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My decisions are determined by what the rifle is being used for and the cost and availability of ammo to feed the thing. Of course, in this day and age I would have a hard time deciding regarding the second part.
From what little I’ve looked at commercial ammo lately, it seems 6.5 Creed is just as or more available. I suppose that varies by store and location.Just because it is so widely available (I don't reload). Not sure if I will buy one or not but I am looking around at .308 rifles.
From what little I’ve looked at commercial ammo lately, it seems 6.5 Creed is just as or more available. I suppose that varies by store and location.
Now with the way ammo availability has been I find myself looking at .308. Just because it is so widely available (I don't reload). Not sure if I will buy one or not but I am looking around at .308 rifles.
It's pretty obvious that I use a ".308" now (a .308 Norma Magnum), but I started with a .308 Winchester myself- almost 60 years ago. And the truth is that lately I've been considering going back to a .308 Winchester, or maybe a 7mm-08 Remington in a lightweight "mountain rifle" of some kind. Either cartridge would do everything I'm going to do (as far as big game hunting goes) for the rest of my life. Besides, as much as I love my 308 Norma Mag, it seems to have grown heavier - just like the mountains around here have grown steeper and taller.I also like what I've read about 7mm-08 but it doesn't seem to be in style at the moment.
Get 100- 200 cases, a few boxes of bullets and primers, and an 8# jug of powder and you’ll have a lifetime supply of hunting rounds no matter how avid a hunter you are.And by getting into reloading, you'll only have to worry about component availability in the future, instead of worrying about cartridge availability along with component availability.
After 50 years I'm sure @.308 Norma 's wife is a very special lady. Heck she is a 7 mm Rem Mag fan. That's special in itself.
I've always said that from a practical perspective most cartridges are more alike than different. The only reason I'd personally not be interested in anything 8mm is due to the lack of good bullets available.
WHAT? .... SIERRA HORNADY AND NOSLER all make quality bullets for the 8mm (.323)I've always said that from a practical perspective most cartridges are more alike than different. The only reason I'd personally not be interested in anything 8mm is due to the lack of good bullets available.
Have a 98 Mauser needful of a new barrel. Ordered an 8x57 #2 1/2 from ER Shaw this week, mainly because the only non wildcat reamers I have on hand are .270 and 8x57. I already have 2 98s(and an M70) in .270. Always wanted a heavier barreled 8x57 anyway.
Now if I DIDN'T already have the reamer, I may have gone another direction. I could be wrong, but I figure, I have the rifles I use regularly and they seem to pretty much stay the same these days. Buliding another one is more just about building another one, no so much needing another one. Since this will use up the last of my Mauser parts, I doubt I will do any more.
What reasons affect your choice of cartridges?
I'm just going by what I have been seeing at the local Academy Sports as far as ammunition is concerned. I looked around some online for a .308 bolt gun. I saw a lot more 6.5 Creedmore rifles available than I did .308. I don't really have a plan but I am looking around. I haven't hunted for a while. Life gets in the way. But I am wanting to get back to it. I have a couple of kids that would like to go & my boy is 9. I need to take him with me some & if he wants to hunt it would be good to have another rifle to set him up with. I also like what I've read about 7mm-08 but it doesn't seem to be in style at the moment.
I have an old German 8x57 Mauser that a prior owner had sporterized back in the 1950s-60s. They did a really nice job on it in my opinion. All I did was mount a scope on it and loaded up some Barnes TTSX 160gr bullets. It shot great even with the old military barrel. I took it to the deer woods last Thanksgiving and took a great whitetail buck with it. That shot stopped it in its tracks and there was no movement afterwards. It was one of the cleanest kill shots on a deer I've ever had in my 27 years of hunting whitetail deer.
All that business about bullet selection may have been true back in day but these days (not withstanding all the Rona supply chain crap) there's plenty of options across the different manufacturers.
I'm a fan of the .323/8mm stuff in general. I've got an 8x57, and 8mm-06, and an 8mm Rem Mag. Can't say enough positive things about 8mm chamberings!
I choose my calibers by what I'm using the gun for. Hunting squirrels with a .50 cal has bad results. LOL
I also look at the reloadability & availability of components for the round since I reload for almost everything I own.
Component shortages have taught me that even things like 6.5mm bullets become unavailable or priced beyond what I'm willing to pay. My next rifle cartridge needs to be at home with cast, function well with a variety of pistol and rifle powders, accept standard and magnum primers, and have the range to go out to 2-300 meters. Being able to shoot bullets under 130 grains is a plus.