The 20th Century's Top Rifle Cartridge

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The 20th Century's Top Rifle Cartridge
by Layne Simpson, Field Editor, Shooting Times, article originally published in Shooting Times magazine, February 2000

There can be only one top rifle cartridge of the 20th century, and Field Editor Layne Simpson has a handle on what it is. Here is his selection along with its 11 runners-up.

The greatest centerfire cartridge of the 20th century? Even though the answer to that question should have come to me as easily as falling off a greased log, I found it difficult to single out one among so many great ones. An early example among great cartridges is the .300 Savage, which offered original .30-06 performance in a package small enough to cycle through popular rifles such as the Savage 99 and Remington 81. But is it the greatest of the great? Hardly. Then we have other candidates. Although ignored to death by American hunters, the .307 Winchester is a great cartridge simply because it squeezes .300 Savage performance from America’s favorite deer rifle, the Winchester 94. But that alone does not place it among the list of top candidates for it is now a dying cartridge. And what about the .22-250? It began life as one of the most popular wildcats ever created, was available in Browning rifles before Remington started factory loading it, and is now one of our two most popular varmint cartridges. Great though it is, the .22-250 has yet to earn a big shot at the No. 1 position like other cartridges.

The .17 Remington is a favorite I hated to eliminate from my short list, mainly because it is uniquely American and so much fun to shoot. Then we have others like the .22 Hornet (my first varmint cartridge), the .35 Remington (my first store-bought deer cartridge), and the .225 Winchester (which accounted for my first sub-minute-of-angle group). Sentimental fellow that I am, I could very easily have listed either of those among the greatest of the great. Other favorites I hated to weed out are the .280 Remington (almost as good as the .270), 6mm Remington (actually better than the .243), .257 Roberts (better than the 6mm or .243), .25-06 (I used it a lot when it was a wildcat), 7x57mm Mauser (which will do anything the 7mm-08 will do), 7mm-08 Remington (which will do anything the 7x57mm Mauser will do), and the .416 Weatherby Magnum (my favorite cartridge for the big stuff of Africa). But they too had to go. As for new cartridges on the scene, the 7mm STW and .300 Remington Ultra Mag might eventually earn enough stripes to be included in such a list by another writer at the end of the 21st century, but as I write this neither has proven capable of weathering the test of time.

As it turned out, I simply could not come up with the single greatest cartridge without at least mentioning those that have given it a run for its money in not only popularity but usefulness as well. So I took the easy way out by naming not only the cartridge of the century but, as they say in beauty contests, its 11 runners-up as well. Here, then, in the order of their introduction are all too brief comments on what I consider to be the fantastic dozen of the 20th century, with the 11 runners-up first and the winner last.

.375 Holland & Holland Magnum.
I chose the .375 H&H Magnum as one of the top dozen of the 20th century simply because few other cartridges do so many things so well. It is just powerful enough to handle game too nasty for smaller cartridges, yet it is not ridiculously overpowered for nondangerous North American game such as elk and moose. I also chose it because the level of recoil it generates represents about the upper limit most hunters can tolerate. Even though the .375 H&H Magnum was introduced by Holland & Holland in 1925, most American hunters ignored it due to the high cost of imported rifles chambered for it. But that changed for the better in 1937 when Winchester added the chambering to its list of options for the Model 70 rifle. When loaded with good bullets and fired in an accurate rifle, this old English cartridge is capable of remarkable accuracy. It’s good too; I would not hesitate to hunt any big-game animal presently walking the face of the earth with the .375 H&H Magnum.

.270 Winchester
What can I say about the .270 Winchester that was not said far more eloquently by Jack O’Connor, the greatest firearms writer of the 20th century? The most famous and by far the most successful full-length offspring of the .30-06 Springfield, the .270 had it all back in 1925 when it was introduced and still has it all today. Need a flat-shooting, mild-recoiling, super-accurate cartridge for shooting deer-size game at long range? The .270 loaded with a good 130-grain bullet fills the bill with room to spare. Heading out west for an elk or moose hunt? Don’t overlook the .270 loaded with a premium-grade bullet weighing 150 grains. Does your shoulder scream out in protest each time you squeeze the trigger on that new .409 Pooper-Scooper Magnum? If so, relief in the form of a .270-caliber rifle is no further away than your friendly gunshop.

