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Calibers, comparisons and applications?

3K views 26 replies 15 participants last post by  VHoward 
#1 ·
I have been thinking of the many calibers available in rifles. I am curious why there are so many. Is there a book, web site or other media explaining what each various caliber is good for? Giving the pro and con of each? How do you decide which one works best for you?
 
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#4 ·
The book CARTRIDGES OF THE WORLD will help.

Some cartridges are, virtually, identical. Just another ammo company wishing to make money. The 243 Winchester, for example, and its "almost clone", the 244 Remington. Or the 38 S&W and its "clone with another name", the 38 Colt New Police.

There are ones that are trying to use a smaller gun. There are some 300 "short magnums" that are, pretty much, the same as a 300 H&H, but you don't need a magnum-length action. The 308 Winchester gives you almost 30/06 ballistics in a medium-length action.
 
#6 ·
Alpo is right, COTW is a good reference. Vol. 14 says "Reference for more than 1,500 cartridges". I assure you that isn't near all of them. Dixon's "European Sporting Cartridges" is also good...if you can find it.

As far as anything really new in cartridge cases, that is pretty scarce. Most good designs were well established before WWI. The 8 X 57, 30-06 and 375 H&H. Truthfully one could call the -06 an offspring of the 8 X 57 but, for sake of conversation, we'll call it a new development. After WWI and on into the 1950's most "new" cartridges were pretty much based on one of those 3 cases. The 22 Remington of the early 50's was essentially a scaled down 30-06. The head size of the 222 has spawned a lot of cartridges.

Why? Mostly, I suppose, because "they could and did". There is so much near duplication it is really rather amusing to listen to arguments about which of two cartridges fairly close in performance is better. Take the 243 and 6mm Remington. The difference is so slight and either can be made to shoot accurately. Pick one for cryin' out loud. Either is good and any argument over which is better is splitting an already fine hair. Neither a deer nor a target is going to be able to tell the difference between the two.
 
#7 ·
That's what I'm wondering. I do have a hunting rifle in 300 win mag. But is that overkill for the small deer we have on the Oregon coast. Would that bullet tear it up?. It's probably OK for the larger elk we have here.

I also have a Mossberg Predator chambered in 223. Small, bolt action rifle that has turned out to be very accurate. I'm thinking this gun would probably be ideal for the dear hunting around here.

I'll look for the book COTW.
 
#9 ·
The 300 win mag is an awesome cartridge(another of my favorites). With the WRONG bullet it can be a terrible choice. However, with the RIGHT bullet it can be an amazing choice. A 180 to 200gr bullet would be about perfect for smaller deer.

The 223 would be ok with the right bullet and limited distance. I wouldn't shoot beyond 100yds with a 22 caliber.
 
#8 ·
Long sort of answers required for this one, 300 H&H was the Brits answer to the 30-06 for competition. The 223 was intended to be the military round before the 5.56 nato designation and the spec changed The modern 45-70 has damn near no relation to the current ammo load beyond size and so on..... evolution in ammo performance and specification.

There are hundreds of dead cartridges littering the way to modern times, all had their own unique benefits or attributes "in the day" but their day is over and they have fallen by the wayside for now.
I would like to find a bolt gun in 300 Savage, an oldie-but-goodie in my opinion.
 
#21 ·
Yep, speaking of 45-70, there are a slew of surviving 'large case capacity' cartridges that were designed around black powder, and at that time needed the case capacity. Now with smokless, cases can be nearly empty.

Add to this the old practice of large slowish projectiles., and the move to smaller, faster calibers. ( in military arms for instance )
 
#11 ·
Evidently slayer and I share more than a few things in common. Although I've not owned one in over 15 years the 300 Win Mag. remains on my favorites list. I agree with his choice of bullet weights for the cartridge for deer. I can also tell you which one NOT to use! At least it wasn't a good choice in 1993. That's a 165 gr. Hornady BTSP Interlock driven to 3150 fps. Destruction is too mild a word...for both the deer and the bullet.

I like what chw said, "hundreds of dead cartridges littering the way". I like to seek out and play with those, mostly of European origin. There's a lot of good stuff littering the way. If the COTW you get is the 14th edition look up my work with the 9 X 71 Peterlongo. I didn't get to the optimum load for the cartridge and as it stands in the book it's a dandy. Today it's nearly unknown in its native land.

He also mentions the 300 Savage and it's just about one of those littering the way. Fine cartridge and except for a few twists and turns was almost the T-55, what we know today as the 7.62 NATO or 308 WCF. With modern propellants and in a strong rifle what it gives up to the 308 is insignificant for all practical purposes.
 
#24 ·
VH, you said 15th edition? I didn't know they'd put out another. The 14th was only about 2 years ago and I didn't know they brought out a new edition that quickly...sonny-gun.
 
#26 ·
I'll be darned, I didn't know that. 'Course I went past 7 editions before I got my second. My first was the 7th edition and it's very, very ragged....lol.
 
#27 ·
It's going to be interesting to read more about the calibers I reload for. 9mm, 357mag, 45acp, .223 and 300 win mag.

The company I bought it from put it on the pony wanderer from the east coast. I ordered it shortly after I started this thread and it's not going to be delivered until next week.
 
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