

9.3x74R

Had a 92 Winchester in 25-20 that was grandpa's... Gave it to my son, Ernie, named after his Great Grandpa Ernie, for a highschool graduation gift.

My present "classics" are a 700 classic in 257 Roberts, a 22 hornet in a #1, and a 220 swift in a Ruger 77V

Virgil B. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

.22 Hornet, 7X57, .300 H&H (all-time favorite), .358 Win, 9.3X62, and .375 Weatherby

Putting all my all time great German cartridges in the "obscure" box! Many thanks!

Serious: The old European 6,5�s, 7mm�s and 8 mm�s are hard to beat (if at all) by most "modern times" 25�s, 6,5�s, .270�s, 7 mm�s, .30�s, .338�s and .375�s.

9,3�s are still state-of-the art, the 9,3x62 plus the 8x57 still *the* rounds with the best energy-per-gram-powder ratio.

I think it�s only commercial reasons (higher prices for ammo and components) that hinders popularity of these fine rounds your side of the big pond.

Don�t get me wrong, though: As a writer and outfitter, it�s part of my life (and living) to play with new guns and ammo, even with "obscure" rifles like weak Lever Actions and obscure he-man magnums.

Roe Deer

...fwiw, the 9.3x74r, now more than 100 years old, has of late experienced a tremendous resurgence in popularity, especially amongst euro hunters of big game and boars...

...in fact, the 9.3x74r is the only way to go if you opt for a medium bore double rifle in a rimmed cartridge, and many ph's have stated that they see little difference between the 9.3 and the .375hh mag. (rimless) on dg up to cape buff...

...

.257 Roberts, .30-40 Krag

.32-20, .38-40, 7x57R

None of these are nearly so obscure as they were. Obscurity isn't all bad, though. Bass Pro Shop discontinued the .32-20 a few years ago, and sold their inventory of Remington ammo at 1/2 price. Get the shopping cart! The ammo is gone now, but I have a lifetime supply of once-fired cases. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

.224 Weatherby magnum and 8mmRemington Magnum. The first is the most accurate round I have ever shot and the second always deserved a better reputation than it developed.
Stay well,
Paul

Not sure it qualifies as obscure, but the 219 Donaldson Wasp is fun.

Hammer

I really like the 50 70.Got a Sharps 50 70 that has been in the family since 1895.Don't know how old it is.At 100 yds it is a very accurate rifle.In 1995,I commerorated the rifle's 100th year in the family,by dropping a spike elk with it with one shot.Fortunatly,my grandfather when he got it from his grandfather,he stocked up on 50 70 cartridges.The cartridge I used was a very old U.M.C. original cartridge.The old timers really had it right.slow moving heavy hitting big slug,totally devastated the animal.A lot of you hunters I know have shot big animals with 270's, 30 06 and so on.Shot the elk and the bullet went right through it,and the animal continues to run.This animal went down immediatly,it's lungs were soup no exit hole 3 broken ribs.My father and I have always talked bout re-loading for that old sharps.But we both feel that we could never quite duplicate those old cartridges.

I recently aquired an 1891 Argentine Mauser sporterized in 7.65x53mm and it is a fantastic shooter. I recently took it to the range and shot 3\4 to 1" groups with 174 gr FMJ. Of course my favorite obscure cartridge is the 32-40 winchester.

MarkT, we think alike, my friend.

RSY