Another thread brought this to mind.

Obviously, mainstays like the .30-30 have proved their mettle for eons and still have great followings back East. Here in the West it seems you're a pussy (and amateur) if you don't have a mag for those long and 'less than ideal' shot placements (snork).

In my mind, I'm kind of thinking the .243 might win this one. Many consider it more than you need for varmints and predators and certainly not enough for, God Forbid!, elk.

But it certainly can do it all with aplomb (read: accuracy, low recoil, trajectory, drift, etc).it sure seems to be the little cartridge that could and even among self described 'loonies' on this site doesn't seem to garner the respect it deserves.

What's your pick?

.223

A lot of dumbasses still can't realize it kills more than gophers.

The 308 Winchester.

On this forum, it's the .270 Winchester.

It's gayness is not overrated..

The most under rated cartridge has to be the 8MM Rem Mag.

If a 300 is great and a 338 is also wonderful, the middle brother will do anything either sibling will. If the 8MM had comme along first we would not need the 300 Win or Wea, nor the 338/340.

43 Egyptian

17HM2

6.5x55

300 Weatherby. Kills up close and far away. Easy to load for. Easy to shoot. Doesn't bloodshot meat hardly at all loaded with a 200 grain bullet. Fun to shoot. Very Accurate. What more could you need?

8�57

That's a good choice and I would agree. It's one of those cartridges that seems to have a almost cult like following to the few who have actually owned one.

6mm Rem & 257 Rbts

Most that I hear/read talking sh!!t about the 243 have never used it.

375 H&H, does more than kill elephants.

I'd say it has to be an 8mm something. Just don't hear a lot of praise being sung. I'm kind of in that crowd too, because good bullet availability is sketchy. Companies produce good ones for a few years, then discontinue them. I do believe that Barnes is making a magnum-worthy bullet now. I wonder how long that will last. No point in owning a boomer in 8mm if all manufacturers are making are deer bullets, light and thin-skinned.

25-35 Winchester. People don't even know that cartridge exists. If it was a new development and someone said "fast twist" in it's description, it could be the most sought after round...

I always thought it was overrated. More muzzel blast more powder and most dead animals had more bloodshot meat than our 06's. And most owners flinched when shooting them. JMO

That's my choice as well. Suffers from being underloaded by the factories but it will basically do anything a 30-06 will do and that's a lot. Since it has been so under rated for so long it also suffers from lack of bullet variety. A real Rodney Dangerfield!

Easily the .243 or .270.

+1

Hmmmmmmm....

Lemme go check my safe to make sure I don't insult anything...

30-30.

Never owned, shot or even held one but I think the 6.5x55 Swede would come really close.

The Swede is a sleeper, for sure. But I got to hear more about Steelhead's 43 Egyptian.

260 was, now everybody wants one. I say 270 Win. Its hated, bashed, trashed, and called nasty names.

I was wanting a Swede when I bought my last rifle but couldn't find one in the make/model I wanted so settled for a 270. Still wanting that Swede though.

270 here it's a great North America round but all the experts here would rather use 223

First place would be the 270 Winchester. Coming in second would be the .308 Winchester.

You guys are surprising me.

Would never call the .270 underrated. Still quite popular in most areas, I would think.

Now, gay...that's another story (not that there's anything wrong with that).


You 8x57 guys may be onto something...

30-30 Winchester

They are only underrated on here among looney tune rifle nutz. .....this place does not really count.

I have never seen a really experienced big game hunter scoff at either one.

Where I work it's the .30-06

7 Mags rule the day and my bullets will just bounce off.

22LR gets my vote!

That a function of the 7 mag being the most OVER rated cartridge.

.308 Winchester.

Can we squeeze the 300 Savage in here somewhere?

358 Win.

Ken

256 Newton

.300 Savage

B-29

308 it will effectively match the 06 for what most use the 06 to do. 243, overrated it works, but hasnt impressed me as much as others.

.30-06. Nobody I know uses it.

Seriously, I'd have to say 300 Savage in a Savage 99

.300 Savage...

Yea if they come out with a higher BC 8mm 200gr I would be very happy..

I like the 7mm-08. Very impressed with it especially with the Hornaday loads.

I'd agree with 223 totally. I won't say 243 as I don't underate it, have shot lots of deer, out to the other side of 500 and have not found it wanting yet...

