Most powerful reasonable caliber?

Status
Not open for further replies.
.300 win mag is my limit for shooting more than a handful of rounds in one session ETA: both on the shoulder and the wallet. And even then I'm not quick to touch them off in a hurry.

Would like to give the 7mm rem mag a shot one day.
 
Last edited:
I'm over 6 feet tall and 250 lbs. I've never shot a gun that had anough recoil to bother me.

I would stay in the .30 non-magnum range for rifles, the 20-12 gauge range for shotguns, and the 9mm-.45 range for handguns.

Every adult male and most females can shoot one, the ammo is cheap and plentiful (or used to be), and you can shoot a couple hundred rounds in a day without pain.

Anything larger is just for fun.

As a bonus, you can kill anything on Earth with good shot placement from the rifles. The first British exploeres used to kill Elephants with .303.
 
I am edging on 60, have hunted with 7mm mags .264 mags at most, in my part of Texas, don't need any of that, I stick with .308 at max, 7mm-08 and .22-250. don't need or want no shoulder bruisers, got friends that shoot em and they are flinching when they pull the trigger. I own lots of guns, but my next will be a .257 Roberts, low recoil, just what I want, will still keep my .308s handy though. don't need nothing else or need to prove I can handle anything else....the young guys can have the mags, ultra mags etc......have fun.
 
Depends if you are talking about for "shooting" or for hunting.

For hunting only one or maybe two rounds are fired, that answer would be greatly different than for "shooting" where 100 - 200 rounds may be shot in one session.
Click to expand...

This.

I don't find the recoil of my 7.5 lb 8mm Rem Mag (calculated 42 ft/lbs with my loads) bothersome for a few rounds of sighting in, but I certainly wouldn't want to get beat up with 100+ shots off the bench in a day.

For long bench sessions, the 15-25 ft/lbs produced by a sporter weight rifle in .25-06/.270/.280/.308/.30-06 is all the more I want to put up with.
 
FWIW, in my opinion, most people cannot shoot any of the 30 cal and larger magnums with any reliable degree of accuracy. In view of this, 30-06, .308 and, 45-70 for large bore, are the most powerful reasonable calibers for those without the extensive training required to shoot hotter 30 cal plus magnums well.
 
I built a 35 Whelen, and that seems to fit the bill.
But one build I would like to do sometime soon is a 450 Marlin Caliber on a Mauser Action.
It is a 45/70 with some real Boot behind it.
Same with the .358 Winchester, the Whelens baby brother.
 
Sbaker, you might want to look at the 308 again. The 30-06 has inexpensive ammo, but the 308 has ammo that costs even less. The 30-06 has a lot of ammo options, but the 308 has more. Take some time looking at the ammo selection Midwayusa.com, the 308 has more options and less expensive options, especially when you start looking at lighter bullets.

I bough some 140 grain 308 ammo for $0.50/round on the internet a few months ago, I don't know anywhere that sells 30-06 that cheap.
 
The 7.62 x 54 R surplus is plentiful and doesnt cost much . It is also enough to kill anything under the sun
 
I always get a "kick" out of the guys saying ..." nobody can shoot Xx rifle..." with whatever qualifier they need to add. It's a big planet.
Click to expand...

I don't see "nobody" being claimed.

Having said that, you can't beat physics, and no matter what kind of beefcake you are, you're gonna have to hold a big boomer tighter than a moderate mid bore if you don't wanna be scope-eyed, which will negatively affect accuracy.

I'm not a little guy, and I'm a very seasoned rifle shooter. Still, I don't shoot my 8 Mag as well as my .25-06, and I don't shoot my .375 RUM as well as the 8 Mag. The reason is very simple; I don't wish to gash my brow with a scope, so I pull them in tighter and tense my body more as recoil goes up.

I would put a $100 bill on the table and wager a bet that any man, no matter how big & macho, would find the same results with rifles of equal mechanical accuracy. Only a dishonest man would walk away with the money by deliberately throwing shots with the lighter recoiling rifle.
 
