All around cartridge

[totallycustom]

Wondering what you all think would be the best cartridge that would chamber for in the 336/1895 platform for the following categories:
-all around cartridge from deer to bear, moose and beyond
-best long range cartridge
-hardest hitting
-flattest shooting

What cartridges are available that would work or have been chambered?

I am thinking of getting together a custom rifle and want something that shoots well all around for all types of game. I think a .375 JDJ with flat/round nose bullets would be pretty good all around.  What do you think?

-TC-

[cwlongshot]

With as much latatude as you question allows... For my all around choice, I will go for one of my all time favorites.....The 356 Win.

Best long range....for Deer sized game, I'll go with the 7MM STE.

Hardest hitting.....hands down 45-70 with heavy handloads!

Flattest shooting......With out checking the books...I'll go with the 7mm STE again.

Although the JDJ could conseavabley be chambered in the marlin...its not the best choice as you would be stuck with flat/round nose bullets unless you only shot it singly.....If thats your idea..... why not just have a Handi!!!

CW

[DirtyDan]

When I first read your post I thought you were looking for a different round in each of the cats. Then I thought no, one round to fit all the cats. After 35years of thinkin' about the best all around chambering, I have come to the conclusion that there is not one. And believe me I am of the "one man, one gun" philosophy. I believe a four rifle battery is about the best a man could expect to do, maybe 3, and that is excluding handguns.

[Sixgun]

I agree,

However, I used to use a 308 Win for most of my hunting needs.  I killed deer, elk and grouse with it every year.  

One day I got a 338 win mag for elk.  It was heavier and had a longer barrel but it was a real hammer.  I quit having to track elk and some deer were hard to find because I had to dig them out of the hole they made when they fell soo hard.  I got less bloodshot meat on deer also because the bullet went through without expanding  but turned the lights of instantly.  It wasn't an overkill on grouse either.  I didn't have to buy premium bullets either.  Just about any old 225 gr bullet will work great at 2900 fps.  Recoil wasn't that bad either

Now that I am getting older, I find the weight and length of the 338 are a bit much.  Last year I carried my Model 94 30-30 with cast lead bullets.  I got my deer and an elk with it just fine.  It carries great.  Cast bullets are cheap.  I used a 170 gr Lee with a gas check at about 2300 fps.  

I may use that gun again next year.  Oh yes!  It kills forest grouse just fine too.

Sixgun

[Coyote Hunter]

“-all around cartridge from deer to bear, moose and beyond”
It’s hard to argue with a .45-70 when the game gets big and bitey.  350g for antlers, 540g hardcast for bitey.

“-best long range cartridge”
The .307 pushing a 170g Speer to 2535fps wins this race: 1,000fpe out to 370 yards, down 24.7”.  The .356 Win pushing a 180g Speer isn’t far behind at 350 yards, down 20”.

“-hardest hitting”
That’s easy, the .45-70 pushing a 350g to 2183fps.  Over 3700fpe at the muzzle, about 850fpe more than the .356Win or .444, the runners up.  North Fork bonded, in my case.

“-flattest shooting”
At -10” it’s the 7mm STE pushing a 139g Hornady to 2710fps, 305 yards.  The .307 and .357Win are a hair behind at 300 yards.


The above are based on the assumption that all loads are zeroed for Maximum Point Blank Range for a 6” diameter target.
7-30 Waters, 139g Hornady @ 2600fps, 2086fpe @ muzzle, 207yd zero, 242yd MPBR
7mm STE, 139g Hornady @ 2710fps, 2266fpe @ muzzle, 215yd zero, 222yd MPBR
.30-30, 170g Speer @ 2300fps, 1977fpe @ muzzle, 190yd zero, 222yd MPBR
.307Win, 170g Speer @ 2535fps, 2426fpe @ muzzle, 207yd zero, 244yd MPBR
.356Win, 180g Speer, 2654fps, 2815 @ muzzle, 211yd zero, 247yd MPBR
.356Win, 220Speer, 2344fps, 2684fpe @ muzzle, 195yd zero, 228yd MPBR
.375Win, 220g Hornady, 2275ps, 2661fpe @ muzzle, 179yd zero, 209yd MPBR
.444 265g Hornady @ 2200fps, 2848fpe @ muzzle, 172yd zero, 201yd MPBR
.45-70, 350g North Fork, 2183fps, 3703fpe @ muzzle, 174yd zero, 204yd MPBR

What hasn’t been taken into consideration in the above, however, is bullet construction.  Pretty slim pickings for 7mm bullets for tube mags and things are no better for the .375.  For the .45-70 you can choose from a 250g and 300g Barnes X, a 300g Speer Uni-Cor or Nosler Partition, or 350g A-Frame or North Fork bonded-core bullets.  Of course with the .45-70 you can go hardcast and go really heavy, with 540g Garrett Hammerheads.

The fact is there is no “best” – it all depends on what you will be hunting, how much recoil you want to put up with, and myriad of other factors. I shoot a .44 Mag Browning B92 and Marlins in .30-30, .375Win and .45-70.  If I had to pick one to hunt with the rest of my life it would be the .45-70.

[daddywpb]

After 25 years of wanting a 45/70 and finally getting one, I'd say I would be comfortable carrying it for any game on this continent. It's a very versatile caliber, especially if you load your own. From 300 grain cast plinkers to 500 grain solids that will shoot lenghtwise thru anything that walks in North America, and everything in between. If I had to keep just one rifle, it would be a 45/70.

[glshop20]

I agree with those that pick the 45-70.  You have so many possible load combinations that it is hard to beat.  If it's zeroed for 100yds the drop out at 200yds. is not hard to deal with.  While it has plenty of power to take game at longer distance, hold over can get very tricky.  Another possibility if you can find one is a Marlin chambered in .375 Winchester.  It is like a high octane 38-55.  Pushes 220gr. bullets at around 2200fps. I have one and it shoots very well with little hold over needed at 200yds. when zeroed for 100yds.  I wish Marlin would offer a rifle in .405.  That would be a real BLASTER.

[Coyote Hunter]

I agree with those that pick the 45-70.  ...If it's zeroed for 100yds the drop out at 200yds. is not hard to deal with.  While it has plenty of power to take game at longer distance, hold over can get very tricky.  Another possibility if you can find one is a Marlin chambered in .375 Winchester.  ...Pushes 220gr. bullets at around 2200fps. ...

My first Marlin was a .375 and it will push a 220g Hornady out the muzzle at 2275fps.  Zeroed for MPBR for a 6” diameter target, the bullet has a max rise of 3” at 110 yards.  At 210 yards it is down 3” and retains 1229 fpe.   At 300 yards it is down 20.5” and retains 890 fpe.

By contrast, my 350g North Fork load runs 2183fps at the muzzle.  Zeroed for MPBR with a 6” diameter circle, max rise of 3” occurs at 100 yards.  It is down 3” at 205 yards with 1900 fpe and down 22.5” at 300 yards with 1383 fpe.  

Obviously you get more recoil with the .45-70 load, but you deliver a LOT more energy with no significant difference in trajectory.

[VTDW]

CH FYI,

You continue to amaze me after all these years.  Luv those engineers. :wink:

Dave

[IntrepidWizard]

We are talking Marlin so I will say the 356 or 357.If we are talking lever action either the 308 or the 300 Savage [that should have been our military round] in a Savage 99 I have both and the 300 the longest so it has down the job the most on deer.