Would LOVE to have a 25-35 I think its a neat round. Am looking, don't know if I"ll find what I want when I can/if I can afford it though.

I WANT another 25/35 too. Had a Savage 1899 in 25/35, had.

And I have more than a few boxes of 117gr RN squirreled away for the day when I find a 25/35

The wildcat B-69.

.44-40, probably did half the stuff the .30-30(which I love) gets credit for!

Mike

in my neck of the woods, most people would laugh at anyone using a 223 for anything other than varmints. They don't realize what it is capable of with good bullets, and a good shooter. My vote is 223

32 special

Well sure, unless it's a fast twist.

.223 would be my guess.

.243 a distant second.

I still think a .17hmr with a Barnes TSX would be a real potent killer.

284 Win.

I agree with both you guys.

The 8 caliber is generally not liked here in the U S. I have a 700 BDL 8mmRM and I can't fault the rifle or cartridge (chambering is GAY).

Bullet selection is limited BUT.........
what's not to like or what's lacking in a 200 NP at 3100 fps?

Recoil sensitive shooters don't like it, but it's not horrible to me.

Good one that's my next build

I really like the 6mm R. There is virtually NO difference between it and the 243. There is only 1 grain of WORKING difference in the 243, and the 6 gets that 1 additional grain of powder.

I like the looks of the 6 mm case better than the 243 case. There is NOTHING one can do the other can't.

I'm working on getting a 284 W up and running now. It's a 98 action with a Douglas (?) barrel. I'm in the middle or deer season and next Spring I'm looking forward to tweaking it all together.

For whatever reason the 284 case has always appealed to me.

.220 Swift. People who haven't shot a .22 bigger than the .22-250 don't realize how much harder it hits, they just talk out their ass assuming they know something they actually don't.

For honorable mention I'd bring your attention to the .25-20 WCF with the factory 60 grain high velocity hollowpoint loading. Back in the days we had a bounty on bears my father and grandfather used it to kill many many truckloads of black bears. It's a stupid stunt IMHO but it's hard to argue with their results: dead is dead. There was no bounty on cripples.

Tom

22 hornet, a pound of powder goes a long ways,you can fit a [bleep] load of them in your pocket.

Scott;
Good evening to you sir, I trust this finds you and yours well.

So in the spirit of your reply, I'll see your 43 Egyptian and raise you an 8x56 Kropatschek.

You just never hear anyone say anything good about either one really.

Dwayne

What he said..

I have to agree with Ken. The 358 Win is underrated. I'll also add, under appreciated! It is one of my favorites.

6.5 Jap. Obviously.

Bless you.

If Swift would ever come out with their 190gr.

�Ballistic Coefficient: 0.511

Be a good role model and start using a .223 and teach them. We've used them (and .22-250) since Tenn. changed it to "any center fire rifle" a few years ago. Not full time, but they're in rotation.

Which reminds me: I need to step up my stunt-shooter game with a .17 center fire deer rifle...

2 years ago when ammo started to get hard to find the .243 was the first to disappear and the .270 was still on the shelves when everything else was gone.

Unfortunately 8x57 was never on the shelves so I'm going to say the 8x57 followed by the .270. kwg

My vote would be for any metric.

Thought you were blowing smoke, and then wondered if it was an old rimfire, but ya got me on that one, Scott.

260 Rem,

and bet NO ONE mentioned the 6.5 x 54

or my favorite, the 6.5 x 57 Mauser

25-06 for elk... killer on elk!

Those and the 7x64...

Yes, I use mine on squirrels.....It way over penetrates better than the puzzy azzed 243 that those sissies use...

John,

The 6.5x57 is looked down upon because it's far inferior to the 6.5x57R, the cartridge I used to fill my Montana whitetail doe tag this year.

Count me in the 8x57 crowd...got one in the works right now.

I'll go with the 8x57. People just don't like that "Kraut" cartridge but I love mine. A beautiful M98 sporterized, vintage 1950's I believe, with the original barrel in a nice piece of wood with double set trigger. I shoot the now unavailable 185 grain Remington Core-Lokt (gasp!) and it's one of the most accurate rifles in my safe. Probably due to the trigger.

