3 Best Hunting Cartridges?
- Thread starter Bullet
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.22
.375 H&H
12 ga.
The .375 can do everything and more than a .30-06 can. .416 seems heavy for Whitetails tho.
.375 H&H
12 ga.
The .375 can do everything and more than a .30-06 can. .416 seems heavy for Whitetails tho.
Marshall
Member
.204 Ruger
.30-06 Springfield
.45-70 Govt
Based on performance, spread of capabilities and availability in different riflles.
.30-06 Springfield
.45-70 Govt
Based on performance, spread of capabilities and availability in different riflles.
Brigrat
Member
22LR
30-30
30-06
If you can't kill it with one of those three, it probably doesn't need to be killed. Not to mention, you can find those three anywhere you go, from Wal-Mart to the gas station and beyond, no caliber does you any good if you can't find the ammo you need, or can't afford it.
JMHO-
Brigrat
30-30
30-06
If you can't kill it with one of those three, it probably doesn't need to be killed. Not to mention, you can find those three anywhere you go, from Wal-Mart to the gas station and beyond, no caliber does you any good if you can't find the ammo you need, or can't afford it.
JMHO-
Brigrat
jaimeshawn
Member
30-06, 12 gauge, 22lr
Cheap, effective, versatile. Honorable mention to the 308. I like the flexibility the 30-06 gives me for a slightly heavier load than I can get with the 308, although the 308 plinking grade ammo is cheaper than what I can get 30-06 for these days...
Cheap, effective, versatile. Honorable mention to the 308. I like the flexibility the 30-06 gives me for a slightly heavier load than I can get with the 308, although the 308 plinking grade ammo is cheaper than what I can get 30-06 for these days...
stevelyn
Member
.22lr
.30-06
???????
I'll leave the third choice open since I can't decide between the two I have in mind.
.30-06
???????
I'll leave the third choice open since I can't decide between the two I have in mind.
Win75
Member
22LR
6.5x55
45/70
6.5x55
45/70
NoHarmNoFAL
Member
.22LR
.308 Win
45/70 Govt. (Smokeless Ruger Pressures)
.308 Win
45/70 Govt. (Smokeless Ruger Pressures)
Ghost10750
Member
.223
.308
.338
.308
.338
HankB
Member
.22 LR - squirrels, rabbits, pest control, this cartridge is just the ticket.
.30/06 - With the possible exceptions of eland and giraffe, this will do for ANY thin-skinned, non-dangerous game worldwide . . . and though I wouldn't want to use it on lion, and it wouldn't be my first choice for big bears, it's just fine for leopard.
.375 H&H - Fine for hunting anything up to and including elephant.
There might be valid reasons for swapping a 12 ga shotgun for the .22 LR, but since this is the "Rifle Country" forum, I'll let the three choices above stand.
.30/06 - With the possible exceptions of eland and giraffe, this will do for ANY thin-skinned, non-dangerous game worldwide . . . and though I wouldn't want to use it on lion, and it wouldn't be my first choice for big bears, it's just fine for leopard.
.375 H&H - Fine for hunting anything up to and including elephant.
There might be valid reasons for swapping a 12 ga shotgun for the .22 LR, but since this is the "Rifle Country" forum, I'll let the three choices above stand.
cookhj
Member
.22 LR
.308/.30-06
12ga
.308/.30-06
12ga
Vern Humphrey
Member
Let's analyze the problem. What do we want these three round FOR?
For hunting in North America:
.22 LR -- the greatest small game cartridge ever developed, cheap to shoot (so you can shoot a lot) and capable of fine accuracy. Wins first place hands down.
.30-06 -- the cartridge that's too good to die. As Townsend Whelen said, "The .30-06 is never a mistake." From little Texas whitetails to brown bear, it will do the job -- with premium bullets in the latter case, of course.
Now, what kind of hunting HAVEN'T we covered? Wing shooting and varmit hunting. For wing shooting, the 12 gauge, 3". For varmit hunting, the .223 Remington.
So we actually need 4;
.22 LR
.223 Rem
.30-06
12 ga 3"
Now for handguns:
.22 LR
.45 ACP (for defensive use)
.45 Colt (for any hunting the .22 LR won't handle)
For hunting in North America:
.22 LR -- the greatest small game cartridge ever developed, cheap to shoot (so you can shoot a lot) and capable of fine accuracy. Wins first place hands down.
.30-06 -- the cartridge that's too good to die. As Townsend Whelen said, "The .30-06 is never a mistake." From little Texas whitetails to brown bear, it will do the job -- with premium bullets in the latter case, of course.
Now, what kind of hunting HAVEN'T we covered? Wing shooting and varmit hunting. For wing shooting, the 12 gauge, 3". For varmit hunting, the .223 Remington.
So we actually need 4;
.22 LR
.223 Rem
.30-06
12 ga 3"
Now for handguns:
.22 LR
.45 ACP (for defensive use)
.45 Colt (for any hunting the .22 LR won't handle)
Samuel_Hoggson
Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2004
- Messages
- 69
Hornet
.300 Mag
.375.
