Posted on 11/22/2016 5:24:01 PM PST by MtnClimber
We all have a favorite, regardless of what our intended quarry may be; that one rifle cartridge that is near and dear to us. Just as our favorite colors can be indicative of our personalities, our favorite rifle cartridge can tell an awful lot about us as shooters. Let us begin, with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
1. .223 Remington This is the Banty rooster of the bunch, the case with the Napoleonic complex; you embrace it believing you can take on the whole world with a microscopic cartridge, and you may just be right. You have no desire, whatsoever, to hear of any other centerfire cartridge, because your level of self confidence when armed with the .223 will send tactical zombie elephants running for their lives, wetting themselves at the very sight of your AR…
2. .270 Winchester You are a gentleman, carrying your head high, while rocking a vintage red plaid wool hunting suit. Your claim to fame is the ability to sculpt an effigy of Jack O’Connor out of instant mashed potatoes at the deer camp table. Thirty caliber? Never heard of her.
3. .30-’06 Springfield You’re the first born child, the apple of mommy’s eye. Although you never made the Dean’s list, mama hung every one of your art projects on the fridge, proud as a peacock. You did pretty well in life, and although you may not be the shining star you once were, you’re as loyal as a mutt, consistent and trustworthy. Modern bullets have given you a new lease on life, sort of like Viagra or Just For Men gel.
4. .308 Winchester You are the middle child, the defiant one, who always lives in the shadow of your older brother, the ’06, but the two of you don’t speak at family parties.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanhunter.org ...
I don’t have an AR, but have a Ruger Ranch Rifle. Lots of fun, but not as accurate as an AR. I may put a heavy barrel on it to get accuracy up there.
I like the .223 because a normal person can carry enough ammo to fight Rambo. Not that Stallone would notice if you hit him, except for a slight wince as the beautiful girl in the bikini pulled the round out of his bicep using tweezers, but it’s enough for most other combat.
I like the 30-30 because it hits almost like a real .30 caliber inside 200 yards, but it’s not going 500+ unless you aim at the sky.
Of course, I like the .50 BMG because, while it’s a little weak on concealability, it’s pretty good at one-shot stop.
.30-30
Your favorite movie is the Postman. You actually WISH society would fall apart and you could take the mare to town and pick up some tackle. You hate the city and don’t understand why anyone would live there. You can’t hit anything past 100 yards but you damn sure want it to fall down when you do.
I do like the .308. Strangely, my favorite rifle in my collection is actually is a BM-59 which is basically a Garand with a short barrel which has been re-chambered to .308 and a modified receiver so that a box magazine can be used. It is similar to an M14. I actually got the rifle in a trade. I was very skeptical about it so I didn’t give much for it. The magazines are now hard to find, but I bought a bunch when I found a batch for cheap ten years ago.
It still has that classic WWII Garand good looks but with a big magazine hanging off of it and that tanker sized carbine length barrel. It is a little heavy to cart around, but is a great rifle for those zombie hunting expeditions.
I start with surplus once fired US government brass to make up my cartridges. I load them a little light so that I can use hardened bullets that I cast and heat treat myself. The gun cycles very well and the brass lasts a long time.
I know, huh…
Do you like blond haired women?
If I was going by that list, I would pick my Marlin 1895 GBL in .45-70.
Need to protect the house from robbers? Check.
Need to feed the family some deer? Check.
Need to kill a grizzly bear, rhino, or rampaging elephant? Check.
But I would also accept the .308/7.62x51, 7.62x39, and 7.62x54R for everything else smaller than a bear.
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I like my Henry .357 carbine.
Its an all-occasion gun.
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35 Whelen & now 9.3x74r for me. Hit my last Elk with a 35 Whelen firing a 250 grain Speer bullet, 5 steps and down. Next year it will be the 9.3x74r out of a B3 Merkel.
You need to rebed the stock. That cures a lot of problems with the mini-14.
The trigger can be improved as well.
The standard sights are rather crude.
I bought tons of 8mm ammo back when countries were dumping it for a new military round. I did not even have a rifle then. I have a K98 that I got later.
This article is incomplete ... pffft!
Started out 30-30 Marlin, then 243, then 8MM Mauser. Then down to 7MM Mauser. Down again to 6.5 X 47 Lapua and 6.5 Grendel.
Me, too.
Mostly Smiths. Just picked up a Model 28-2 with 4" barrel.
Yes indeed. I got 50 round boxes that still have the price tag on them. 4.00 dollars.
I also have a 30-40 Krag-Jorgensen from the end of the 1800’s. It was the first smokeless US military cartridge, but was replaced by the 30-06.
Not many people can afford to feed that baby.
M1903, 2 M1917s, a Garand and a Savage Model 110FP in ‘06.
My son just picked up the model 69 and I really like it a lot!
I was fortunate to catch the last of the Yugoslavian surplus available.
Got an old (1940) Turkish Mauser and a Yugoslavian 24/47.
Try cinder blocks as a target. It’s fun turning them into gravel.
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