I have
22
22mag
218bee
Colt M4 .223/5.56
22-250
243
25-06
.257 AI
.280
Obviously my next must be in a 3 somethingish caliber..
.300 Win Mag or short mag
.338
.325 WSM
.338 06
I reload so wildcats are no issue, any top choices there? What an I leaving out?
Depending on what you are hunting, I would go with a 30-06 or if you need the range a .300... When I get to the .33's, if I need that much bullet wt. skip to the .375... I like the .30's from the .30-30, .300 Sav., 30-06, thru the .300's..
280 is close enough to the 06 for me, so I would jump up to the 338 Win Mag.
.325; I really like it, and if you get one there will be one more person out there with a cartridge that most folks expect to be dead and gone in a few years
realistically the .338 Win Mag is enough of jump over the .280 to make sense and in my experience they are not that hard to get them to shoot.
9.3x62?
.375 H&H?
9.3X64 is a little larger than a .338 Win Mag. At least Nosler makes bullets for it. It6 is a lot more than a 9.3X62.
H&H, .300 or .375 ... Just because...
You've skipped over the goodness that is the .260 Rem or 6.5 Creedmoor. You should have at least one AR each with a Wylde chamber and SPCII. And a .17 HMR or .17 WSM.
Paul Barnard... Thats tempting..
OlongJohnson...I did forget to list my Colt M4 in my list of haves. But you definitely did point out some misses.
I want to go up before I fill the small gaps!
350 Remington Magnum, the original short mag!
Skip to the .375H&H. There's damned little that round can't do, and exceedingly well.
Skip to the .375H&H. There's damned little that round can't do, and exceedingly well.
This.
You can lead a long and successful hunting career in North America with a 280 and a 375 H&H,and ignore all that other stuff in between.
I have
22
22mag
218bee
Colt M4 .223/5.56
22-250
243
25-06
.257 AI
.280
Obviously my next must be in a 3 somethingish caliber..
.300 Win Mag or short mag
.338
.325 WSM
.338 06
I reload so wildcats are no issue, any top choices there? What an I leaving out?
338WM or 375H&H
338 Win Mag or 375 H&H. If you wanna step outta the box a 375 Wby
Really the 9.3X62 ain't bad as well.
I'm with bsa1917hunter, I'd go with a medium to big bore. 338 Win Mag, 9.3x62, 375 H&H (or Ruger) or even a 45-70. Love my 9.3 but I don't have another rifle as fun as my 45-70.
Depending on whether you count bullet diameter or case capacity, my biggest are a 35 Whelen or 7mm RemMag. The Whelen is a T/C Encore for primitive season. If I ever decide I'm going to hunt something where I need something bigger than those, I'm stepping up to a 375 H&H. It just seems like a cool old cartridge with a lot of oomph.
.358 Win
.35 Whelen
.444 Marlin
My last rifle was a 9.3x62 Ruger African Hawkeye
Love it !!!!
I would like to add a .375 Ruger next
What will you hunt that your 280 won't handle?
What will you hunt that your 280 won't handle?
Yea by all means, rationalize him into not buying another rifle. Congratulations.
What will you hunt that your 280 won't handle?
Yea by all means, rationalize him into not buying another rifle. Congratulations.
When the question is asked, the decision has already been made. Only the particulars remain to be sorted out.
You would really like a 338-06, or just go all the way to a 375 H&H.
The question is: What do you want to do that you can't do with what you've got?
If the answer is nothing, then upgrade stuff, quit where you are, or save your money for tags or trips or dancing girls.
338-06
The idea of upgrading something that you already have is sound also.
I have
22
22mag
218bee
Colt M4 .223/5.56
22-250
243
25-06
.257 AI
.280
Obviously my next must be in a 3 somethingish caliber..
.300 Win Mag or short mag
.338
.325 WSM
.338 06
I reload so wildcats are no issue, any top choices there? What an I leaving out?
Next choice is not obvious to those who don't know the intended use. Elk/moose/big bears? Whitetail? Mulies? Or...?
buy any of them and sell me that .218 bee
There really isn't a "need" for another rifle. But sometime down the road I will add another to the collection. It's nice to have an idea what you may "want", never know where you will find a good deal...
