"Boutique" Calibers .300 .270 Weatherby .270WSM

[lastofthebreed]

I have always been a sucker for obscure (read not too common) calibers for hunting and just plain fun. Tell your buddies you shot a buck with a 30-06 and they will go "ho hum". Tell the same buddies you shot your buck with a .240 Page Super Pooper and they will go "WHAT?" In my neck of the woods a 7X57 gets a raised eyebrow.

 

[The Big D]

Yeah, the big downsides are weight, length, recoil, and that you might be shooting 40 cents of barrel life every time you pull the trigger

 

[Paul7]

My deer rifle is an old Mauser sporter that shoots 6.5x55 sweedish some say it's a boutique caliber since your a handloader I say go for it

6.5x55 factory ammo is actually pretty afordable, that is my main hunting round and I don't reload.

 

[GooseGestapo]

A Reloader can do some really neat things and shoot such as the Weatherby mags on the cheap.

I've aquired several "pawn shop puppies", otherwise known as unloved rifles due to orphaned cartridges (.25-36Marlin), or over the top ammo cost, (.300RemUltraMag, and .257wbymag).

For the .300, I found some ammo on clearance at Walmart. I bought the dogeared box of 180gr Partitions. Box was marked $48, reduced to 37, 28, then 18. When I got to the checkout, it rang up $12.50! I bought dies and 50 cases for less than $100. Got 16lbs of WC860 for $50, and some bulk Rem 180gr Corlokts. It costs less to shoot the .300 than a .30/30 with typical components. I bought the Savage M110 for $200 otd!
I have a .257wby Vanguard I bought for $250 otd. Made some cases from 7mmRemMag range pickups. (Necks a little short, but otherwise ok, but have a bit less internal capacity than factory Norma mfg. brass). I use the bulk surplus WC860 powder and Hornady "blems" I got from MidwayUSA. Costs less to shoot the Weatherby than my .257Roberts with typical components. Some of my .257Wby cases are from 7mmWby and .270Wby range pickups. On one occasion. I got real lucky and found 12 .257Wby cases lying on a bench at the range someone had left!
I adore the .257!, the .300 draws blood on both ends! Impressive gun, but not fun after 3-5 shots.
Also got a .375Ruger on similar deal. Cobbled up some ugly but functional brass from some picked up .300WinMag... Actually a more useful gun/cartridge than the .300RUM. Found lots of old stock bullets at unbelievable low prices. Found 170 Sierra GameKings in baggie fo $25!!!
With a little imagination and scrounging, you can shoot some serious hardware on the cheap. I've even made jacketed .375's from .223 cases...!