smallest 17 hmr largest 50-95. many more in-between
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smallest 17 hmr largest 50-95. many more in-between
22, 223, 7.62x39, 6.5 Grendel,308, 8mm Mauser.
My ""Go To"" rifle is the Howa mini in 7.62x39.Accurate, light & with plenty of knock down energy @ the ranges & conditions I use it in. Cheap to run too.
Greetings,
Three cartridges, .308W for it's sheer usefulness. .223R for its light recoil. And finally 6.5x55 just because I like it'
GPM.
6.5 grendel and 250 savage best suits my needs these days. I'm sure that's bound to change though.
Game : .22WMR, 12g, .30-30, 7x57 (replaced by my 7mm wildcat once the development problems are sorted)
Range : .22LR, 9x19, .38S&W, 8x57, .303
22LR Semi and bolt, 22 Hornet, 222 Remington, 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, 12 gauge Mossberg pump action plastic camo hack!
Storing for a friend 22LR, 303, he sold his 243 before registration, it was his go to deer rifle and he shot hundreds!
Sold in the past, 22 Rimfire Magnum lever action 94, 6mm Remington on an ex military Mauser 98 action by Din Collings, Alpine 30-06, Winchester 12G Defender pump wooden.
Fortunately I didn't own any centre fire semi's at the time of the call up and crush!
I have very vanilla calibres with one exception.
22LR
9x19
12ga
7mm08
308
284win
My go to rifle and ironically my cheapest one is my 7mm08 bushpig.
Will add a 223 again to the safe once the young fella gets a bit older.
22-250
.308
covers everything I want for now.
Thought about a .223 but can't see the point as my 22-250 covers that.
I think the thread has descended into "what is your list" rather than cartridge of choice. My cartridge of choice tends to be the one I'm currently farting about reloading for depending on application.
To chose from I have, 22Short, 22LR, 22Hornet, 222, 223, 22-250, 243, 270, 6.5x55 Swede, 7x57mm Mauser, 308, 30-30, 32-20, 303B, 357mag, 44mag, 44-40, 45 Colt, 454Casull, .410Bore, 20g, 12g and a nice slingshot.
Going forward I'm probably in the market for 7.62x39 and 45-70 this year. Just to round things out.
What I tend to pick up going out the door to shoot things is 22Hornet for small game, 223 for goats, 243 or 7x57mm Mauser for deer.
308win for me. Does it all to a certain degree. Not the best out there for certain aspects, ( long range ) but ammo is abundant. Not a fancy new cartridge but great for putting meat in the freezer.
Also mine, boring as it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Allizdog
Chose it as my "one gun" because at the time I didn't think I'd get the funds or the green light for a second one, still stand by the choice.
Very long barrel life, always ammo on the shelf, very reloadable, performance at moderate/acceptable range, works subsonic if that itch needs scratching. Not recommended for rabbits and hares but with FMJ subsonic ammo I reckon I'm willing to give it a nudge at least once!
I'd actually like to try a fast twist .222 one day with exactly the same principles in mind, have often wondered if a .222 could be made to run a gentle, low velocity bunny load for those times when a tasty wee fluffy pops it's head up on the river flat... A survival gun of sorts perhaps.
Pretty standard for me to.
22lr
223
308
284 x2
12g
I have an itch for a hot 6mm but really the 308 is what puts meat on the table.
@Jt89 I'm using 222 for long range rabbit sniping and highly recommend the accuracy of the caliber. I'm out to 242m so far and am confident I'll get to 300 this year. The rifle is certainly capable of it. I'm loading Hornady 55grn SP CANN Model 2266 in front of 18.5grns ADI AR2207. The heavier bullet is in case of goats or deer, there are red and fallow around. Best goat shot 267m, a pair of young billies. It wasn't pretty but the commercial goat culler who was 200 - 300 metre to my left did not hear a thing! DPT suppressor makes 222 a lot quieter than 223.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jt89
Also consider 22 Hornet for bunnies 150 - 200m. Very effective and more for the pot than with 222. I don't head shoot as a rule, just aim for the big bit! I'm after quantity not quality! 40grn Win HP FBX CANN CJ loaded with 10grn (so cheap to run!) ADI AR2207.
Both rifles are Weihrauch HW60J excellent German precision engineering. HW60J is transitioning to HW66CH "Classic Hunter" which is factory threaded with no iron sights. Best rifle I have ever hunted with!
22lr, 7mm saum, 300 saum, 300 norma mag and a 338 federal!!
Much meat damage once you get out to that range? Closer in I'd be worried about being left with only ears and a tail...Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Shields
22Lr, 12 gauge, 223, 30.06
for hunting for me its;
22
223
284 win x 2 (one set up for bush and one for open tops)
12g
(I have a heap of comp rifles that dont need listing lol)
I think that a talented shooter and smart handloader could use a fast twist .223 for everything, including longer range competition, varmints, pests and putting meat on the table. a long barrel life and cheap components helps this a heap.
