Author Topic: Favorite calibers (Read 2336 times)

reed61 · « **on:** March 23, 2003, 02:49:12 PM »

Hey guys, lets start a discussion. what some of your favorite calibers or gauges for hunting.What do you use them for?What make or model are they? Mine has to be a 25-06 Browning Micro Medallion for coyote and deer and a 20 gauge 1100 for rabbit and quail. I want a over and under but i aint quite saved the money for that yet. Anyway whats your thoughts. Hope this takes off. Thanks
reed

IronKnees · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2003, 12:03:14 PM »

Easy. .30-06 because of it's wide range of acceptable bullet weights, powders, and loads. It can be loaded for pretty much any kind of hunting and any kind of game, perhaps short of brown bears we have... Mine is a Remington 700 which was originally the Model 700 kit gun. Remington no longer offers that kit. I have a Ramline stock on it now, with a Tasco World Class scope. It has taken a number of wild boar and I am getting ready for coyote hunting with it... Dave

JeffG · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2003, 03:23:38 PM »

That would be a hard one..it would be a toss up between the 25-06 and the 243 Win. I love them both and the Browning Composite talker in 243 is very hard to beat.

volshooter · « **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2003, 04:09:51 AM »

I use a 25/06 most of the time. It is an old Mauser that's been customized by someone, and done very well I must add. While I like several other cal. the 25 is my 1st choice.

I have a Rem 870 Express Mag (12 ga) that serves all my shot gun needs.
Rick

jhm · « **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2003, 05:09:13 AM »

Well I guess the all time favorite will have to go to the 30-06 have used it and always have had that caliber when I let others go, I cant think of a time when I didnt have a ready to go 30-06 of some brand or another around, with that said I have really taken a liking to the 7-08 for deer hunting the last couple years, but if I had to narrow it down to one caliber it would have to go to the old stand by the 30-06

JIM

Yukon Jack · « **Reply #5 on:** March 26, 2003, 06:35:28 AM »

I really like all of mine, but I think my favorite is probably Ruger No.1 RSI in 7x57. I use it for everything unless there are big bears in the area. It's light (but not too light), short, extremely well balanced, fits me better than any others, is great for snap shooting or long range (250-350 yards), is just a real pleasure. I use it for sheep, deer, goat, caribou, and spike or fork moose. It wears a 1.75-6x Leupold and I really wish I'd have went with a 1.5-5x. That is really the only burr on it. I like this rifle so much that I'm customizing it now just for aesthetic reasons, not because there is anything wrong with it.

As far as the shotguns go, I have an old Stevens sxs 16 gauge that shoots as crooked as I see, so we are a perfect match in the field.

Having said all that, I wouldn't be without my 338, either. It's the "go to" rifle when the animals get big and mean in tooth and claw.

Rick Teal · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2003, 01:38:40 PM »

What if you have a lot of favourites? :twisted:

Right now my favourite moose gun is my Remington 7600 in .35 Whelen, and my favourite deer gun is my BLR in .358 Winchester. I've had my greatest success big game hunting (deer, moose and bear) with a Remington 742 in 30-06. The most effective deer cartridge I ever used was .303 British that I shot out of a sporterized No 1 Mk III SMLE. I've recently bought a Globco 555 in .303, and if it turns out to be reliable, I may spend part of this season hunting with the .303 autoloader.

I just bought an SKS as a plinker, and can't wait to get to the range with it and give it a workout.

DennisB · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2003, 04:12:51 PM »

Put me down for the .25/06 too. Second choice would be my #3 Ruger in 45-70. (Ain' that a stretch!)