MachIVshooter said:
I don't see "nobody" being claimed.

Having said that, you can't beat physics, and no matter what kind of beefcake you are, you're gonna have to hold a big boomer tighter than a moderate mid bore if you don't wanna be scope-eyed, which will negatively affect accuracy.

I'm not a little guy, and I'm a very seasoned rifle shooter. Still, I don't shoot my 8 Mag as well as my .25-06, and I don't shoot my .375 RUM as well as the 8 Mag. The reason is very simple; I don't wish to gash my brow with a scope, so I pull them in tighter and tense my body more as recoil goes up.

I would put a $100 bill on the table and wager a bet that any man, no matter how big & macho, would find the same results with rifles of equal mechanical accuracy. Only a dishonest man would walk away with the money by deliberately throwing shots with the lighter recoiling rifle.
Click to expand...
LOL! Yeah right, whatever you say there cowboy.

It's A LOT like the the motorcycle debates: "Nobody needs/ can handle THAT much power in a motorcycle, when all you need is Brand Xx with Xx cc engine."

"Big and macho", "beefcake"?; If you don't like shooting big bore rifles because they hurt you, then just don't do it-this ain't no pissing match. I always get a kick out of guys, telling other guys, ..." you don't need that much rifle, because..." It's hilarious.

The physics of what? You hold ANY firearm incorrectly and you're possibly going to get SOMEbody hurt!
 
powder said:
LOL! Yeah right, whatever you say there cowboy.

It's A LOT like the the motorcycle debates: "Nobody needs/ can handle THAT much power in a motorcycle, when all you need is Brand Xx with Xx cc engine."

"Big and macho", "beefcake"?; If you don't like shooting big bore rifles because they hurt you, then just don't do it-this ain't no pissing match. I always get a kick out of guys, telling other guys, ..." you don't need that much rifle, because..." It's hilarious.

The physics of what? You hold ANY firearm incorrectly and you're possibly going to get SOMEbody hurt!
Click to expand...
Oh you had to bring bikes into it! I have bikes from 250cc to over 1000cc. You can handle them rather well. But last track day I attended was a very tight track. My little CBR250 cut corners around liter bikes all day long. Only a trained track rider with a 954 stayed with me. Coaches said it was like watching a dance with us. Me in tight with precision and him using his power on the straight to keep me off him, but not able to pass me if I was ahead either.

I stray from the conversation though. Sorry.

Bigger guns take no more skill to shoot. They are simply more punishing to use. That is why many will shoot the lighter kickers and leave their bigger guns at home. Then they sight them in and go hunting. Not saying you can't handle them, just that they will not likely be your most pleasant choice.
 
You can always wussy load an '06

but you can't make a 25-06 into something that's reliable for the great bears. It would take very careful, close range shooting to make it a decent choice for black bear, elk or moose, too. If your 06 is a BAR commercial Browning auto, it will have rapidfire potential that no bolt action offers. For stopping fleeing cripples, for dog packs, for stopping charges, for use vs men. Loads like the O6 require a nice recoil pad, tho. Also, even while hunting, wear ear protection. Norton sonic "earvalves" work just fine.

The BAR is offered with an alloy receiver, making it a lb ligher for long hunts. Or stick with the steel one, for lessened recoil and greater durability. If you shoot a lot and carry it very little, the steel one makes more sense. and vice versa.

I prefer the Remington autos myself, but I always buy used guns, and testfire them before buying, or get a "right of refund" agreement, in writing.

3006 and even weaker loads have taken many hundreds of elephant. Poachers these days take them with AK's. They sneak up within 10 yds, fire a full auto burst or 2 into one lung, wait overnight, and look for the circling buzzards. The lung is 2ft in diameter. The tusker coughs up blood, inhales it into the other lung, and drowns. The 06, with Barnes "solids' to the brain, will drop one like a rock.