However for me the 284 has been an incredible and forgiving all rounder for NZ larger game hunting. it has done it all for me anyway
.22lr, 6.5 SAUM, 7x65R, .308Win .54ml, 16 gauge & 12 gauge.
New to shooting, but I got a .22 and a 30-06 so far. Might get a cheap 223 at some point. Those 3 choices should cover everything I want to put in my freezer.
.22lr, 7mmSAUM(favourite and most used), 7mm08 Bushpig, 223, 44mag and 12ga.
@Jt89 Correct! The other dusk I was out shooting rabbits at long ranges with the triple two. Then I spied a tiny baby rabbit, about the size of your hand, sitting front on sunning itself at about 15 metres. I shot it and all that was left was a hole in the ground!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jt89
Which brings me to the subject of bullet placement. Basically, with either calibre, if the rabbit is sitting front on, there is no point in picking it up, because the bullet passes straight though and it is just a shitty mess!
222 Remington, bunny side on; with a head shot the head is basically gone, irrespective of range. Shoulder or chest shot, the other side is gone and you get the back have to eat. Reserve side shoulder damage does get a bit less with longer range, but you still only get half a rabbit for the pot. Gut shot, it's just a fricken mess!
22 Hornet is a bit less destructive. Head shot, half a head is left! Gut shot, is still a fricken mess! Side on shoulder, total internal destruction, with an exit hole about the size of a golf ball.
The joy of the 22 calibre family is both Hornet and 222 take exactly the same .224 dia projectiles, primer and powder, so no need to buy another type of powder, unless you go to 223 which likes a faster burning powder.
.224 Projectiles are available in weights from 30grn to 90grns.
22 Hornet will fire 30 - 55 grn projectile with 40 or 50 being optimal with 10grn of ADI AR2207. Currently loading Win 40grn HP W/C Fbx CJ which is very good on rabbits. I also accidently bought, to get something else, 6 x 50 boxes of Hornady #83028 45grn SP Match. I think this is the #2230 Hornet projectile with a BC .202. @ 2600ftps. Very accurate, but an absolute bunny splutterier!! It just unzips them from the arse to the elbow! I don't load HOT or MAXIMUM loads, but a HOT load with push a 30grn projectile at over 3000 feet per second.
222 will fire 35 to 60grn projectiles with 18.5grn of ADI AR2207. I'm currently firing Hornady 55grn #2266 BTSP W/C BC.235 which I'm finding very accurate. I bought 2000 of these for 25c - 28c - 36c each. Very good on long range rabbits and very good on goats. No deer yet....
What you get for the pot is very much a matter of bullet placement, projectile type and powder load.
.223, 6.5 creed and 12g wouldn't mind adding a Grendel to the mix for shits and giggles.
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Things have changed here since this post. Now it's 6.5 PRC for cartridge of choice (what gets taken on the most walks). There's a PRC, 243 and a 22 LR in the safe but the other rifles are gone.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rated M for Magnum
.308 win for me just easy
Anything 11mm ;)
The "gentleman's trio" Would be rimfire, centrefire and shotgun.
300Saum as it's the only firearm I have but is the favorite of the cartridges I've owned over the years.
1).30m1
2).30m1
3).410
4) 30-06
Interesting thread.
I am in my 60s but started shooting centre fire rifles only after coming to NZ 32 years ago. Prior to that I only used a single barrel 12 bore.
Since the early 90s I have bought and sold a number of rifles & shotguns (30+ all the way up to 470NE). I have kept a careful record of them in a spreadsheet.
I currently own 2 rifles in 22LR, a 223 Rem, 7mm08, 280 Ack Imp, 9.3X62, Mannlicher Schoenauer 6.5X54 & 9.5X57 and a SXS 12 bore
I can't seem to get any small game for the pot with my 220 swift no matter what the range.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Shields
.22 - Meant for bunnies and practice but hardly use them
22-250AI - Pest control on farms mostly goats and rabbits/hares odd deer
308 - Main hunting rifle to 600 yards
44 mag - bush hunting
308 would be replaced by a 6.5CM or 6mmCM even if it wasnt for the fact that i shoot subs and also have the ability to load 308 for very cheap due to bulk purchases im still well under $1 a round and 22-250AI will become a 22 creedmoor on the next barrel due to brass availability
250 savage, 25-06, 6.5 grendel, 7x57 and 7x64
All are used for shooting deer/pigs and plinking at the range
.177 air rifle, .22, .17HMR, 6.5x55, 7mm08, 300WSM, 45Cal Tony Hawkins, .577 Snider, .577 Enfield. There’s something fun about hunting with black powder.
22, 260, 7 saum
Good choicesQuote:
Originally Posted by Ginga
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