Well there ya go J.B.>

I 'll let my Model 70 know that....

but until then, I seem to get more velocity out of it than I do my 260s... but then, it is on a long action...where bullets can be seated out there a long way...

I love it because it is easily a 6.5 x 55, and then some when handloaded, but I love it being "rare" yet just neck up Roberts Brass .007 to load for it.. ( with a definite preference for Win over Rem brass).....

is yours a 6.5 x 57R ( for Rimmed ) or a 6.5 x 57 B ( Barsness)?

Wasn't there an old 11( something) by 57 made back during those times also? or is that another name for the 43 Egyptian?

a shop just off of I5 as soon as you crossed into Hilt CA, had a couple of those 43 Egytians on the Wall, along with an 11 x something Mauser....

For an American cartridge, the 300 Savage. It killed everything that the 308 Winchester does for decades. It still does.

For a metric cartridge the 7.9x57 JS Mauser. It'll kill what the 30/06 does but has never been very popular in North America.

Around here I guess it might be the 6.5x55. But for some narrow minded idiots, every single caliber not sitting in their safe is over rated (and around here you will often find that there might only be one rifle in that safe).

I often wonder what a 8�57 improved would gain..

I finally quit looking for the 6.5X55 I wanted and packed up a Husqvarna action to be rebarrelled. I'll put it in the original Tradewinds Husky stock and it'll match the .30/06 of the same vintage. Underrated cartridge? Maybe but it's replacing a couple others in the safe as I pare down the accumulation.

Never used it but I heard the 220 Swift had a following once upon a time.

You don't hear much about it anymore.

.30-30. After 119 years there are still alot of dumbazzes out there who think it's just a marginally adequate 100 yard deer rifle and the .35 Rem. is more effective.

8x57. I don't know how underrated it is , but I know how underloaded it is. Handloads make it a lot better.

It seems like the .308 doesn't get much attention these days.


I agree Blackheart, the 30/30 has always worked very well for me.

Would have been easier if you'd asked... "What's your choice....blondes, brunettes, or redheads??"

John,

It's amazing how so many people are nit-picking over magazine-length differences in the newer 6.5 rounds from the .260 on up, when cartridges like the 6.5x57 and 6.5x55 work so well in ".30-06 length" magazines, with zero bullet-seating issues. I've been tempted by the 6.5x57 a few times, but then ended up with enough Lapua 6.5x55 brass at a really good price to last me the rest of my life. (Mine's on a commercial FN 98 action.)

The 6.5x57R (not B) is the same round as the rimless 6.5x57, but with with the rim added to work in break-action firearms. Mine's in a Sauer drilling with 16-gauge barrels. And of course there are no complications with bullet seating....

The 7-08 seems underrated in my neck of the woods.

I bet you drive a lifted truck too.

.221 Fireball
250 Savage
284
358
375 Win

Same here. I've converted a few but they all still bitch about factory ammo prices.

There's this new process called reloading I hear about. Apparently you get good ammunition at reasonable prices. They might want to check it out.

I'll cover that bet and raise you a 13mm Gyrojet.

All righty then!

I have a 300 sav. 308 win. 8x57 30/30 3006 6.5 x55. But they all can do about the same thing!

How about the 444? or 45/70? It will allow slug states to hunt with lever guns (plus reload, not $3.75 per slug). And If a grizzly decides to hide out in a Ohio cornfield WHUP! U need some squirrels, rabbits for the stewpot.......just use the scattergunload!

Hornet and the .308.

.280 Remington - I do not ever hear much about the .280 Remington. It is everything and more than a .270 and when handloaded it all but equals the great 7mm mag. Can be had in fairly lightweight rifles and has a great selection of bullets available for it but it never seems to get much love.

I agree with you on the 280. Don't know why It never was that popular.

The 280 Remington was in an impossible marketing spot. Not as popular as the 270 Winchester or the 7mm Remington. It's an overlooked middle child

My son had a 10 inch Contender in .25-35 and I was truly suprised at the velocities we were able to get with 100 BT's. Put it in an 18-22 inch barrel on a Contender and it would be a sweet little deer and antelope killer out to quite a distance.

on that is simple...