.220 Swift
Exceeding 4000 feet per second with a rifle bullet seemed about as far out of reach as man’s first step on the moon back in the 1930s, but Winchester accomplished the impossible in 1935 by introducing the great .220 Swift. Loaded with a 48-grain bullet at the previously unheard of velocity of 4110 fps, the Swift made plenty of noise, shot flatter than a moonbeam, and electrocuted a varmint in its tracks. And if that alone wasn’t enough, the new cartridge was extremely accurate in the Winchester Model 70 rifle. During its heyday the Swift took its licks from critics who were obviously jealous of its success, but those of us who use it today recognize it for what it is—the greatest varmint cartridge of all time. True, the .22-250 is more popular, but it simply follows the trail blazed over half a century ago by the .220 Swift.

.300 Weatherby Magnum
Roy Weatherby didn’t invent the .30-caliber magnum cartridge; among Americans that honor goes to a fellow by the name of Charles Newton. Weatherby did, however, cause more hunters to want to own .30 magnum rifles than anyone before or since his time. More important to the success of his company, those hunters wanted Weatherby rifles in .300 Magnum. I saw my first Weatherby rifle while still in high school and swore then and there that I would someday own one, and sure enough I eventually did. I’m sure many other youngsters my age shared the same dream. Roy’s .300 Magnum with its distinctive double-radius shoulder has long been and probably always will be the belted magnum by which all others of its caliber are measured. You can say what you want about its recoil and muzzle blast, but no one who has used the .300 Weatherby Magnum on big game will deny that the hunt almost always ends quickly just after the first trigger squeeze.

.222 Remington
A brainchild of Remington’s Mike Walker, the .222 was made possible by the introduction of the Remington Model 722 bolt-action rifle. That combination, the .222 and the 722, ruled the accuracy roost among varmint shooters during the 1950s, and the little cartridge even went on to absolutely dominate registered benchrest competition until the 6mm PPC came along in 1975. In addition, the .222 eventually spawned the .17 Remington, .221 Fireball, .222 Remington Magnum, .223 Remington, and the European 5.6x50mm Magnum, making it one of the more prolific cartridges introduced during the 20th century. Today, the .223 is more popular, but when all is said and done it really won’t do a lot that can’t be done about as well with the .222 Remington. If ever I decide to build the six most accurate rifles in the world, one of them will be chambered for the .222 Remington.

.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester, or 7.62x51mm NATO as it is also called, was not the first high-intensity centerfire cartridge designed for short-action rifles; that distinction goes to the .300 Savage. The .308 was, however, the first cartridge of its kind to enjoy worldwide popularity. On several occasions I have hunted moose in Sweden and am always surprised to see how many of the local hunters are armed with rifles in .308 Winchester. Among calibers larger than 6mm, the .308 is by far the most popular short-action big-game cartridge among hunters worldwide. The .308 has also fathered a rather large clan of offspring with names like .243 Winchester, .260 Remington, 7mm-08 Remington, and .358 Winchester. Probably the best thing to be said of the .308 is it is capable of phenomenal accuracy; it is possibly the single most inherently accurate cartridge of a caliber larger than 6mm ever designed.

.243 Winchester
The .243 Winchester was not the first cartridge of its caliber, but it was the first cartridge to really put the caliber on the map among varmint shooters and deer hunters. The .243 plays its dual role as a combination varmint/big-game cartridge like few other cartridges are capable of, and it possesses incredible accuracy potential. Mild manners combined with energy delivery quite adequate for game up to the size of whitetail deer and pronghorn antelope make the .243 as close to ideal as we are likely to ever get for those who are sensitive to recoil. The 6mm Remington (alias .244 Remington) might be just a tad better and the .240 Weatherby most definitely is, but neither has enjoyed anywhere near the popularity of the .243 Winchester.