I could upgrade glass on a few of the lesser calibers in my cabinet, but they all shoot great with the optics they currently wear.
Tags... Buying a CO elk tag, PA deer/bear tags.. maybe NY deer/bear tags this year.
buy any of them and sell me that .218 bee
That would be my Model 43. Was my grandpaps gun. He told me he was selling it back in 1996. The price...I won't say.....
I was a senior in High School and started making payments on the gun. I had the gun half paid for around the time I was graduation day rolled around. Pap called me up and said he needed my help. When I got there he had the Bee up on the bench with some fresh reloads and told me I didn't owe him anything else for it.. It was mine.
We shot those reloads into a dime sized group at 100 yards with the old tasco 3-9 it wore.. He said "it I had known it shot that good, I would have kept it" with a sly grin... He knew what it was capable of...
Sorry.... That one is my little sweetheart... Not for sale...Never...
That's a great story, CBB.
Since you're just playing around, looking for excuses for a different rifle, why not try something exotic like a 330 Dakota?
If you want to get going on a real hunting battery, then 30-06 and ditch most of the rest.
.223 bolt gun.
And do it quick.
Snag that .338RCM in the Link!!!!
308 win, 300 WM and a 45-70
buy any of them and sell me that .218 bee
That would be my Model 43. Was my grandpaps gun. He told me he was selling it back in 1996. The price...I won't say.....
I was a senior in High School and started making payments on the gun. I had the gun half paid for around the time I was graduation day rolled around. Pap called me up and said he needed my help. When I got there he had the Bee up on the bench with some fresh reloads and told me I didn't owe him anything else for it.. It was mine.
We shot those reloads into a dime sized group at 100 yards with the old tasco 3-9 it wore.. He said "it I had known it shot that good, I would have kept it" with a sly grin... He knew what it was capable of...
Sorry.... That one is my little sweetheart... Not for sale...Never...
As it should be!
it would depend on what use for the new caliber. personally i prefer a 30 caliber for elk,or moose
Looks like you have long range deer taken care of with the 280, I'd go for something like a 458 WM or 416 Rigby and skip the 30's.
My next one is being built: a .404 Jeffery on an Interarms Mark X action. You could do worse...
.325; I really like it, and if you get one there will be one more person out there with a cartridge that most folks expect to be dead and gone in a few years
Me too. I really like mine. It's a great and under appreciated round. You reload; so, problem #1 solved. Rifles can be found inexpensively. No, it's not the equal of the 338; nor, is it the equal of the 220 Swift. If you don't let the moronic statement "it's the answer to a question that was never asked" (which could be applied to every cartridge that's not a 30-06) et to you, you'll like it. I've always liked the "oddball", for lack of a better term, cartridges.
Many of the choices I was thinking of have already been mentioned. I immediately thought of the 350 rem. mag or a 35 whelen. You have a .280 so a 7mm mag would be more similar than different. I really like my 338 federal but it too falls into similar usefulness as the 25-06, 257AI, 280 just with a heavier bullet. I think if you want a hunting gun a 300WSM will be something you will actually use. If you are not hunting anything dangerous then the 375s and larger are just out of place. Not that they cant be used mind you but I doubt you will go for the 375 to go hunt deer. I would also recommend the great 8mm Rem Mag. It has the cool factor and it too is different than anything you currently have. It is also "slightly" overkill for whitetails though. I think a nice swede would also make a nice addition as I do not currently see any 6.5s on your list. I do agree with others that in the future you should look to add a 17 HMR as well as a nice 223 bolt gun. Another option would be to build a super accurate slug gun. That could possibly open some additional hunting opportunities in other states or populated areas in your own state.
I'd prefer to talk rifles over cartridges. Guessing that you have at least a couple of cool rifles, but from your list of cartridges it looks like you're short on lever rifles.
Maybe a nice old Marlin, Savage, or Winchester???
Some pretty cool suggestions so far. Thanks for all the input. Not in any kind of a rush. Just looking at different options and what I may go with.
Not to interested in a .17
A bolt .223, would have to be a LIGHT rig.
