Tell Me, What is the best rifle CALIBER FOR YOU

[JOHN THURSTON]

So; a readers input post.

I am asking you to Post what you think in the best all alround hunting cartridge availbe, and give your reason.

Recoil, versatiliy, on several continents if you like, in the USA if you only hunt in the Northeast, ergonomics of the rifle.catridge combination of your choice, accuracy (whether 'custom' 0r "out of the box).

If you like a particular rifle/action/cartridge combination-please say why.

I would really like to here from you and I am very interested in your responses.

I ask to stay with Hunting combos because to also cover, plinkers, target weapons, pistols, Military Match weapons and sporting/hunting weapons might be to broad a subject. We wil cover the others if the response to this post is good.

Remember, only one rifle/cartridge combination for now. If you what to post a second combination for another area, that would be fine.

Their are several "rifled barreled" shotguns on the market and if you wish to choose one of these, that's fine.



JT

[JOHN THURSTON]

Well, I will forth to you my choices based on some parameters:

Survival: .22 Long Rifle: report cannot be traced easily, ounce for ounce the most useful and inexpensive cartridge available.

Self Defence, Rifle: .223 Remington, low recoil, light weight, accuracy rating high. Many compact systems available. Ammunition availabilitly high.

For the the one Rifle East Coast hunter: US Cal. .30 0f 1906.

Accuracy excellent. GI surplus still avaible from the CMP.

My personal choice for the one or two rifle US (including big bear) .338 Winchester Magnum.

Worldwide choices for the "African Man". .375 H&H Magnum. The ,45 claibers and above recoil way too much for me, but the .375 seems managable and its ballistics are very good..

The one-two-three combo: 22 LR, .30-06. .375. H&H.

jt

[benzocaine]

I'll say my favorite is my own personal gun.

It is a .270 wsm wichester short mag. It is a cannon and I love it!

The next gun I'd want is a .300 wsm kaaaaaah boooom

After than a simple winchester 30/30 more deer have been killed by this gun than any other.

[JOHN THURSTON]

The Win Short Magnum seems to fall in a good power range, and the .270 is a world class caliber. I have two: a M70 Super Grade and a custon gun on an FN Action with a Fajen Stock.

In the 270 the 130gr is deadly at long range. I specifically don't know much about the .300 WSm. I like my .338 WM On the MKX action with one of Harry MaGowen's barrel ok.

It Kicks less than it's killing power , which the longer .300's do not exceed.

Delighted to have your input.

JT

[Rising Star]

I love the .270 winchester. I dropped an antelope at 400 yards with a 140 grain bullet in Wyoming a couple of years back. Flat and fast.

Sadly a lot of the northeast is shotgun only but my remington 1100 still does the job!

John

[JOHN THURSTON]

Hey thanks for responding.

The 1100 is hard to beat.

However, in Mass. it is now legal to use "rifle barrled" shotguns.

Both Savage and Ithace make a fixed barrel deer hunted version which stabilizes a 500 grain sabot slug for good groups out to 100 yards.

A Barnes all copper 400 grain hollow poing is another sabot choice.

The best loads are from Federal at present.

The knockdown power of these "street legal" sluggers is scary. Their accuracy surprising.

Check it out.

Your point was well taken.

The Savage is based on the 110 action and is "sure ain't pretty to a shotgunner.

But harder hitting and greatly improved accuracy means more human kills, and beacause one cane actually use a 'scope one these sluggers, it means increased safety in the woods.


jt

[Rising Star]

I have an after market Hastings rifled barrel for my 1100!

right there with ya!

[JOHN THURSTON]

Yes, Indeed RS is is what we do.

When the Mood strikes you, and.or the finances permit, both myself and my fellow hunter have noticed an appreciable increase in accuracy in the models which have the rifled barrel permanent affixed to the receiver.

Of course our results cannot be labeled a broad survey as we had only 3 shotguns for testing.

The Savage 110 based bolt gun and the Ihaca Pump and a Model 11 Remington. The latted shot quite well, just not into the 1 1/2 2" that we obtained with the former two weapons.

Of course---we won't be doing any bird hunting with the savage of Ithaca.

Browning was goint to offer a massove version on their A bolt in a rifled barrel 12ga, but the idea was dropped.

The Ithace's fit and finish were very good. The Savage offers only a composite stock and matte finish.

Some sufaces had to be stoned to remove sharp edges and retouched with perma blue which blends sell enough with the matted finish.

If you Hunt in Mass. remember that area 11 has an apparent superflity of doe permits. So if you do not get yours in the 'lottery" appear at a Fish and Game Station and they will probably have some anyway.

JT

[JOHN THURSTON]

It is well you obtained your Model 70 WSM .270 when you did.

As you know Winchester New Haven is shut down and the 94, M70, 94/22 will NOT be available for the foreseeable future.

As a side note the record american deer killers would appear to be 30-30, 44-40, 30-06 as far as I know (in order) all else sort of follow. The 44-40's stats are quite old, of course.

I sent with the 7mm RM and .338 as they reload easily and fit 'standard length' bolt actions.

The original .300 win mag had 'too short a neck" so to speak to please handloaders as the heavier bullets would have to be seated deeplyand decreases powder capacity. It is doubtful that this concern would still be valid given the introduction of denser slow/slow burning powders such as IMR4831 and Norma 205.

Also this increased chances of inadvertent misalignment cuased by cartridge handling as a relatively short length of brass holds the projectile in place as compared to other magnums.
If you can tell us about the new series of short and ultra magnums I would be interested to hear about them.

JT