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Hunting Caliber/Platform Preferences

iklwa

iklwa

Master Class
OK, let's discuss something fun.

What is your favorite caliber/platform for hunting:
1. small game
2. varmints
3. medium game (i.e. deer)
4. large game (i.e. elk/large African antelope)
5. dangerous game (you name it)

I'll start with:
1. 22 LR, single shot
2. 223, AR platform
3. 7-08 to 7mm Remington Mag, bolt action or single shot
4. 7mm Remington Magnum, bolt action or single shot
5. 416 Rigby, bolt action (as long as there is back up)

Comments please!
 
Ok, #2, hunted groundhogs for years, caliber of choice was a .220swift in a Ruger M77 Stainless Target. I haven’t done this in several years since my good friend passed away years ago. Never hunted any large or big game, did hunt deer with a Dan Wesson .357 mag at times.
 
# 1 - used .410 ( early years ) , 20 GA , 12 GA for rabbit , quail , squirrel , and dove . Also used Ruger .22 Single-Six with head shots on squirrels.

#2 - Used .22 rifle on Groundhogs and my Ruger Security - Six .357 magnum. I did this to practice my stalking skills on deer when bow hunting. I used a .223 Ruger Mini 14 on coyotes.

#3 - Here in Illinois we are only allowed to use shotguns or black powder rifles and there is a handgun season also. I always used a 12 ga shotgun on deer.

I have shot 30-06 , 7 mm mag. , and 45-70 but never hunted game bigger than deer.

Back when I was still going hunting , we didn't have turkey around Southern Illinois.
 
1: Fur—6” S&W 617 .22LR or Stevens 24 O/U .22LR/.410. Feathers—Beretta 686 in 28 or 20ga.

2: Anschutz .22WMR w/Kahles 3-9x40.

3: S&W 657 .41Mag 7.5” Hunter w/Vortex Venom, or a H&R 20ga single shot, rifled barrel, Tasco ProPoint (made by Aimpoint before they became tactical).

4: Haven’t done it, but the Marlin 1894G in .450 Marlin will do the trick (if close) or else a 6.5x55.

5: Also never done it, but…go big or go home. A Holland & Holland or Rigby double rifle in .500 Nitro Express or .416 Rigby, respectively.
 
i have a wide variety of guns for the tasks😆. Depends on terrain/area

1. small game -
.22 AR or 22 pistol or my .410 single shot shotgun
2. varmints :
223 or .22
3. medium game (i.e. deer):
.308, .270 Win or Weatherby .270 Mag
4. large game (i.e. elk/large African antelope) .
.300 Weatherby Mag
5. dangerous game (you name it)
.300 Weatherby Mag
 
I use the following...

1. Ruger® 10/22 22LR, and Mossberg® Mdl 500C 20ga Shotgun
2. Savage® Mdl 93GL 22 Magnum
3. Marlin® 336C in 30-30 Winchester®
4. Ruger® No 1 single shot in 7mm Remington® Magnum
5. Marlin® Mdl 444SS in 444 Marlin® Caliber, & Ruger® Blackhawk® 41 Remington® Magnum
 
1. 22 WMR, or 22LR
2. 223, AR platform
3. 30-06 for most distances in my area, or 7 mm for shooting from one mountain top to the other.
4. Never done it but prob 7mm Remington Magnum
5. Never done that type of hunting. Thinking from a defensive position; I’ll go with RPG. Complete elimination of the threat. 😎
 
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What is your favorite caliber/platform for hunting:
1. small game - .22lr, 20 & 28 ga.
2. varmints - .223, 6mm CM
3. medium game (i.e. deer) - 6.5 CM
4. large game (i.e. elk/large African antelope) - 6.5 CM, .30/06
5. dangerous game (you name it) - .338 Win, Mag
 
Over many years that I've been a confirmed .270 Win fan, I've often kidded with those asking about it that I can load it down light enough to shoot squirrels/rabbits, and then load it heavy enough to stop a freight train. Then I explain how hand loaders have such an advantage of bullet choices over those who don't hand load. I'm such a fan of the caliber, those brags are too far off.

In all seriousness, I would typically use .22 (various firearms) or maybe .410 bore scatter gun for #1 and some #2, and occasionally a .270 Ren in a 10" Thompson Center Contender. I have Contender barrels for all the previous.

The .270 Win with specific hand loads ( have choice of firearms of Remington 700 Classic, Thompson Center Encore, and/or Sako Finbear) for all #3 and most #4 (I'm including all 'thin skinned' game in the country up to and including most Elk. Also have taken a lot of Whitetailed deer and feral hog (even a few Coyote) hunting around locally with a .357 Mag and/or a .357 Herret in a 10" Thompson Center Contender.

Never hunted anything in grp #5, so I can't comment except as a 'would want to' kind of thing. Primarily big cats and bears in this country with the .270 Win. Then I think I'd even like to give the .270 the benefit of the doubt for most on other continents, other than Cape buffs, Elephant, Rhino and some of the biggest cats. I don't know for sure, does that leave any in grp #5 not excluded? :oops:o_O:unsure:

No, I'm not related to the late, great, Jack O'Connor, but sure would like to have been. :):):) I think he signed his name with 49 grns of 4064 and a 130 grn Nosler SP. If he didn't, I'm convinced he could have !!!
 
I'm not going to talk about guns I don't have. Sure, there are better calibers and rifles for each entry here, but I am limiting my answers to something I own:

1. 22 LR
2. 243 Winchester
3. 243 Winchester
4. 300 Weatherby
5. 45-70 Gov't
 
Flyfinger said:
Hornady Superformance- With many changes in the propellants used in their loads, Hornady prides itself on having higher velocity than its competitors. Hornady uses normal charge weights with other specialized powders to achieve these results. Superformance can be found in.243 Win., 6mmRem.,.257 Roberts, 25-06 Rem., 5.56 ammo and.270 Rem.
Click to expand...

A powder is not a caliber, cartridge nor platform (aks firearm).
 
TEXASforLIFE said:
I think it was a ploy/marketing scheme! I do have powder in "Superformance", but haven't used any yet.
Click to expand...

The Alpha's post was verbatim from the Hornady website.

There's been alot of Alpha's showing up and making a marketing post then disappearing, lately.

Another one showed up on the reloading subforum with a link selling ammo.

The Mods should ban these folks.

My .02
 
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