Your vote....coolest European cartridge and rifle.

[Anonymous]

I must admit, I've got a thing for European rifles and cartridges.

Your vote for the coolest European cartridge and rifle that shoots it?

 

[Thebear_78]

9.3x62 has got to be my favorite. I’m pretty partial to this one!

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[gerry]

I'm partial to the 9.3x62 and 7x64. It would be a toss up between the 6.5x55 and 7x57, between the two we have a 6.5 so I guess it edges out the rest at least in this household.

Sako makes some pretty nice guns, Steyr and Heym make some nice bolt guns too.

 

[DrMike]

I would have difficulty choosing just one. I have a 9.3X64, which is a powerhouse that is just flat fun to shoot. I have an 8X68S, which always startles me at the accuracy produced. I have always enjoyed the 7X57, of which I had several. I have only barely been able to avoid picking up a 6.5X68, a 9X57 and a 7X64, any of which would be great fun to work with. I suppose if I had to settle on just one, I would go with the old, vanilla 7X57. Great cartridge that'll punch far above its weight class.

 

[Guy Miner]

5.6x52R - 'cause that's almost the only one I've got!

It's actually the 22 Savage Hi Power, but from what I can tell the little rimmed cartridge is more popular in Europe than in North America anymore. Only factory ammo I can buy now is from Europe. Mine is a Savage 99 lever action from 1913.

The only other one I have is the 11.7mm Danish, which is similar to the 45/70, but just different enough to keep me from being able to drop a 45/70 into the chamber of the old rolling block. I am getting better at handloading it.

 

[lefty315]

It's either the 6.5x55 or 7x57. Why? I think it's just because the efficiency of the caliber, not necessarily the cartridge, and the animals people have taken with them when by all accounts they should be nothing more than a deer sized game rifle. And the Ruger No 1, while not European itself, the design came from there and just begs to be chambered in a classic European cartridge.

 

[elkhunternm]

7x57 and .375 H&H.

Rifle for 7x57....

Rifle for .375 H&H....

The .375 is a Interterms Whitworth Mark X.

 

[SJB358]

I like the Husky and the 9.3x57

 

[FOTIS]

6.5x68S
6.5x54

and the classic 7x57mm

 

[Europe]

I must admit, I've got a thing for European rifles and cartridges.

Your vote for the coolest European cartridge and rifle that shoots it?

Holland and Holland
Double
375 H & H

Hands down this would be my first pick and admittedly some of that is for sentimental reasons, but the rifle and caliber will also sell itself.

After that, the 6.5 x 55 was one of my favorites., as was the 300 H & H

I like Sako and Blaser products but from memory I am the only one here that likes Blaser

 

[PJGunner]

My choice would be the 7x5 in a pre-war Mauser, either a model B or M would suit me just fine.
Paul B.

 

[Guy Miner]

Huh. I hadn't really considered the 375 H&H a "European" cartridge. But if it is, it is one of the most cool... :grin:

 

[Blkram]

Hard to say which European cartridge and rifle is more iconic...

The Mauser in 7x57, the Holland & Holland in 375 H&H, the Mannlicher Schonauer in 6.5x 54, or the Rigby in 416 Rigby....(hope I spelled that right! Lol)

Of these, the one I have been fascinated by most is the MS in 6.5x54. Just a darn shame that they were not chambered in left handed rifles.

For me, the coolest European cartridge has to be the 6.5x55 (of which I have the most experiencew with) and the Sako rifle, as it does come left handed, and I finally got that bucket list rifle! Looking to pair it with a Bavarian in 9.3x62. A two rifle battery capable for hunting all the game of the world that I either desire to hunt, or will be likely to hunt!

If or whenever I could afford such a rifle, a Blaser with barrels both of cartridges with really nice wood would be the holy grail for me! Or I ever get to that point where I am willing to downsize my rifle battery and reinvest those funds into the Blaser I desire...but that is not likely to happen in the near future, as I have not finished playing with load development for these ones yet! We'll see what the next ten years brings!

 

[Europe]

Gil, I like your style. I also like the Blaser rifles, and your mention of the 416 Rigby which was my first ever Africa rifle.

Cool thread Hodgeman

Guy, your comment is ironic as that exact thing was mentioned here in a conversation with some locals. The 375 and the 300, in their mind is not a European caliber, but an English one. I told them it was a brain child of Holland and Holland in England back in 1912. And I swear to god the old fellow was serious when we said, "exactly, its an English caliber"

 

[Anonymous]

I've always considered the U.K. stuff somewhat differently than European. Not really sure why.

In that vein- all the H&H, Rigby, etc. are British rather than European. Perhaps that's on the Brits themselves- they seem to have an "on again, off again" sort of relationship with rest of Europe. They even commandeered the 7x57 and renamed it the .275 Rigby as a domestic concern!

I've become more interested in the 6.5x55 of late and have an itch for a 7x64 that won't go away. Something in a Sako or Blaser would be nice.

Europe- you're not alone in the admiration of Blaser. They are very difficult to come by up here but the K95 is a gorgeous piece of work. I like the "idea" of the R8- but it seems typically modern German, far more springs, screws and other fiddly bits than really required to get the job done.

I also like the Steyr (despite the overabundance of fiddly bits), they make some fantastic rifles but they are so poorly marketed in the U.S. that many folks are unaware of their product line.

 

[6mm Remington]

I think I'd have to go with a 7x57 and either a Mauser 98 or a Sako.

 

[hunternyny]

6.5 x 54 M.S. I have wanted one of these since, forever.

 

[elkhunternm]

9x57 Mauser...

 

[Polaris]

Well, the 6.5x54MS and 7x57 certainly have some nostalgia factor, but my vote has to go to the 6.5x55. Just a little bit of a ballistic edge, and it was a cartridge FAR ahead of it's time.

As far as the rifle that shoots it, for something I would buy and actually hunt with, I'd go with a SAKO or a nicely done "Mannlicher" style mauser. For simply "cool" factor, a Blaser. Just couldn't fall in love with the MS action when I gave one a try. In the days of strictly iron sights, I'd probably be all over it though.

Going outside of the sporting realm, I give the nod to the 7,5x55 Schmit Ruben and the K-31 rifle. IMHO, the finest military arm ever produced in a potent and accurate cartridge.

 

[Europe]

I do understand why both my new friend in Crete and my old friend in Alaska ( Hodgeman ) does not automatically include England in their thinking, when they think of Europe, but of course it is part of Europe and therefore I am going to stick with the 375 H and H ! LOL

I stand corrected about being the only one who likes the Blaser products, and gladly do so, as I think they make a fine product.

We had ( and my son still does have it ) a 6.5 x 54 MS. It was a very old one with a full length stock and we did not use it much, but it is a cool old caliber and rifle. I do like the 275 Rigby, but not the 7 x 57---( could not resist Hodgeman )

one more question. Am I the only one on the forum who likes double rifles and shotguns ? And I like them side to side not over and under. Just curious, if anyone else hunts with a side by side rifle and shotgun . I know they have their negatives, but I have always enjoyed using them.