Which was/is the best cartridge of its time?

[OneShot!]

All four, 303, .308, 30-06 and 7.62x54R, were/are major cartridges of thier time. I guess these days .308 would take a number on any, but given the time when they were introduced, which of these best served the purpose it was intended for?

 

[Koos Custodiet]

30-30

And what about .22 rimfire?

 

[glockman19]

.308 & .30-06 Both similar, both great.

 

[Essex County]

One hundred and sixteen years ago there was no question......7.62X54R... Essex

 

[DogBonz]

Although not in your poll

I feel that the 30-30 was the biggest "jump"in performance. It was the hot-rod rifle round of its day and offered some serious balistics when compared to similiar rounds of its time.

 

[DMK]

30-06 is probably the most versatile. Especially for a reloader.

 

[db_tanker]

30-06 was my vote.


although all listed had their own impact.

In this country it would have to be the 30-06.

Rest of the world?


303 British IMO.

D

 

[Hoppy590]

more guns have chambered 7.62X54R
more people have probibly been killed by 54R
my itsself its midway between the larger '06, and the weaker 308. in modern loading it can achieve decent accuracy. its cheaper in surplus.

but hey, im partial

 

[stiletto raggio]

I vted 30-06 because it was a long-serving military cartridge and still dominates the hunting scene. It was the first American cartridge to use Spitzer bullets and is still considered to be one of the best all-around cartridges in the world.

The .22LR is the best round designed EVER, either for rifles or pistols. It will not go away as long as kinetic energy weapons are in use.

 

[Clipper]

Considering the years they were introduced, the 7.62X54R is easily the most advanced. All the others came after, and only the 30-06 very slightly eclipsed it. When introduced, it was easily superior to anything else on earth. None of the others can say that.

 

[JesseL]

So many poor, ignorant, people that have yet to realize the glory of the 6.5x55 Swede.

 

[Babarsac]

Although the 30-06 was the common cartridge of great weapons I wish I could afford (Garand, BAR, 1903). 7.62x54 has been around a lot longer and is still in use today in the support role, ,and therefore it gets my vote.

 

[Old Time Hunter]

Yea JesseL, I agree because the .45-70 is still going strong!

 

[azhunter12]

30/06 because it can take pretty much every North American game short of bear.

 

[Ian Sean]

Of those listed I opted for the .30-06...venerable military cartridge and great hunting round.

No mention of 8mm mauser though? Tsk-Tsk....much more influential worldwide for its time.

 

[MKEITH]

Ummmm, I'm pretty sure the bear I shot with my 30-06 died.

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

.30-06 of course. Second would be 8mm Mauser.

 

[KHawk]

Hands down, Thumbs up, the 30-06 moved the rifle into a new level of long-range accuracy. It also inspired all of the necked cartridges that have followed. It was and is the most researched cartridge ever made.

 

[mdao]

Best cartridge of it's time? Easy, 8 mm Lebel.

Well, for a short time anyways.

 

[Ian Sean]

the 30-06 moved the rifle into a new level of long-range accuracy. It also inspired all of the necked cartridges that have followed

I always thought the 8mm Mauser with the Spitzer bullet inspired the copy....errr.....development of the .30-06 that replaced the .30-03?

Let's give credit where it is due on this....8mm Mauser.

 

[OneShot!]

.308

I think .308 is and was the best cartridge. It was adopted by many militaries around the world, and still remains in NATO and many other countries. While, it has also proven its superiority over 30-06 in sporting arena.

 

[Gustav]

.30-06 .22LR .30-30 .270 or 12 gauge for America
7.62x54 & 7.62x39 for Russia Com Bloc and Warsaw pact countries.
.303 British cuts a wide path through history all over the globe as does the 8mm Mauser round.
Hard to pick only one.

 

[McCall911]

I voted for the .30-06 not because it's a sentimental, good ole US of A cartridge, but because of its great versatility.

And, well, because it's a good ole US of A cartridge.

 

[M1 Shooter]

I'll have to say the 7.92X57(8mm Mauser) as well. It was first introduced in 1888 with a 216gr .318" round nose bullet at a pretty impressive velocity for its day (around 2100-2200fps), loaded in a rimless case when most rifle cartidges of the time were rimmed. When the Germans upgraded to the 154gr .323" Spitz Geschoss (pointed bullet) @ ~2850fps in 1905, it forced the rest of the world to play catch up. It caused the US Army to redesign the .30-03 to the grand old .30-06 (my second pick for "best"). The 7.62X54R (introduced 1891, 208gr round nose @ ~2000fps), although a great and long lived cartridge, was hardly a trend-setter, or unique. Its ballistics were nearly identical with the .303 British (introduced 1888, 215gr round nose @ ~2000fps) and .30-40 Krag (introduced 1892, 220gr round nose @ ~2000fps) of the same era, both rimmed cartridges as well by the way. It wasn't loaded with a pointed bullet until 1908, making it one of the last military cartridges to be so upgraded. They are all great cartidges though, and they all performed their intended purpose (warfare) well.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

30-06 Extremely versatile. Reloads very well. reloaded for long range shooting or plinking. Gonna be around for a long time.