Cartridges you just hate

[Milan]

358 Winchester? Or 338 federal?

Never explored these. When I was younger I was not interested in them or did not know them. Now it would be just couple more calibers I would need to buy stuff for.

 

[Flbt]

Never explored these. When I was younger I was not interested in them or did not know them. Now it would be just couple more calibers I would need to buy stuff for.

But at least for the 358 a very hard hitting sa cartridge.
On deer and hogs the 358 250gr hits about as hard as a 200 gr 338 win mag.
I think the 338 federal would be good with a 180gr.

But think of a sa full stock 18-20 in barrel 358 little thumper for hogs and black bear.
How many people you know with a hard hitting short carbine?

 

[Milan]

But at least for the 358 a very hard hitting sa cartridge.
On deer and hogs the 358 250gr hits about as hard as a 200 gr 338 win mag.
I think the 338 federal would be good with a 180gr.

But think of a sa full stock 18-20 in barrel 358 little thumper for hogs and black bear.
How many people you know with a hard hitting short carbine?

I’m not denying the usefulness of them in SA. But I will probably try to het rid of the actions or keep them in 6.5 CM, 7-08/7 SAW or .308 (yuck). Going by what barrels I have and what reloading components etc.

 

[Flbt]

I’m not denying the usefulness of them in SA. But I will probably try to het rid of the actions or keep them in 6.5 CM, 7-08/7 SAW or .308 (yuck). Going by what barrels I have and what reloading components etc.

Lol
I am just trying to make the 358 as popular as the 35 w.

 

[wolfhunter]

I’m not a fan of any cartridge that contains the word Winchester or Remington, that’s just me.

Strange

 

[BGGMKLR]

No, you read it right. It might be baffling to you and many others. And sometimes it is baffling to me. But that is just how I feel. Now, with NAS3 cases, maybe I will get to like it after all. But only because it would make it more like the 30-06. Maybe if the .300 Savage was a .275 Savage it would have become a "7mm-08" sooner. Do you think that would not be a good sniping round? Maybe I'm not even a fan of the .30 caliber. Again, I own and have owned many and can find absolutely nothing wrong with it. But also nothing special. I love .30-06 and always liked .30 cal, but lately find it "boring". Yet.... 1) I love "boring" and 2) I used to laugh at people switching to something else just because they are bored. I despise humans that constantly need change. Why? Just be happy with what we have you idiot. Right? Maybe it's because I grew up with smaller calibers around me. Maybe I just simply discovered the "better paper ballistics" of 7mm. Yet I love big African rifles and cartridges. Hmmm...lot of contradictions, eh? Maybe you only like the .308 because you grew up with it and .30 cal. Maybe I too need an island of my own. What does it matter? It doesn't.

Respectfully, your assumption is a bit presumptuous.
No...I did not "grow up" with a 308 and 30 cal's. As a matter of fact, now, in my mid 70's, I have owned exactly one '06 and one 308 out of maybe 80 or so. I purchased the '06 when I was about 18...because I didnt know better, and was told that's what "everyone" has. It was fine for my application at the time. As my desires (and largesse) expanded, so too did my understanding that when dealing with caliber (unlike hats) one size does not fit all...yet still i tried.
7mm Weatherby Magnum.
Performed admirably on North Slope grizzly and Moose.
Deer, Antelope, Hogs...not so much
With that epiphany in mind, I set about putting together a proper (in my view) brace of "tools"that were optimally designed for the endeavor...the venerable '06 was not even a consideration.
For me...my team... to do it all:

Anschutz .22 LR...for... you know...all the small stuff.

Tikka .243...specifically for coyotes and Blacktail inside 150+

Browning A Bolt in .270... for Deer, Antelope, Coyote medicine to 400 yds (Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado adventures).

Kimber 300 Win Mag (this is where the '06 becomes an afterthought).
Most Bears, any Elk, any Moose...(at reasonable range).

Frank Wells LH custom in 338...for those outlier Bears and Moose.

Custom LH Brown Precision Pro Hunter in 375 H&H...everything in Africa and Asia (I know...I know...) with the possible exception of Ele and Hippo as circumstances dictate.

Now...in anticipation of your
"Wow... why no 308's"
I never hunted mine. At just shy of 12 1/2 lbs scoped it was a bit of a chore to haul...even with a Vero Vellini double (biathlon) sling... a Remington 700 5R Mil-Spec.
It was my "lunch money" rifle...used solely to ring steel at 800-1000 yards...and I promise you faithfully...nobody bested it.. ever...not once...any rifle...any caliber.
Best
Spike

 

[Monski]

Somehow Weatherby should be a four letter word.

