What's the ".357 Magnum" of rifle calibers?

[MachIVshooter]

Given the notion that the .308 and 30-06 are so similar on practicality, I will do some research and see if I can find economical advantage with one over the other.

Overall availability of ammo goes to the .308 these days, but when you narrow the spectrum to hunting loads, I generally see the .30-06 having the edge, as lots of the .308 ammo out there is ball, match or "tactical" type.

In factory loadings, the ballistics are close enough that there is no difference for all practical purposes. If you're gonna handload, though, the .30-06 is more flexible, and edges out the .308 by a decent margin with bullets of 180 grains and heavier.

 

[69Precision]

While the .308 or -06 are great options if a guy wanted to have a single rifle to cover everything, for this particular question, I'd lean toward .223. OP says he has no interest in hunting. If his target shooting will be under 600 yards, the 223 will do the job with less cost and recoil. As far as comparison to the 357, I'd again say 223 since both rounds are considered to be good for critters smaller than deer, and just barely enough for deer with the right bullet at shorter ranges.

 

[alexander45]

I would have to say 308 30-06 is more like 45colt a bit older and a great deal more useful but in a larger less packable package

 

[Old Checkered Wool]

So it seems to me that you want the most versatile rifle for target shooting/ plinking? Just what is the versatility in that if all you need it for is target shooting? When I think of a one size fits all firearm, I think of one that would cover a broad spectrum of abilities.(Hunting variety of game,Home defense, self defense, ability to lay suppressive fire quickly, ability to stop threats, availability of ammo, cost of ammo, ect)

Do you want a target rifle that can shoot both short and long range?
Do you want a target rifle that shoots both expensive and inexpensive rounds?
Do you want a target rifle that can have both mild recoil and heavy recoil?

I really fail to see the one size fits all category for a firearm that will (ONLY) be used for target shooting/backyard plinking.

Now, if you are talking competition target shooting there will indeed be specific firearms that are better suited for that specific event than almost all others.

IMHO, if I wanted the most versatile rifle for target shooting (ONLY), I would want the capability to go anywhere from 0-2000 yards and hit targets with that. If you reload, check one of your reloading manuals for bullets designed with the best BC and coming out of the pipe at over 3300 fps.

Aside from one round being able to shoot greater distances than another, I fail to see what ANY round offers over another (at the range alone), maybe except cost and availability of ammo.

 

[Reloadron]

As for hunting, I do not. Nor, at the moment, do I plan to. I've got nothing against it, but it's not something I have the time or money to invest in fully right now.

I just spent an inordinate amount of time as a kid looking down the scope of an air rifle, knocking bottlecaps off my back fence at about 15-20 yards.

My 6" stainless .357 mag and range membership have rekindled my love of marksmanship as a hobby, and I miss firing a long gun.

I just figure if I'm going to buy one, even if it is only for the range, it may as well be a useful gun. I'd like to handload for it too, eventually.

So what we are really saying is a good overall long gun caliber for general use, target shooting, and enjoyable to shoot. That said I would consider a common caliber like the 308 Winchester or the 223 Remington. I only suggest those two because they are very common and readily available and both calibers offer a wide range of bullets. If you want a larger of the two I would run with the 308 Winchester. The 30-06 could also be tossed in the lot but with a 308 you are not giving up much with the exception of launching maybe 220 grain bullets.

You settle on a caliber the next step is to settle on a rifle and either the 308 Winchester or the 223 Remington have no shortage of offerings in rifles economically priced to holy crap I can't believe it cost that much. Additionally your choice of auto loading or bolt action not to mention lever guns and pump action as well. There is no one size fits all as was mentioned. Thus I am suggesting either of two popular general purpose cartridges.

Ron

 

[BobWright]

Despite the superiority of the .30-06/.308, I'd tend to choose the .30-30 WCF.

While the '06 family does the job so well, the lowly .30-30 is available in a wider selection of rifles, such as the fine Marlin and Winchester lever actions.

