Your 3 favorite hunting cartridges of all time

[93marlin]

The ole 30-30 in a light lever action is quite quick handling and nice to carry. I shot a lot of game from rabbits to pigs with mine. I can understand why you gravitate to it.

The last two deer I harvested were taken with a old '94 in 32 special...
Still does what it was made for!

 

[robtattoo]

Only 3?!

Damn....... I'd have to go with:
.223
.358 win
6.5x55 Swede.

 

[fourfive8]

Serious Hunting carts:
270 Win
338-06
416 Rem Mag
all in CRF Win M70

The caveat
Shooting carts- paper, Pdogs, coyotes, et al vermin…
22LR
22 Hornet
222 Rem
all bolt guns

 

[Nygaard]

Mine would be;
22 Lr - Cheap, accurate and deadly if used properly.
6.5 Creedmoor - Extremely accurate and efficient, easy to reload and great bullet selection.
300 Winchester Magnum - Same as above, just bigger and longer range potential

 

[mdwest]

Im pretty boring...

.22 LR is my go-to for 90% of small game
.308 is my go-to for 90% of my big game hunting outside of DG
.375 H&H is my go-to for DG

Ive got other options (several).. but.. Its a pretty rare occurrence that I actually use any of those other options..

I've got more .22LR ammo on hand than I could shoot over the course of the rest of my life.. and I've got enough 308 and 375 reloading components to last me until its time to take a dirt nap as well..

I've got accurate/reliable loads built for both the 308 and the 375 that work well in all of our rifles in those calibers..

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Im pretty boring...

.22 LR is my go-to for 90% of small game
.308 is my go-to for 90% of my big game hunting outside of DG
.375 H&H is my go-to for DG

Ive got other options (several).. but.. Its a pretty rare occurrence that I actually use any of those other options..

I've got more .22LR ammo on hand than I could shoot over the course of the rest of my life.. and I've got enough 308 and 375 reloading components to last me until its time to take a dirt nap as well..

I've got accurate/reliable loads built for both the 308 and the 375 that work well in all of our rifles in those calibers..

@mdwest
Love it simple effective and all bases covered what more does a man need. I love a simple, less time selecting means more time hunting.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Hi mdwest,

I like very much your selection. Similar to mine and what I use: Good bolt action .22 LR, 7x57 and/or 30-06 - 9,3x62 and/or 375 H&H.
The .22 LR, agree, is THE BASIC ONE. And the other two, that cover medium-big and big-big, have one thing I see very important: They have almost the same trayectory with their common bullet weights. So we don´t need to make any "click" in our minds when use one or the other.
Best

CF

 

[Southwind]

It's hard to just go three but it would have to be:
270 Win
300 H&H
375 H&H

 

[akrifleman]

I think the platform matters as well, but:
Historically my personal favs:
22LR (Marlin)
243 Win
300 win mag
375 H&H (Win)
475 Linebaugh
12 gauge pump (Super Nova)

Today, what I really reach for:
22LR (Tikka & Bearcat)
17-204 (AR15)
6.5 RPM (Wby)
375 Ruger (eh... the Savage is ok, may punch out the 375 H&H Win to AI)
475 Linebaugh
12 gauge auto (A400X)

My perfect ideal:
22LR (Tikka & Bearcat)
22 Creedmore (ultralight AR10)
6.5 RPM (Wby)
375 H&H AI
475 Linebaugh
12 gauge auto (A400X)

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I think the platform matters as well, but:
Historically my personal favs:
22LR (Marlin)
243 Win
300 win mag
375 H&H (Win)
475 Linebaugh
12 gauge pump (Super Nova)

Today, what I really reach for:
22LR (Tikka & Bearcat)
17-204 (AR15)
6.5 RPM (Wby)
375 Ruger (eh... the Savage is ok, may punch out the 375 H&H Win to AI)
475 Linebaugh
12 gauge auto (A400X)

My perfect ideal:
22LR (Tikka & Bearcat)
22 Creedmore (ultralight AR10)
6.5 RPM (Wby)
375 H&H AI
475 Linebaugh
12 gauge auto (A400X)

@akrifleman
Instead of punching out to 375H&H improved why not just go to the 375 Weatherby. Same thing but easier, just fire a 375H&H in a Weatherby chamber and wooshka 375 Weatherby.
Bob

 

[BeeMaa]

@akrifleman
Instead of punching out to 375H&H improved why not just go to the 375 Weatherby. Same thing but easier, just fire a 375H&H in a Weatherby chamber and wooshka 375 Weatherby.
Bob

The only problem with that...is now you have a Weatherby.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The only problem with that...is now you have a Weatherby.

@BeeMaa
Just to make you happy we will call it a 375 improved. The same as the 300 Weatherby is a 300H&H improved.
Happy now mate.

 

[akrifleman]

@akrifleman
Instead of punching out to 375H&H improved why not just go to the 375 Weatherby. Same thing but easier, just fire a 375H&H in a Weatherby chamber and wooshka 375 Weatherby.
Bob

I have nothing against the 375 Wby. I feel they are now both easy to get reamers and dies for. My logic is that the AI let's me shoot the 375 H&H, 375 Wby, and 375AI. Also, my brass choices are much wider.

 

[wolfhunter]

257 roberts for coyotes deer 35 whelen A I for medium stuff do like 375HH hard to like only 3 when the selection is much larger

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

257 roberts for coyotes deer 35 whelen A I for medium stuff do like 375HH hard to like only 3 when the selection is much larger

@wolfhunter
You are a person of impeccable taste. A good 25 and a 35 what else do you need.
What loads are you using in your 35AI.

 

[wolfhunter]

On AK moose 225 gr. swift 95 and 98 percent bullet weight retention on two moose another AK moose 225 gr nosler part. they were ok the moose did not get away. 200 gr. barnes ttx on caribou. when you shoot critters with a 35 whelen they generally tip over. many deer and black bear.

 

[igotit]

My favorite catrridges would have to be the 30-06 for its versitility and wide spread availability, the 44 magnum for is all around usefulness and the 223 for the ablitilty to shoot a lot of rounds without the punishment to my wallet or shoulder.

 

[Warren Knudsen]

308 win
9.3x62
416 Rigby

 

[Eric Anderson]

.243
30-06
.375 ruger

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Im pretty boring...

.22 LR is my go-to for 90% of small game
.308 is my go-to for 90% of my big game hunting outside of DG
.375 H&H is my go-to for DG

Ive got other options (several).. but.. Its a pretty rare occurrence that I actually use any of those other options..

I've got more .22LR ammo on hand than I could shoot over the course of the rest of my life.. and I've got enough 308 and 375 reloading components to last me until its time to take a dirt nap as well..

I've got accurate/reliable loads built for both the 308 and the 375 that work well in all of our rifles in those calibers..

This selection is pretty hard to find fault with!
Since I handload & can tailor loads, I’d substitute the .22-250 for the rim fire, and maybe? substitute the 7X57 for the .308.