.458 Winchester Magnum
The .458 Winchester was America’s first factory-loaded elephant cartridge. Prior to its introduction in 1956, American hunters who ventured to Africa either used American-built rifles in .375 H&H (which some considered a bit small for elephant and such), a custom-built rifle chambered for a wildcat such as the .450 Watts, or they bought an expensive English-built rifle chambered for a cartridge of English design. Then along came the Model 70 in .458 Magnum, which not only duplicated the performance of the ever-popular .470 Nitro Express, it cost but a fraction of the price of a British double in that caliber. The .458 Winchester went on to become the most popular backup cartridge among African professional hunters, and to this day it is the dangerous game cartridge by which all others are judged.

.338 Winchester Magnum
I like the .338 Winchester Magnum but not quite as much as the .375 H&H Magnum. It is a good cartridge, but I’m not sure it is a lot better than one of the .300 magnums loaded with a 200-grain bullet. The .338 shoots flat but not quite as flat as one of the 7mm magnums. The .338 hits hard downrange, but it also hits hard back behind the recoil pad. Through the years I have heard all those statements used to describe the .338 Winchester Magnum, but the fact remains that it has enjoyed and continues to enjoy more popularity among big-game hunters than all other medium-bore cartridges combined. The last time I looked at ammunition sales reports from Winchester, Remington, and Federal, the .338 ranked 10th among all big-game cartridges, reason enough to include it among the 12 greatest centerfire rifle cartridges of the 20th century.

7mm Remington Magnum
The 7mm Remington Magnum and I go back to 1962, the year Remington introduced it, so it has long been one of my favorite cartridges. Other cartridges of the same caliber came before Remington’s version, but all combined did not cause as much excitement among American hunters. In fact, prior to its introduction, most Americans ignored 7mm cartridges. Not so for the new one from Remington. For several years after it was introduced, the demand for Model 700 rifles chambered for the “Big Seven” far outpaced Remington’s ability to produce them. Even today, over three decades after its introduction, only the .30-30, .30-06, .270, and .308 are more popular among big-game hunters. Why the 7mm Remington Magnum enjoys such popularity is no big mystery—it shoots flatter and hits harder than the .30-06 but generates only slightly more recoil. It is truly one of the 20th century’s greats.

6mm PPC
Chances are the 6mm PPC has never killed a single deer, and it most definitely ranks near the bottom of the heap among varmint hunters. It doesn’t shoot as flat as a banjo string, and it doesn’t deliver gobs of energy downrange, make a lot of noise, or pound one’s shoulder to a pulp. The 6mm PPC is anything but cheap to shoot; last time I looked, cases were selling at 75 cents each, and they still had to be fine-tuned before being used. Even though Americans Lou Palmisano and Ferris Pindell created the little cartridge, it is foreign to most American shooters. On top of all that, while the 6mm PPC has been around for over 20 years not a single American ammo manufacturer has chosen to load it. What the 6mm PPC has done and continues to do is break more world accuracy records in registered benchrest shooting than any other cartridge, and it shows no sign of slowing down. When firearms correspondents of the future write about such things, the 6mm PPC will be mentioned most often as the accuracy cartridge of the 20th century.