 

[wolfhunter]

I started out with a Remington 222 extremely accurate sold it and bought a Winchester model 70 in 22-250 it was a good rifle took quite a few fox sold it to another friend and bought a Sako in 22-250 still have that one .I have most calibers but find no reason to have a 30-30 I generally hunt most big game with my 35 Wheel AI.I also have shot more than 100 coyotes with a 243 with 70 gr bullet.

 

[Milan]

Respectfully, your assumption is a bit presumptuous.
No...I did not "grow up" with a 308 and 30 cal's. As a matter of fact, now, in my mid 70's, I have owned exactly one '06 and one 308 out of maybe 80 or so. I purchased the '06 when I was about 18...because I didnt know better, and was told that's what "everyone" has. It was fine for my application at the time. As my desires (and largesse) expanded, so too did my understanding that when dealing with caliber (unlike hats) one size does not fit all...yet still i tried.
7mm Weatherby Magnum.
Performed admirably on North Slope grizzly and Moose.
Deer, Antelope, Hogs...not so much
With that epiphany in mind, I set about putting together a proper (in my view) brace of "tools"that were optimally designed for the endeavor...the venerable '06 was not even a consideration.
For me...my team... to do it all:

Anschutz .22 LR...for... you know...all the small stuff.

Tikka .243...specifically for coyotes and Blacktail inside 150+

Browning A Bolt in .270... for Deer, Antelope, Coyote medicine to 400 yds (Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado adventures).

Kimber 300 Win Mag (this is where the '06 becomes an afterthought).
Most Bears, any Elk, any Moose...(at reasonable range).

Frank Wells LH custom in 338...for those outlier Bears and Moose.

Custom LH Brown Precision Pro Hunter in 375 H&H...everything in Africa and Asia (I know...I know...) with the possible exception of Ele and Hippo as circumstances dictate.

Now...in anticipation of your
"Wow... why no 308's"
I never hunted mine. At just shy of 12 1/2 lbs scoped it was a bit of a chore to haul...even with a Vero Vellini double (biathlon) sling... a Remington 700 5R Mil-Spec.
It was my "lunch money" rifle...used solely to ring steel at 800-1000 yards...and I promise you faithfully...nobody bested it.. ever...not once...any rifle...any caliber.
Best
Spike

Not being presumptuous...was just wondering. I'm not an American and did not grow up in Canada so my like/dislike for .30 cal is just that. It is a love-hate relationship. I hate loving them and sometimes I like to hate some of them. Hahaha. All in jest, kind of like Ron Spomer does not like the .308.

I am trying other cartridges just to see if they really are any better or in reality know they are not, trying to see how different they are. Since I shoot cartridges of similar class, the differences seem minute. 7x57 seem to punch above its weight, so does 8x57, 30-06 kills good no question, .300 WM kills the same but at even longer distances. .338 WM is a hammer but I hate the recoil. 9.3x62 penetrates really well but I never shot animals with monometal or bonded bullets with the smaller calibers. That is still hopefully coming. The .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, and .458 Lott were fun but I never killed anything with them and now don't care for the weight or recoil or muzzle blast. .243 was nice to shoot but ..."meh" ...kind of like the .308, 6.5x55 also nice to shoot and flatter shooting than .308 but ..."meh", 6.5 CM I hated before even getting to know it. Now, I would use it in Europe for most of hunting and it does seem to be nice really nice to shoot and accurate. But with a short 20" barrel really slow with factory ammo, so again ..."meh". Would probably prefer 6.5x57. Then again in Europe the .308 is probably even more popular. Why? Not needed on their game at all, IMO. 7x64 is their king and that's what I want to try now rather than .280 Rem or .280 AI, though I may eventually switch to the AI.

So, just going back to metrics in my old age. Again, for no real reason rather than always having owned more than one and now wanting to try them hunting more. So, the 06 got retired and we will see if the metrics can step up to the task.

I do realize that any of the things that do not "impress" me can easily be solved by using different bullets, loading hotter, using longer barrel, etc. That's why I would never bag on the cartridges themselves really. They are all fun, most were here before me and most will be here after me. On top of that they serve others very well or better than what I can do with mine. So, it's all just raving of someone who likes to think endlessly about all the different rounds and their pros and cons and then wondering if others maybe do the same...mull over things like this when in fact it may not be that important. We all like or dislike things for different reasons and sometimes even without a real reason.

I spill my guts here mostly as I like the forums and the people here and my only buddy who was willing to discuss these things with me in person has been gone for few years now.

