The Ideal Cartridge for...

[JackstrawIII]

13 minutes ago, gimruis said:

10 hours ago, Drawdown said:

Aoudad: ????

I wondered what the heck this was too.  Maybe its slang for something in his neck of the woods.

It's an African barbary sheep. I agree that it's a super random animal to be on this list for sure, but this is the list that Ron and Jim used in the video. If I'd made my own list, I'd have taken off aoudad and elephant and replaced them with moose and grizzly. 

[JackstrawIII]

10 minutes ago, Catt said:

The distances down along the coast are ideal for archery.

Archery is definitely super popular up here in NY, but it's funny how the stereotype is that everyone in "east" only hunts in thick timber. Lot's of hunting guys on youtube and such say things like "If you're in the northeast (where I live) the 30-30 is perfect."

 

And, honestly, I could have killed almost every deer I've ever killed if I had used a 30-30... but most of my rifle hunting is over large agricultural fields where you could shoot 400 yards easily. I try to position myself in the right places so I can get closer to where the deer will emerge, but (for me) having a rifle with longer reach allows me to capitalize on the opportunities that I have. 

 

It's not all woods in the east haha. 

[Catt]

@JackstrawIII This is what's gaining popularity down here.

 

Primitive Firearms

–  Single shot, breech loading rifles, (.38 caliber or larger) of a kind or type manufactured prior to 1900 and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of that type rifle having an exposed hammer that use metallic cartridges loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder.

[JackstrawIII]

58 minutes ago, Catt said:

@JackstrawIII This is what's gaining popularity down here.

 

Primitive Firearms

–  Single shot, breech loading rifles, (.38 caliber or larger) of a kind or type manufactured prior to 1900 and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of that type rifle having an exposed hammer that use metallic cartridges loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder.

Very cool. Do you hunt with a single shot?

[BayouSlide]

27 minutes ago, JackstrawIII said:

Very cool. Do you hunt with a single shot?

 

Not Catt replying, but it was primitive weapon season (3 days only) on my favorite Atchafalaya Basin WMA and both of Saturday's hogs fell to a Henry exposed hammer single shot in...wait for it....308, naturally 😁

[Drawdown]

4 hours ago, JackstrawIII said:

It's an African barbary sheep. 

I knew what they are, but know very little about hunting them, how tough they are to kill, distances, etc.

Didn’t even feel confident enough to pick a cartridge for a wildly speculative list, lol.

 

[Catt]

4 hours ago, JackstrawIII said:

Very cool. Do you hunt with a single shot?

 

Since I figured out how good bass fishing is during winter I quit hunting.

 

I do however target shoot rifles, pistols, & shotguns. Currently looking at a Shiloh 1874 Montana Roughrider. 

[JackstrawIII]

23 minutes ago, Catt said:

Since I figured out how good bass fishing is during winter I quit hunting.

Many of my friends would think me a heretic for saying this, but yes, I also enjoy fishing more than hunting. 
 

So, if I ever move somewhere that winter fishing is enjoyable (and not freezing cold misery), I might just do the same thing. 

2 hours ago, Drawdown said:

Didn’t even feel confident enough to pick a cartridge for a wildly speculative list, lol.

Oh come on, commenting on stuff you know nothing about is like 80% of what the internet is all about haha 

[Bird]

Surprised that the 6.5 Creedmor didn't get mentioned for Whitetail, inheritanly accurate and low recoil.

 

[JackstrawIII]

19 minutes ago, Bird said:

Surprised that the 6.5 Creedmor didn't get mentioned for Whitetail, inheritanly accurate and low recoil.

 

It’s certainly a good option. And for someone who shoots traditional lead-core hunting bullets (like SST, ELDX, etc) it’s a VERY good option…

 

But, I shoot monolithic copper bullets at anything I want to eat and copper bullets perform better at higher impact velocities. The reason I prefer the PRC is simply that it gives like 300 fps more, approx, while still being very easy to shoot. 

[wvhunt]

I don't think there's ever a best cartridge for anything, there's just too many options now days.  I can give you my favorites for what I hunt though.

 

For coyotes and groundhogs it would be a 223. I've hunted them with 22-250, 220 Swift, 243, and a few others, but the 223 is accurate, easy on barrels, and does everything I ask of it.

 

For deer it would be a 308.  Another accurate cartridge, low recoiling while still carrying a 30 caliber bullet, and it also has a long barrel life.  I've hunted them with everything from a 357 magnum up to 300 Winchester magnum, but the 308 is my favorite.

[Darth-Baiter]

the most tailored caliber for any game is:  257 Weatherby Mag is the perfect Pronghorn match.