And The Winner Is... The .30-06 Springfield
Then we come to the .30-06 Springfield, my pick as the greatest rifle cartridge of the 20th century .Before you disagree, take a look at its track record. For starters, the .30-06 was the primary battle cartridge of American military forces from its introduction in 1903 until it was replaced by the 7.62mm NATO in 1954. That’s over half a century of military duty. During that time the United States and its allies won the two greatest wars in the history of modern mankind, and while they would likely have done so had the .30-06 not been around, the cartridge played a key role nevertheless. Long before the old soldier retired from military duty it was enjoying tremendous popularity among hunters and target shooters. Today, the .30-06 is No. 1 in sales among all big-game cartridges with the major ammunition manufacturers, and it is seldom out of the top five most popular chamberings among builders of bolt-action rifles. The grand old cartridge has long been available in all types of rifles: bolt actions, slide actions, single shots, autoloaders, and even a few lever actions. A great abundance of factory loadings are available not only from U.S. manufacturers but from those in other countries as well. Federal alone, as an example, offers almost two-dozen different loadings of the .30-06 Springfield with bullet weights ranging from 125 to 220 grains. Handloaders who load the cartridge have a great variety of brands, styles, and weights of bullets from which to choose, and dozens are suitable for this grand old cartridge. The popularity of the .30-06 is worldwide; it accounts for a big chunk of sales among many foreign manufacturers of sporting ammunition, and any foreign rifle manufacturer who is anybody (and even some who aren’t) offer the .30-06 chambering. The .30-06 got a head start on its competition by being adopted by the US Military, same as the .45-70 Government, .30-40 Krag, .308 Winchester, and .223 Remington. Today, it is a benchmark by which big-game cartridge performance is compared.

So there you have the greatest cartridge of the 20th century along with its 11 runners-up. I’m sure everyone won’t agree with all of my picks, but that was one of the great things about 20th-century America—we could disagree and still be friends.

Cartridge Year of Introduction
.30-06 Springfield, 1906
.375 H&H Magnum, 1912
.270 Winchester, 1925
.220 Swift, 1935
.300 Weatherby Magnum, 1948
.222 Remington, 1950
.308 Winchester, 1952
.243 Winchester, 1955
.458 Winchester Magnum, 1956
.338 Winchester, Magnum, 1958
7mm Remington Magnum, 1962
6mm PPC, 1975


Monish
 
And now the fun begins ...............:smoking:

I would have to say the I disagree. The 375 H&H doses everything the 30.06 doses and also is a dangeriou game rifle, which the 30.06 isn't! Not perfect I agree but the most versitle cartridge in the world.
 
And now the fun begins ...............:smoking:

I would have to say the I disagree. The 375 H&H doses everything the 30.06 doses and also is a dangeriou game rifle, which the 30.06 isn't! Not perfect I agree but the most versitle cartridge in the world.
The thing is there really is no need for a .375 H&H Mag. in North America. The .338 Win. mag. or the .35 Whelen is sufficient for all of the North American game. Not saying that someone carrying a .375 H&H Mag. in Alaska would feel overpowered, but the .338 Win. mag will kill everything in Alaska just as dead as the .375 H&H will. The only place where there is a real need for a .375 H&H Mag. is Africa.
 
The thing is there really is no need for a .375 H&H Mag. in North America. The .338 Win. mag. or the .35 Whelen is sufficient for all of the North American game. Not saying that someone carrying a .375 H&H Mag. in Alaska would feel overpowered, but the .338 Win. mag will kill everything in Alaska just as dead as the .375 H&H will. The only place where there is a real need for a .375 H&H Mag. is Africa.

Not the point. To be "The 20th Century's Top Rifle Cartridge" surely dangerious game has to be inculded, no matter where the game is. To call it the top hunting cartridge of the world, then I might agree. On the other hand, a european might reach for a rifle chambered in 8mm mauser instead of a 30.06. But it could be strongley argued otherwise.
I am not disputing that the 338 mag or the .35 Whelen should be able to take a grizzley, but would it be able to stop that same grizz in a charge? Would the 30.06? The 375H&H would. That is my point.
 
Not the point. To be "The 20th Century's Top Rifle Cartridge" surely dangerious game has to be inculded, no matter where the game is. To call it the top hunting cartridge of the world, then I might agree.
No, dangerous game does not have to be included. But since you mentioned DG, Brown Bear and Moose are dangerous game. And people use the .30-06 on Lion and Leopard every year is Zimbabwe. I even have read someone on another forum say he has shot 2 Leopard with a .270 with 150 grainers.