Further, the .30-30 is much gentler to novice shooters, more readily available ammunition-wise, and in the very handy little carbines. And in single shot rifles, can be handloaded with Spitzer type bullets for extended range. And, its a bonus for southpaw shooters.

Bob Wright

 

[Hookeye]

Just dumping lead into the dirt might make for some economical scrutiny.
But if you're wanting to shoot well (and or well more often).....then you will reload.
Unless you choose something funky, the costs are about the same.

So you can pick just about anything.

Maybe even more than one rifle

Shooting is not a cheap sport. Shooting above average means investing time and money in gear, and ammo. But IMHO the ammo is the least of the worries.

Who cares if a couple of boxes of ammo cost an extra 20 bucks over the cheap milsurp stuff? When you miss a day of overtime at work (taking Saturday off) and burning 30 bucks in gas to go to the range and back.

Sure cheaper ammo and guns are fun. But you don't really learn anything by messing with stuff that shoots with more variation than the shooter.

So.........you have serious guns, and fun guns.

I do understand economics, but wonder how much of this detailed bean counter mentality..........is guys driving new cars wanting to shoot for pennies. Spend your money however you want....but I keep seeing this supposed studious look at shooting, where folks want one gun to do it all.

Really, if one gets serious about their shooting of that one gun........it is MHO that they will buy more than the one gun. Then all that banter about economics just went down the toilet.

Never met a serious shooter with just one gun.

 

[Hookeye]

And no, I am not a .357 magnum fan

 

[Fremmer]

Try the .308 Winchester. The ammo manufacturers have developed some very accurate bullet/powder combos for that caliber, and there'll be plenty of target-style rifle options available.

 

[CoalTrain49]

What's the ".357 Magnum" of rifle calibers?

That could be the 223. If all you want to do is punch paper at 200 yds. save yourself some money and do it with a 5.56/223 carbine. I looked and 308 runs about $1 or more a round. That's some fairly serious money to be punching paper with. 223 can be found for half that.

Personally, I like to punch paper at 100 yds. I have a 77/357 carbine (2 moa) for that. Not very many shooters are 1 moa even with a gun that will shoot that tight. If you reload you can take 50% off of the cost of factory ammo. Every serious shooter I know reloads. If you just want to play with it a few days a year like most people it's a loser.

 

[Inebriated]

You pretty much have a blank slate here with no real defined use or qualities... But if I wanted a very general ~300 yard and in range gun, and I wasn't hunting... I'd just get a .223. Be it a bolt gun, an AR, a Remington 750, a Ruger Mini-14, a single-shot... doesn't particularly matter for a range gun, get whatever turns you on.

If you're stuck on.308 or .30-06, get the .308. Both have their niches in different areas of performance, but tremendous overlap for most people.... .308 is just a better range cartridge because of the peripheral benefits... Both match and bulk ammo, less recoil, more target-oriented rifles, etc.

But long range shooting aside, I see very little reason to have a .308 when you're just plinking or even shooting for groups.

 

[Jeepergeo]

Of course it really depends on what you will be doing.

For hunting large game in the lower 48 and most game in North America, the 30-06 Springfield is a great choice. It is easy to find and lots of manufacturers chamber their guns for it. Alternatives include the .270 and .308 with some loss of game at the top end of the scale.

For target shooting and plinking, the 22 LR is hard to beat, but the .17 HMR is a close contender.

You did not mention shotgun. Just in case, the 12 gauge is the way to go for versatility. The alternatives is the 20 gauge.

 

[rskent]

For me, I would put the 357 with the 3006 for sure.
38 spl / 357 ..... 308 / 30-06
45 colt ..... 45-70
9mm ..... 223

If I was looking for a general purpose rifle I would look no farther than a 223.
Unless you are buying it to hang on the wall, you gotta feed it. Why pay for 308
or 3006 rounds when you can get 223 for much much less. If your going to get a
rifle it may as well be an AR. Its America’s rifle.

