Picking a rifle cartridge

The 375 h&h is the minimum for dangerous game, last time i looked.

I can live with the recoil, if needed.

Out of those five, probably the 375 h&h. Especially if i have to buy factory ammo. Handloading, i may have to pick the 30-06 or 270, just based on versatility. But shooting squirrels with the 458 mag would be fun I guess, hypothetically speaking... Are you looking to make a decision, or are we just getting a chance to talk about favorite cartridges?

How can I pick a caliber when I don't know what it is going to be used for?

theboyscout said:

Which rifle cartridge would you pick and why?
If you think there is one better than in the picture label it and say why that one over these ones.

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When I'm choosing a rifle and cartridge, my flow chart goes something like this:
1. What is it going to used for? Paper, deer, pigs, varmints...?
2. What distances do I expect to shoot?
3. Am I going to handload for that cartridge?
4. Does it come in a rifle/gun that I enjoy shooting?
5. Disregarding all of the above, do I just want it-because I want it...no logic employed?

Example: I love the 45/70. However, Lever actions just don't get it for me; they don't fit, I like bolts. I bought a 458 WM bolt action Mauser, and I load it to 45/70 levels, and shoot it at deer and pigs. Mostly.
I handload all my rifles; most of them have never seen a factory round, except AR15 and AK47's.
Most calibers will overlap what they can do.
Which one do you want?

Give the lack of information noted above, I think that the 375 H&H is the safe choice, particularly if you plan to shoot it a lot. It can be used on anything that walks.

Those 5 are so wildly different I think you need to back up nd think about what you are going to do with it. There is absolutely no way anyone can choose between them without knowing the use. I own/owned 4 of the 5, all worked well for their intended use. I haven't had a 375 H&H, I have a 9.3x74r just to be different.

In the picture, you see the word "bears" in the text. Maybe that's what he wants it for.

Unfortunately it's a poorly worded question, when you give me a choice ranging from
35 Remington to an elephant gun. Is it for deer, or elephant? Or just a whim?
Poorly worded question, I just cannot answer it with such limited information.

Well, based on the wealth of info that is an easy choice!
I'll continue to hunt with my 8mm Mauser, which I hand load for.
I can kill about everything I find in the Rocky Mountains without any problem.
Sarge

Again, what is it for?

I just (finally!) got my .375 H&H. Standing up the recoil is not out of proportion to reality.

I also own the .338WM. Now that I have that niche filled I won't go bigger.

I love my .45-70, super fun to shoot and loaded up will keep the family safe camping: from anything.

I owned a .35 Rem. Honestly it doesn't belong in that group.

I'd get the .416 Rig/Rem before I got the .458. But I never intend to get either.

I got that H&H because I could. Get the one that catches your imagination and don't look back.

Greg

I don't worry about what a caliber or rifle is going to be used for. Usually, if I want something, I get it, then go look for something to use it on

Hanzo581 said:

How can I pick a caliber when I don't know what it is going to be used for?

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That would be my take.

Ron

It should be intuitively obvious,
(to even the most casual of observers),
one (at the very least) of each.

Hanzo581 said:

How can I pick a caliber when I don't know what it is going to be used for?

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+1

243winxb said:

The 375 h&h is the minimum for dangerous game, last time i looked.

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Where did you look? Different African countries have different regulations, but I've never seen them enforced anywhere I've hunted. The .338 has served well from Alaska to Africa, several times over.

Minimum Equipment Requirements for Rifle Hunting in Botswana
- The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Botswana is .222 caliber for any game other than dangerous game.
- The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Botswana is .375 caliber for dangerous game or big game hunting.
- The maximum equipment allowed for rifle hunting in Botswana is .577 Nitro Express caliber.
- Botswana does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used.

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Minimum Equipment Requirements for Rifle Hunting in Zambia
- Zambia does not have a minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting plains game and rely on common sense. Caliber in the .270 range will be well suited for some of the smaller plains game in Zambia.
- The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Zambia is .300 caliber for dangerous game such as Leopard and Lion.
- The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Zambia is .375 caliber for dangerous game or big game hunting such as Elephant, Buffalo and Hippo.
- Zambia does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/zambia-hunting-information.14231/

A guy at my club has been over many times. Took an elephant with a 505 Gibbs last trip. I will double check with him if i see him.

My neighbor ask me a few years ago. He was going to buy a 338, i put him on to the 375 h&h as the minimum for cape buffalo.

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I think he wants an all-around cartridge. You know, bear to rhinos and everything in between. I've been told that Hornady is very close to having developed such a cartridge.

35 Rem doesn't belong in that group.

I can see this thread turning heated within 2 pages. Soooo....30-06. Hard to find a more readily available cartridge. And it stops things.

But seriously? 45-70 for long range hunting? As much as I love my 45-70, it's not a long range hunter.

And the 35 Rem doesn't belong with a 375 and 458. That's not even a remotely close comparison. A 444 with 300 grainers is way higher on the power scale that a 35 Rem. And still doesn't compare.

For some North American stuff, I might suggest 444. If only one gun to do it all including bigger stuff in Africa, 375 H&H ...

too vague....so I say .308

.....And we still don't know what continent this boyscout is even talking about hunting. It makes a difference. I'll take my '06 to Africa. And I'll harvest everything up to Eland without a problem. But I'm not hunting Buffalo with it. In North America, I'd hunt anything with it.

Ok. Because I think BigBore44 is right, this may turn nasty...

When my buddy who didn't 'know guns' asked me, I told him to buy a Savage .308. Versatile, cheap, lowish recoil. Handle most things most people are likely to hunt. In FL you are unlikely to see anything you can't kill with it.

A good alternative is the .270 Winchester. All the above reasons, with perhaps a bit more recoil, perhaps stretches your shot a bit. But if you practice (if you practice) either round will do its job within 200 yards: don't listen to guys who talk about 500 yard shots. Can some of them--note, I said 'them'--shoot that far? Perhaps. I can't. I don't think 90% of people can reliably but 3-5 shots into a pie plate at more than 250 yards. If you could you'd likely not be asking this question.

Another good alternative, I don't know your build, experience, quarry, would be the 7mm-08. It is the upper limit of what I call the medium game rounds(starts at the .243--ask your LGS guy about rounds in this range). Any larger and you step up in recoil (and power). But it is the upper limit and so will in fact take any deer NA has. Recoil is very manageable. You'll be able to learn with it for sure. Not that much less powered than the .308. And when you want to move up in the rifle department, you'd want to with the .308 as well. Then, people will need to know what you want to prey upon.

By the way. If you get the .308 and you honestly start to think, this recoil is too much (most guys won't say it, but be honest with yourself as you are learning) you can buy managed recoil rounds to help you transition. Pretty sure there are the same in the .270Win.

Enjoy.
Greg
Eagle Scout Class of 1989

30-06 or 270 is plenty powerful for this country. Cheap ammo means you'll actually be willing to shoot it. If you can afford to go on a Cape buffalo or a grizzly bear hunt someday then you can afford to reavaluate at that time and get something suitable for that. Assuming this is a first hunting rifle It would be a mistake and unnecessary to buy a gun that takes $50 a box ammo just to practice and hunt deer or black beer or any of the normal lower 48 game animals.