Kachok
Member
Many many threads on here have been dedicated to caliber selection, and yet we have alot of confusion about the proper calibers for specific applications, so I decided to create a brief guide of sorts to help clarify the tendencies of the popular calibers. Again these are the tendencies there are bullets out there that won't even work with factory barrels that can change the picture entirely but they are the rare exception not the rule that I cover here.
.17 cal. This is a caliber dedicated to blistering speed, the technical ballistics are poor but in this case the blistering speed makes up for all it's shortcomings when small furry critters are your game. NOT for use on big game not even with headshots. Few chamberings in this caliber .17 HMR is the most popular but the 17 rem and fireball reach it's true potential throwing these tiny pills at crazy speeds.
5.56mm/.22 cal. Also a "speed is king" caliber, better ballistics then the .17 but not by much, bullet selection is vastly better and even includes some bullets that are capable of taking larger game given a skilled hunter and reasonable range. Not recommended for long range shooting, only a couple bullets exist that can keep this caliber on paper at long range in a crosswind and they require and aftermarket barrel to stabilize. Kings of this caliber are the abundant 5.56x45/223 of US military fame, the omnipresent .22LR, and the blistering fast 22-250 though dozens of .22 calibers are on the market.
6mm/.243 Among the most versatile calibers for the North American hunter, it is just as comfortable slinging high speed 55 and 70gr pills at varmints as it is at knocking deer sized game down with it's 85-100gr selection, and it does both with an absolute minimum of recoil. It's external ballistics in general are head and shoulders above the .22 cals. This is a good choice for long range shooting assuming you have the tighter 1:9 twist to handle longer bullets. Surprisingly there are few chamberings of this caliber, probably because the ol .243 win pretty well has all the bases covered, though the 6mm rem and 243 WSSM have it beat for pure performance.
.250/.257 cal This is the "speed is king" caliber of the hunting world, it does not surpass the ballistics of the .243 as you would expect a larger caliber to do, but what it does do is throw light/medium weight bullet very very fast. Easly capable of taking deer sized game this is the quintessential flat shooting light kicking hunting caliber with nearly all of it's popular chamberings being capable of 3200fps+ with hunting weight bullets, and recoil only in the 10-16lbs range for sporter weight rifles. Not recommended for very long range paper punching, but for hunting ranges with superb trajectory it is premo. The most popular chamberings are the 25-06, 257 Wby mag and the absolutely fantastic 257 Roberts.
6.5mm/.264 cal This is the smallest caliber to achieve astounding external ballistics, while they can be used to throw medium weight bullets at fairly high speeds, their speciality is their long 140gr+ bullets that resist wind deflection and retain energy like a much larger caliber. Those long and heavy bullets also provide excellent penetration making the 6.5mm the smallest caliber that I would use on game larger then mule deer, and the smallest caliber to have taken every species of game on the planet to my knowledge. If someone is looking for a very light recoiling rifle capable of world class long range ballistics, and serious game getting power look no further. Popular choices in this caliber are the "quadruplets" (6.5 Creedmore, 6.5x47, 260 Rem, 6.5x55) which are all capable of nearly identical performance, the beastly .264 win mag, and the world record setting 6.5-284 which has for years been the top choice for 1,000yd matches.
.270/.277 cal. Ah yes the point where speed kings meet real ballistic performance, many naysayers downplay the .270s because the calibers right above and below it have better external ballistics, but uber high BC bullets were never the goal of the .270 it is a fantastic compromise between super speed and ballistics that just plain works in the real world. It shoots very flat and retains enough energy at range to make a clean kill on all but the largest of North American game. Combine those characteristics with the fact that the .270 win is so abundant and ammo is so inexpensive and you can see why it is so successful. Popular choices are first and foremost the original 270 win which is still as effective today as when Jack O'Connor imortolized it, and the simply amazing 270 WSM which I can tell you first hand is a spectacular hunting round. Bringing up the rear are the polar opposites, the hugely overbore .270 Wby mag and the tiny purpose built 6.8 SPC for the AR crowd.
