The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Medium Bore Rifles What makes the perfect medium bore?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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I was sitting in the tree the other day, waiting for deer or piggies to come out and started to think about the important factors which make the perfect medium bore. These are the critieria I came up with; (1) Objective - The rifle should be able to handle all manners of game in North America and all plains game in Africa out to 250 yards. It should be able to handle this with ease and not be just barely adequate. (2) weight - rifle should be between 7.5 and 8.5 lbs loaded and ready to go. (3) sighting equipment - quality 3x9 (or 2.5x8) scope in quick detachable mounts and proper iron sights. (4) caliber - should be between .30 and .40 caliber. Anything less, IMO, is not adequate. (5) My opinion is it should be standard length action and the cartridge lenth should be of near '06 length and powder capacity. The calibers which I would select as canidates are 30-06, 318 WR, 8mm/06, 338/06, 35 Whelen, 9.3x62, 9.3/64, and 375 Whelen. I really enjoy hunting with this class of cartridges and their ability to put down game. My experience has been limited to hunting with my 35 Whelen on three plains game hunts and a black bear, plus some deer and pigs with the '06. Which is the best of the class? Are there other criteria which should be considered when picking a medium bore? How low in cartridge power can you go and still meet the requirements. Is the '06 adequate, for instance? Any specific rifles/calibers fit the bill? Anyway, it was something to ponder on a beautiful day in the deer stand. BigBullet BigBullet "Half the FUN of the travel is the esthetic of LOSTNESS" Ray Bradbury https://www.facebook.com/Natal...443607135825/?ref=hl | ||
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SS M70, 8.5 lbs (all up), fiberglass stocked, 21" bbl'd (not factory contour) 375 H&H with a 2x7 on top in QD's with backup iron's.  | |||
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I think my 9,3x74R Chapuis Double rifle fits that bill about perfectly. I have 2.5x8 and a 1.5x6 scope both sighted in in QD rings. I like the 286 grain bullets best. In a bolt rifle the 9,3x62 would be perfect. I use the 375 H&H in a bolt rifle because I have lot of ammo/brass etc., but if I did not have the 375 stuff I would get a 9,3x62 bolt rifle. DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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I'd say the 338 Rem.Ultra Mag. I would consider the 375 H&H on the low end of the big boars. | |||
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Are you talking pigs or bears? Either way the 375 H&H is more than enough rifle for either. | |||
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I dsiagree. To quote Jack O'Connor, "the 375 H&H is the queen of the medium bores." I agree. | |||
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The way i understood it he was talking about med bores i would think smething like 338-06-whelen or maybe 338 federal would work. For some reason i'm kinda intrigued with the 338 fed. | |||
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The perfect medium bore in my vault is my .358 STA's. Beats the .375 H&H hands down in all categories, speed, BC and SD, bullet selection, ballistics. They compare more to the very fast .375's or .378 Wby. Both of my rifles have 4.5X14 Leupold Vari-X III mounted on them, have stainless barrels, Model 70 actions and have done the job from Alaska to Colorado to Alberta to Africa.   Good shooting.phurley | |||
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I like Remington's 700 clissic in 35 whelen. 22 in barrel with iron sites and a 2.5 x 8 varixIII on top. Shooting 225 - 250gr bullets. Craven  | |||
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I'd take the 375H&H over the 338UM any day. | |||
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JRO--I am curious as heck to see what is behind your thoughts of the 375 H&H being on the low end. I mean serious guy, what is up with that? Thx Mark D | |||
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BigBullet, for me, it's simple. Get yourself a 338 Win. Mag. and go hunting.......... AD | ||
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Mark D I think he just considers it a starting point for the big bores and not a medium bore. My vote would be for a 9.3x62 bolt rifle. CZ makes a very nice rifle in that caliber or have a rifle rebarreled Lance Lance Larson Studio lancelarsonstudio.com | |||
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I gotcha On a side note I would go 340 and be done with it. I should add if I wasn't such a contrarian as Brad calls me I would go 338 no doubt. WE'll maybe 338/06...grins Good luck Mark D | |||
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Personally I view the perfect medium bores as being capable of shooting at least a 250gr projectile with atleast 2400fps at the muzzle. A little slower is okay, but trajectory starts to become limiting. Faster is also okay but recoil begins moving upwards in a light rifle. The 35Whelen and 9.3x62 stand out for me, but I'd also make a strong case for the 338WM. That trio make up the perfect medium bores for me. Cheers... Con | |||