1. Redheads ( if one of the few good looking ones red hair grows on...

1.5 Strawberry Blondes ( Actually MY FAVORITE!!!)

2. Blondes

3. Brunettes ( distant third )

The 223 or 8X57 are both seriously underated. The 8X57 is commonly rated with the 30/30 and that is lauphable! The 30/30 is a good 100 yd elk cartridge and the 8 X 57 will kill elk critters with ease at 500 yds. Huge underrating!

The 223 one of the better deer cartridges is illegal in many states.......Underated!

Shod

Yup I've heard that before. Also heard because it was originally named 7MM Rem Express and it was a turnoff, I cant by into that line at all!

I don't see where the 280 is underated at all. Everybody knows exactly what it will do and for the most part for 99% of hunters that is exactly what the 270 does.

Both cartridges are excellent in many regards the 270 just won out due to years head start, Saami specs, and ammo availability.

I believe underated means most folks don't believe the cartridge will perform as well as it does. That definitely is not the 280.

Shod

8x57 or 280.

On second thought - anything that is not a magazine article magnum.

I'd have to say the 308 Winchester is the most underrated around here. It will do anything the 270 or 30/06 will do, especially for those who only use factory ammo. But the way I hear people talk, a 30/06 is a good elk cartridge but a 308 is nowhere near powerful enough. And, a 270 is great for those 400 yard shots, but a 308 just isn't fast enough.

.218 Bee
.220 swift
.243 Win
7mm-08
7.62 Nato (.308 Win)

Currently have 3 of the 5.

They have the UBER stuff in foreign country's also?

7x57...x43
243
358
280
22LR Subsonic.....2K# buffler was no match.

458 Win.

10.75x68 Mauser

If the 243 is underrated
then the 240 Weatherby is UBER underrated.

303 British.

For a long time, a lot of years ago, if a hunter up here didn't have a 303 British in his stable, it was because he had a 30-30 or <shudder> a 300 Savage.

For whitetail...25 SouperThis cartridge comes into its own in the hands of hunters who favor a light recoiling rifle for use on varmints through to medium game. Compared to the .243, the .25-08 can be loaded with substantially heavier bullets for medium game. By the same token, the .25-08 can be loaded with light 75 grain projectiles along with excellent accuracy, performance which cannot be obtained using the .260 or 7mm08 Remington.

The .25-08 produces similar velocities to the .257 Roberts but has a much more efficient case design and is superior to the Roberts when used in short actions.

I'd like to see the video on that last choice. Pop-Crash trumps bang-flop!

I was too busy climbing a big tree.

Savage .22 HiPower. Think of it as a rimmed ancient .223 with heavy bullets.

The 256 Winchester - you never hear anyone say nice things about the cartridge and grizzly bears in the same sentence. Never!

Truth be told, a 222 (not 3) will handle all varmint/paper to 300 yds, and deer/hogs to 200, with good bullets.

A 6BR will handle all else in North America to 400 yds with good bullets thru vitals, save the large bears.

If I started over and were a handloader, I would build one each in a 8 twist. If factory ammo, I'd substitute a 223 and 243.

Large Bears would get a nine three.

Right now a 6.5x47 is my best tweener - though JB would say a 29 JB Express would be closer to the middle of the triple deuce and nine three.

I must say with new bullets, the latest powders and twist barrels, a 243 from 55 to 105 covers all but the great bears, again with Rule #1 applied.

I'm right there with you. I'm in the process of getting rid of rifles I don't shoot to buy ones that I will. When all is said and done I'll have four fun rifles. Two Kimber Montanas and two Win Coyotes. One each in .223AI and .243AI

I'm hoping to shoot similar loads in them both but unless I send them off to Pacnor, the twist issue is gonna kill that dream.

MojoHand: I think the most underated cartridge is the wonderful 280 Remington.
I have used this round on and off for decades and it never disappoints.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

300 savage.
6.5x54 ms.
I shoot both to good effect, and people have no idea what I am talking about when I tell them what I shoot. It's a shame because both are simply outstanding, and shine when hand loaded. Too many people want the next, newest biggest thing and ignore things they see as 'inferior' even though they have, and continue to, get the job done.

I just reread this entire thread again, and wonder who in the hell is supposed to be doing the "underrating"? Your cousin Frank who's hunted with the same .30-06 since 1965? The local meth-heads who can't pawn the rifles they steal? Barack Obama?

