Who's hunting with an "interesting" caliber this season?

GAHUNTER60 · Oct 13, 2017

Still looking for someone to claim to hunt with a .401 WSL. How about a .303 Savage? An 8x56 Mannlicher-Schoenauer, or an 8x56R?

I once knew a guy who hunted with a Martini-Henry in 577-450 (also known as a .455 Boxer-Henry), loaded with black powder. He said the ballistics were very similar to the original .45-70 loads.

It's amazing how many different cartridges and bullets have been developed throughout history, mostly to kill our fellow men, but also to put meat on the table for the family.

pacecars · Oct 13, 2017

In the past I have successfully used: .40-50 SBN, 9x56mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer, 9.3x62mm, .303 Savage, .256 Win Mag, .45-70, .40-70 SBN, .375 H&H Mag, .32 Win Spcl., .44-40 Win, .30 Rem and probably a few others off the beaten path

model88_308 · Oct 13, 2017

I took a couple rifles to Maine last month on my bear hunt and used two; a Verney Carron double rifle in 9.3x74R and a SS Ruger Hawkeye in .35 Whelen. I'll use a couple others in Kentucky for deer, a Ruger #1 in 9.3x62 and a Marlin .444P.

pacecars · Oct 13, 2017

Never shot a deer with it but briefly had a .351 WSL

Michael F Sights · Oct 13, 2017

I guess most of my rifles are odd balls;
8mm Rem Mag ( Killed 2 - 130 + B & C GA Bucks w/ it, both on Nov 18th but 10 years apart) , 348 Win, 7x57, 6.5x55 Swede, 8x57 Mauser, 257 WHBY Mag, but I do own a 280 Rem & 308 Win.

I gave up years ago looking for ammo, just handload

GAHUNTER60 · Oct 13, 2017

pacecars said:
In the past I have successfully used: .40-50 SBN, 9x56mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer, 9.3x62mm, .303 Savage, .256 Win Mag, .45-70, .40-70 SBN, .375 H&H Mag, .32 Win Spcl., .44-40 Win, .30 Rem and probably a few others off the beaten path

I'm sorry to have to inform you that you have the same disease myself: nonconformatitis riflecaliberus.

The only cure is to take a game animal with every caliber rifle ever invented. (wait till you try to kill a deer with a .300 Rook or a .41 Rimfire).

GAHUNTER60 · Oct 13, 2017

Michael F Sights said:
I guess most of my rifles are odd balls;
8mm Rem Mag ( Killed 2 - 130 + B & C GA Bucks w/ it, both on Nov 18th but 10 years apart) , 348 Win, 7x57, 6.5x55 Swede, 8x57 Mauser, 257 WHBY Mag, but I do own a 280 Rem & 308 Win.

I gave up years ago looking for ammo, just handload

I here that Goodwill will accept the .308 and .280 (so will I, for that matter).

pacecars · Oct 13, 2017

Crap, forgot the .348 Winchester

pacecars · Oct 13, 2017

GAHUNTER60 said:
I'm sorry to have to inform you that you have the same disease myself: nonconformatitis riflecaliberus.

The only cure is to take a game animal with every caliber rifle ever invented. (wait till you try to kill a deer with a .300 Rook or a .41 Rimfire).

Yep! My goal is to try them all! I did take my S&W Model 53 .22 Jet but none of the deer gave me a shot I would be comfortable taking

pacecars · Oct 13, 2017

I really NEED a .318 Accelerated Express

aabradley82 · Oct 13, 2017

I bought 2 boxes for my 40-82 high wall(think the granddaddy of Nicodemus's rifle). Dern things wouldn't chamber. Put one in the drill press and filed the case till it fit. Scared to shoot it or I would take it at least once. 54 plains rifle goes in the morning.

35 Whelen · Oct 13, 2017

"Only accurate rifles are interesting" - Townsend Whelen

Dutch · Oct 13, 2017

model88_308 said:
I took a couple rifles to Maine last month on my bear hunt and used two; a Verney Carron double rifle in 9.3x74R and a SS Ruger Hawkeye in .35 Whelen. I'll use a couple others in Kentucky for deer, a Ruger #1 in 9.3x62 and a Marlin .444P.

I will be hunting with my 444s. I love the .444...270gr Speer Gold Dot hammers them.

GAHUNTER60 · Oct 13, 2017

35 Whelen said:
"Only accurate rifles are interesting" - Townsend Whelen

With all due respect to the inventor of the second greatest American big game cartridge, Col. Whelen was wrong when he made that statement. I own many rifles in ho hum calibers that shoot lights out, but none are as interesting as my Browning Safari Grade in 375 H&H that shoots 2" MOA, on a good day!

SakoL61R · Oct 13, 2017

Grandpa's 1924 Savage 99G takedown in .300 Savage. Sports a mid-50's Kollmorgen Bear Cub 4x scope and shoots 2 inch groups at 100 yds. Other than cleaning, I've done nothing to it. I punch factory 150 CoreLokts through the boiler room and deer are drt.

I thank the Lord and whisper,"Got another one Grandpa".
He smiles from above.

GAHUNTER60 · Oct 13, 2017

Both rifle and caliber are effective and deadly classics!

one hogman · Oct 13, 2017

GAHUNTER60 said:
With all due respect to the inventor of the second greatest American big game cartridge, Col. Whelen was wrong when he made that statement. I own many rifles in ho hum calibers that shoot lights out, but none are as interesting as my Browning Safari Grade in 375 H&H that shoots 2" MOA, on a good day!

Seriously?? I totally agree with Townsend on that one, I guess maybe it is a beautiful gun?? STILL, I had a Browning Abolt White Gold Medallion in .270 that had the best wood of any gun I had ever owned, beautiful gold inlayed receiver, but it wouldn't group inside of 2" at 100 yds, it got gone, :bounce:

GAHUNTER60 · Oct 13, 2017

one hogman said:
Seriously?? I totally agree with Townsend on that one, I guess maybe it is a beautiful gun?? STILL, I had a Browning Abolt White Gold Medallion in .270 that had the best wood of any gun I had ever owned, beautiful gold inlayed receiver, but it wouldn't group inside of 2" at 100 yds, it got gone,

I had a similar experience with an A Bolt in '06. I replaced the melted Clorox bottle stock with a drop-in laminated stock from Boyd's, and it became a fairly descent shooting rifle.

When I said Col. Whelen was wrong, I wasn't saying that accurate rifles are not interesting. They are very interesting and I strive to make every rifle I own interesting that way.

My complaint is with the word "Only." By saying that, Col. Whelen discounts a whole bunch of classic oldies-but-goodies that may only shoot "minute of deer" but still possess a panache that lures wierdos like me into buying and hunting with them.

243SuperRC · Oct 14, 2017

6.5 Rem Mag in M673. Remington only made the M673 for a couple of years. I love the laminated stock.

pacecars · Oct 14, 2017

All guns are interesting! Might not hunt with some if they aren't accurate but I still want to try them all

Who's hunting with an "interesting" caliber this season?

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