I am not disputing that the 338 mag or the .35 Whelen should be able to take a grizzley, but would it be able to stop that same grizz in a charge? Would the 30.06? The 375H&H would. That is my point.
Hosea Sarber used the .30-06 exclusively for Brown bears and Grizzly Bears. He shot more Brown/Grizzly Bears than any other person on earth. And once you shoot that many you probably have faced some charges.

On the other hand, a european might reach for a rifle chambered in 8mm mauser instead of a 30.06. But it could be strongley argued otherwise.
Even if they would, European hunters only make up a small percentage of hunters.
 
The only thing more fun than shooting rifles is arguing about them. There is no right answer on these “which rifle/caliber is best” questions, but that sure doesn’t stop us from jumping in. I’ve seen these arguments come to blows before but in the end no one ever convinces anyone of their point. Having said all of that I can’t help myself and must join the fray. First the 30-06, yes this is a very popular and versatile round and if only hunting non-dangerous game all a hunter would ever really need. But, there are a lot of calibers that may not be as versatile as the 06 but can do some things much better. Next the 375, how in the world could anyone stand not owning at least one 375. Talk about versatile; this gun can be used for anything on the planet. With trajectories similar to the 30-06 it is a legitimate 300 yard gun.

We have used our 375’s to take everything from whitetails to wildebeest and if I had to only have one gun it would be a 375. No disrespect to Christian but the 338 will never be a 375 no matter how much its supporters claim it. As far as too much gun, I would use my 470 for whitetails if I could shoot it across a wheat field. My youngest son likes to use my 375 for deer hunting (reminds him of Africa) and it actually does less damage to the meat than a 300 win mag. Even though I am singing the praises of the all round 375 I use a round that starts with 4 when after buffalo or elephant. Just because you could use the 375 for everything doesn’t mean you have to, like the 30-06 there may be better choices.

That’s the great thing about living in the U.S., we are not limited to one gun. The only thing that limits us as far as firearms are concerned is finances and our wives. Most of us who frequent this site either hunt more than just deer or would like expand their hunting opportunities and one caliber may not cut it. Now to really stir things up I will list my favorite calibers:
25-06
270 win
300 win mag
416 Rigby
 
Kiwi 505,

The heat is on , lets play ,we should be getting in the best of responses from our expert members on ballistics & calibers. The .30-06 , no doubt has taken more game on earth than all the calibers combined. The terrrain ,the area where & the game one is hunting also matters on the caliber choice, and it suits ones perception of selecting the best of calibers .
I am sure in America the .338 Win. magnum is a ultimate caliber for all sorts of hunting , & for Africa I believe .375 H&H magnum is a perfect choice for all the plains & dangerous game . As I said its individuals choice & the comfort level in using a certain caliber .

Happy Hunting friend !!!!!

Monish
 
The only thing more fun than shooting rifles is arguing about them. There is no right answer on these “which rifle/caliber is best” questions, but that sure doesn’t stop us from jumping in. I’ve seen these arguments come to blows before but in the end no one ever convinces anyone of their point. Having said all of that I can’t help myself and must join the fray. First the 30-06, yes this is a very popular and versatile round and if only hunting non-dangerous game all a hunter would ever really need. But, there are a lot of calibers that may not be as versatile as the 06 but can do some things much better. Next the 375, how in the world could anyone stand not owning at least one 375. Talk about versatile; this gun can be used for anything on the planet. With trajectories similar to the 30-06 it is a legitimate 300 yard gun.
I don't own a .375 H&H, but I'm only 13:rolleyes: I have no issues with the .375 H&H and I'll probably own one someday (I hope), but I just don't think you can say it's the 20th century's top rifle cartridge. It is certainly in the top 5 but not #1.



That’s the great thing about living in the U.S., we are not limited to one gun. The only thing that limits us as far as firearms are concerned is finances and our wives. Most of us who frequent this site either hunt more than just deer or would like expand their hunting opportunities and one caliber may not cut it.

LOL.

Now to really stir things up I will list my favorite calibers:
25-06
270 win
300 win mag
416 Rigby


Okay then I'll list my fav calibers (I have owned a rifle in every cal chosen).