I hang around with rifle loonies a lot, including on the Campfire, and in my entire life cannot recall anybody bad-mouthing the .223 Remington, 6mm Remington, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Mannlicher, .260 Remington, 6.5x55, 7x57, .280 Remington, .30-30, .300 Savage, .300 Weatherby Magnum, 8x57, .358 Winchester and most of the other cartridges mentioned so far.

I have heard some nitwits (mostly aspiring Elmer Keiths) bad-mouth the .243 Winchester, and once heard an ignorant dipschidt who never handloaded a round in his life, much less chronographed anything, say "the 7mm Remington Magnum makes the .30-06 look sick." Used to hear some Montana hunters degrade the .270, but that was mostly back in the 1960's and 70's when the 7mm Remington Magnum was the answer to every personal problem from stammering to erectile dysfunction.

But other than those exceptions, and a few Campfire members or gun writers who're trolling, where are these legions of under-raters? Can somebody point me to another website, or a Cabelas full of 19-year-old clerks?

You really need to get a life........

"when the 7mm Remington Magnum was the answer to every personal problem from stammering to erectile dysfunction."

John,

I think we could scoop the big pharmaceutical companies and make our billions. All we need is a good PR firm.

To look at the used rifles for sale and the price asked, one would think there is something wrong with a 7mmRemMag.

But take 20 different commonly found cartridge rifles that weigh 10 pounds with scope to a 500 yard range, and the 7mmRemMag can beat the rest [with adult loading] for minimum elevation and windage correction, as well as put a lot of power down range.

Hunting with anything else for the average guy is a handicap.
Sure, David Tubb can lob 240 gr 308 rounds into the 10 ring on a windy day. You and I are not him.

It seems to me the old .44 Henry Flat is poorly respected these days.

Sure wish someone would resurrect that trick.

Did it come with a 3 position safety?

2muchgun,

The rereading didn't take long, once I figured out this was really one of those "What's your favorite cartridge?" threads!

I wasn't wrong on the 43 Egyptian...

No, that was one of the very few exceptions. I've even heard it badmouthed in Egypt.

You're right. We're a bunch of idiots...

you are so brilliant!, and alot of us Vietnam Vets, yes, laugh at you for wanting a peeshooter over a real cartridge, the 308 Win..................

Higbean,

Rifle idiots united! That's us.

Here! Here!

Bad mouthing, or underrated?

What are we talking about again?

.243 and the .308, Also have heard quite a few disparage the .264 Win Mag.

Half the idiots here in TX think you gotta have a 7 Mag or a .300 Win Mag

True story, few years ago chatted w/a shooter and his bud at the local range who was firing a few 300 Jarrett's w/Muzzle Brakes and Alpha Glass - Hubble Scopes.

LOUD as HECK. Asked one guy where they hunt and how far he's taken game. Texas. "Shot one deer at xyz and another at zyx." BOTH under 300 yds....I said nice. Meanwhile I was shooting my popgun 6BR, which I had cleanly taken a deer at 400 yds laughing inside thinking about how much punishment his shoulder and ears were taking! I get a kick out of others being abused by excessive recoil and blast while enjoying spotting my own shots and having longer range sessions learning my gear.

Then today, ran into a few locals - top comp shooters, one a world record holder - we discussed how many hunters use too much gun, he said there is a lot of "Macho" on the line. Nobody wants to be seen w/a little gun! Very true. How many guys put a 243 in their wife/girlfriend or childs hands and watch them dump animals over and over, yet will not use one themselves?

I transitioned to a 7mm-08 a couple years ago. I can shoot that thing all day comfortably. I haven't felt undergunned yet.

A mulie buck, antelope, and a Roosy bull. So far...



P

I have no shame in saying I hunt with a .243win, love that rifle. Personally I think the saum's are underrated and I think the reason is because the wsm's came out first. I would take a saum over a wsm any day though.

Sporterized Lee-Enfield rifles are inexpensive. They are very popular in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and much of Africa. The 303 British is alive and thriving

303 british underrated, but not by Germans.

Incoming gunfire always has the Right of Way, Partsman

.41 Swiss, the original Short Magnum.

Only HALF?????

GOD BLESS TEXAS!!

I think the 222 rem has became underrated.

A whole generation of younger shooters are going to miss out on how easy it is to load and shoot accurately.

Bravo!

