"Gentle" big game cartridges...

[saturno_v]

A list of what can be considered "polite" rifle rounds (low recoil and relatively low noise) for big game hunting

Competent cartridges that can do the job without too much drama (in the right hands some of these can taker any animal on earth), easy on the shoulder for very small framed people and without damaging too much meat (assuming proper bullets).

223 Remington

22-250 Remington

243 Winchester

6 mm Remington

25-30 Winchester

250 Savage

257 Roberts

25-06 Remington

6,5mm Arisaka

6,5mm Carcano

6,5x54mm MS

6,5x55mm Swedish

260 Remington

7X57mm Mauser

7mm-08 Remington

32-20 Winchester

30 carbine

7,62x39mm

30-30 Winchester

32 Winchester Special

300 Savage

35 Remington

38-40 Winchester

38-55 Winchester

357 Magnum

44-40 Winchester

44 Magnum

I left out the 303 British or popular 270 Winchester, 308 Winchester and 30-06 Springfield which, in my opinion, is the threshold when the recoil and muzzle blast start to be significant.

Am I missing any other cartridge which could belong to this special group???
Please fell free to add.

Regards

 

[R.W.Dale]

Am I missing any other cartridge which could belong to this special group???

a couple

220 swift
225winchester
222mag
6mm PPC
6mm rem
6mm br
6.5x47 lapua
6.5 Grendel
6.8 spc
7-30 waters
7mm TCU
7mm BR
280 rem
30 BR
30 Herrett
30 carbine
30-40 krag
7.5x55 swiss
7.5x54 MAS
303 Brit
7.7x58mm Jap
7.65 mauser
7.62x39mm
.303 Savage
.351 WSL
.401WSL
348win
.41mag


I'll think of more later, what was this thread about again?


32-20? Seriously a cartridge less powerful than 38spcl for "any animal on earth"

 

[saturno_v]

oops, I left some popular rounds out....I will edit the list

I forgot to add: Please mention cartridges realtively easy to find in a well stocked gun shop or specialized sporting goods store (for example Cabelas)...no wildcat or proprietary rounds

Krochus

IMHO, the 280 Remington, 30-40 Krag, 7,5 Swiss and some others you mention are over the "threshold"...again, my opinion...


People hunt small deer at very close distance with the 32-20!

 

[tominct]

The range involved, as well as the skill of the shooter and the type of game, will have some bearing on appropriate cartridges. For example, I wouldn't recommend a 30 Carbine for whitetails at 150 yards.
For big game I'd avoid anything smaller than 6mm (.243) in general. My personal preference is for 7mm to 30 cal, in particular the 7x57 Mauser and the 7mm-08. Both are pretty mild in the recoil department.
Also, there are plenty of projectiles in the 6.5 - 7mm range with great ballistic coefficients.
And for energy retention at longer ranges, remember that bullet weight remains constant, while velocity drops dramatically.

I have a 7mm-08 Remington Model 7, in Scout configuration, which is perfectly adequate for 200+ yards. While I can hold over a foot or so and hit the paper at 300 (prone, supported with a shooting sling), I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that on a live game animal.

 

[dirtyjim]

you forgot the
9.3x62mm
404 jeffery
416 rigby
10,75x68mm mauser
all of these are low pressure cartridges that are easy on you shoulder.
my 10,75x68 wieghs 8 pounds & has less recoil than all of my 30-06's

 

[jbech123]

too many variables undefined to ascertain how far off your list is. I know this is an argument on here about once a month, but except for very specific circumstances, a .223 remington is not a big game cartridge. With the right bullet will it work for antelope and smallish southern whitetails? Sure, I have done it actually. Anything beyond that is foolish with any of the centerfire .22's though.
I'm not a proponent of the school of thought that says you need a 378 weatherby for everything. In reality though if a 308 win is too much gun for you, maybe you're are not ready to hunt elk or moose.
Some of your other choices might be adequate depending on which big game animal and the conditions. For example a 357 magnum will work for deer, but for the distance limitations you may as well take up bowhunting.