[TnRiver46]

My cousin swears by the ballistics of 25/06 and he is a game predator

 

he is also extremely proficient with sticks and string but that’s another thread 

[WRB]

I had 2 rifles for hunting big game is the USA. .264 Win Mag and .300 Win Mag.

The .264 was flatter shooting for must all shooting and the .300 for long range with more knock power or bigger animals.

Don’t know why the .264 disappeared? It was very accurate with more power* then .270, perfect for our western mule deer.

Down side of the .300 win was recoil, kill anything in North America.

Tom

*130 gr velocity was faster at 200 yard then .270 at muzzle. 165 gr .300 win velocity was faster at 200 yds the 30-06 at muzzle. Both sighted 1” high at 100 yards only dropped 3” or 2” below the bullseye at 300 yards. Put the cross hairs On the kill spot done no guessing.

Tom

[Skunkmaster-k]

Wow I haven’t heard someone talk about the 264 in a while. My cousin in Wyoming inherited one and he loves that gun. 

[Rockhopper]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Don’t know why the .264 disappeared? It was very accurate with more power* then .270, perfect for our western mule deer.

Had a bad rap for burning barrels and eroding throats, and very little support in factory ammo.  Didn't take long to figure out other 6.5 options were just as good and barrels lasted longer. The .264 is a fine round if you are the guy that shoots your rifle once a year.  It is not a good round at all if you are a real shooter.  Especially since the pills have very similar bc's to the .270 win.

[WRB]

I would bench shoot a box of ammo getting ready for hunting season in the 70’s. 
Looks like the Creedmore and .26 Nosler has taken over the 6.5mm hunting popularity for flat trajectory and killing power for Deer to Elk.

Agree the .270 win is a good all around choice.

Tom

 

[Rockhopper]

You definitely do not want to elk hunt with a 6.5 cm.

 

6.5 cm has a very similar bullet trajectory to a .300 win mag without any of the umph behind it.

[BigAngus752]

I have to say that everyone is throwing out "ideal" cartridges for specific game but not mentioning the circumstances.  This is like asking what lure I'm throwing without asking what the season, water temp, clarity, and conditions were.  Are you saying you are picking a cartridge to hunt this animal in a game preserve in Tennessee which is completely forest and a 50 yard shot for a Dall sheep?  Because you won't be using a .300 Win Mag.  If you are hunting a Dall in their home, however, you will be using a .300 Win Mag.  Are you baiting the coyotes?  Because you can use a 5.56 or a 12 ga for that matter.  Are you hunting them in open fields near my house after the beans have been harvested?  You'll want a .22-250. 

 

I'm just saying that the circumstances dictate your choice as much or more than the game.  I don't want to know what lure you're using until I know the conditions your fishing in.  Same with hunting.  

[Sp33dSnake]

There's nothing in the state of FL I can't kill with a .30-06.

But if we're talking 'ideal'.

Small game: .17 HMR
Varmint: .223
Medium Game: .30-06 150gr.
Heavy Game: .30-06 loaded with 220gr.
Fowl: 20ga Shotgun

A .30-06 can use 90gr loads that have ridiculous FPS out the muzzle for Varmint huntin', if that's what you want to go with.

There is quite a bit you can get done with a 20ga shotgun as well.  Varmint to Medium game.

A 12ga, especially a slug can take heavy game as well. 

[gim]

16 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

I don't want to know what lure you're using until I know the conditions your fishing in.  Same with hunting. 

I generally agree. I am not super familiar with various calibers, ballistics, or ammo specifications even though I have hunted and used firearms since I was 12.

 

One item not mentioned here is the availability of ammo. Everyone knows that at times, certain ammo becomes very difficult to locate because of demand. A firearm is pretty useless if you don’t have ammo for it. Not saying you should hoard a bunker full of ammo.

 

I think for this reason, a lot of general big game hunters select calibers such as .270 or 30-06. Generally speaking that ammo seems more widely available than others where I live.

[BigAngus752]

6 hours ago, gim said:

I generally agree. I am not super familiar with various calibers, ballistics, or ammo specifications even though I have hunted and used firearms since I was 12.

 

One item not mentioned here is the availability of ammo. Everyone knows that at times, certain ammo becomes very difficult to locate because of demand. A firearm is pretty useless if you don’t have ammo for it. Not saying you should hoard a bunker full of ammo.

 

I think for this reason, a lot of general big game hunters select calibers such as .270 or 30-06. Generally speaking that ammo seems more widely available than others where I live.

Very true.  I know a very large number of guys that do their own reloading for this reason.