8mm Rem Mag has a nice ring to it.
Who knows.. My lady thinks I should buy a better gun safe.
Yep, You need a .300 Win .............Hb
Your .280 is a good long range gun. Unless you are going to Africa, or unless you are going to guide for the great bears, a .338-06 is plenty. 200 Speers for deer and pig size stuff, 210 or 225 NP for elk or larger exotics, and tough 250s for big stuff on this continent. I sold mine and went 9.3x62, but the metric is overkill for most stuff. Wish I had it back.
Best wishes,
Jack
Well, I always wanted a 300 H&H and finally found a Rem 721 so chambered. Cool Classic caliber in my opinion.
You have have a 280 so you have .28 bullets. I'd look for a hotrod .28 like a 7STW, 7RUM, or 28nosler. If you want something a step up, 375WBY is a lot of fun.
I fully agree with the below. I think the 325 WSM is a great round. I have a couple of buddies that use the 325 as their primary rifles and love them.
I have a Kimber Montana in 325. Though, I have only unsuccessfully hunted with it once; due to lack of moose cooperation; I really like this rifle and cartridge combo.
A lot of performance in a small package, regarding both the rifle and the cartridge.
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.325; I really like it, and if you get one there will be one more person out there with a cartridge that most folks expect to be dead and gone in a few years
Me too. I really like mine. It's a great and under appreciated round. You reload; so, problem #1 solved. Rifles can be found inexpensively. No, it's not the equal of the 338; nor, is it the equal of the 220 Swift. If you don't let the moronic statement "it's the answer to a question that was never asked" (which could be applied to every cartridge that's not a 30-06) et to you, you'll like it. I've always liked the "oddball", for lack of a better term, cartridges.
When you get older and tired of recoil, you might appreciate something smaller with less kick. I'd look at "interesting" stuff, like the .204, .17 Hornet, .22 Hornet, .221 Fireball etc. before going "bigger".
Just think how many rounds you can load with an 8lb. jug of powder using 12.7gr. of powder in a .22 Hornet or .17Hornet, and then think about how hard it was to get components the past few years.
No kick, lots of shootin', and plenty of performance for most realistic needs.....
Just something to think about.
You've got plenty of "game" rifles, you might think more about pest rifles.
308 win, 300 WM and a 45-70
.308 and .300WM cover everything.
308 win, 300 WM and a 45-70
.308 and .300WM cover everything.
No one comes to the Fire looking for sane advice. Those two are great book-ends, but the man obviously has holes in his arsenal. Think exotic, impractical and expensive. Practicality be damned. 😆
When you get older and tired of recoil, you might appreciate something smaller with less kick. I'd look at "interesting" stuff, like the .204, .17 Hornet, .22 Hornet, .221 Fireball etc. before going "bigger".
Just think how many rounds you can load with an 8lb. jug of powder using 12.7gr. of powder in a .22 Hornet or .17Hornet, and then think about how hard it was to get components the past few years.
No kick, lots of shootin', and plenty of performance for most realistic needs.....
Just something to think about.
You've got plenty of "game" rifles, you might think more about pest rifles.
Thinking a lot like me here though I have to add a few more considerations like the 17 Fireball, or 17 Remington with the 17 FB receiving the tip of my hat for varmints.
(shoot me a PM if you are thinking Remington. For deer I think the 6.5 Creedmoor has been mentioned I am sure the 260 Remington has been brought up yet no one has mentioned the 6.5 Grendel that will be available in a Howa mini action before long.
If you like the CZ527 action you may go with a 221 fireball now or a 17 Remington soon. I have a strong feeling in my bones that a CZ 527 will be available in a special run 17 fireball this year, Check with Whittaker's and the 6.5 Grendel B4 the end of 2017. Not much more than a feeling at this point.
If you are stuck on 300 something you just may consider a 300 blackout AKA whisper.
May be loaded supersonic for up to deer sized game and Subsonic just because it fits the cartridge well.
You may find these in a H&H, the Rem Model 7 or an AR type rifle.
These guys may be a great choice for brass.
http://txbrassworks.com/product-category/rifle-brass/300-blk/No shortage of options are there.