You can use 125 gr sp's for varmints, even 110 gr hp's. The 06 has done quite well in 1000 yd matches, better than the 308, actually, due to less drop and drift, with heavier bullets in the same diameter. It's got plenty of power for use on elk or moose to any humane firing distance, ie, 1/4 mile. It can get 180 gr btsp's to more velocity than the 308 can get with 165 gr bthp's.
 
Last edited:
Well not to be overly specific, but 308 all the way. Plenty of power, lots knockdown, and cheap. Being a 30 cal, it is probably one of the most versatile rounds available. I mean, they even make varmit specific ammo for .30 cal, yet also stuff thatll take down N. Americas largest game. Also, like I said, really cheap for what you get. Not as cheap as .223, but cheaper than almost any other round. Mainly due to the fact that not only are the Mil-surp cases and reload supplies cheap and abundant, but the pressure on .308 rounds is low. This translates into a longer barrel life and case life. Ballistic coefficients are high, allowing for good long range accuracy (1000 yards and still reasonably be accurate without extremely fancy rifles). Power is excellent and is even greater if your careful in matching ammo to your intended use. Punch through steel or blow up a ground hog, whatever you wanna do. Now, alot of guns will do most of this stuff anyways, but for the cost to power ratio, not much else comes to close in a overall comparison. Just to make sure I don't offend anybody though, I said not much, but there are exceptions....:neener:
 
^^^ Yes and even factory-loaded .30-06 can be downloaded to just below .30-30 ballistics. I can't think of a more versatile cartridge, especially with factory-loaded ammo, than .30-06.
 
Last edited:
A lot of this depends upon how the rifle is setup. Rifle weight, whether you have a muzzle brake and a recoil system on a large caliber make an enormous difference. If a large caliber gun is setup for minimal recoil, it can be no more punishing than shooting a much smaller caliber.
 
' Bigger guns take no more skill to shoot. '

I agree with everything you said but this. I think it does take more skill to ignore what is coming at you when you pull the trigger. I have to work much harder to shoot my heavy kickers well. Same with a flintlock due to the flash (for me.) It gives u one more thing to think about in a long list. I still shoot the bmg or the 338 lapua just as well as my lighter kickers, lighter kickers are easier.
 
Biggest one I own is a 458 Lott which I find very enjoyable to shoot, I could easily shoot a box in one session because my wallet is usually hurting before my shoulder. Largest caliber I've shot is 505 Gibbs and it was definitely stout but not uncomfortable and I'd like to pick up a cz550 in that caliber. I'd like to try some of the really big ones just for the hell of it like 600ok and such.
 
Another vote for a WSM I have a 7mmWSM and it did need a muzzle brake installed , but I'm running hot 160gr rounds through it, however ammo is slim picking for that WSM, if you don't handload then I vote 270WSM or 300WSM I think for the OP this would be the best pick based on the fact HE said he wanted a big Canon that would not cost him $5 a round , and if those two have to much kick , then he could have a brake installed on it, my 7mmWSM kicks like my 270win's
 
375H&H. One world, one caliber.
Click to expand...

little tidbits like this make me want to pull the trigger on the safari express i have my eye on right now. i still can't seem to find an m70 alaskan.

for the lower 48, the 30-06 is about as versatile as they come, and do most anything that needs doing. but the .375 sure sounds like a must have in my book.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Ryanxia
  • Locked
Want a big caliber - what are my options?
2
Replies
46
Views
1K
Eb1
Eb1
red rick
  • Locked
What Caliber ?
2
Replies
33
Views
1K
Mn Fats
Mn Fats
P
  • Locked
Mosin Nagant.. why?
2 3
Replies
51
Views
3K
thralldad
T
B
  • Locked
Bolt actions from WWII
2 3
Replies
64
Views
3K
Limeyfellow
L
X
  • Locked
Which 22-250? Or is there a better caliber?
Replies
23
Views
2K
DIM
D
Back
Top