Good luck

 

[Scrumbag]

Lots of people look past the 6.5x55 Swedish. Good BC if you want to push the range and very capable hunting round as well.

ATB,

Scrummy

 

[maxxhavoc]

If part of your satisfaction comes from the flash and/or recoil of the weapon, then you are looking at 308 or 30-'06

I can shoot my 308 AR-10 all day...shooting 180 rounds in a session is not an issue. Change to a bolt-action Springfield '03 30-06, and I will stop around 50 rounds (most of this is due to the light bolt action, some of it is the cartridge.) .300 WinMag...I'll shoot 5 before saying "No Thank you."

.223 is nice, but I like a regular dose of shooting something with some thump to it. If you like milsurp, there are a lot of bolt-actions that will do that. A semiauto Garand will put a smile on your face, and it is another shoot-all-day gun for me.

If you like modern guns, an AR-10 will give you the feeling you have shot something. Buy an AR-10 and AR-15 and you almost have the versatility of the .357/38 combo (but you need 2 guns to do it.)

It sounds like you miss shooting cans as a kid. Do your self and get a Henry .22. Nothing fancy, just the base model. The first time I shot mine, I ended up spending a lazy day at the range shooting a Walmart steel target for almost 4 hours. The thing makes you feel like a kid again.

 

[pirkfan]

This just seems like a no-brainer. You have a 357 mag pistol, you are just going to be target shooting, not hunting, they make 357/38 special rifles, mostly lever guns, but ruger does make a slick little rotary magazine bolt action 357 mag. One cartridge and a straight wall easy reloading one at that. Cheap to shoot (reloads that is), and you only have to have the one setup (well two if you count 38 special, but of course the dies work for both). The cartridges use way less powder, you can cast your own bullets, and the brass lasts much longer than bottleneck calibers. Some of the little lever carbines only weigh around 5 lbs, and are megafun to shoot. Both Henry (and Marlin if they ever get back in production) make carbines which readily mount optics).

 

[lobo9er]

5.56/223 is popular and easy to find would be an option and less recoil than .308. I currently do not have a .223 anymore but do have a .308. I plan on hunting with the .308. If I wasn't a hunter I'd go with 5.56/223 for a range toy. And will someday own another god willing.

 

[Hookeye]

So it seems to me that you want the most versatile rifle for target shooting/ plinking? Just what is the versatility in that if all you need it for is target shooting? When I think of a one size fits all firearm, I think of one that would cover a broad spectrum of abilities.(Hunting variety of game,Home defense, self defense, ability to lay suppressive fire quickly, ability to stop threats, availability of ammo, cost of ammo, ect)

Do you want a target rifle that can shoot both short and long range?
Do you want a target rifle that shoots both expensive and inexpensive rounds?
Do you want a target rifle that can have both mild recoil and heavy recoil?

I really fail to see the one size fits all category for a firearm that will (ONLY) be used for target shooting/backyard plinking.

Now, if you are talking competition target shooting there will indeed be specific firearms that are better suited for that specific event than almost all others.

IMHO, if I wanted the most versatile rifle for target shooting (ONLY), I would want the capability to go anywhere from 0-2000 yards and hit targets with that. If you reload, check one of your reloading manuals for bullets designed with the best BC and coming out of the pipe at over 3300 fps.

Aside from one round being able to shoot greater distances than another, I fail to see what ANY round offers over another (at the range alone), maybe except cost and availability of ammo.

Cool factor for some is important.
Everybody has a .223
Who is running a .219 Zipper, .256 Win, a 6mm TCU.........heck i think a 5.7x28 would be cool in a Contender carbine. Reloading and punching paper, you can get by with being less "standard".

 

[revolversrbetter]

I'd go with 30-06. All during the ammo scare, no .308 was to be found, but you could buy all of the 30-06 you wanted.

