What are the BEST rifle cartridges?

[Mohawk]

Gentlemen,
It seems that every year at least one of the major firemarms/hunting periodicals publishes an article proposing what are the top hunting rifle cartridges of all time. But these articles never seems to jive (at least entirely) with my own views. Of course, I (as are many of you) am constantly reevaluating this age old question. Currently, however, my own votes for the top five are: .22-250, 6.5mm-284 Norma, .300 WSM, .338 Lapua Magnum, and the .416 Rigby.

How say you, gentlemen?

Regards,
Dave

[1st cav sgt ret]

ooooo what a can of worms were opening now!!my own personal favorites are a 223 60gr,6.5x55 swede 100gr at 3000/129gr at 2800,30-06 150gr at 2900/165gr at 2800 and a 35GIBBs 225gr at 2800/250gr rn at2700,as I reload I can very these bullet weights and mvs to different conditions as I expect to find then while hunting.none of them are ideal under all conditions all the time,Im reminded of my recent hogg hunt with captkb,I was useing the 35gibbs as I was expecting a good 175, 200lb hog at atleast 150 to 200yds and I wanted to put it down with 1 or 2 shots(which this rifle is certanly capable of)however the two coyotes presented themselves and I had to eather get much closer to them or pass(a 225gr 35cal bullet I was afraid would only wound a 30lb yote at 250yds) the shot, so the moral is eather shoot what you have or dont shoot(I think )

[NESoDak]

I think wherever knowlegable shooters congregate you will find the 6.5's. I love the 6.5 swede and have a 264 Win Mag on layaway. (sorry for that bit of self inclusion : I also am a fan of the 22-250 and 243 for varmints and predators, the 257 Rob for deer and recently the 350 Rem Mag. My dream combo for the proverbial "everything in North America" includes the 264 Win Mag and the 358 Norma.

[CoonDawg]

22 LR, 30-06, 358 Winchester and of course the Granddaddy 416 Rigby

[ICMCumin]

good question - but this is a slippery slope - my five personal favorites are:

.222 - just a durn fun shooter
.223 - very versatile and the ammo is dirt cheap
.243 - can hunt almost anything in Texas with it (varmints to goats to hogs to deer)
30.06 - maybe the most versatile caliber around.
300 Weatherby Mag - better than the 300 win mag (IMO)

Haven't shot the 17 HMR but hear very good things about it.

[BozoWise]

ohh my goodness where is the 270 win?

I have to agree with many of these rifles, I shoot a 223 more then any other rifle I own.

[ninehorses]

Mohawk,

You did say BEST,

.22 long rifle, small game, you need two, a good bolt action, and an semi-auto.

.223, varmints, prairie dogs, everybody needs one, no three. A sporter weight, a varmint weight, and a evil black AR.

220 Swift, long range varmints, prairie dogs. Untill the WSSM's prove themselves, the Swift is still the KING!

6MM Rem., varmints to deer, better than a .243.

30-06, 270, 25-06, 7mm Rem. Mag, Will kill anything in Texas, and you can find ammo anywhere.

30-378 Weatherby Mag, If you a want fast and flat shooting cannon, why stop with a 300 Win.

375 H@H, Will kill anything that's left, but not the shooter.

[Mikie]

Oh yes --- which is the best.

My favorite is 22-250, .223, 308, 25-06.I shoot the 22-250 the most.

I don't think anyone will agree on the same cartridge.

[jdickey]

:)OK Bozo... here it is.... the .270! It is my most favorite, having shot .243, .30-.30, .30-.06, .300 WinMag. But since I don't have the opportunity to shoot at P-dogs, I haven't had the chance to shoot .223's that much.

[M40a3Shooter]

Dont really have 5 favorites.......Just 2........308 and 375H&H....

Bruce

[texasshooter]

let's try this again... my 5 favorite are:
1. 223
2. 22-250 - I shoot this more than any other caliber
3. 220 Swift
4. 243
4. 260 Rem - This is quickly becoming my favorite
5. 270
5. 7mm-08
5. 308
5. 300 Win Mag

This reminds me of packing for a trip to shoot Prairie Dogs... I can never limit myself to just 4 or 5 rifles...hehehehe

[TexasDoc]

Ok,lets try my list of 5 guns

1 223
2 22-250
3 243
4 257Robts AI
5 300 win mag
5 300 WSM
5 30-06AI
5 375 WSM
5 416 WSM
5 458Lott

ok I have the same problem to TexasShooter just can't count pass 5

TexasDoc

[Bennie]

The top hunting cartridge would corrolate to what is being hunted, but as I hunt lots of critters I'll list my favorites in no particular order:

243
223
22-250
264 win mag
25-06
and my very favorite 22 mag

[Mohawk]

Gents,
You're all absolutely brilliant in your thinking about this matter. I feel the answers, in fact, reveal much more about the intellectual prowess of the average American than what are the best hunting rifle cartridges.

I particularly loved ninehorses defense of the often derided .30/378 Weatherby Magnum . . . a just one if ever there was. And Bruce's votes for only two cartridges (the .308 Win. and .375 H&H Magnum) -- with which he could travel the world and very neatly dispatch every last game animal in man's repertoire -- made me think: "Now that's a man of enormous common sense and character."

And for everyone who made the point that there are a hellava lot more than just five, or even ten, truly great rifle cartridges, I agree. To suggest that the list is that limited was very shortsighted of me.

Maybe a better, and certainly more entertaining, question would be: "What are the WORST rifle cartridges of all time?" Seriously, fellas. I'd love to read everyones votes to this end. And to keep it interesting, everyone's votes have to be for cartridges for which anyone can still reasonably get both a rifle and ammo/components. Otherwise, we might as well all just go an browse Dave's (USMC-Mustang) cartridge collection to come up with the obvious!

My top five votes are for the 1) .408 Cheyenne Tactical; 2) .50 BMG; 3) 7mm Dakota Magnum; 4) .270 WSM; and 5) Lazzeroni's 7.82mm Warbird.

For those of you who are somewhat shocked that the list is headed by the cartridge for which my most expensive rifle is chambered, you have to understand the headaches this thing has caused me. Overall, however, the criteria for this list includes: a) efficiency of the cartridge (or lack thereof); b) inherent accuracy (or lack thereof); c) quality and/or expense of ammo/ components; and d) scope of applications (or the limit thereof).

So what are your votes, fellas?

Dave

[USMC-Mustang]

270
222
243
45-70
223
7.65x54mm

I have an '06 and 7mm Rem mag, but I'll take a 270 over them anyday.

If I were to make an un-biasd opinion based on accuracy alone, I'd have to go with:

7mm rem Mag
270 close second
30-06
243
7.65x54mm
223
222
45-70

These are just what I own. It'd be a whole different can of worms otherwise.

270 is still my all time Fav round.

Dave