Favorite Rifle? Favorite Cartridge?

[Legionnaire]

I really want to answer this, but I can't. Too many choices optimized for different purposes. But several make the short list:

Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08
Remington 700 Mountain Rifle custom in .280 Ackley Improved
Remington 700 BDL (early 1980s vintage) in .243 Winchester

 

[tark]

My favorite rifle is my 30-06 rolling block. Made it myself, so its a one of one. Might be the only 30-06 roller in existence, since Remington never chambered in that caliber.

My favorite caliber is the venerable 25-20 because it's just so much fun to shoot.

 

[Risky buisness]

US M1 GARAND Navy Match in 7.62 x51.
So fav rifle and cartridge all in one.
Marlin 336, rifle 30 WCF.

 

[Zygodactyl]

This week my favorite is an 1878 Martini Henry in 577/450. I've been trying different bullets from 396 to 500 grains. All paper patched with 100 % rag paper and sized to .468.

 

[Bazoo]

I guess my favorite is 22lr in a marlin 39a. But I don't own one. I had an AS that I sold.

Centerfire, like I mentioned is 30-30 in the winchester 94. I am very interested in both cartridges history and usage.

My favorite handgun and cartridge is the blackhawk in 44 special. I just love Blackhawks and the special really is special.

I used to be all about the 357 mag, in Blackhawks and marlin 1894c. Guess if still be all about it too if I hadn't lost the rifle in a house fire. Because of that I got into the winchester 30-30 deep. I'd owned one previously but not loaded for it or explored the history. Very rewarding.

I don't understand all y'all's love for rimless cartridges. The bigger the rim the more the love.

 

[Orion Jim]

Hard to choose a favorite but these two always bring a smile to my face and each use eminently capable workhorse cartridges. A Ruger M77 MK II RSI in .308, and a Ruger 10/22 International.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

.30-06 in the Garand is a favorite.

.45-70 in the Model 1873 Springfield.

I like the .22LR in old single shot rifles.

 

[Steve S.]

I am fortunate to own a cross section of historical design. As others have stated, favorite is tough - I guess I like the old designs (Sharps, levers, SAA, etc) chambered in the older calibers and the newer designs (semi rifle/ pistol, bolt) in more current era cartridges. However, I like everything I have purchased; the newest purchase is always the current favorite until my next love comes along - like a drug, I just keep buying and can never seem to satisfy the addiction - “My name is Steve…..”

 

[Armored farmer]

That's a hard question.
I really like my collection of Handi-rifles. And I like my leverguns. The new has yet to wear off my Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39.
It has a nice piece of glass on it...Nikon 3x9x42bdc . It's detached box mag. Compact size, lightweight make it a joy to carry.
I really want to use it on a hog!

 

[BreechFace]

My favorite cartridge is 450 BM.

Favorite rifle is my Remington 597 Mag in 22 WMR which is my most used and 2nd favorite cartridge.

450 Bushmaster is a hoot! I’m excited to work up a load with 425 Maker Rex expanding subsonics suppressed. Seems like the ticket.

 

[outdoorman63]

Right now it's my Savage 10fp in 308

 

[someguy2800]

My favorite rifle I actually own is this 1898 Krag, but I’m not particularly fond of the 30/40 krag cartridge.



My favorite cartridge i would say is 444 marlin but not that in love with any particular rifle so chambered.

In a hypothetical world, if they made a POF Revolution in 338 federal, that would probably be my favorite rifle/cartridge combination. I do have a 358 Yeti AR15 which is darn close, and $2000 cheaper.

 

[Beck]

My favorite cartridge is 7.62x39... for all the reasons it was designed, for all the potential that was realized since, and the potential it yet has.

From supersonic to subsonic, from 110gr to 150gr projectiles (supersonic) from 180gr to 220gr projectiles (subsonic) using bullets from .308" to .311" in diameter, while doing it in such a compact package, it's versatile to say the least. It equals or betters the 30-30 Win, 300 AAC BLK and Wilson 300 HAM'R, plus an assortment of also-rans that tried but didn't catch on..

My favorite rifle (carbine in this case) is an early model Ruger Mini-30 with 18" barrel I bought new in 1989. It's an all around one-gun if you could only have one gun. It's a fun plinker with cheap ammo, and a hunter of small to medium game within 250 yards. It's great for self defense, home defense, community defense, with a realistic reach of about 500 yards, for whatever you might need to hit 500 yards away. (not game animals)

It can be dressed and pressed into may roles. I've got magazines for it in 5, 10, 20 and 30 round. Optics include two scout scopes and a couple conventional receiver mount scopes if needed, or I can just grab it and go with irons. It's still dressed in its original wood stock, but I recently picked up a factory black synthetic just to have around.

I've spent more on accessories and ammo for my Mini-30 than any other gun I own. I guess that says it all...

Not far behind as a second favorite is a more recently acquired CZ 527 with 22" barrel, also in 7.62x39.

This pic of my Mini-30 is going back a few years. I need to take a few new ones. It's configured quite a bit differently now.

 

[high country]

Nice to see a couple other single shot references. I would say that my favorite, or at least go-to, rifle/cartridge combo is my handi-rifle in .30-30 with an old Leupold M8 4x fixed power. I see cartridges and rifles as inextricably intertwined, and don't really have a favorite of either without reference to the other. I don't care for single shots in cartridges that headspace off the shoulder because bolt actions are better suited for those cartridges. And I don't really care for .30-30 in lever actions. But I love the simplicity of a single shot break action and the .30-30 really shines in that platform.