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Using your own criteria, I would go with the 9.3x64 hands down. The only alteration to that would be either a 2x7 or 1.75x6 scope. That'd be my perfect medium bore.  | |||
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Hey guys, Thanks for all the replys. NE450 NO2, intersting choice and I beleive would fit perfectly into what I was thinking of. To all those that recommend a 338 WM, 375 H&H (I have both) or some other magnum, may I ask, have you hunted with a medium bore as I described (338/06 - 9.3x62) in power range? Now I beleive the 375 H&H to be the best all-around cartridge there is and the 338 WM is also a very nice medium bore. Both recoil more and for me have to be slightly heavier built in order to make them comfortable to shoot, so slightly less portable( refuse to consider muzzle brakes). The basis of my thoughts are many of our magnums are way more than is needed as a general purpose rifle. I had always used the 338 WM as this medium bore, and the scales began to fall away from my eyes the first time a gemsbok just fell over with one shot from my 35 Whelen. Then an impala, zebra, waterbuck, eland and the list goes on. Just the things I think about while sitting in the deer stand. Good Hunting, BigBullet BigBullet "Half the FUN of the travel is the esthetic of LOSTNESS" Ray Bradbury https://www.facebook.com/Natal...443607135825/?ref=hl | |||
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BB-if you've got the 338 and the 375 you're set. Save your money Bubba and put it into gas, bullets and tags. IMO a person should spend money on those things not just another rifle to sit in the corner. Just my way Mark D | |||
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Hey Mark, I've had these rifles for years now, only now am I discovering their true potential in the fields. Actually, over the last few years I have begun to whittle down my collection and am down to the true hunting rifles now. For the mediums, I own an '06, 8x57, 338 WM, 35 Whelen, 9.3x62 and 375 H&H. And when I go hunting these days, its either the '06 for the smaller stuff and the 35 Whelen for everything else (except DG). s you can see, I am not a high velocity fan. BigBullet BigBullet "Half the FUN of the travel is the esthetic of LOSTNESS" Ray Bradbury https://www.facebook.com/Natal...443607135825/?ref=hl | |||
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The Forum is defined as .27 to .366, so we will have to leave off the .375s and talk about them in the Big Bore Forum.  My choice is the .30-'06, especially since we are celebrating its 100th birthday in the coming year. Rifles and ammo are everywhere and its bandwidth is "DC to light" as it were. jim if you're too busy to hunt,you're too busy. | |||
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BB-sounds like a good tandom, a person just can't go wrong with an 06. Even if it is as boring as kissing your grandma (I would guess..grins). As I get older I still love the guns and the project rifles but. I more and more want to use a couple of rifles a lot. Shoot them a lot and be on top of my game as much as possible with them. I've also found I can make do on the hill with about anything (even an 06), but I do find the hill time more and more inportant! Good luck to you Mark D (on a side note I always have sort of the same self thoughts when I am going up a steep and nasty mtn, I kind of sit there and run thru the perfect flyweight) | |||
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Mark D., Well said and I can't agree with you more. BigBullet BigBullet "Half the FUN of the travel is the esthetic of LOSTNESS" Ray Bradbury https://www.facebook.com/Natal...443607135825/?ref=hl | |||
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To me, the perfect medium bore is the 375 Weatherby. It has the sectional density, frontal area and killing power of the 375 H&H with the trajectory of a 130gr 270. Just about perfect! jorge USN (ret) DRSS Verney-Carron 450NE Cogswell & Harrison 375 Fl NE Sabatti Big Five 375 FL Magnum NE DSC Life Member NRA Life Member | |||
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BigBullet, Hmmmm.... great choices! I happen to own the same exact battery! I guess great minds do think alike!!  The .35 Whelen and 9.3x62 are sweet shooters. And, the ol' 8x57 will hold its own with 200 or 220 gr bullets. I have nothing against the magnums, but I really like my mild-mannered medium bores. Cheers, -Bob F. | |||
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To those I would add the .375 H&H, the .416 Rem. and .416 Rigby. "Bitte, trinks du nicht das Wasser. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen." | |||
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Like mark dobrenski, my thoughts drift to the perfect flyweight, in the perfect medium bore. I ordered a custom 6.5 lb .338 win mag, but what was delivered was very poor, so I sent it back for a refund. I am waiting for Kimber to come out with a .338 Montana. I am thinking that may be the perfect rifle for a planned move to AK. | |||
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The "perfect" medium bore? IMO would be a Ruger 77 with a 21" barrel, chambered to 338-06, and topped off with a Leupold VXIII, 1.75x5 scope. Throw on a Williams ramp front with white bead, and use a shallow V blade on the rear  | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Medium Bore Rifles What makes the perfect medium bore?
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