Maverick223
Member
In my mind the perfect hunting cartridge would sail out as far as you like, damage no meat, reliably drop any size prey, with little recoil, and be inexpensive and available...since that doesn't exist...and never will, the following is my selection for the near perfect rifle cartridges and their respective uses (let the *constructive* arguing begin):
.22LR: Magnificent old chambering for small game such as squirrel, rabbit, and larger prey at short range with good shot placement. Added benefit of cheap and available ammunition.
.223Rem.: The choice of soldiers and groundhog hunters alike. This cartridge makes a great varmint and moderate size game round with flat trajectory, and many projectile options available for the task at hand. Relatively inexpensive and readily available ammunition is a added bonus. (.22-250 and .220Swift are honorable mentions but are much more costly)
.260Rem.: Introduced late in the past century, it has demonstrated itself to be a superb medium and large thin skinned game cartridge, the very flat trajectory and excellent BC makes the cartridge very effective with little recoil. (honorable mentions are the 6.5x55 and the 7mm-08)
.280Rem.: A near perfect large game cartridge with good trajectory and hard hitting power to take nearly any animal that strides the plains (or anywhere else) in NA, including most in the far north, whilst maintaining manageable recoil. (the .30-06 and .270 are honorable mentions and more cost-effective alternatives)
.30-30Win.: Generally packaged in a lightweight handy rifle, the cartridge seemingly doesn't exhibit any attributes that make a rifle cartridge great, but the low-recoil, inexpensive ammunition, adequate power, and quick handling that it affords makes it a cartridge that has tested the test of time.
.375H&H: This big belted magnum can solve nearly any problem that you might encounter on the NA continent and most on the great dark continent as well. It offers good trajectory and plenty of power to put down beasts in the far north. (honorable mentions are the .338WM and the .300WM, but are slightly more limited in application)
.45-70Govt.: This lumbering old cartridge has proved itself to be a great brush cartridge and can quickly slay all but the largest beast with brute force. It has a reputation for making a large hole that you "can eat right up to".
As you may note there are no wildcats (though a few are not common cartridges), and little mention of magnums (for I believe the vast majority of hunting does not require one). Some are quite old, and some more recent rounds, none are terribly costly in comparison to similar cartridges or their respective use. It seems lately that there have been quite a few threads about this or that new uber-super round (some that look promising...others just expensive) or why old reliable is or isn't good enough any more. What would make your list of the greatest cartridges for hunting North America?
Heck lets even make it a poll...
.22LR: Magnificent old chambering for small game such as squirrel, rabbit, and larger prey at short range with good shot placement. Added benefit of cheap and available ammunition.
.223Rem.: The choice of soldiers and groundhog hunters alike. This cartridge makes a great varmint and moderate size game round with flat trajectory, and many projectile options available for the task at hand. Relatively inexpensive and readily available ammunition is a added bonus. (.22-250 and .220Swift are honorable mentions but are much more costly)
.260Rem.: Introduced late in the past century, it has demonstrated itself to be a superb medium and large thin skinned game cartridge, the very flat trajectory and excellent BC makes the cartridge very effective with little recoil. (honorable mentions are the 6.5x55 and the 7mm-08)
.280Rem.: A near perfect large game cartridge with good trajectory and hard hitting power to take nearly any animal that strides the plains (or anywhere else) in NA, including most in the far north, whilst maintaining manageable recoil. (the .30-06 and .270 are honorable mentions and more cost-effective alternatives)
.30-30Win.: Generally packaged in a lightweight handy rifle, the cartridge seemingly doesn't exhibit any attributes that make a rifle cartridge great, but the low-recoil, inexpensive ammunition, adequate power, and quick handling that it affords makes it a cartridge that has tested the test of time.
.375H&H: This big belted magnum can solve nearly any problem that you might encounter on the NA continent and most on the great dark continent as well. It offers good trajectory and plenty of power to put down beasts in the far north. (honorable mentions are the .338WM and the .300WM, but are slightly more limited in application)
.45-70Govt.: This lumbering old cartridge has proved itself to be a great brush cartridge and can quickly slay all but the largest beast with brute force. It has a reputation for making a large hole that you "can eat right up to".
As you may note there are no wildcats (though a few are not common cartridges), and little mention of magnums (for I believe the vast majority of hunting does not require one). Some are quite old, and some more recent rounds, none are terribly costly in comparison to similar cartridges or their respective use. It seems lately that there have been quite a few threads about this or that new uber-super round (some that look promising...others just expensive) or why old reliable is or isn't good enough any more. What would make your list of the greatest cartridges for hunting North America?
Heck lets even make it a poll...
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