Coincidentally, my Rem 700 5R Mil-Spec was decent. Had the action blue printed, Anshutz trigger put on it, new 6.5 barrel, carbon fiber stock and use it for Silhouette. Kept the .308 Win barrel as it was accurate and set it up as a heavier hunting rig in another SA. But it will probably stay a range plinker unless I change it to a lighter barrel and then again it is a SA and when going hunting I tend to grab the regular actions with matching cartridges. I too believe in the right tool for the job, yet find that what I hunt I can probably do with just a .22 and 1 or 2 more calibers. If I do that, neither of those needs to be a .308. If I were to have just one centrefire, .308 just might be in the running but then so could be any of the other calibers I have, especially the good ol' ought-six. I would only keep the .308 if all the other ammo dried up and .308 did not.

Cheers.

 

[BGGMKLR]

Not being presumptuous...was just wondering. I'm not an American and did not grow up in Canada so my like/dislike for .30 cal is just that. It is a love-hate relationship. I hate loving them and sometimes I like to hate some of them. Hahaha. All in jest, kind of like Ron Spomer does not like the .308.

I am trying other cartridges just to see if they really are any better or in reality know they are not, trying to see how different they are. Since I shoot cartridges of similar class, the differences seem minute. 7x57 seem to punch above its weight, so does 8x57, 30-06 kills good no question, .300 WM kills the same but at even longer distances. .338 WM is a hammer but I hate the recoil. 9.3x62 penetrates really well but I never shot animals with monometal or bonded bullets with the smaller calibers. That is still hopefully coming. The .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, and .458 Lott were fun but I never killed anything with them and now don't care for the weight or recoil or muzzle blast. .243 was nice to shoot but ..."meh" ...kind of like the .308, 6.5x55 also nice to shoot and flatter shooting than .308 but ..."meh", 6.5 CM I hated before even getting to know it. Now, I would use it in Europe for most of hunting and it does seem to be nice really nice to shoot and accurate. But with a short 20" barrel really slow with factory ammo, so again ..."meh". Would probably prefer 6.5x57. Then again in Europe the .308 is probably even more popular. Why? Not needed on their game at all, IMO. 7x64 is their king and that's what I want to try now rather than .280 Rem or .280 AI, though I may eventually switch to the AI.

So, just going back to metrics in my old age. Again, for no real reason rather than always having owned more than one and now wanting to try them hunting more. So, the 06 got retired and we will see if the metrics can step up to the task.

I do realize that any of the things that do not "impress" me can easily be solved by using different bullets, loading hotter, using longer barrel, etc. That's why I would never bag on the cartridges themselves really. They are all fun, most were here before me and most will be here after me. On top of that they serve others very well or better than what I can do with mine. So, it's all just raving of someone who likes to think endlessly about all the different rounds and their pros and cons and then wondering if others maybe do the same...mull over things like this when in fact it may not be that important. We all like or dislike things for different reasons and sometimes even without a real reason.

I spill my guts here mostly as I like the forums and the people here and my only buddy who was willing to discuss these things with me in person has been gone for few years now.

Coincidentally, my Rem 700 5R Mil-Spec was decent. Had the action blue printed, Anshutz trigger put on it, new 6.5 barrel, carbon fiber stock and use it for Silhouette. Kept the .308 Win barrel as it was accurate and set it up as a heavier hunting rig in another SA. But it will probably stay a range plinker unless I change it to a lighter barrel and then again it is a SA and when going hunting I tend to grab the regular actions with matching cartridges. I too believe in the right tool for the job, yet find that what I hunt I can probably do with just a .22 and 1 or 2 more calibers. If I do that, neither of those needs to be a .308. If I were to have just one centrefire, .308 just might be in the running but then so could be any of the other calibers I have, especially the good ol' ought-six. I would only keep the .308 if all the other ammo dried up and .308 did not.

Cheers.

My friend...I like you...a lot.
Didnt think I would. On first blush your OP hit me as argumentative and confrontational...my sincere apologies. You are clearly reasonable...and debatable...a unicorn rarity in these times. Discussions such as these have a tendancy to "pull the trigger" so to speak.
Being human (with both the goid and bad that the moniker implies), your personal dislike and disparagement of the 308 hit a nerve. For that, I apologize.
That said, if you owned, and tuned a 5R,m...enough said.

All my very best
Spike

 

[HWL]

I don't hate any of them, but choose not to use any cartridge with a belt - except of course the .375 H&H. That one gets a full endorsement. I suppose the .416 Remington is OK too, I never owned one, but I would prefer the Rigby.

What's about the .300 Holland & Holland?