.22-250 Rem
.243 Win
.30-30 Win
.30-06 sprngfld
8X57 Mauser


I have no experience with big bores other than I have fired a .375 H&H Mag. once. The recoil didn't give me a sore shoulder or anything, but I didn't have to ask if it went off.;)
 
Christian,

Try the .375 H&H again & again & again & you fall fall in love with it ,Iam sure , I shot the first round out of my grand dads .375 H&H deluxe DBBL (flanged) when I was 10 , took me 50 rounds to love it & I am infatuated since then , with this astounding caliber.........

Monish
 
No, dangerous game does not have to be included. But since you mentioned DG, Brown Bear and Moose are dangerous game. And people use the .30-06 on Lion and Leopard every year is Zimbabwe. I even have read someone on another forum say he has shot 2 Leopard with a .270 with 150 grainers.


Hosea Sarber used the .30-06 exclusively for Brown bears and Grizzly Bears. He shot more Brown/Grizzly Bears than any other person on earth. And once you shoot that many you probably have faced some charges.

Even if they would, European hunters only make up a small percentage of hunters.

You caqn hunt any game with any cartridge you want to. Doses that mean you should. Sure I could take my sks and go hunting a brown bear but do you think that the 7.62x39 cartridge is an optimum one for bear hunting? Yes you can take a brown bear with a 30.06, no question. But, if anything go's wrong, the 30.06, fine cartridge that it is, is not what you want to be holding in your hand in those circumstances! On the other hand, the 375 H&H is on the right side of the margin.

Also, the moose can be dangerious, so can elk, mule deer and others. But none of them are dangerious game by any definition!

This article is about the top rifle cartridge, however Mr Simpson doses not say what he means by that defination so we are left to conjecture on what he means. Take what you want to from that!!

There is a certain bias in his selection, the 375 H&H being the only non americian round selected. That left a whole lot of very effective british and european rounds out of the running.
 
You caqn hunt any game with any cartridge you want to. Doses that mean you should. Sure I could take my sks and go hunting a brown bear but do you think that the 7.62x39 cartridge is an optimum one for bear hunting? Yes you can take a brown bear with a 30.06, no question. But, if anything go's wrong, the 30.06, fine cartridge that it is, is not what you want to be holding in your hand in those circumstances! On the other hand, the 375 H&H is on the right side of the margin.

Olso, the moose can be dangerious, so can elk, mule deer and others. But none of them are dangerious game by any definition!

This article is about the top rifle cartridge, however Mr Simpson doses not say what he means by that defination so we are left to conjecture on what he means. Take what you want to from that!!

There is a certain bias in his selection, the 375 H&H being the only non americian round selected. That left a whole lot of very effective british and european rounds out of the running.
The "Century's Top Rifle Cartridge" is the .30-06. Why? It is because of the wording. It doesn't say "century's top hunting cartridge". The .30-06 has helped win 2 world wars and is the most popular hunting cal in the world, making it (imo) the "century's top rifle cartridge".
 
All the cartridges listed are sporting cartridges. therefore, prima facia, the article is talking about hunting and sporting cartridges. BTW, the 303 british has won just as many world wars and a whole bunch more besides. it is also just as widespread, and if you consider its history, proberly has taken more game worldwide then the 30.06!
 
Ah, but the .303 Brit was developed in the 19th century! Otherwise, it's absence from the list would be a crime indeed-just like the .30-30, 7x57, and .45-70.

While I see little pint in getting worked up over this topic, the .30-06 is something of an Everyman's cartridge - rifles and ammunition are readily available at affordable prices almost anywhere that rifles are available, especially in the USA.

It's not just which cartridge does more things better, but which one is in more widespread use and has greater influence. The .375 is right on its heels, but I think the .30-06 has earned its place!
 
Not here to argue or even debate, just wanted to make a comment that it's nice to see my favorite cartridge made it pretty high up the list.