+1

.350 Remington Magnum..

Can be loaded down to .38 Special velocities for small game, .357 Magnum velocities for varmints, .358 Winchester velocities for medium game, full loads for dangerous game and longer ranges all from a short action and 18.5-20" barrel.

And if one gets a slightly longer action like a Winchester short action and a .22" barrel velocities run right with .358 Norma magnum.

Bullets can be as light as 110 grain pistol bullets or as heavy as 280 grain solids...

...and right now no one even makes a rifle for it...

Bob

Most that are being called underrated are not really underrated at all but either obsolete or outclassed by something new that has taken it's place..

I'll vote for the 7.62 X 39. Alot of it gets shot up by the AK & SKS shooters but it is certainly underrated as a hunting cartridge. With a good soft point bullet its quite the little killer.

25/35 mine has done all that I've asked of it

To me there isn't any doubt it's the 30/06.

Ever since it was conceived its basic case has been necked up, necked down,Improved, shortened,and been the parent case for untold wildcat and factory permutations,each one offering some real or imagined benefit over the original.

Its ballistics offer a baseline from which we can establish ballistic thresholds and the 338 or 375 are really nothing more than 30/06's with heavier bullets of larger diameter having similar velocities and trajectories.

Going the opposite direction we have things like the 270,280, 25/06,all of which go a bit faster,shoot a bit flatter,and kick a bit less.A 7x57 or 7/08 both have ballistics about like a 30/06 but with slightly lighter bullets(yes I know the 7x57 was the inspiration for the 30/06 and came first but has not had the same number of off spring). Popular cartridges like the 7mm and 300 magnums were designed to better the 30/06 but that cartridge still set the baseline to beat.

All of these are refinements on the original but I bet if we took them all away and forced hunters worldwide to use nothing but a 30/06 for a season the annual "take" of big game animals would not change much.

And a guy who can shoot,with his pockets full of 180 gr expanding bullets and the other pocket loaded with 220 gr expanding and solid bullets,can safely hunt any game animal on earth from elephant on down,giving it an undeniable advantage over anything in a smaller caliber.

Yet the cartridge is generally over looked for specialized purposes (we choose something else) and because we have so many choices, it's easy to look past the 30/06(i.e. "underrated"). But none of this changes the fact that the 30/06 is capable of accomplishing many(most) of the chores involved in BG hunting.

Any cartridges that burn less than 50 grains of powder....

Greg: 6.5 Creedmoor?

^^^THIS^^^

Dan

Yup - non-magnum....

I am a bit late to this one, but I wouldn't know how to define "underrated" as it would usually be a claim made from someone with limited experience whereas someone with a longer trial period may have explored the possibilities and competencies further, using varying bullets over a range of game.

Having said that, I think every cartridge is good for a range of uses abut again with more experience, you may "prefer" the competencies displayed by an alternate cartridge.

A comparison within my experience would be the 7.62x39 Vs the .30/06. A more obvious comparison perhaps and a lesser difference would be, the 6.5x55 Vs .270 or the .375 H&H vs the .416 Remington. Bias one way or the other would still result in similar field performance and capability.

Underrated, I'd tend to side with BobinNH on the .30/06 as appropriate to my own thinking. The interesting thing is that I avoided it for about 20 years as it was slow and boring compared to the magnums I preferred.

Maybe, just maybe, they are overrated compared to the .30/06?

John

I'm 64 years old, and I have been shooting stuff with a 30-06 in one configuration or another since I was 15 and dropped a bull moose -- my first. Since then several more have fallen prey to the same cartridge. Never found it to be less than plenty on the big game animals of Northwestern Ontario - bears, deer, and moose. Even have used it on rabbits and grouse when needed. (head shots only)

222 Rem.
220 Swift
7x64
404 Jeffery

Don't see much ink these days.

SC

I could definitely see the .350 rem mag joining this list. We had one at a hatchery I worked at and it was an awesome round. It was on an old model 600 without the vent rib :-) Accurate as all get out too. Hitting gallon jugs of water at 100yds with open sights is no easy task. If I were to build a lightweight bear rifle it would be a .350 rem mag

Interesting replies.

I probably should have been more specific in what I was thinking. With absolutely NO disrespect intended to some posters but I don't see how anyone would call cartridges like e .30-30, .270, .30-06, 6.5-55mm, etc. underrated. They are so popular and I rarely, if ever, hear them poo-pooed.

