Opinion Poll

[IMR]

I'm interested in learning what most people think about caliber popularity. So, here's the question: What would you say is the single MOST USEFUL caliber? By that I mean what caliber can you do the most with? That includes recreational shooting, competition, hunting, home defense, etc.. Kinda like that "What if you could only have one?" question.

You need not expound on your answer, but are welcome to if you are so inclined. Thanks to all for contributing.

IMR

[KCSO]

30-40 Krag
I can load bullets from a 310 r/b at 650 fps to a 220 grain bullet at 2000 fps. I can asicly duplicate the 22lr, 22 mag, 32 rimfire, 32 and wesson lon, 32 magnum 32-20, 32-40 and still get a full velocity 30-40 Krag. I can kill everything from mouse to moose and still use it for indoor tagret practice. I use round ball, 32 acp 71 gr bullet the soupcan and abut 11 different bullets from 130 to 220 grain, and all these bullets will group better than needed for the intended purpose.

30-30 would by my # 2

[David R]

30 cal, weather its 308, 30-30, 30'06...........

David

[imashooter2]

.357 Magnum.

It's pretty hard to pack a concealed carry rifle. The mag can be loaded down for a great plinking and target round or stood on for self defense applications. Carbines loaded with heavy bullets will take pretty much any game from black bear down at reasonable ranges and some have taken much larger game.

[Bullshop]

45/70
Lots of shooting games , hunting big and small game, shot loads, multi ball loads, wax indoor loads, yata yata yata you get the idea.
I have boolit weights ranging from 165gn to 550gn and from 2 ton energy to indoor mouse loads with b-wax and primers. I dont see anything else even close to the vercitility of my old pard the 45/70!!!!!
BIC/BS

[44man]

I have to agree with some of you. A large bore like the .44, .45 or 45-70 can be made to do anything from shooting meeses (mouse to most of you, hee, hee.) to bears.

[NVcurmudgeon]

"The .30/06 is never a mistake." Col. Townsend Whelen.

[Frank46]

Ok, I'm partial to the 7.62x54R in the various moisin nagants. First mil surp I ever tried cast bullets in and get really good accuracy. I only use one bullet, lymans 314299. But I have to agree with Bullshop, the 45-70 is another fun caliber to shoot in my ruger #1. Frank

[versifier]

I'd have to go with the .308. While it wouldn't be my first choice for home defense, for recreation, competition, & hunting it does everything I could ask. Plus, as with most of the .30 cals, the ammo is available everywhere if you run short in an emergency or (perish the thought) don't load your own.

[woody1]

I'm interested in learning what most people think about caliber popularity. So, here's the question: What would you say is the single MOST USEFUL caliber? By that I mean what caliber can you do the most with? That includes recreational shooting, competition, hunting, home defense, etc.. Kinda like that "What if you could only have one?" question.

You need not expound on your answer, but are welcome to if you are so inclined. Thanks to all for contributing.

IMR
By caliber, I assume you mean cartridge.....only one, heaven forbid, but it has to be a 30-06 bolt rifle for me. Quote KCSO for the reasons. Regards, Woody

[357tex]

I like the 30 cal. No matter if 7.62x54 or 30 06 or 3030 It will kill what ever I have that needs killing thats with cast boolits. Of course thats here in my part of the world.I don't have many bears or moose that needs killing.Matter of fact I can't remember the last time I saw a bear or moose not to mention elk. For deer,wild pigs,coyots and such like,30 cal is king. with cast boolits.I have made do with 22 rim fire.And could do so again.But for my application 30 cal.rifle and 357pistole is the deal. :redneck:

[Bret4207]

If I could only have 1 rifle- 35 Whelen.
1 hangun- 44 Special
1 shotgun- 16 ga (just 'cuz I like it)
But without a 22, it'd be a big problem.
To do everything in the original post- 12 gauge.

[sundog]

.22 RF. sundog

[IMR]

Well, so far, the .30 caliber seems to be the favorite. Thank you all for your responses.

IMR

[sundog]

Second choice is 12 guage. sundog

[357tex]

Sundog
Got to have a 12ga.Lee slugs at 1400fps is a good thing to have in a md 12 with the pulg out. When you get in the middle of a bunch pigs.that are messing up your pasture. [smilie=l:

[moodyholler]

Thutty-thutty is my pick for all around. FWIW, moodyholler

[chromecrow]

38-55 or 375 win. Maybe when I get around to getting a 45-70 my opinion will change.

[Ricochet]

Like several guys said, any standard power level .30 caliber. .30-06 would be my choice.

[BruceB]

"One Cartridge" ain't fair!

Now, if you'd said one HANDGUN and one RIFLE cartridge, no problemo.....

I think the choice of cartridge also involves the choice of the firearm in which the cartridge will be used.

My personal choice for cartridge AND RIFLE, would be my NRA 1899 Krag .30-40 carbine, because it performs well with cast or jacketed bullets, handles like lightning, and OOZES class, quality, and history. Also, I've killed enough big animals with the very similar .303 British to have complete faith in the Krag's utility on game.

