Thread: Medium/ Big Bores, What's everyones favourites ?

My biggest Bore in the safe is a 338 Win Mag which would more likely be classed as a Medium Bore. I had my rifle made prior to my Moose Hunt in Alaska in 2002 but due to my paper work not being approved I ended up with a loan rifle from one of the guides, this being a Ruger M77 MKII in 338 W M with the skeleton stock.
My rifle I had built is based on a modified Mauser 98 action, with a MAB Barrel in a Ram line stock. I mounted my oldest Leupold a VX II 2x7x on it which I bought in Australia back in 1981.




The 338 Win Mag is a excellent Big Game rifle well capable of taking the large Moose, Elk and Bear along with most African game although caliber restrictions prohibit the use on animals such as Buffalo and Elephant, the 338 has been successfully used to take these animals. Given the choice a larger caliber would be better.
The load I have mostly used is the 230 gr Winchester Fail Safe with a charge of 69 grains of Winchester 760 for an average velocity of 2800fps, muzzle energy is a bit over 4000Ft Ids so it's pretty lively to shoot. ( reduce this load and work up if using in different rifles)
I have loaded the 210 Noslar Partitions to about 2900 fps and 250gr Sierra's to 2515 fps. Factory 250 gr Lapua ammo was doing 2700fps and packs a fair wallop on the shoulder.
Shooting it prone will leave a bruised shoulder after 8-10 shots, but it is a lot better when shot off hand.




Loaded 338 W M with the 230 gr Win Fail Safe Bullet and several recovered 230 gr Fail Safes taken out of pine stumps.

When I hunted for Moose in Alaska it was nice to carry a rifle with plenty of punch as you never know when you may be confronted with a Big Bear who is intent on making you dinner. Moose are big animals so plenty of power doesn't go a miss. The 338 W M is one of the top rifle carried by guides as a back up rifle for when things go wrong. Here in NZ we don't need the power it provides but dead is dead weather the animal is shot with a 338 or 308.
I have found that meat damage is minimal when using the big heavy bullets compared to the more fragile types common in lighter calibers.
My rifle does around the inch mark at 100 yards which is good for a heavy kicker.
I don't use mine much these days but have shot a few deer with it which puts the animals down very quick.
So that's my biggest bore in the safe so what's yours, add to the post with your pet thumper.

My biggest is a .404 Jeffery. I also have a 9.3x62 Mauser. I haven't taken the Jeffery hunting, but have shot a stag, goat and possum with the 9.3.

Plenty of punch with that 338, beaut moose too! Really like that .404 too Stug.

I have owned two 9.3x62's a 375 Ruger and a 45-70. Favourites would have to be my Marlin guide gun and Browning Maral in 9.3.

I like the .375 H&H. It's useful for even large African game animals, has a few great factory ammo options, works in a bolt action, and doesn't scar you when firing it more than once. Also, rifles chambered for it don't cost a princes ransom.

I've got a real soft spot for 9.3x62 - I foolishly sold Stug the excellent example he owns - and just had to get another.

It works in a standard action, and seems to feed reliably in lots of different actions (which reminds me, the extractor in mine needs attention)

The recoil is very manageable, it responds well with reduced and cast bullet loads, yet at "full noise" is very very capable on big animals. I've only bowled the unluckiest hare in NZ with mine - got him with open sights at over 100 yards.

@stug I have seen a 404 built on a 98 Mauser, is yours a custom or factory rifle?
@mawzer308 the Marlin Guide rifle would be fairly lively to shoot in 45/70 I would imagine ?

My .404 is a custom built by Gary Keown on an FN Mauser action.

Here is a pic, 1925 Mauser Oberndorf Type B in 9.3x62 is the middle rifle, .404 Jeffery is the bottom one. Top is a BRNO 600 7x57 that I have since sold.

All I can say is mine is not blued and there is no Walnut or plastic on it....

Very nice, something about those old classic calibers.

Originally Posted by Mooseman

@stug I have seen a 404 built on a 98 Mauser, is yours a custom or factory rifle?
@mawzer308 the Marlin Guide rifle would be fairly lively to shoot in 45/70 I would imagine ?

Yes quite lively as I have the 300gr doing 2105fps, 350gr at 1915fps and the speer 400gr which should be a touch over 1800fps (yet to chronograph that one) all out of an 18.5 inch barrel.

Originally Posted by 40mm

All I can say is mine is not blued and there is no Walnut or plastic on it....

Some sort of Swedish rifle

Pfft......... All babies to what I took to the Big Bore Shoot. 0.729 sending 440gr down the range at 1500ft sec

I meant to take some pics of the damage it did to Cecil the charging lion. The first 3 were warning shots.

my biggest is my no3 303

358 win in Lever savage 99. I have it maxing out at almost 3000 fpe. And with a soft butt pad its fun to shoot. 225 gr at 2450 fps. or pistol bullets over trail boss for youngsters shooting goats.
I know some of the guys using strong bolt action heat them up ( another 100-150 fps) somewhat more but I would be suggesting that going to a 35 Whelen would be safer.
It's completely unneeded for NZ but I'm having fun with it.
Z

Definitely my Sako 85L in .375 Holland and Holland topped off with a Weaver Classic Extreme 1.5-4.5x24mm (Awesome wide field of view with an illuminated dot for when it gets a bit dim out).

Punishing to fire on the bench with 300grn projectiles but a joy to shoot standing where good stock design and shooting technique makes it very manageable.