Choosing a rifle caliber
10-23-2017, 05:11 PM
#21
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: US South
Posts: 444
My best advice is to NOT go into your first big game rifle purchase
thinking to get 1 rifle that will cover ALL.
Your going to NEED more than 1 BG rifle in your life !!!
So... Maybe plan your next BG hunting trip and get a rifle that is best suited for that hunt.
Later as the NEED arises, get another that best suits that plan. etc. etc.
10-24-2017, 09:24 AM
#22
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: CO
Posts: 79
ahamburg,
My best advice is to NOT go into your first big game rifle purchase
thinking to get 1 rifle that will cover ALL.
Your going to NEED more than 1 BG rifle in your life !!!
So... Maybe plan your next BG hunting trip and get a rifle that is best suited for that hunt.
Later as the NEED arises, get another that best suits that plan. etc. etc.
My best advice is to NOT go into your first big game rifle purchase
thinking to get 1 rifle that will cover ALL.
Your going to NEED more than 1 BG rifle in your life !!!
So... Maybe plan your next BG hunting trip and get a rifle that is best suited for that hunt.
Later as the NEED arises, get another that best suits that plan. etc. etc.
10-24-2017, 12:47 PM
#23
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Blanca, Colorado
Posts: 30
Fired my .375 H&H, with 270 grain bullets, for the first time in a long time last week. It is true, recoil may affect accuracy. My shoulder has fully recovered now thank you. Bigger is not always better.
Colorado perspective here and that is important. There are several big game loads that are more versatile than others. I may suggest the 30-06, 7MM Mag, and .300 Mag as being usable for a fair number of large game. The .308 and .270, and others, also hold their own in terms of versatility.
Bears?
Black bears: ~.30 caliber rifle
Grizzly and Alaskan Brown bears: .375 H&H
Polar Bears: Are you out of your mind?
Colorado perspective here and that is important. There are several big game loads that are more versatile than others. I may suggest the 30-06, 7MM Mag, and .300 Mag as being usable for a fair number of large game. The .308 and .270, and others, also hold their own in terms of versatility.
Bears?
Black bears: ~.30 caliber rifle
Grizzly and Alaskan Brown bears: .375 H&H
Polar Bears: Are you out of your mind?
Last edited by softdown; 10-24-2017 at 12:53 PM.
10-24-2017, 01:26 PM
#24
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Blanca, Colorado
Posts: 30
Not recommending this, just relating what I found. The .45-70 is a famous old load that was frequently used for the American bison. There are still some very old .45-70's around. I think they may be called "trapdoors" or something like that. The old guns are not recommended for modern higher velocity loads.
The cases are quite large and will easily accommodate much more than the 70 grains of powder that created the .45-70 moniker. This is called pressure packing in reloading circles.....if the bullet packs the powder as the bullet is seated. Being experimental with a solid, robust single shot .45-70 rifle, I created some loads that were downright fearsome. Managed to put some .45 lead bullets through 1/4" of steel plate. My .308 loads hardly dented that particular steel plate.
Do not do this unless you believe you are qualified and you have a robust single shot rifle such as the Ruger .45-70 for example.
Great brush load I think. Certainly leaves a large hole. I wish I would have hung unto mine.
Do not exceed manufacturer recommendations unless you are OK with possibly significant risk.
The cases are quite large and will easily accommodate much more than the 70 grains of powder that created the .45-70 moniker. This is called pressure packing in reloading circles.....if the bullet packs the powder as the bullet is seated. Being experimental with a solid, robust single shot .45-70 rifle, I created some loads that were downright fearsome. Managed to put some .45 lead bullets through 1/4" of steel plate. My .308 loads hardly dented that particular steel plate.
Do not do this unless you believe you are qualified and you have a robust single shot rifle such as the Ruger .45-70 for example.
Great brush load I think. Certainly leaves a large hole. I wish I would have hung unto mine.
Do not exceed manufacturer recommendations unless you are OK with possibly significant risk.
10-24-2017, 01:48 PM
#25
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,436
All that post was a bunch of things that you read somewhere, did you ever use a 45-70? I use mine all the time, I have taken bison, hogs and deer. I don't know what you were trying to get across but it failed. Making a recommendation for something you have little or no experience with is not helpful
Last edited by Oldtimr; 10-24-2017 at 01:51 PM.
10-24-2017, 02:00 PM
#26
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Blanca, Colorado
Posts: 30
The classic answer to that question is the .30-06. More widely available ammo. More range of bullets in commercial loads. The .30-06 has an advantage over the .308 ballistically. While some would argue this difference is marginal and/or insignificant, it is never said that the .308 has a ballistic advantage over the .30-06 -- chew on that for a minute.
1) More compact cartridge with those obvious advantages.
2) Less recoil.
3) Greater accuracy. The difference is generally insignificant for hunting but benchrest shooting is something I have done a lot of.
The .308 is, last I checked, one of a few American loads that can almost compete with the 6MM PPC. Reasons cited for the very small advantage found in the 6MM PPC? Exceedingly well made rifles, a smaller flash hole and an incredibly well designed cartridge....for benchrest shooting.
Not disagreeing with you. It is indeed true that the .30-06 is generally a more effective hunting load. The .308 is arguably a more efficient load. How about small female/youth whitetail shooters for example? A necked down .308.....say the .243 may be ideal.
Reloading is great for taking ones mind off the problems of the world. So is hunting....unless the bullet clashes in less than ideal circumstance.
Last edited by softdown; 10-24-2017 at 02:03 PM.
10-24-2017, 02:07 PM
#27
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Blanca, Colorado
Posts: 30
All that post was a bunch of things that you read somewhere, did you ever use a 45-70? I use mine all the time, I have taken bison, hogs and deer. I don't know what you were trying to get across but it failed. Making a recommendation for something you have little or no experience with is not helpful
I am not going to argue with cantankerous citizens, gun forums seem to be chalk full of such individuals. Neither will I roll over when they selectively pick and choose and distort what is exceedingly obvious.
10-24-2017, 02:11 PM
#28
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: CO
Posts: 79
Thoughts/comments bolded below. I own a .308 and am a fan but, playing devils advocate....
Can't argue with the ballistics logic but I can't resist defending the advantages of the .308:
1) More compact cartridge with those obvious advantages. (From a hunting rifle perspective, what are those obvious advantages?)
2) Less recoil. (Fair point but that may matter to some and not at all to others)
3) Greater accuracy. The difference is generally insignificant for hunting but benchrest shooting is something I have done a lot of. (Accuracy depends on so many variables this is a moot point)
The .308 is, last I checked, one of a few American loads that can almost compete with the 6MM PPC. (I'm guessing it's been awhile since you last checked)
1) More compact cartridge with those obvious advantages. (From a hunting rifle perspective, what are those obvious advantages?)
2) Less recoil. (Fair point but that may matter to some and not at all to others)
3) Greater accuracy. The difference is generally insignificant for hunting but benchrest shooting is something I have done a lot of. (Accuracy depends on so many variables this is a moot point)
The .308 is, last I checked, one of a few American loads that can almost compete with the 6MM PPC. (I'm guessing it's been awhile since you last checked)
10-24-2017, 02:22 PM
#29
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,382
Going back to the OP, this is the 2nd thread he's started about the same type of subject--what gun should I buy? The OP has only made 2 posts to date, both of which are thread starters. The OP has not responded back to any of the excellent advice he's been given. You guys are free to discuss the merits of different calibers (for the record I own and like my 45-70) but I wouldn't expect to hear back from the OP based on his track record. YMMV as always.