I've been a "Big Seven" fan my whole life. I grew up watching my Dad do things with his Remington 700 in 7mm Rem Mag that to this day still amaze me - at 59 years old, him and the accuracy of his gun amaze me every fall.

I bought my own the first day I could afford to and have owned 2 more since. At 34 years old today, my favorite is a Tikka T3 chambered in this round. I can consistently shoot sub MOA groups with it and it makes the perfect cartridge for the bulk of rifle hunting that I do - mule deer in the Badlands of western North Dakota - where 300 yards is often the norm rather than the exception. I love this round so much, that when I won a gun on a raffle last year in my choice of calibers, I chose the "Big Seven" so my son can hunt with it in 2 years when he's old enough. Gotta keep the family tradition going. :)

All that said, I will be the first to admit that this cartridge can not and will not do it all. That's why man has invented more than one caliber - choose the best one for the job.

All that said, even though I love hunting with a rifle, I would rather pick up my bow if given the choice - so my opinion probably doesn't matter much in this conversation anyway. ;)

My $0.02.

nd
 
I can't argue with your list of favorites Christian, those are some fine calibers. Hey if you are only 13 buy all the guns you can before you get married. I wasn't kidding about wives being a limiting factor on future gun purchases:)
 
Cossack, You brought up an interesting point because he doses list the 7x57 mauser, just about as old as the 303!! I agree about the 30.06 being widley available and do not dispute it's effectiveness. I just think that the 375 H&H doses it all better!
 
All the cartridges listed are sporting cartridges. therefore, prima facia, the article is talking about hunting and sporting cartridges. BTW, the 303 british has won just as many world wars and a whole bunch more besides. it is also just as widespread, and if you consider its history, proberly has taken more game worldwide then the 30.06!
The .303 British is one of my favorite cartridges also. I have owned 2 No.5 MKI jungle carbines and loved both of them. It could be chosen as the 19th century's top rifle cartridge. I would love to have another .303 British, but I sold both of them to get other rifles more suited for hunting.
 
I can't argue with your list of favorites Christian, those are some fine calibers. Hey if you are only 13 buy all the guns you can before you get married. I wasn't kidding about wives being a limiting factor on future gun purchases:)
LOL. I am interested in a lot of calibers so I should be able to think of a few guns to buy. But I need to get to Africa before buying too many guns.:cool:

Cossack, You brought up an interesting point because he doses list the 7x57 mauser, just about as old as the 303!! I agree about the 30.06 being widley available and do not dispute it's effectiveness. I just think that the 375 H&H doses it all better!
With a cost. The ammo costs quite a bit more, the recoil is much heavier, and the rifles cost more.
 
There is no free ride. If you take a rifle that is chambered in a cartridge that is borderline for the intended use then you had better have a backup plan ready!!
I am not saying that the 30.06 is inadequate, far from it. it is fine for 95 percent of the game that people use it on, but the other 5 percent is what will get you in trouble. The 375 H&H is good for all of all game that you can hunt. Yes it may be marginal for elephant and buffalo, but it is on the right side of the margin.
A word here though, in all cases make sure that you are using the right bullets for the game that you are after, and make every shot count. For ALL game!!
 
There is no free ride. If you take a rifle that is chambered in a cartridge that is borderline for the intended use then you had better have a backup plan ready!!
I am not saying that the 30.06 is inadequate, far from it. it is fine for 95 percent of the game that people use it on, but the other 5 percent is what will get you in trouble. The 375 H&H is good for all of all game that you can hunt. Yes it may be marginal for elephant and buffalo, but it is on the right side of the margin.
A word here though, in all cases make sure that you are using the right bullets for the game that you are after, and make every shot count. For ALL game!!
I agree with your post 100 percent. I would never think of hunting the big 5 with a .30-06! In fact, if I would end up making a habit out of hunting the big 5, I would get a .416 Rigby or a .458 Win mag. I believe I misunderstood your previous posts, as I thought you were saying that we should all get .375 H&H's because they have more killing power than a .30-06, and I also thought you were bashing the .30-06.
 
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