Biggest AND Most Affordable Caliber Ammo/Rifle

[XxWINxX94]

Hey Guys,
I'm not looking purchase anything right away, but would like some information if anyone knows anything. I was wondering what is the biggest caliber round of ammo out there that is somewhat inexpensive compared to others. The biggest caliber I own is a 338WIN MAG in my Winchester Model 70 XTR pictured below here. It's a fine rifle but the ammo is outragous!

I've seen the Barret .50 Cals for $8999.99+ and the ammo being $4+ per round, however I'm interested in knowing what type of rifle and ammo out there that is bigger than a 338WIN MAG, but a little cheaper price per round, If there even is any.

Thanks!

 

[XxWINxX94]

Here's my rifle, forgot to put it in the original post. :banghead:

 

[essayons21]

I can't think of anything bigger that would be cheaper. 7.62x54R is probably the largest/cheapest centerfire rounds. Get yourself a Mosin carbine and the recoil and muzzle flash will make you think you are shooting a .50

 

[dakotasin]

go big or go home! do the 50 bmg, and swallow hard when you buy ammo until you start handloading - and then only swallow slightly less hard.

my biggest is a 375 ruger... thank goodness i handload, because at $50 or more per box, i wouldn't shoot much at all!

 

[Col. Plink]

7.92x57mm (8mm Mauser) is bigger than Mosin; lots of old Mausers out there to choose from too...

 

[tactikel]

You really have to consider handloading. .375 H&H, .45-70, .458 Win.Mag come to mind. Handloading the .375 H&H could cost you only 75 cents a round, using premium bullets and a full powder charge . using cast bullets for plinking and varmints would run you 55 cents a round (above is exclusive of brass). The .458 is not much more.
If handloading is out then the 8mm Mauser is a fine choice.

 

[XxWINxX94]

alright. Well I already own a Mosin, and a Kar98k. Handloading is out of the question, as I don't know anything about it

 

[conhntr]

45-70 isnt very expensive i buy the cowboy action stuff to plink with and it is pretty reasonable. satisfies the big bore craving for me.

 

[MetalHead]

Even cheaper, stay with the 45/70, in a NEF, cast our own boolits and reload. Any bigger and cheaper would mean going to a large bore muzzleloader.

 

[howards]

308 and 30/06 come to mind.

 

[jpwilly]

For Centerfire (aside from the typical surplus 303 brit, 8mm, 7.62etc) 45/70 is the big cheap round... Next and priced better than most of the big African Cartridges is the 50BMG. Otherwise I say go shoot some 12Ga 3" Slugs in your slug gun and satisfy that big bore feeling on the cheap.

 

[rangerruck]

you might look into a 300 winmag, or a 338 federal, or something in a 35 whelen.
maybe a 375 as well...

 

[JeffsJeep04]

30-06 will kill most things that need killing on this continent and is very cheap. Paid ~$15 for a box of 20 federal premiums before deer hunting last year, in the height of the ammo grab.

The way I look at calibers is the more common, the more likely it's going to be that I can go to walmart and buy a box at any time. This logic has failed me with 45ACP though...it's TOO common and gets bought up as soon as it hits the shelf

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Biggest AND Most Affordable Caliber Ammo/Rifle

Without a doubt, what fits your description to a 'T' is my .73 caliber 12 ga slug rifle...much bigger than a measly .50 caliber.


It's called the Remington 1187 Sportsman Deer, but there are several other makers and models of these .73 cal rifles, in single shot, turnbolt, pump, and semi-auto actions.

Ammo is found nearly everywhere and is *relatively* cheap. Much, MUCH cheaper than .50 BMG.

I suppose .50 beowulf or .45-70 would come in a distance second under your criteria, or maybe a .72 cal Kodiak muzzleloader.

 

[JeffsJeep04]

Without a doubt, what fits your description to a 'T' is my .73 caliber 12 ga slug rifle...much bigger than a measly .50 caliber.


It's called the Remington 1187 Sportsman Deer, but there are several other makers and models of these .73 cal rifles, in single shot, turnbolt, pump, and semi-auto actions.

Ammo is found nearly everywhere and is *relatively* cheap.

touché!

 

[Tirod]

Biggest and cheapest? An accountant could probably prove that a muzzleloader shooting ball and powder purchased in bulk could get the price per round down to a record low.

Once the multilevel marketing and distribution system is out of the loop, you can get things really cheap. Leave one element that has proprietary control on the product, nada. They will want to make profit and have takehome pay for their family, much less cash for further business development.

The average shooter is just that, they don't normally buy and use expensive discretionary toys like full auto, .50 cal's, or Ferrari's. Cheap is something the system is designed to prevent in acquiring and using them. Like $4000 for a factory replacement radiator. We actually have a Ferrari owner and mechanic in this town, he makes a good living working on them. Gets business from the coast, because hauling the car for repairs to him is still less than the factory authorized service dealer.

He charges $2500 for the radiator fix. I guess that is cheap at those levels. I hear a lot of .50 shooters reload, too.

 

[Kwanger]

plus one on essayons21 7.62x54r for bang for buck. Only other largish one that is reasonable is 308. 338 up and you're paying, no way round it.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Compelled to point out that a .729 cal is 137% larger diameter (caliber) than a .308 cal. The man wants a big caliber. Recommending a different .30 cals is like arguing about whether the VW Bug or the Ford Fiesta is better for leg room, trunk space, and high speed. And a .338 is like a Honda Accord recommendation.

A Remington buckhammer, for example, is a 602 grain slug vs. the largest .308 is typically 220 grains - that's a 174% increase in bullet weight.

what is the biggest caliber round of ammo out there that is somewhat inexpensive compared to others.

Caliber, by definition, means bullet width or diameter.

 

[schlockinz]

For a rifle load, 45/70.

In general, a muzzleloader or slugs.

I'd rather shoot the 45/70 though

 

[Cosmoline]

The .45-70, assuming you cast and handload, is extremely affordable. Rifles can be had for $350 used, the brass is easy to get and lasts a long long time and there's no need for any fancy bullets or powders. You can even load with roundball.

Handloading is out of the question, as I don't know anything about it

No reason not to start. You can get a Lee hand press, some dies, some primers, some trailboss and some cast bullets and be rolling in a day.

Your only alternative is, as noted, the surplus rifles. But the surplus ammo tends to be corrosive and not exactly high quality. You're still better off being able to reload for a Mosin or Mauser.

As you note, factory ammunition is outrageously expensive and getting worse--if you can even find it. Handloading is increasingly not an option, but a basic fact of life for any serious shooter. The only real danger of .45-70 as a starting round is the capacity and risk of a double charge, but a visual cross check of your loads and an organized system will reduce that risk. Also there are powders such as TB which make a double load much easier to notice.

 

[Guiding101]

+ 1 on the 8mm

 

[trekgod3]

Mosin & 7.62x54- Cheap guns ($100-$150) and cheap ammo (440 round tin for $80 to $100)

 

[Caliper_Mi]

Handloading is out of the question, as I don't know anything about it

??? I guarantee you that everyone else on this board who hand loads could say that same thing at some point in their life.

Now, I don't hand load either but have looked into it. Google can easily find you the basics and THR can probably help with the rest. If you are looking to cram a lot of powder in a big cartridge with a big bullet on top, it only makes sense that DIY will be the most affordable way to have fun.

 

[RobMoore]

7.62x54r is the biggest bang-for-your-buck I can think of in a semi-auto rifle.

 

[Shadow 7D]

same price range will get a frence, ot egypyian, or FN 8mm