Sometimes I want to shoot something more accurate, or something that holds more than one round, and I have options for those times. Likewise, the have been some other cartridges invented in the last 125 years since the .30-30 was conceived that do almost everything better.

But at the end of the day, the handi is almost always with me if I have a rifle. It breaks in half quickly to carry in a small innocuous package, and shoots well off hand. Reloading .30-30 for a single shot is very versatile since you don't have to worry about tubular magazines. Definitely a "jack of all trades, master of none".

 

[someguy2800]

It leaves me wanting for more power as a deer rifle but I’m also quite fond on this AR15 in 7.62x39. A really wonderful general purpose rifle. It shoots wolf hp’s sub moa and nosler ballistic tips into a ragged hole. I will probably start my daughter’s deer hunting with it on it with a different stock.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Dang! I over looked the .30WCF. It's a favorite, in both the 94 and the 99 Savage. I also have a 219 single shot in .30WCF, and a 24V-A with a thutty-thutty barrel on top of a 20 gauge tube. Those are all favorite rifles, and the .30-30 has been a favorite cartridge to shoot and reload for, for me, for a long time. Even shot a cougar with the 24-v. Indeed one has a wider choice of bullets with a single shot, but I found that the single shots don't really tolerate much more, if any more pressure than a standard or factory load. But the .30WCF seems to perform just fine, in spite of some cartridges being "better". !

 

[HowieG]

I had a 300 WSM for a few years and really like the concept. Most people don't understand the purpose or how much potential all of the WSM cartridges have. It'll give 98% of the muzzle velocity of a 300 WM, with 15-20% less recoil, better accuracy, and in a more compact rifle.

I sold mine simply because I don't need that much power, but if I ever felt the need for anything with "Magnum" on the headstamp it would be another WSM. I actually think the 7mm WSM was probably the best one. But alas it was the last to be introduced and never really caught on. The 300WSM was the only one somewhat successful.

I have a lot of respect for the new 6.5CM. It lives up to the hype and does anything my 308 will do. But 308 is still my favorite cartridge, and this Winchester 70 EW in a McMillan stock is the favorite rifle.

View attachment 1045167

I have a light 300 WSM. It might kick less than a 300 WM, but it still kicks plenty for me!!

 

[HowieG]

My absolute favorite is my Marlin 1894CL. My favorite cartridge is the 32-20, which happens to be what the 1894CL is chambered for. That being said, I do have a couple of very close seconds for both the rifle and the cartridge.

 

[troy fairweather]

09 Argentine mauser in 7x57 ackley improved.

 

[Driftertank]

My favorite rifle...my favorite caliber...what day of the week is it...?

I can't really pin down an overall favorite. It just depends on what I want to do with my firearm.

I have a tendency to get a niche I want a gun for, then I research, shop, buy, modify. Work up custom ammo. And while I'm doing this, THAT is my favorite gun. Eventually, I decide I want to do something else, and I start the process over again.

That said, I almost never get RID of a gun, and they all usually get to come out to the range and get some love from time to time.

Total cop-out answer, I know. But it's a tough question. I really don't even know what I'd have to pick in the case of the classic "you can only keep one" hypothetical.

 

[marksman13]

My favorite rifle is a 6.8 SPC AR I had built a few years ago. High quality parts and a versatile cartridge have helped it earn my favor over the years. It’s light, well-balanced and just stupid accurate. I’ve killed countless pigs with it and I don’t even know what other manner of deer and varmints have breathed their last due to that rifle. The cartridge doesn’t do anything better than any other rifle cartridge, but it works well enough for everything I’m going to encounter.

 

[Roknstevo]

Is your favorite rifle chambered in your favorite cartridge?
Or are they different??

Like many of you, I have owned several different rifles chambered in many different cartridges. I have favorites for different types of terrain, but one all around favorite.

My favorite rifle is a Weatherby MarkV ultra lightweight in 7mm Rem Mag. My favorite cartridge is the 300 WSM.

Not that the 7mm Rem Mag can't do what the 300 wsm can. I like the efficiency of the 300 with a little more energy than the 7rm, but very similar recoil.

.357 magnum in both rifle and pistol.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

.357 magnum in both rifle and pistol.

Although the .357 is not my favorite, I must admit I'm becoming very fond of my Rossi 92 in that caliber. (my Rossi has zero feeding issues, in fact, feeds anything) The rifle is a dream to carry in the mountains and with a heap of WW296 and a 200 grain bullet coming out of that long barrel I'm confident that it will discourage anything that wants to bite scratch or eat me if I place my shots well. Out of my .357 pistols I guess my Highway Patrolman would be my favorite...although she's a heavy hunk of iron.

 

[Gerd33]

I picked up a Marlin 57M (.22 mag) about a year and half ago and really fell for the rifle and cartridge. The short throw lever makes it a heck of a lot of fun.
When I go to the range I almost always bring it along no matter what other rifle/handgun I bring because I can't resist putting at least a few rounds through it.

 

[CowboyTim]

The Mauser 98 was MADE for the 8x57...