quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:

quote:

jens poulsen: 8x57 the mother of all modern cartridges

Ditto, and still probably the best single all-around rifle cartridge.

I agree 100%, but aren't we supposed to be choosing from "non-military cartridges only?

22 lr
270 Win
12 ga

Yeah, but its #OccupyAR" month and the anarchists are in charge

well here is my list (excluding military)

.22LR
220 Swift
.250 Savage
.270
7mm Rem Mag
30-30
300 H&H
338 win mag
.375 H&H
.404 Jeffery
.416 Rigby
450,470, and 500NE
44-40
.405 Win

Iconic=
.405WCF
30-06
.45-70

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
The short list; and I own all four:

1. 257 Roberts

2. 300 H&H

3. 375 H&H.

4. DR in .470 NE

A man could get by very nicely with just those four for the world.

Nice list.

These are the three that are the most iconic for me.

222 remington
250 savage
300 savage

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
In my safe:

7x57 Mauser
300 H&H
375 H&H

+1

quote:

Originally posted by jawheeler:
7x57mm Mauser

270 win, 22 lr, 30-30 win

nuff said

quote:

Originally posted by tiggertate:

But, iconic doesn't mean popular and military is out for the purposes of this question. Granted, the 30-06 is forever a sporting cartridge but it would not exist were it not military first. The reason for excluding military rounds is to creat a list of rounds that stand on their own merits unsupported by the logistcal benefit of military use.

If you exclude military cartridges for this reason -- that is, they wouldn't exist but for the military support -- shouldn't you exclude those cartridges derived from the military cartridges? If the .30-06 wouldn't exist without military support, far less would the .270 have existed as it wouldn't exist without the .30-06 from which it was derived. Likewise, the .243 is derived from the .308. Any cartridges formed by necking up military cartridges are candidates for exclusion also -- .35 Whalen is supposed to be necked up .30-06, isn't it? Was the Hornet based on a Naval cartridge?

You could if it was your game

quote:

Originally posted by tiggertate:
You could if it was your game

Fair enough. My iconic cartridges would include the .30-30, the .257 Roberts, and the .300 H&H magnum. I think these steer clear of the military parentage exclusion. The .30-30 can be viewed as the first high velocity, smokeless powder cartridge. Sure, it doesn't seem fast today, but I think it was originally considered fast. Additionally, it is a classic deer hunting cartridge for classic deer hunting territory. The .257 Roberts just seems like a classic to me. It fills a somewhat specialized big game niche -- deer to pronghorn antelope -- better than the prevailing big mainstay .30-06. Sure the .30-06 kills these things, but is more than is needed, has more recoil, and may not be as flat. At least that is an argument, not necessarily a convincing argument. The .300 H&H magnum is because it was the first magnum -- true? not true? my memory may fail me on this point -- and it was the ancestor to other .300 magnums.

I personally prefer the .25-06, but I think the .257 Roberts is earlier and hence more classic.

What is more iconic or classic, the 257 Bob or 250-3000?
The 250-3000 has been around since 1915.
Charles Newton VS Ned Roberts

No joke! Will someone define what they think iconic means when referring to cartridges? Are classic and iconic being intermingled? roger

.22 LR
.50-70 Govt.
8X57

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
No joke! Will someone define what they think iconic means when referring to cartridges? Are classic and iconic being intermingled? roger

If you want to keep to a strict definition, then the 7x57 wins hands down. It's iconic status can be attributed to Paul Mauser, San Juan Hill, the Boers, John Rigby, WDM Bell, Eleanor O'Connor, etc.

Except that I excluded military because that makes it too easy. In light of your perspective, I would include the 6.5 x 57 instead because it was first, it spawned all subsequent "x 57" cartridges, it was never adopted for military use even though that was its intended purpose and it is still popular today.

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
No joke! Will someone define what they think iconic means when referring to cartridges? Are classic and iconic being intermingled? roger

Fair enough. The literal definition of icon is limited to a picture, as in religious icons. I'm using a popular definition which is "an object of uncritical devotion" as per Merriam's.

If you are excluding military cartridges, then I withdraw the 7x57 and give the .275 Rigby the nod.

Nice try.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
What is more iconic or classic, the 257 Bob or 250-3000?
The 250-3000 has been around since 1915.
Charles Newton VS Ned Roberts

250-3000 hands down-for the purposes of this discussion

SSR

Not in the U.S., but one of my favorites; .318 Express(W.R.)
Add in the .333 and .404 Jeff. They really meet the definition of Iconic!

I will give this a try as well, and give my reasoning for the choice. Since the OP excluded military rounds, this does limit things a bit.

-22 Short RF- this was the very first metallic cartridge round. The .22 long and LR are variants of this iconic round.

.45 Colt- The first of the "big bore" handgun rounds. This round was what many military rounds were based on. Admittedly, it was a military round as well, but its popularity was based on its widespread use in the west, not its military use.

.22 Hornet- As I understand it, the first small bore specialist varmint round.

.30-30 Win- This was the first successful smallbore general purpose smokeless sporting round. There were other rounds out there, but they were military rounds.

.250-3000 Savage- The first of the true high velocity sporting cartriges.

.300 H&H Magnum- the first of the "popular" magnum rifle rounds.

.300 Weatherby Mag- The classical epitome of American high speed hunting cartridges.

.338 Win Mag- the true beginning of American mid- bore hunting cartridges, and probably the most popular "over 30" round out there, at least in the US, and probably worldwide based on number sold and ammo sold (but that may be a parochial view...)

.375 H&H Magnum- A classic african game round that pretty much everyone has heard of.

The only reason I don't include the .404, .416, or any of the NE rounds is that the only people who really know anything about them are either true gun nuts or africophiles, who are really a small number of folks.

Truely the most iconic besides the 8x57 is the .303British.

22-250 Rem.
300 Weatherby
375 H&H

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
The short list; and I own all four:

1. 257 Roberts

2. 300 H&H

3. 375 H&H.

4. DR in .470 NE

A man could get by very nicely with just those four for the world.

Yes, but...

I doubt you really need the .470

I think you need a .22 caliber centerfire -- or possibly one of the 6mms -- for varmint shooting at a distance. I think there's nothing better than the 22/250 for that.

In fact, if you wanted to reduce your list to only two, you could go with one of the 6mm rifles -- a 6mm Rem. or a .243 Winchester -- and a .375 H&H. There's nothing in the world you couldn't hunt -- and well! -- with those two.

For 3 rifles for everything, I'd go with a 22/250, something in the midrange (a .270 or one of the 7mms or a 30/06 or a .300 magnum) and a .375 H&H.

What ever comprised you top four or five calibers qualifies.

22lr.
223 rem.
270 win
7mm mag
30-06