In the July 2007 Field & Stream David E. Petzal wrote an article called “The Last Cartridge Guide You’ll Ever Need”. One idea he expressed was “Choice of cartridge ranks fairly low in determining whether you will succeed as a hunter. If you’re a good shot, it doesn’t matter much what you use”.
Petzal then goes on to list his favorite choices, most of which I disagree with. His choices and mine follow.
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VARMINTS – Petzal s Choice
1st .223 Remington
2nd .220 Swift
Honorable Mention = .22-250
VARMINTS – My Choice
1st .223 Remington
2nd .22-250
Honorable Mention .220 Swift
The .223 gets the nod for 1st because it will do for most needs and there is an abundance of cheap ammo. The .22-250 gets second place because it will do most of anything else that’s needed, and where it won’t I‘d be reaching for a .243 or .25.
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VARMINTS and BIG GAME – Petzal's Choice
1st 6mm Remington
2nd .257 Roberts
Honorable Mention .243 Winchester
VARMINTS and BIG GAME – My Choice
1st .25-06
2nd .257 Roberts
Honorable Mention .243 Winchester
1st choice goes to the .25-06, which does most of what needs doing with considerably less powder than the .257 Weatherby. After all, this IS a dual purpose category. 2nd choice goes to the .257 Roberts which I like better for big game, even small big game, than a .243 anything. My attitude here is based on the Roberts’ ability to push 75g V-MAX to 3600fps, push 120g bullets over 2900fps, and having seen too many elk wounded with a .243 Win.
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BIG GAME: LIGHT KICKERS – Petzal’s Choice
1st 7x57, 7mm-08 (tie)
2nd .308 Win
Honorable Mention 6.5x55 Swedish
BIG GAME: LIGHT KICKERS – My Choice
1st .308 Win
2nd 7x57, 7mm-08, (tie)
Honorable Mention .260 Remington, .30-30 Winchester (tie)
Here I had to give the nod to the .308 Win due the abundance of inexpensive (practice) ammo and the belief that practice can make a big difference. The .308’s heavier bullets would also be my choice if going after really big game like moose. Other than that I consider the 7x57, 7mm-08 and .308 Win to be peas in a pod. The .260 Remington gets mention because it does everything the Swedish will do and a bit more. The .30-30 gets honorable mention instead of top billing only because of its more limited range.
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BIG GAME: ALL_AROUND ROUNDS – Petzal ’s Choice
1st .30-06 Springfield
2nd .270 Winchester, .280 Remington (tie)
Honorable Mention .338 Winchester Magnum
BIG GAME: ALL_AROUND ROUNDS – My Choice
1st .300 Winchester Magnum
2nd .30-06, 7mm Remington Magnum
Honorable Mention .270 Winchester
Top slot goes to the .300 Win Mag because it would be my first choice of those listed for the larger species of North American game, like moose or brown bear and with lighter bullets and loads it is quite suitable for smaller game. In fact, when I first got a .300 Win Mag the first loads I developed were .308 Win equivalents. The .30-06 and 7mm Rem Mag get 2nd place because of their versatility and the abundance of good factory loads and components. The .270 Winchester, while I feel it is close to ideal as a deer rifle, lacks the versatility of the .30-06 and 7mm Rem Mag. The .280 Remington doesn’t quite match the 7mm Remington Magnum velocities and I prefer the options in .270 Win factory loads over those available for the .280 Remington. For example, Federal loads Trophy Bonded bullets for th e.270 but not for the .280. Picky, maybe, but this is MY list.
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BIG GAME AT LONG RANGE – Petzal ’s Choice
1st .300 Weatherby Magnum
2nd .270 Winchester Short Magnum
Honorable Mention 7mm Weatherby Magnum
BIG GAME AT LONG RANGE – My Choice
1st .300 RUM
2nd 7mm STW
Honorable Mention .300 Winchester Magnum
In the long range game, if the .300 Weatherby is good, how can the RUM, which pushes the same bullets faster, not be better? Pretty much the same story with the .270 and 7mm STW – the STW pushes heavier bullets with better B.C.s faster. The .300 Win Mag, with 165/168g bullets approaching 3300fps just makes me smile.
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HEAVY OR DANGEROUS NORTH AMERICAN GAME – Petzal ’s Choice
1st .338 Winchester Magnum
2nd .338 RUM
Honorable Mention .340 Weatherby
HEAVY OR DANGEROUS NORTH AMERICAN GAME – My Choice
1st .375 Ruger
2nd .45-70 Government
Honorable Mention .338 Win Mag, .338 RUM (tie)
Here the top slot goes to the new .375 Ruger – it has .375 H&H punch in a rifle that is lighter to pack and, with the Ruger Alaskan’s 20” barrel, considerably shorter and handier. Second position goes to the .45-70. Dangerous game isn’t dangerous when its 300 yards away, but when it is close and getting closer fast a 540g hardcast that can do a rhino end-to-end provides a lot of comfort – especially when there are 5 more in the magazine of a fast lever action. The .338’s get honorable mention only because I feel they are not as suitable as charge stoppers, although I have no qualms with their effectiveness on heavy North American game.
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Petzal went on to compare handgun cartridges and cartridges for Africa. In the handgun category he placed the .44 Magnum first and the .480 Ruger second, choices I’ll not disagree with.
He listed 6 choices in three categories for Africa, but since I don’t anticipate ever hunting there I’ll skip them.
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So there’s my choices. I’m sure many will disagree, just as I have disagreed with Petzal.