HWL

 

[Milan]

My friend...I like you...a lot.
Didnt think I would. On first blush your OP hit me as argumentative and confrontational...my sincere apologies. You are clearly reasonable...and debatable...a unicorn rarity in these times. Discussions such as these have a tendancy to "pull the trigger" so to speak.
Being human (with both the goid and bad that the moniker implies), your personal dislike and disparagement of the 308 hit a nerve. For that, I apologize.
That said, if you owned, and tuned a 5R,m...enough said.

All my very best
Spike

Thank you Spike and no problem. I know the OP may have sounded to not everyone's liking but it was meant to rationalize my opinions and spark discussion. I was genuinely wondering if other people had rational/irrational dislike or even hate for some cartridges. I see there are few like me that will not touch certain cartridges even if those are praised by others and are valid choices for many a game. Nothing really wrong with that. Even actual hate is a normal human rection. But I hope I did not spark any towards me. Most people like to be liked.

 

[Milan]

Yes, hate might be too strong of a word, but there are some cartridges that a shooter just doesn't have any desire to use. I can think of quite a few I will never use, or never use again.

Well...then list them for us. I'm sure we would like to know.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Well...then list them for us. I'm sure we would like to know.

.30 Carbine
.222 Rem
.243
.25-35
.30-30 (sorry guys, I own two of them, there are just too many better cartridges out there)
.308
7mm Back Country
Any of the super shorts.

I'm sure.more would come to.me if I.thought about it, but this is a pretty good start.

 

[Milan]

Why the 7mm Backcountry?

 

[Doug Hamilton]

St

Why the 7mm Backcountry?

Steel case. They say it can be reloaded once or twice but I really don't have any faith in it. There's also the issue of rust. Just not something I want.

 

[Daryl S]

I don't hate any single ctg. but have a huge dislike for all of the ultra-mag - type ctgs that advertize extremely long range hunting. I have never witnessed a client (hunter) with the capability of really long range shooting. I have witnessed a 300yard shot by an English Chap on a HUGE moose. One shot - DRT.
VERY impressive. Perfect double lung and across the top of the heart.
I include the 7mm Rem. Mag. in that bunch of disliked rounds. For hunting, an '06 or .280 will
do everything a 7 mag. will do within normal hunting ranges. I call that 300yards.
The chap who shot the moose, is on the left. Great to see folks wanting to help.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I don't hate any single ctg. but have a huge dislike for all of the ultra-mag - type ctgs that advertize extremely long range hunting. I have never witnessed a client (hunter) with the capability of really long range shooting. I have witnessed a 300yard shot by an English Chap on a HUGE moose. One shot - DRT.
VERY impressive. Perfect double lung and across the top of the heart.
I include the 7mm Rem. Mag. in that bunch of disliked rounds. For hunting, an '06 or .280 will
do everything a 7 mag. will do within normal hunting ranges. I call that 300yards.
The chap who shot the moose, is on the left. Great to see folks wanting to help.

I actually like the 7mm Rem Mag. I have had mine for over 40 years. I also.have a .30-06 which is a.fine cartridge nut will not quite do what the 7RM does once you get to 350 or 400 yards. One blacktail was at what I think was about 400 yardsHeHe was sneaking out and circling under where my buddy was.moving through some trees and brush. The buck was sneaking and I lined up the shot holding st the top of his back line. When he stopped on top of a rock I squeezed. He jerked his head to the side but stood still. I thought I had missed but believing that my hold was correct held in the same place and fired again. He still stayed in the same.place but before I could shoot he rolled off the rock and down a rock.slide. He was far enough out that I saw him land on his head then flip.over. after his tail end would hit I could hear the sound of his antlers smacking the rocks. I was afraid he was breaking his horns. He didn't and when I got over to him I found that both bullets had struck ribs behind the shoulder. Either shot would have been fatal. That was the finest buck I ever expect to kill. Anything bigger was a mule deer. I had tried similar shots with my .30-06 and hit under them. Once I blew a leg off of a buck. We recovered him but it took some serious tracking. I've also used the 7 RM on bucks as close as 35 yards. It has been a fine deer and pronghorns rifle.

 

[fourfive8]

I really don’t hate them. I just like them in the extreme negative. So much so that I’ve never owned one

All the WSSMs. History and the market must agree since they’ve become kind of invisible.

 

[mdwest]

I love them all… I just don’t have use for a lot of them…

For example, there’s nothing wrong with a 220 swift… but what’s the point if you already own a 22-250?

I think 30-06 is great… but the overlap between 30-06 and 308 make it impractical to own both (although I do own both.. the 30-06 just never sees the light of day)…