Now, as true loonies (who actually shoot and hunt) know, just about any cartridge and modern bullet will work if someone knows how to shoot, but I wasn't referencing us nut jobs! Yes, we love to good naturedly argue about our favorites, hurl sexual pejoratives (I'm looking at you .270!), and split hairs but it's (usually) all in fun.

Perhaps a better title would've been the Rodney Dangerfield of cartridges. I've overheard, or talked directly with numerous people at the range, in the sporting goods store and, sadly, even behind the counter who will dis a cartridge--usually with no experience involving said carteidge.

When I mentioned the .243 it's kind of a paradox in that I've talked to people (or overheard) them saying it's 'adequate' for deer but not for elk and really 'overkill' for varmints. They also completely dismiss it out of hand for any LR work. More proof of ignorance. And, yet, this hunting season you could not find a .243 rifle in stock or a single box of factory ammo anywhere in town--that is NOT an exaggeration! So maybe the .243 isn't so 'underrated' (or disrespected, if you will) as I thought.

After reading these posts I probably have to agree with the guys who said 8x57 Mauser or the .358 Win, cuz' everyone knows those two are just too slow and antiqued aged! Right?

Hank,

I've got an early production 600 in .35 Rem (serial,number in the 2000's). Thought a couple of times about having that thing opened up but decided it probably wasn't a wise decision (for that rifle).

Mojo, please keep it as it is. You have an underrated gem, not too many people have seen a 600 without the vent rib. Keep it original and hunt with it. :-)

.22LR

I can not believe I just read 17 pages of this. I think I need to go watch some TV news for clarity in my T Day morning.

I vote 43 Egyptian and now want one. Thanks a LOT.

357 in a rifle, nears thutty thutty territory 158@2050 and quite deadly while very mild blast n nil recoil.

6.5BR is the most Uber under appreciated

Guy over on the Grendel forum dumped his nice buck at 500 yds
Using a 6.5 Grendel. A BR gives about 150fps over - and both have no more recoil than a 243. That the avg Joe would be shocked how deadly a BR class round is - kills as well as a Mag a Numb

357 Mag. out of a 16"+ barrel.

.43 Spanish......well maybe not right after lunch!

The most underrated cartridge might be the one some ignorant one rifle and single box of shells per decade non-loony living in Montana would choose. Where he lives he's likely to encounter any size animal worth shooting in NA, and probably choose a single .270 Win or .30-06 wood stocked bolt gun and never know he was over- or under-gunned for what he might encounter. He would sleep blissfully at night not worrying about whether or not to punch out a perfectly good 223 Rem, or whether his 105 grain Amax would stabilize in his "marginally-fast-enough-twist" 6mm-06.

So I cast my vote for the most underrated cartridge as the one you would take out if you knew you would see anything from prairie dogs to grizzly bears, but still felt the need to supplement with multiple, overlapping cartidges back home in the gun safe.

another vote for the .300 Savage. It's a modest, reliable cartridge, that is a reliable killer. The guns chambered in it (usually Savage 99's) don't commend a premium, as people get all excited about the .250, but the .300 hits hard and can take anything in NA.

8x57 - underated, but not obscure.........

Pretty much agree. Or maybe the .22WMR.

I'm going to say 308 Win. I seem to see a lot of comments here about it being questionable for this or that.

223 AI.

If not underrated, the .300 Savage at least seems to suffer greatly from amnesia. At its introduction, it was a super hot-schidt, powerful moose & elk killer. 94 years later, it's commonly dismissed as being on the light side for whitetails, and not even in the same league as the vastly more powerful .308 Win.

How many threads are out there about, "Is the .270 enough for elk�"? OK, far too many. But finding a, "Is the .300 Savage adequate for elk?" thread is damned near impossible - people don't even bother to ask so silly a question.

FC

7x57

Add .357 Maximum to the list. In a Contender format (either handgun or rifle configuration) it is more capable than you can imagine...and crazy accurate, too.

Imagine a Ruger bolt Maximum

6br

Ohhhh...I never thought of that. THAT would be amazing as long as the magazine and chamber allowed seating 180 gr. XTP's at the first cannelure.

7.62x54R