 

[R.W.Dale]

"I forgot to add: Please mention cartridges realtively easy to find in a well stocked gun shop or specialized sporting goods store (for example Cabelas)...no wildcat or proprietary rounds"


In which case the 6.5 Arisaka, Carcano and MS need be stricken from your list as should 38/40 & 38-55 should go as well. I have seen ONE box of 6.5 ms fir sale , and that box is about 30yrs old and is $50

Also 25/06 or 7mm08 will likely have as much or more recoil than some of the cartridges you omit as being too hot for mere mortals

 

[bad_aim_billy]

you forgot the
9.3x62mm
404 jeffery
416 rigby
10,75x68mm mauser

Those are wussy guns according to the High Road. Need a .600 Nitro for elk and bear. Preferably in a sub-7 pound gun for those long mountain drives on a four-wheeler.

 

[JimmAr]

too many variables undefined to ascertain how far off your list is. I know this is an argument on here about once a month, but except for very specific circumstances, a .223 remington is not a big game cartridge. With the right bullet will it work for antelope and smallish southern whitetails? Sure, I have done it actually. Anything beyond that is foolish with any of the centerfire .22's though.
I'm not a proponent of the school of thought that says you need a 378 weatherby for everything. In reality though if a 308 win is too much gun for you, maybe you're are not ready to hunt elk or moose.
Some of your other choices might be adequate depending on which big game animal and the conditions. For example a 357 magnum will work for deer, but for the distance limitations you may as well take up bowhunting.

Yes.. agree this is bad information for anyone coming to get info... 223 is something to consider for varmint if this is an "ethical" thread.. I would assume we would be starting off with at the very least a soft 6.5mm or heavy .25 caliber assuming big game is big game.. and we arent talking about little random pests..

 

[saturno_v]

In which case the 6.5 Arisaka, Carcano and MS need be stricken from your list as should 38/40 & 38-55 should go as well. I have seen ONE box of 6.5 ms fir sale , and that box is about 30yrs old and is $50

Also 25/06 or 7mm08 will likely have as much or more recoil than some of the cartridges you omit as being too hot for mere mortals

Krochus


You are right, the 6.5 Carcano or Arisaka are not that easy to find...still big box specialized stores like Cabelas carry them...at a premium

The 38-40 or 38-55 are not that hard to find, at least around here (Western WA)

I agree that the 25-06 or 7mm-08 are borderline to my "threshold", they probably kick a hair less that a 270, 30-06 or 308.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I'm 5'8", 170 lbs and can shoot a .308 all day long, 40 rounds at the range is not a problem. IMO, it combines the best attributes of power to recoil. With Remington 150 gr Core-Lokt's, its downright mild.

 

[dirtyjim]

Quote:
you forgot the
9.3x62mm
404 jeffery
416 rigby
10,75x68mm mauser

Those are wussy guns according to the High Road. Need a .600 Nitro for elk and bear. Preferably in a sub-7 pound gun for those long mountain drives on a four-wheeler.

the 600 nitro is a decent pistol round & only wussies drive 4-wheelers.

real men shoot a 4-bore.
the 4 bore is where its at & at $50 a round its a bargain to shoot. its 2000 grain bullet will stop anything including whales & the occasional t-rex if they happen to be a problem in your area.
for comparison here is a 4 bore case beside some cartridges that are only suitable on varmints like squirrels & rabbits.
left to right is a 4-bore, 10,75x68mm, 300win mag, 270 weatherby mag.

having actually shot a ken owens 4-bore double rifle i can say the recoil was rather tame, of course at 26 pounds the weight of the rifle realy helps out in that department

 

[Shadow 7D]

It's not just the round, much if not most is the rifle.

 

[Float Pilot]

358 Winchester is a nice mild recoiling heavy hitter.
35 Whelen
9.5 x 57mm
9.5 x 62mm