7mm .284 cal. Much like the 6.5mm this is a spectacular example of long range performance, they simply deliver huge amounts of energy to very long ranges and resist wind deflection as well as any caliber under .338, this is also the point where recoil starts stinging for most people with it's more common chamberings. With it's long heavy 160gr+ projectiles the 7mm tend to be a deep penatrator and is a force to be reckoned with even for the largest of animals. This caliber is HIGHLY recommended for long range shooting, it is dead tied with the 6.5mm and the 7.62mm for 1,000yd supremacy. The key players in this caliber (in the states) are the powerful 7mm Rem Mag, the efficient 7mm-08, the well rounded 280 Rem, and the legendary 7x57
7.62mm 308 cal. This is THE jack of all trade calibers, it simply does it all, while most other calibers need different twist rates to use extremely high or low bullet weight the .30 cal does it all very well in their standard 1:10 only the 6.5mm with it's 1:8" can rival .30 cal versatility in this regard. From 110gr bullets at varmint rifle speeds to 240gr javelins that will bust an elephant's skull the same 1:10" twist 30-06 can do both accurately with no modification. No wounder it is the #1 hunting rifle on the planet. No arsenal is complete without a 30 cal of some variety. The .30 cal also comes in a HUGE variety of chamberings, everything from the tiny .30 carbine to such monsters as the 7.82 Warbird and probably 40 choices in between the two with the 30-30, 308 win, 30-06 and 300 Win mag/WSM probably being the most common choices and covering the middle ground nicely.
8mm/.325 Now we are talking heavy hitters, for larger game they have a clear advantage over the 30 cals, sadly much like the .35 cals they suffer from lack of bullet selection, there simply are not that many modern bullets on the market for them, hopefully the 325 WSM will breath new life into this caliber and get it fully caught up to the standards of other calibers like the 338. This is NOT a top pick for long ranged paper punching, the high BC bullet selection is slim to none, and nobody makes a special target rifle chambered in 8mm anything, not to mention the fact that the recoil is uncomfortable for most people. Chambering selection is slim, but seeing as this is truly a dedicated big game caliber all the bases are covered. 8x57 for everything up to elk, and the magnums (8mm Rem mag and 325 WSM) for bigger game or longer ranges.
338 cal. Everything the 8mm does in a slightly larger package with the added advantage of a better selection of premo bullets for multiple applications. This is the only medium bore that is fantastic for both hunting and long range shooting (assuming you are very recoil tolerate) with hunting bullets in excess of .700 BC it is in a class by itself for delivering a powerful blow out to long range. There are a full range of 338 cal chamberings as well, everything from the compact 338 Fedral to the mainstay 338 Win Mag to the remarkably powerful 338 Lapua and Ultra Mag which can drive 250gr bullets to 3000fps! Word of caution though, these things kick hard so if you are not an experienced shooter, you might want to get your feet wet on a 300 win mag before you step up to 40+lbs of recoil. I had my nose busted like that.
35 cal and 9.3mm Yes I know those are in fact two different calibers (.358 and .366) but I lumped them together since they are so close in ever aspect including the bullets available for them that it is silly to look at them any different. Neither have the ultra low drag bullets that make the 338 such a long ranged machine, but at this point that matters very little, few people hunt the game these are built for at long range anyway. Both can be had with premium heavily bonded bullets and solids of 300+gr makeing them serous contenders for the largest of game, as with all large calibers the recoil is stout, but the more mild chamberings (358 Win, 35 Whelen, 350 Rem Mag, and 9.3x62) are tolerable for most shooters in limited doses. The 358 Norma and 9.3x64 are the hotrods of the bunch and can be a bit more painful to a rookie.
375 cal. This one needs no introduction to the big game crowd, it has a place of distinction from all others, H&H correct me if I am wrong but the 375 H&H is the smallest caliber that meets all minimum standards for hunting every game animal everywhere in the world, and is well known for shooting reasonably flat unlike many other large safari cartrages. The addition of the 375 Ruger is an exciting deveopment for the fans of this fantastic caliber. The 375 has the widest selection of big bore bullets aside from the .458 with weights all the way from 200gr to a massive 375gr.
I don't have any hands on experience with anything larger then a .375 so I will leave that to some of our expernced safari guys if you want to fill in.
