Least Favorite Cartridge

[bigswede]

The age old question of what is your favorite cartridge, caliber, or hunting load has been beat to death.  So how about it, what is your least favorite cartridge.  Feel free to explain why.

[Pinkerton]

358 NORMA MAG!!      ...just kidding.


For me it's the 243, I can't say there's anything wrong at all with it, I just never cared for that round. And of course that's just my opinion. And the 243 lovers will be coming out of the woodwork to defend it in 3...2...1...GO!

[roper]

Myself, I wouldn't waste my time shooting a caliber I didn't like what fun would that be. 

[securitysix]

.40 Smith & Wesson.  I've shot a few guns chambered for it (owned by other people, most of whom I didn't know and have never seen again, but they said "Hey, wanna try this one out?" and of course, I said "Sure!", because who says "no" to that question?).

[jro45]

I can't say I dislike any Cartridge. Once I shoot a rifle anything thats wrong with it I fix.
Some rifles I don't own but I have a different rifle that has the problem solved.

[Swampman]

.270 Winchester and any short magnum.

[shot1]

7mm Rem mag for shooting deer. I had a SS Rem 700 that was a tack driver. I experimented with different bullets and loads from 139 gr to 160 gr and shot 10 deer with it from 50 to 300 yards away. I hit 8 of the ten right through the front shoulders broad side. The other two were at an angle that entered behind the onside shoulder and exited the offside shoulder. I only dropped one of these deer in it's tracks. All the others ran off 50 to 100 yards into the thickest cut over you have ever seen and was very hard to track them because with the lighter bullets you had no or very little blood trail. The only bullet that I used that dropped that one deer in it's tracks was a Speer 145 Grand Slam behind the front shoulder and exited the offside shoulder. My buddy has had the same experience with the 7mm mag.

I don't have this trouble with my 25-06 or 264 Win mag. It is bang flop 99% of the time.

[efremtags]

I dislike all of the new mega magnums that already have a predecessor that does the same thing. All this does is divide the gun and ammo makers production volume, which drives prices up. Why not spend the R&D and do what Hornady did, make some older cartridges better.
I can see the appeal of the 375 and 416 ruger only in that it fits in a shorter action. They have actually produced a more affordable rifle and ammo,big plus.

I hate any Nitro load that exceeds 500, bigger is not better.

I hate the 50BMG becasue I can't afford to own and shoot one, otherwise I love it.

I hate the .280 REM because it spurs useless comparison to the .270, and because in the 80's they had so many 7mm labeled cartridges, that it was almost impossible to walk out of the sports shop with the correct box.

[jasonprox700]

7mm Rem mag for shooting deer. I had a SS Rem 700 that was a tack driver. I experimented with different bullets and loads from 139 gr to 160 gr and shot 10 deer with it from 50 to 300 yards away. I hit 8 of the ten right through the front shoulders broad side. The other two were at an angle that entered behind the onside shoulder and exited the offside shoulder. I only dropped one of these deer in it's tracks. All the others ran off 50 to 100 yards into the thickest cut over you have ever seen and was very hard to track them because with the lighter bullets you had no or very little blood trail. The only bullet that I used that dropped that one deer in it's tracks was a Speer 145 Grand Slam behind the front shoulder and exited the offside shoulder. My buddy has had the same experience with the 7mm mag.

I don't have this trouble with my 25-06 or 264 Win mag. It is bang flop 99% of the time.

No offense, but it never ceases to amaze me the people who judge a cartridge by if it will drop deer in its tracks.  I have killed deer with .30-30, .308, .280, 7mm, .22-250, and .25-06.  Here are the bang flops that I got;
.30-30: Head shot at 5 yards     (I've killed 3 deer with it)
.308: Neck Shot at 10 yards     (6 Deer killed)
.280: (My personal favorite):     Not sure.  I've had a least a half dozen.  Also had a bangflop on a mule deer in Wyoming.  Another one I shot, staggered for about 10 or 15 seconds while it pumped out all it's blood.  Typical shots through the rib cage/shoulder quartering shots (At least 30 deer killed with this)
7mm: None.  Only shot one deer.  Deer ran about 50 yards and piled up.
.22-250:  2 bang flops.  One in the head at 250 yards.  The other was a 150 yard dead center heart shot.  (2 deer total)
.25-06:  1 spine shot  

I very rarely get bangflops.  Most of the time, the deer will take a few steps and tip over.  Other times, I've had them run anywhere from 20, 30 yards all the way to 200 yards on well placed shots.  What I'm saying is, a cartridge can not be judged on it's bangflops.  For example, if we judged weapons by bangflops, my bow would be king.  I have never had a deer go more than 50 yards.  I've actually had quite a few drop where they were standing (I shot high on one and spined it).  Bangflops are hit or miss. In one day, I shot two deer with my .280.  The first doe dropped in it's tracks (broadside heart shot).  About 3 or 4 hours later, I shot another doe.  You would have thought I never hit her the way she took off.  I found her about 150 yards away.  This was another broadside heart shot.  Both does were no more than 100 yards away.  I think bangflops have more to do with luck than anything else.    