For shotguns I'm kinda simple. You can have your Benelli's & such; I'll stick with an old (1939) Stevens 12 ga single shot for anything from turkey to late season dove.

myronman3 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2003, 01:12:33 AM »

rifle 270 win, pistol 45 auto, shotgun 20gauge

jdt48653 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2003, 02:22:59 PM »

264 win mag.

bearhuntr · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2003, 03:28:11 PM »

Quote from: reed61

Hey guys, lets start a discussion. what some of your favorite calibers or gauges for hunting.What do you use them for?What make or model are they?

reed 61,
I really like my .338 Winny. :grin: It's a Ruger stainless MkII that has had a little trigger job done and has a B&C fiberglass stock wrapped around it. It's topped with an older Leo Vari X II in 2X7. To it's credit it has : 1 brown bear, 4 black bears, 2 "bou", 1 Dall Sheep, and a fork horn moose. I have had it for about 4 years and will not trade it for anything!

My favorite scattergun is an old Auto-5 Browning (12 gauge) that I picked up used in 1970. I have long since worn the old wood off and have replaced the foregrip and butt stock with "glass" also. The barrel is a full choke and trap length. It's not the best for snowshoe hunting due to it's length but is fun non-the-less. Countless are the ducks I've hunted with it. (note I was careful not to say "shot"

)

For yotes and Wolf, I almost always reach for my Ruger 22-250, also in stainless. It wears the stock that came with it...not the boat paddle but the current composite one. I filled the hollow with spray foam to take out the "drum-sounding-effect" that it made. The trigger has also been sweetened. This is one of the most accurate "out of the box" rifles I have ever seen! With the Vari X II in 3x9 topping it, I have no problem on dogs out to 300 yards. I have a portable Stoney Point bipod that I take everywhere when I'm out calling. It makes even these old hands steady.

I'm currently trying to decide what my next rifle project is going to be. I have several Mauser based rifles in sizes from 30.06 up to 416 Taylor; even an old 458 Winny. I will be looking for something to fill the gap between the 22-250 and the 30.06. But thats another thread.

These are my favorites! They have walked many miles with me and seem to be a part of me now. I take them most of the time because they fit, are familiar, I know where they shoot, and they work.

best,
bhtr

freddogs · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2003, 03:56:10 PM »

I mostly use my 30.06 on elk ,deer ,and antelope. I've got several other calibers but it's my favorite.
I use an 870 express 12 for almost anything I shoot at with a shotgun. The 20 gauge 870 for grouse and woodcock.
I love to hunt with my 7x30 contender.
I like to use the 50 caliber muzzleloader with iron sites and external hammer. :sniper:

Ron T. · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2003, 09:49:08 AM »

Hmmmmm... for longer ranges or bigger critters, I like my pre-'64 "Alaskan" Model 70 Winchester with a 26" barrel in .338 magnum topped by a Redfield 3x-9x variable scope using my handloads of either a 210 grain Nosler Partition Bullet or the 200 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, boat-tailed bullet.

For eastern deer hunting in the U.S.A., my 40+ year old Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage is a classic eastern deer rifle topped by a Bushnell 3x-9x scope using a handloaded 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullet. An excellent deer cartridge with 1/3 less "kick" than a .30/06.

For stalking/still-hunting through the brush and heavy woods for deer, my old-model Ruger Carbine in .44 magnum topped by a Bushnell 1½x-4x variable scope.

For varmints out to 250 yards, my extremely accurate heavy-barreled Sako topped by a 6x-24x variable scope in .222 caliber using handloaded 50 gr. Sierra bullet at a chronographed 3200 fps.

For squirrel, my Ruger 10/22 topped by a 3x-9x Bushnell rimfire scope is hard to beat.

For pheasants and rabbits, an older 12 ga. Belguim-made Browning Superposed bored improved cylinder and modified.

For quail and grouse, the beautiful little 6 lb. Charles Daly 28 gauge over/under bored "skeet" & "skeet" is hard to beat.

