The Accurate Reloading Forums
Which Caliber?
16 July 2010, 20:53
CrazyhorseconsultingWhich Caliber?
Another toady for the 375 H&H.
This really has nothing to do with whether there are "Big" critters in the vicinty in my opinion, it has to do with the overall performance of the round when using various bullet weights and shooting assorted critters.
Even the rocks don't last forever.
23 July 2010, 02:22
Busheler7mm,because "caliber" denotes diameter and is an issue seperate from chambering.
24 July 2010, 11:03
Kamo GariYou'd be a profiler's wet dream, Larry (AKA Big Stick).

You still taping your kids' eyes, I hope?
Sheeit.
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Hunting: I'd kill to participate.
24 July 2010, 11:14
BushelerGotta dig Whiners.
I think the whole outfit will be Chinks for Harroween.
24 July 2010, 12:31
aliveinccAnd here, once again, busheler shows up. He never has anything worth a shit to add and is really just a SHIT. I have offered to let him use my industrial sized mobile extrcator, but he's skeert of the truth. He knows he's a troll and full of shit. You now know. Don't be mindfucked into believing this POS.
24 July 2010, 12:32
BushelerAnd yet another Whiner...how succinct!
24 July 2010, 13:17
Kamo Gariquote:
Originally posted by Busheler:
Gotta dig Whiners.
I think the whole outfit will be Chinks for Harroween.
Excellent. While you're at the whole training thing, I suggest teaching them to memorize these words: "would you like fries with that, sir?" Hey, all you can eat fast food leftovers after every shift can save lots of money! If you're feeling particularly ambitious, why not see if they can actually run a fork, instead of their bare hands?
You're welcome.
______________________
Hunting: I'd kill to participate.
24 July 2010, 19:17
Bernie P.My trusty old Ruger 7x57!It may not be the best chargin bear gun but with over 30 years with it I know that gun better than my others can shoot it very well and make the head shot if it comes down to it.
24 July 2010, 20:56
416TanzanThe thread has left its moorings. Back to the basics means going back to calibre.
Howveer, on reflection it seems too artifical to limit NA hunting to a European calibre. We've had several good suggestions, like the 7x57, 8x57, 350 Rigby, 358 Norma, 9.3x62, and venerable 375 HH, etc.
I'm with Selby. Just grab my 416 and start walking the bush. Africa.
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"A well-rounded hunting battery might include:
500 AccRel Nyati, 416 Rigby or 416 Ruger, 375Ruger or 338WM, 308 or 270, 243, 223" --
Conserving creation, hunting the harvest.
24 July 2010, 22:54
only.375H&HGents.....gents.....gents.....
Thank you for the contributions, but we all know the winner.....
And the winner is?????
.375H&H
Good hunting.
Work to live...live to Hunt....
25 July 2010, 00:51
Idaho SharpshooterThe perfect french lady. Sleek and trim and sexy;
the below pictured Chapuis in 9,3x74R!
Rich
DRSS
375 H&H ??????????
Mabe 50 years ago! This is 2010 the 338 Laupa smokes the old 375 H&H in every way.
25 July 2010, 11:48
416Tanzanto 'only.375H&H', our handles sort of tell our stories, don't they?
yes, the 375 HH is a great calibre. I've always enjoyed them.
The 416 Rigby is better.
Equally flat for roan and eland, more smack (diameter), more umph (energy), same long chamber. Similar reassuring, even pleasant, recoil. And thanks to Ruger (before their price raises) and CZ 550, the 416 is now a factory piece at workmen's wages.
In NA, the 375 is adequate for everything, including the white and brown bears I've never hunted, but in Africa the 416 is more adequate. (Hey, I'd grab a 458 Lott or bigger if it were within arm's reach on a buffalo, but the 416 is definitely preferred to the 375. And we're really talking Africa, arn't we? North Americans can use North American calibres.
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"A well-rounded hunting battery might include:
500 AccRel Nyati, 416 Rigby or 416 Ruger, 375Ruger or 338WM, 308 or 270, 243, 223" --
Conserving creation, hunting the harvest.
25 July 2010, 11:51
tendramsI'll take the 9,3x62 for the same reason the Boers liked it 100+ years ago. Ammo availability, lower ammo cost, and quality/high-value rifles are to be had. Add to that the reality that the round will work for anything and you have a winner.
25 July 2010, 19:13
Bernie P.The .375 is a great cartridge.No two ways about it but for use in America only no way.The weight,ammo cost and recoil are far more than what I want to contend with.For Alaska only perhaps but otherwise I want something more sensible for the game I hunt the most.
26 July 2010, 18:18
Dr. Louquote:
Originally posted by Ingvar J. Kristjansson:
9.3x62 or 375 H&H
Same here!
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NRA Life Benefactor Member
29 July 2010, 18:11
thndrchikenFrom a bullet availability standpoint I really like the 9.3 but I would have to give the nod to the 375, more bullet choices. After all it is NA game and a 30-06 with a premium 180 gr bullet does quite well across the board.
29 July 2010, 19:25
jdunlapmoThe 8x68S mauser. Ballistically the European .338 Win mag, and the 338 is widely considered to be ONE of the best "All Around" NA cartridges.
If I can't kill in in North America with an 8x68S, I didn't hit it right...
It's on my "Dream List" of Chamberings...
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths."
29 July 2010, 20:17
tasunkawitkoquote:
IF you were to use just one caliber for all North America big game hunting AND that cailber had to be a European caliber what would you choose & why?
for me, the 7x57.
31 July 2010, 10:48
Rob ScottIf it was decided that Britain is part of Europe then I'd select the 300 H&H as my one chambering. If not, then I'd throw in with the guys that chose the 8x68. It's a forgotten cartridge that is effective, though with more recoil than is necessary and really no better for NA than the 300 H&H.
________________________
"Know that it is not the knowing, nor the talking, nor the reading man, but the doing man, that at last will be found the happiest man." Thomas Brooks (1608-1680)
For me and all my hunting in Alaska, make the rifle one as follows: stainless/synthetic, topped with a Leupold Vary-X III 2.5-8x, in .338WM.
It has plenty of power for any game in Alaska, there is ammo for it in just about every store in town, it's a lot more popular than all other cartridges mentioned in this thread, and it's not too heavy to carry around. Not so with some other calibers a lot of you have mentioned.
That said, only two other cartridges are as popular in Alaska: .300WM, and .30-06.
Sorry folks, no metric for me. I do use metric suckets and wrenches, however