For a handgun, I'd have to opt for my first-year (1989) S&W .44 magnum Mountain Revolver, my well-used companion in some of the wildest places left on this Earth of ours. It has never seen a jacketed bullet, near as I can recall, nor a factory load. ALL cast boolits, and many of them! Its flexibility makes it a winner for me. I was sure torn about naming a S&W N-frame .357 instead, though.....

[carpetman]

300 win mag---yea right. What does it do the 30-06 doesn't? First pick would be a 30-06 and second pick well it would be 30-06 too. .

[The Nyack Kid]

mmm this is a hard one 30-06 or 45-70 mmm
im going with the 45-70 for a few reasons
the 45-70 really shines with cast , it's probabley the most vesitile cartridge in the world for cast boolits .
it works great with blackpowder (that in theory one could make themselve) try that 30-06 .
the 45-70 is older and has that "western" flavor.
I do so love my 1886 japchester extra-light .

im on a 45-70 kick at the moment that may change when i get my 9.3x62 finnished.

[carpetman]

I changed my mind? Do we have that prerogative? I just asked so you could tell I can spell prerogative. I would select a .300Win mag because I could find someone that believes the old hit em anywhere and they go down and it quarters them too that I could swap with them for a wimmpy 30-06 and an air rifle.

[Dale53]

You fellers have the wrong idea. If your wives ever get aholt of yer statements, yer in a heap of trouble. What you REALLY want to do is put down all of your ideas why you need ANOTHER rifle or handgun (or both) not why you can get by with less. Oh my, oh my, you've gone and done it now....

Laughingly yours,
Dale53

[omgb]

30-06 for sure. It shoots flat for long shots, it is available world wide, it will kill the largest bear if needed and it can be used to take a turkey. It stops a man in his tracks, fits a wide variety of firearms, is accurate by nature and it takes an extreamly wide variety of bullets and powders.
R J Talley

[Buckshot]

................Ahhhhhhh God! Even THINKING about this makes my head hurt :-) Why such a hard question, huh?

Okay, 30-06. But it'd make a crappy home defense thing.......... but other then that it fits the bill. Yeah, the '-06 THAT'S the ticket.

..................Buckshot

[imashooter2]

I must be the only city boy on the board. How are you guys going to CCW those .45-70's?

[IMR]

I'm really surprised at the number of votes for the venerable old '06. It has always been my favorite all around rifle caliber based on versatility, but I never thought there would be so many that agree. Makes me feel better about my values.
Again, thank you all for your responses.

IMR

[sundog]

My first choice was .22 RF. Second was a 12 ga. Third? Hands down 30-06. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Not amazing at all is that no one has even mentioned .223. Go to another board where there's lots of youngsters and you will not get the same response as here.

Pistol? Hands down, .45 acp. sundog

[The Nyack Kid]

I must be the only city boy on the board. How are you guys going to CCW those .45-70's?

I think i seen a derringer (sp?) chambered for 45-70 once .
It would break your wrist shooting full power loads but the 45-70 can be loaded way down for this .

[BFRmaster]

I'll have to go with the 45-70 crowd. I've used lots of different loads in it from 500-grain monsters to one and even TWO 147 grain round balls. Lots of fun for everyone! And my 45-70 is a handgun, so it's (almost) handy to carry!

[Shepherd2]

I haven't owned a .30-06 for well over 10 years but to me the most useful caliber has to be .30 cal. I have 4 other .30 cal. cartridges that I can load up or down to suit my needs. What other caliber has such a wide range of cast or j-word bullets available for it?

[9.3X62AL]

5-6 years ago, my answer would have been "30-06, in a bolt rifle". Having over 3 years of work with the 9.3 x 62.......and considering all types and weights of bullets/boolits.....I would have to vote for the 9.3 x 62 over the 30-06, due to its potential as a dangerous animal stopper at close quarters.

The 9.3 can launch a 286 grainer at the same velocity the 30-06 sends a 220 grain RN. To date, the Nosler 286's go into 1.25" at 100 yards consistently with 56 grains of IMR-4320. The rifle also shoots castings VERY well, and while I would hesitate to hunt deer with the 30-06 and #311291's, the MM 270 FN at 1700 FPS would knock them right over.

[MTWeatherman]

Well, I use a .300 Win and am tempted to vote for it...but I won't.

If I could only have one rifle, I'll say 30'06 and I don't currently own one. The 30'06 will do everything the .300 will...the .300 simply gives you an edge at long range and on large animals. I reload and in my part of the country, nearly any place that carries ammo will carry the .300 Win. However, I can be absolutely assured that if I do need ammo, I will find 30'06 about everywhere, and although far from an ideal cast bullet cartidge...it is better than the .300. I mainly use two rifles for big game hunting...a .300 Winchester and a .32 Special (cast). I've got rifles above and below the 30'06 on the trajectory and energy scale so wouldn't see much personal need for it for hunting. However, if I couldn't have those two...30'06 would be at the top of the list. Kind of like having a .44 Magnum and .357 Handgun (which I do), not much need for a .41 Magnum except to just have it.

The 30'06 is an accurate, versatile cartridge, that is manufactured in a huge variety of firearms...both domestic and foreign. Although rifles are not normally first choice for defensive weapons, they will work for most home defense.