Sam
.300 Mag
.375.
Sam
Vern Humphrey
Member
I love the .22 Hornet, but it's not for everybody. It takes a dedicated handloader to produce gilt-edge accuracy, and it's too much for small game like squirrels and rabbits. At the same time, for larger varmits -- coyotes and so on -- a .223 is a bit better and has a range advantage as well.
Looking back at the choices people have made I now know why there are so many cartridges. So far I count 27 different cartridges for the 3 best. Looks like the 3 best just aren't the same for everyone. I guess this is why there are so many different cartridges.
Drue
Member
Ok, I'll bite:
.243 : varmints to deer
.375H&H : deer and larger
12 gauge : birds and small game
Oh wait, this is the Rifle Forum !!
so:
.22LR : small game
.243 : varmints to deer
.375H&H : deer and larger
For the critters that I actually hunt, the .22LR, .30-06 and the 12 gauge will do it all.
Drue
.243 : varmints to deer
.375H&H : deer and larger
12 gauge : birds and small game
Oh wait, this is the Rifle Forum !!
so:
.22LR : small game
.243 : varmints to deer
.375H&H : deer and larger
For the critters that I actually hunt, the .22LR, .30-06 and the 12 gauge will do it all.
Drue
Samuel_Hoggson
Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2004
- Messages
- 69
Vern,
That's what's so great about having choices! Of the three I mentioned, were I forced to live forever with just one it would be the Hornet. No, .4 MOA isn't likely with a Hornet........but it's not necessary in a hunting rifle. To 75 or 100 yards I could easily take any game animal in Maine. Loaded down to .22 WCF (pre-hornet) levels I can match rimfire ballistics. That covers anything I need shoot, including partridge (ruffed grouse are a different species that can only be taken in the air).
Moreover, the cost of components/ammunition is minimal. Noise and flash - important for subsistence situations - is minimal. I assume that if I need to get things down to three, or one, gun I'm in a subsistence situation. Pest control and meat hunting. Night work is in........game laws and seasons are out.
OTOH, the .223 is a pretty darned good choice, too, almost as flexible. It has the advantage of working very well in an M-16.
It's fun to pretend we may someday need to get by with one, or three, calibers. Kinda like leaving the alarm set on Saturday morning so we can ignore it. Actually, I'd be lucky if I could whittle my battery down to 20 different cartridges.
Sam
That's what's so great about having choices! Of the three I mentioned, were I forced to live forever with just one it would be the Hornet. No, .4 MOA isn't likely with a Hornet........but it's not necessary in a hunting rifle. To 75 or 100 yards I could easily take any game animal in Maine. Loaded down to .22 WCF (pre-hornet) levels I can match rimfire ballistics. That covers anything I need shoot, including partridge (ruffed grouse are a different species that can only be taken in the air).
Moreover, the cost of components/ammunition is minimal. Noise and flash - important for subsistence situations - is minimal. I assume that if I need to get things down to three, or one, gun I'm in a subsistence situation. Pest control and meat hunting. Night work is in........game laws and seasons are out.
OTOH, the .223 is a pretty darned good choice, too, almost as flexible. It has the advantage of working very well in an M-16.
It's fun to pretend we may someday need to get by with one, or three, calibers. Kinda like leaving the alarm set on Saturday morning so we can ignore it. Actually, I'd be lucky if I could whittle my battery down to 20 different cartridges.
Sam
Vern Humphrey
Member
I don't know that I'd want to try the Hornet on anything larger than a coyote (with modern loadings -- say the 35 grain V Max at 3,000 fps, it does very nicely there) but Eskimos used to like it for a lot of game
I haven't yet worked up a down-loaded version -- I keep telling myself, one of these years.
But to be honest, if I were limited in what I could have, it would be .22LR, .223 Rem, and .30-06. That would cover the spectrum -- and I could use one of those cartridges to shoot the so-and-so who said I could only have three.
I haven't yet worked up a down-loaded version -- I keep telling myself, one of these years.
But to be honest, if I were limited in what I could have, it would be .22LR, .223 Rem, and .30-06. That would cover the spectrum -- and I could use one of those cartridges to shoot the so-and-so who said I could only have three.
Ivy Mike
Member
.22lr for small stuff
7.62x39 for medium to large stuff
.30-06 or .308 for anything bigger
7.62x39 for medium to large stuff
.30-06 or .308 for anything bigger
22LR, most universal choice so far.
.243
7mm Mag, surprised no one mentioned it yet.
Guess I leave out the 12 gauge on a rifle forum. And I think dangerous game hunting is not so common. So were I going to the dark continent may need to add a 375 H&H.
.243
7mm Mag, surprised no one mentioned it yet.
Guess I leave out the 12 gauge on a rifle forum. And I think dangerous game hunting is not so common. So were I going to the dark continent may need to add a 375 H&H.
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