TopGun · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2003, 03:07:44 PM »

Hi guys. I need some help. I just picked up a Weatherby 30-378 that has exactly 13 rounds thru it. It is topped with a Leuopld VXIII 4.5x14, dies, brass, ammo, and a 5lb can of 5010. Cost? I will not embarrass the guy who sold it to me, but a fella can buy a new Leupold for more money! He said it kicked the snot out of him. I wanted it , I got it. He and I are very happy campers! I took it ot the range and I am amazed at how little it kicks. I was shooting from a bench, and I still can't believe it. I sighted 3" at 100 and it's still 3" high at 200, and it was under 2" group. That's as far as I can shoot locally. This is with the 180 Noslers. Does anyone have a favorite load, or info? I've never re-loaded a Weath'by case. Is is difficult? As far as recoil goes, I have a Ruger M77RSI in .308 winchester that kicks and hurts like a small mule! The Weath'by brake is extremely efficient. Anyone els have similar experience with these rifles. This has the opportunity to be my all-time favorite.

Lawdog · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2003, 11:23:10 AM »

Favorites!!! Let's see. For varmints from ground squirrels up to called in coyotes, my .22 Hornet. For deer, antelope and such, my .25-06. For elk, moose and black bear, my .300 Weatherby. For large bears and other dangerous game, my .375 Weatherby. Shotgun is easy, my 20 ga. O/U Browning. For hunting handgun my Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 magnum. I guess really my favorite rifle is the one I have in my hands at the time I'm shooting. Lawdog

huntsman · « **Reply #15 on:** April 12, 2003, 12:00:22 PM »

I'm pretty exclusively a deer hunter, but lately I have started hunting hogs out of necessity (they are taking over the country where I hunt). I haven't shot a wide range of calibers, but of all the guns I have shot, the one I would prefer in my hands over all others is my bread-and-butter M700 .270 Win. The reason? Success. It is just plain the best shooting rifle I have ever shouldered. Wherever the crosshairs lie when I pull the trigger, that is the bullet path, pure and simple. It has never failed to put down a deer when I did my job.

txpete · « **Reply #16 on:** July 31, 2003, 07:07:49 PM »

easy:
45/70 from mild to wild loads for anything(brush) that walks.12 ga sxs birds.
my rem 700 .270 for long range.
pete

huntsman · « **Reply #17 on:** August 01, 2003, 03:49:59 PM »

Oops! Just realized I already replied above. Sorry, Folks. :oops:

Kragman71 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 01, 2003, 07:09:36 PM »

When I was younger,and did a lot of shooting,the 30'06 was,by far,my favorite;I have owned a half dozen rifles in that caliber,and the Springfield '03 is my favorite rifle.
On the other hand,I've abandoned the '06 for hunting a long time ago,in favor for the Springfield Krag;30/40 rifle.
While the '06 represents the most shots fired,the Krag represents the most time as my shooting/hunting companion.
My favorite pistol has to be the High Standard .22 that I used in competition for so many years. But,for many years,I carried a Mauser .25 caliber pistol whenever I entered the Woods,so it probably is my favorite Companion Pisitol.
I own five shotguns,but have no favorite.
Frank

JOE MACK · « **Reply #19 on:** August 07, 2003, 08:39:12 PM »

My all time favorite hunting cartridge is the .41Magnum. I've taken everything from armadillo to wildebeeste with it. Next would be the .475Linebaugh for really big things.

When I'm absolutely forced to use a rifle, I like the .223 as an all-around varmint caliber. For medium game, I use a .280 Remington. For large game I like my .338 Winchester Magnum in the Ruger #1. For dangerous game, I like my .411/.416 Remington Magnum with a 400gr. bullet.

Shotgun would have to be my old Winchester Model 12 in 16gauge. :bye:

Lawdog · « **Reply #20 on:** August 08, 2003, 07:20:11 AM »

JOE MACK,

Howdy. Nice to meet another 'sweet 16' shooter. Take care of that corn shucker, they're hard to come by. Lawdog

Lee D. · « **Reply #21 on:** August 08, 2003, 08:50:54 AM »

A fellow gave me a swedish carbine. He said take it home or it goes in the trash. I've been using it now for about 12 years, I have several other deer shooting guns but somehow they always end up staying home and the little 6.5 ends up on the end of my arm for the whole season. Except for taking my grandfathers .348 out for at least one nostalgia/remeberance hunt every Thanksgiving.