If one wants versatility, 30 caliber it is, not because it is necessarily the best caliber, but because of bullet choice. That's just the way it is in the U.S.

You look at rifle and ammo sales...seems like the U.S. shooting community has already voted the 30'06 the most popular and versatile. However, if we were talking cast bullets only, I'd start voting for .45-70, .44 Mag, .358 Win, or .32 Special.

[robertbank]

.30-06 from 119 gr to 220 gr and every thing in between.

Stay Safe

[Ed Barrett]

Ithink the 45-70 for a rifle because you can always load it down. For pistol a modern frame 45 colt since you can load it up to ranges that would make the old guns fly apart and still load it down to mouse gun specs.

[Ricochet]

As for the magnums, I recall as an impressionable youth reading Frank Barnes' statement to the effect that the .300 Weatherby could be handloaded to cover everything from .30 Carbine ballistics to full magnum power, and there's something to be said for that. But that's stunt loading. It's really not that versatile. However, anywhere you can find .300 H&H Magnum ammo, you can fire it in the Weatherby and get .300 Weatherby cases. Weatherby used to make his by fireforming .300 H&H with blank charges. Does it have any real practical advantage over the .300 Winchester Magnum? Of course not. But it sure is a cooler looking cartridge.
:D

[carpetman]

Ricochet---Hey Doc,in the Hornady Handbook(Third Edition)there is a warning about .300 Win Mag. "When using cases of this size,it is imperative that the reloader work with near maximum loads. Reduced loads with slow burning powder can produce dangerous hangfires and large muzzle flash".

[Urny]

12 bore pump gun. Failing that, a fast firing .22 LR rifle.

[SharpsShooter]

Naw!...there really are other calibers????

45-70 hands down choice

[9.3X62AL]

I completely passed over the sidearm question.......sheesh! 357 Magnum, in the M-686 x 4". Not "The Best" for some venues, but this platform/caliber does more things well ("well enough", at least) than any other single mixture of same I have used.

Repelling boarders at The Casa gets done with The Gauge--M-870 x 12 bore x 20" RS barrel.

[omgb]

I too passed over the side arm issue. I would vote for the S&W K frame 357 mag. 38s are ubiqueteous and .357 mag ammo is almost as available. It will take all 2 legged varments and most of the 4 legged variety as well. It's compact, well built and commoin enough that parts are available. Now perhaps a Ruger Security Six in stainless would be a better choice. It is stronger and less complicated yet retains all of the positive aspects of the 38/357 platform. My '06 choice would most likely be either a mouser-actioned bolt gun or a Garand. The latter having the edge for encounters with riff-raff but the former being easier to maintain and easier to feed.
R J Talley

[longhorn]

.357 and .308

Hey, I had one of those .45-70 derringers once; fired it twice, first time "just to see," second time to make sure I wasn't hallucinating the first time. The .45 Colt/.410 combo was just about as bad with shotshells.

[Murphy]

.308, accuracy supreme. Many applications...

If it were a handgun, I'd choose a modern (read that as any of the models made starting from the 1955 S&W target gun.

The reasons being: Down loaded it's a great small game getter with RNL loads. As a defensive revolver, any good hollow point boolit loaded in fullmoon clips. Last but far from least. Keiths boolit #452423 can be loaded up to some very impressive velocities. I can't think of ANY single handgun as versatile a modern .45ACP/AR in a revolver.

Murphy

[XBT]

What? No votes for any super-duper short belted magnums? No one is voting for the latest new fad cartridge?

A general consensus seems building around the 308, 30-06, 45-70 .357 and similar cartridges.

That’s what I like about this site, clear thinking and common sense prevails.

[omgb]

You know it's like this: In North America, Europe, South America, most of Asia, huge parts of Africa and all of the middle East, if you can't kill it with an '06, you ought not to be mess'en with it. Elephant, Rhino, Hippo, Cape Buff and big cats at close range are not safe to take with the old cartridge even though it's been done more than once. That being said, I forget the last time I had to go mano y mano with one of the big five so I guess it's the '06 for me. As to the .357, if a man is so damned tough I can't kill him with one of those through the pumper then I better not screw with him untill my kryptonite loads come in.
R J Talley

[MT Gianni]

OK, I'll bite I go along with a 357 K or L frame but vote for the 300 Win. if for no other reason than to piss off carpetman. It shoots farther, flatter and hits harder than the '06 [which I have 2 of]. I think it is like height. Most of the time it is just in the way, clothes cost more, and getting in and out of places is a pain. Once or twice a week on the basketball court for an hour it makes a world of difference. Picture a 6'3" player vs a 6'7" one. Not needed where I live west of the divide where 30yards to 100 yards are typical shots if you can see that far, I ate well one year east of the divide when the elk we were after broke out on the far ridge at 417 yards. I hit the lead cow and was glad I packed the 26" long bbl'd Mod 700. The rest of the time it just kicks harder and gets in the way but when you need it it's there. Flame away, Gianni.

[carpetman]

Mt Gianni---Now why would I flame a Montanan for their personal preference in guns,afterall,other preferences vastly differ from mine?