 

[Old Checkered Wool]

Hookeye, I have to agree 100%. It always gets a lot of heads turning at the range when somebody shows up with an old Remington-Keene, or Westley Richards Rook rifle. You don't see them often, but they are cool and usually steal the show for the day.

 

[WestKentucky]

For punching paper stick with the .357. Ruger makes a nice bolt rifle and several companies have made nice leverguns in .357. 30 bucks for 50 rounds is a lot cheaper to spend time with than 30 bucks for 20 rounds, not to mention you won't be beaten up with recoil like you would with a centerfire rifle. If you did get into hunting later on, .357 is plenty up to and including whitetail and pigs. I would want more gun for elk, moose, and things that might eat me.

If you really want a nice powerful but not too much rifle I would look at platform first. Pick your type...lever, bolt, semiautomatic....then pick a chambering. For lever I would stick to 30-30. For bolt I went .270win as a teenager and still love it. Your top end on power vs punch I'd say is 25-06, .270 win, 30-06, and .308. Each has its virtues...and the first 3 of those are in proper order from lightest fastest bullet to heaviest slowest bullet. .308 is very similar to those but it is a frogs hair shy of the same power but is a bit less on recoil as well. For semiautomatic your looking at .308 as an all around rifle, but most go with .223. .223 is fast, flat, and soft on the shoulder, but it's not much in the line of power. I wouldn't hunt anything bigger than a coyote with it.

 

[WestKentucky]

Cool factor for some is important.
Everybody has a .223
Who is running a .219 Zipper, .256 Win, a 6mm TCU.........heck i think a 5.7x28 would be cool in a Contender carbine. Reloading and punching paper, you can get by with being less "standard".

I am running the .256winmag...and 7-30 waters...and shooting my buntline .357, and 16" 44 mag contender in pistol configuration. I'm "that guy"....and I'm happy.

 

[stubbicatt]

You have plenty of recommendations here. If you are not in a big hurry, I find that many folks at most public ranges are gracious and relatively generous, and will let you shoot one or two rounds through their firearms, if you ask nicely. That might be a way to get some exposure to different choices of actions and chamberings, assuming you don't have access to a range that rents out firearms for trial.

Since you already hand load, that opens up the universe of possibility some, as the cost and availability of factory ammunition is not really a concern for you.

I too enjoy the 357 magnum, but do not presently have a handgun in that chambering. I enjoy shooting it in a lever rifle. It is a formidable round to about 125 yards, at which point I notice that the bullet starts to drop pretty fast. Since you like bolt actioned rifles, perhaps the Ruger that has been recommended elsewhere in this thread would serve you well.

Added bonus is you already have the components you need to shoot it, and I feel confident it will do respectably well at reasonable plinking distances.

 

[axxxel]

My .308 is not absurdly overkill for varmints, small predators and wild boar piglets, and it covers all big game right up to when you really need to get at least a .375 H&H or larger to be in the game. With the right load, it's OK for bears, but not really for elephant.

Although I sometimes wish I had a smaller rifle for the odd jackrabbit that I bring home from the deer hunts, for most deer hunts I wouldn't want to have the ability to take a boar, if that's what I encounter, so I still would prefer to take the .308.

Although a larger rifle would be optimal for larger bears and longer shots on moose or antilope, the .308 makes do just fine, with managable recoil and ammunition expenses.

I don't think of my rifles as weapons to be used on dangerous people. If you need a rifle for that kind of stuff, then there might be a better specialist cartridge than the .308, but I think it's still a pretty decent cartridge even for that purpose.

To me, it's the perfect cartridge for an allround bolt action rifle. Perfectly adequate for almost anything that you'd want to do with a bolt action rifle.

Much of this praise is perfectly valid also for the .30-06, with slightly more power, but also slightly higher cost, recoil and slightly more cumbersome rifles.

 

[husbandofaromanian]

357 Magnum, due to it's power and recoil, is a large/heavy pistol as compared to most. So, I believe, the 338 Lapua is the 357 Magnum of rifles.