Feel free to agree or disagree with any of my conclusions, I have pretty thick skin. Hope this helps people with any questions people have. If I missed anything please let me know.
.17 cal. This is a caliber dedicated to blistering speed, the technical ballistics are poor but in this case the blistering speed makes up for all it's shortcomings when small furry critters are your game. NOT for use on big game not even with headshots. Few chamberings in this caliber .17 HMR is the most popular but the 17 rem and fireball reach it's true potential throwing these tiny pills at crazy speeds.
5.56mm/.22 cal. Also a "speed is king" caliber, better ballistics then the .17 but not by much, bullet selection is vastly better and even includes some bullets that are capable of taking larger game given a skilled hunter and reasonable range. Not recommended for long range shooting, only a couple bullets exist that can keep this caliber on paper at long range in a crosswind and they require and aftermarket barrel to stabilize. Kings of this caliber are the abundant 5.56x45/223 of US military fame, the omnipresent .22LR, and the blistering fast 22-250 though dozens of .22 calibers are on the market.
6mm/.243 Among the most versatile calibers for the North American hunter, it is just as comfortable slinging high speed 55 and 70gr pills at varmints as it is at knocking deer sized game down with it's 85-100gr selection, and it does both with an absolute minimum of recoil. It's external ballistics in general are head and shoulders above the .22 cals. This is a good choice for long range shooting assuming you have the tighter 1:9 twist to handle longer bullets. Surprisingly there are few chamberings of this caliber, probably because the ol .243 win pretty well has all the bases covered, though the 6mm rem and 243 WSSM have it beat for pure performance.
.250/.257 cal This is the "speed is king" caliber of the hunting world, it does not surpass the ballistics of the .243 as you would expect a larger caliber to do, but what it does do is throw light/medium weight bullet very very fast. Easly capable of taking deer sized game this is the quintessential flat shooting light kicking hunting caliber with nearly all of it's popular chamberings being capable of 3200fps+ with hunting weight bullets, and recoil only in the 10-16lbs range for sporter weight rifles. Not recommended for very long range paper punching, but for hunting ranges with superb trajectory it is premo. The most popular chamberings are the 25-06, 257 Wby mag and the absolutely fantastic 257 Roberts.
6.5mm/.264 cal This is the smallest caliber to achieve astounding external ballistics, while they can be used to throw medium weight bullets at fairly high speeds, their speciality is their long 140gr+ bullets that resist wind deflection and retain energy like a much larger caliber. Those long and heavy bullets also provide excellent penetration making the 6.5mm the smallest caliber that I would use on game larger then mule deer, and the smallest caliber to have taken every species of game on the planet to my knowledge. If someone is looking for a very light recoiling rifle capable of world class long range ballistics, and serious game getting power look no further. Popular choices in this caliber are the "quadruplets" (6.5 Creedmore, 6.5x47, 260 Rem, 6.5x55) which are all capable of nearly identical performance, the beastly .264 win mag, and the world record setting 6.5-284 which has for years been the top choice for 1,000yd matches.
.270/.277 cal. Ah yes the point where speed kings meet real ballistic performance, many naysayers downplay the .270s because the calibers right above and below it have better external ballistics, but uber high BC bullets were never the goal of the .270 it is a fantastic compromise between super speed and ballistics that just plain works in the real world. It shoots very flat and retains enough energy at range to make a clean kill on all but the largest of North American game. Combine those characteristics with the fact that the .270 win is so abundant and ammo is so inexpensive and you can see why it is so successful. Popular choices are first and foremost the original 270 win which is still as effective today as when Jack O'Connor imortolized it, and the simply amazing 270 WSM which I can tell you first hand is a spectacular hunting round. Bringing up the rear are the polar opposites, the hugely overbore .270 Wby mag and the tiny purpose built 6.8 SPC for the AR crowd.
