N+1 What Caliber Next?

[salmonchaser]

My 275 Rigby has become my favorite rifle. Easy to carry, wonderfully accurate, easy to shoot to 400 yards struggling right now with taking it over the 300HH elk hunting but that wont likely happen. However, she very well may make the trip to Africa this spring. 140s a touch over 2900 and 150s just at 2900. Have yet to try any 160s or old round nose 175s.
Gotta love the 257 Roberts as well, not near the top of any list for elk in my opinion, I did watch my mother shoot two elk and a number of caribou with hers.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Everyone should own a .30-06!

But a .25-06 or 7mm-08 would also be good ones to add!

 

[Magsrgod]

I forgot to mention a 30-06, I feel like that would be a very ideal one to round out the classic North American calibers.

I think I’m going to go with one of the bigger lever gun calibers. I like the look for the 35 Rem / .358 Winchester. Something I can utilize right away hunting the heavy woods of the Northeast.

The 300 Win Mag is the most logical next cartridge in my mind. But, I’m going to hold off until I either book a trip out west and this will give me something to build and work on as I get towards the trip, OR I find a deal I cant pass up.

 

[JD338]

Don't overlook the 45-70. It's a cartridge that's rich with history and can be loaded from mild to wild.
My little Marlin 1895G with a Leupold VX-3 1.75-6x32mm is a joy to carry and has taken deer for me as far as 160 yds. My best group with a Nosler 300 gr BST went .400" at 100 yds. Henry also make a nice lever action 45-70.

JD338

 

[salmonchaser]

The 300s are great cartridges, I’ve owned several and currently have a 300HH I shoot extensively. That being said. I’m old enough to remember when guys were buying the various 300mags because they shot flatter than the 30 06 not because extra horse power was needed for deer and elk. That was also a time when I would bet only 1 out of 10 guys hunting in canyons good accurately guess range to target out past 200 yards. Flatter shooting rifles made long shots, 400 yards possible. All of the 300s shared one thing in common, recoil. Discussed earlier, that increase in 200fps over an 06 does come at a cost, recoil impulse. But you know that. I’ve I had it to do all over again and was going to live a boring life with only one rifle, probably would be the 280AI. Ok time for my first cup of coffee.

 

[RL338]

The 300s are great cartridges, I’ve owned several and currently have a 300HH I shoot extensively

I would agree , having a 30-30 , 308 Win , 30-06 , 300 Wby and a 30-378 Wby. I also have a 300 WM barrel for a Howa/Vanguard laying around. 30cal. is about where affordable factory ammo ends if you’re not rolling your own.

 

[Aussie Wanderer]

You need a 9.3x62. Good magazine capacity, never found an inaccurate one, not punishing recoil and always leaves a smile on my face whilst shooting one. With a 250 grain AccuBond they actually become a 300 yard cartridge quite comfortably.

 

[Magsrgod]

Don't overlook the 45-70. It's a cartridge that's rich with history and can be loaded from mild to wild.
My little Marlin 1895G with a Leupold VX-3 1.75-6x32mm is a joy to carry and has taken deer for me as far as 160 yds. My best group with a Nosler 300 gr BST went .400" at 100 yds. Henry also make a nice lever action 45-70.

JD338

I think this is the one. I just went through all of my research and the 35 / 358 don't seem to be any current production calibers I could find. The 45-70 I think checks the box, its a classic round, there no overlap and I can get a beautiful lever gun chambered in it. Reloading the round looks like a vast land of opportunities.

 

[JD338]

I think this is the one. I just went through all of my research and the 35 / 358 don't seem to be any current production calibers I could find. The 45-70 I think checks the box, its a classic round, there no overlap and I can get a beautiful lever gun chambered in it. Reloading the round looks like a vast land of opportunities.

There's quite a few 45-70 aficionados here who can offer suggestions on bullet selection and loads to get you started.

JD338

 

[RL338]

The 45-70 I think checks the box

Big bore , Yes

 

[salmonchaser]

I loved carrying my 45/70 whilst guiding in Alaska. I do think I ruined a few of my clients who begged to shoot it. I had her loaded with 400 gr. Barnes Busters as hot as I could go, essentially a 458, Most who tried those top end loads only did so once.
Loaded to more traditional levels the 45/70 is great fun.

 

[Hunter26]

I don't think you could go wrong with a 25 Creedmoor, 257 Roberts, 6.5x55, or 7x57 for bottleneck rounds. The 45-70 is definitely not a bad choice either! I love my Marlin 1895SBL. If you handload, you can make some fun shooting ammo for the range all the way up to laying out anything with four legs on the planet.

 

[Blkram]

I had my pre-81 BLR in 358 Win out on the weekend.
With the upgrade to the VX-R 2-7x33, the new 30mm QRW rings weren't allowing me to adjust the windage far enough to the right. A little machining by the gunsmith fixed the problem and I have her sighted in again with the Hornady 200 gr SP ammunition. Produced a 3 shot group of 0.510" at 100 yards at 2469 fps with an ES of 8.8! (Best group I have produced with this rifle in the 22 years I have owned this rifle!)
With a 1.2" high sight in, I should be on at 150 yards and down about 3.2" at 200 yards where it should be retaining over 1900 fps for reliable expansion, and more than 1650 ft lbs of energy for reliable penetration on moose, bears and elk.