Take a look at this video.  This should have been a bangflop.  Must have been using a 7mm! lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV0S1Pj_DUg

[bigswede]

OK my turn.  I don't like cartridges that shoot to fast for the bullet weight being shot, resulting in a lot of bloodshot and damaged meat.  It seems like with these a properly shot animal will run farther than normal also.  Two examples are the 270 win and 7mm rem mag,  I would personally never own either of these.  I do love the 7x57 and 7mm-08 though, slow enough to have great penetration and kill with authority but not do severe damage to the muscle tissue.  In my 7mm-08 I shoot a 162 grain bullet at 2500 fps.  it is a great combo.  I have also been prejudiced against the 30-30, I know millions of people love them and it has probably killed as much or more game in this country than any other cartridge, I just don't care for em.

[Cheesehead]

500 Magnum in any handgun.

Cheese

[Siskiyou]

My least favored was the first cartridge I deer hunted with when I was 12-years old, the 25-35 Winchester.  It was the Rodney Dangerfield of hunting cartridges.  The saddle ring Winchester 94 was okay, but when I told other hunters it was a 25-35 I could get no respect.  It was a relieve to graduate to a Savage 99 in .303 Savage.

[Luckyducker]

I only know of one cartridge that I really loathe, and that is the 7.62X54R.  It is probably not the cartridge itself that causes my blood pressure to shoot up but the p-o-s rifles that have been chambered in it.  I think a lot of bias about different cartridges comes from fellas that have never owned a rifle in that caliber they are carping about.  I used to feel that way about the 308Win but have since owned two rifles in this chambering and one was good and the other wasn't, but I would own another if I found a good deal on the right one and had the funds.

[Dave in WV]

Any cartridge with steel cases. The reason is once they're used they are just trash. Ranges every where have to deal with the scrap steel left behind. I could change my feelings about it IF folks would police their trash.

[SHOOTALL]

1-Anything with _ _ _ WBY. MAG. . To loud and kick more than they are useful for any hunting I do.
2- 32 auto
3-25 auto
4-380 auto

[kenscot]

the 30-06 gotta hate a cartridge that could make 3/4 of my rifles unneccessary 

[the jigger]

All of the ones I don't own! If I like one I own it!
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!!

[R.W.Dale]

Mine is 243win


I've ended up with several different rifles so chambered and not one shot much better than OK and talk bout a picky chambering to load for particularly as it relates to brass prep, and the vitriol you get from it's rabid proponents anytime you point out the cartridges shortcomings makes me despise it more each day

[john keyes]

I'm very concerned that some people's favorite cartridges will get their feelings hurt.

 

[SHOOTALL]

Why ? we can't help it if they have bad taste .




Just kidding guys , to each his own .

[kenscot]

one I have no use for 7x57

[jasonprox700]

one I have no use for 7x57

Them there are fightin' words!!!  It seems like everyone on this board has a love obsession for the Euro rounds. lol

[mirage1988]

Mine is the 30/06. It has done the job in such a boring way for over 100 years, while wildcatters and ammo manufacturers have tried necking it up, down and all around and it keeps plodding along, killing everything from prarie dogs to Grizzlies. Man I hate the 30/06- If I didn't have one I would have to have at least ten other rifles to do the same job.

[jasonprox700]

Mine is the 30/06. It has done the job in such a boring way for over 100 years, while wildcatters and ammo manufacturers have tried necking it up, down and all around and it keeps plodding along, killing everything from prarie dogs to Grizzlies. Man I hate the 30/06- If I didn't have one I would have to have at least ten other rifles to do the same job.

I may bash it, but it has got to be one of the most versatile rounds out there.  It is a one stop shop.  That's why I don't own one.  I like to have a rifle for every scenario.

[mirage1988]

Hmmmmm-I seem to be missing the logic in that statement

[jasonprox700]

I always get sick of hearing how awesome the .30-06 is, when there are a lot of other cartridges that will do certain things better.  But it is a very versatile round that works great.  That's why I don't like it.

[mirage1988]

Ok,
This thread was about cartridges you dislike, not your favorite one, so ill just prime the pump here and ask you what is wrong with the /06? (since the 280 is your favorite)

[jasonprox700]

Nothing is wrong with it, I just don't like it.  I think the .308, pound for pound is a better cartridge.  I feel that the .30-06 does a lot of things well, it just doesn't do everything the best.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Nobody is wrong, nobody is right.  This is a topic about "Least Favorite Cartridge", not the worst.  It's all about bias and personal preference.  Somebody make like or dislike a cartridge for no reason at all.  Some love the .300 H&H to death, when in all reality, the .30-06 is its twin.  Same with the 7mm-08 vs 7x57, or 6.5x55 vs .260.  One may be slightly faster, one may shoot slightly flatter.  Some people like a caliber because their dad or grandpa cut their teeth on it.  I for one happen to love the .30-.30.  There are a lot of calibers out there that will blow it out of the water, but I just like the cartridge.  My grandpa hunted with his Winchester 94 for years.  He switched to a .30-06, but once he got older, he sold it and went back to his trusty '94 because the recoil got to be too much.  The first fall after he passed away, I used his '94 to take 2 deer.  Every time I hold it, it makes me think of him.  I guess that's why I love it so much.  And no, my dislike for the .30-06 does not stem from my family. 

So, let the flaming continue...  I guess when I post something I should expect to get defensive since people get snappy anytime somebody may not like their favorite cartridge.

[Dee]

For me it is the 243. I just don't care for the cartridge. There are others much better with the same effort in loading.

[rzwieg]

.243 Win. here. What irritates me most is this round is a main choice for a first rifle for a beginner. I feel it's more for an experienced shooter not a novice. New hunters don't always place their shots well, often due to excitement and bigger bullets can make up for a marginal hit. If nothing else a bigger hole gives you a better chance of a blood trail.

YMMV