7mm .284 cal. Much like the 6.5mm this is a spectacular example of long range performance, they simply deliver huge amounts of energy to very long ranges and resist wind deflection as well as any caliber under .338, this is also the point where recoil starts stinging for most people with it's more common chamberings. With it's long heavy 160gr+ projectiles the 7mm tend to be a deep penatrator and is a force to be reckoned with even for the largest of animals. This caliber is HIGHLY recommended for long range shooting, it is dead tied with the 6.5mm and the 7.62mm for 1,000yd supremacy. The key players in this caliber (in the states) are the powerful 7mm Rem Mag, the efficient 7mm-08, the well rounded 280 Rem, and the legendary 7x57
7.62mm 308 cal. This is THE jack of all trade calibers, it simply does it all, while most other calibers need different twist rates to use extremely high or low bullet weight the .30 cal does it all very well in their standard 1:10 only the 6.5mm with it's 1:8" can rival .30 cal versatility in this regard. From 110gr bullets at varmint rifle speeds to 240gr javelins that will bust an elephant's skull the same 1:10" twist 30-06 can do both accurately with no modification. No wounder it is the #1 hunting rifle on the planet. No arsenal is complete without a 30 cal of some variety. The .30 cal also comes in a HUGE variety of chamberings, everything from the tiny .30 carbine to such monsters as the 7.82 Warbird and probably 40 choices in between the two with the 30-30, 308 win, 30-06 and 300 Win mag/WSM probably being the most common choices and covering the middle ground nicely.
8mm/.325 Now we are talking heavy hitters, for larger game they have a clear advantage over the 30 cals, sadly much like the .35 cals they suffer from lack of bullet selection, there simply are not that many modern bullets on the market for them, hopefully the 325 WSM will breath new life into this caliber and get it fully caught up to the standards of other calibers like the 338. This is NOT a top pick for long ranged paper punching, the high BC bullet selection is slim to none, and nobody makes a special target rifle chambered in 8mm anything, not to mention the fact that the recoil is uncomfortable for most people. Chambering selection is slim, but seeing as this is truly a dedicated big game caliber all the bases are covered. 8x57 for everything up to elk, and the magnums (8mm Rem mag and 325 WSM) for bigger game or longer ranges.
338 cal. Everything the 8mm does in a slightly larger package with the added advantage of a better selection of premo bullets for multiple applications. This is the only medium bore that is fantastic for both hunting and long range shooting (assuming you are very recoil tolerate) with hunting bullets in excess of .700 BC it is in a class by itself for delivering a powerful blow out to long range. There are a full range of 338 cal chamberings as well, everything from the compact 338 Fedral to the mainstay 338 Win Mag to the remarkably powerful 338 Lapua and Ultra Mag which can drive 250gr bullets to 3000fps! Word of caution though, these things kick hard so if you are not an experienced shooter, you might want to get your feet wet on a 300 win mag before you step up to 40+lbs of recoil. I had my nose busted like that.
35 cal and 9.3mm Yes I know those are in fact two different calibers (.358 and .366) but I lumped them together since they are so close in ever aspect including the bullets available for them that it is silly to look at them any different. Neither have the ultra low drag bullets that make the 338 such a long ranged machine, but at this point that matters very little, few people hunt the game these are built for at long range anyway. Both can be had with premium heavily bonded bullets and solids of 300+gr makeing them serous contenders for the largest of game, as with all large calibers the recoil is stout, but the more mild chamberings (358 Win, 35 Whelen, 350 Rem Mag, and 9.3x62) are tolerable for most shooters in limited doses. The 358 Norma and 9.3x64 are the hotrods of the bunch and can be a bit more painful to a rookie.
375 cal. This one needs no introduction to the big game crowd, it has a place of distinction from all others, H&H correct me if I am wrong but the 375 H&H is the smallest caliber that meets all minimum standards for hunting every game animal everywhere in the world, and is well known for shooting reasonably flat unlike many other large safari cartrages. The addition of the 375 Ruger is an exciting deveopment for the fans of this fantastic caliber. The 375 has the widest selection of big bore bullets aside from the .458 with weights all the way from 200gr to a massive 375gr.
I don't have any hands on experience with anything larger then a .375 so I will leave that to some of our expernced safari guys if you want to fill in.
Feel free to agree or disagree with any of my conclusions, I have pretty thick skin. Hope this helps people with any questions people have. If I missed anything please let me know.