31 July 2010, 15:58
416TanzanYou'll find that the rig you described, a 338Wm with a 2.5x8 Leupold-v3 will work great in Africa. Just use good bullets, and put some 250 Barnes banded solids in the magazine. It's a wonderful light rifle for walking the msitu.
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"A well-rounded hunting battery might include:
500 AccRel Nyati, 416 Rigby or 416 Ruger, 375Ruger or 338WM, 308 or 270, 243, 223" --
Conserving creation, hunting the harvest.
31 July 2010, 17:57
Phil NI'll be the odd ball...I'm thinking 7.62x54. It'll do anything the 30-06 can do and we all know you can kill a T-rex with it.
US Army 1977-1998
01 August 2010, 18:58
rembonot a Europen "caliber" (read,diameter),..but a European cartridge designed for the North American market...this one is built on a 700 with Classic stock and Sako extractor. Unknown barrel maker but it is 14" twist.
01 August 2010, 22:13
ColeKLord, please deliver me from ever having to hunt ever again with just one rifle.
But, I could do it with any of these with the right bullets, 7x57, 8x57, or 9.3x62.

07 August 2010, 23:17
kells45I would take the 8x68s. It will handle anything that is on the menu.
08 August 2010, 17:01
robthomDepending upon whether 'we really are interested in utility' I would suggest:
No hand loading, you must rely upon manufacturers & gunshops:
9.3x62 - 250 & 232 grain bullets for deer sized beasts. For bears and moose, 286 grain bullets.
7x64 - circa 160-175 grain bullets for deer etc
If hand loading allowed, backed up by occasional - rare shop available supplies:
9.3x64 Brenneke for the bigger stuff, same bullet weights as the 9.3x62
8x64 Brenneke - 200 & circa 220 grain bullets. This would handle deer and Black Bear nicely. It is close to the .338-06 in power etc.
08 August 2010, 18:52
416TanzanNo handloading?!
And this is the Accurate Reloading forum!
That takes the punch out of one of the greatest all-around single rifles ever carried, the 416 Rigby.
See
http://www.realguns.com/archives/175.htmand part 2
http://www.realguns.com/archives/179.htmfor a nice recoiling model, advocated for North America, too.
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"A well-rounded hunting battery might include:
500 AccRel Nyati, 416 Rigby or 416 Ruger, 375Ruger or 338WM, 308 or 270, 243, 223" --
Conserving creation, hunting the harvest.
09 August 2010, 00:20
robthomI believe that in a number of European countries (Russian Federation & ?Portugal and / or Spain?) people are not allowed to hand load and are severely restricted in the number of cartridges they are allowed to have each year (200 rounds?).
10 August 2010, 00:41
tasunkawitkoThank God for our founding fathers in the USA.....
11 August 2010, 19:45
GaryVAquote:
Originally posted by D Humbarger:
IF you were to use just one caliber for all North America big game hunting AND that cailber had to be a European caliber what would you choose & why?
That one is easy, it would be the .30-06 Springfield using it's metric name:
7.62 x 63
Best

12 August 2010, 23:49
RMiller9.3x62 or an 8mm mauser. Leaning more towards the 8mm.

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THANOS WAS RIGHT!
15 August 2010, 03:46
31/2Makesmelaugh300 H&H if we are saying that British = European. I can't believe no one has suggested that yet.
"Archery enshrines the principles of human relationships. The Archer perfects his form within himself. If his form is perfect, yet when he releases he misses, there is no point in resenting those who have done better than him. The fault lies nowhere."(Confucious)
20 August 2010, 16:32
buzz618mm Properly headstamped REM MAG WHY ? Because it works.
25 August 2010, 07:37
Wise1There are only 7 continents. The British Isles have to belong to one of them. So, if not Europe, which one? South America? Africa?
Until Texas secedes and starts our own continent and then colonizes the UK, clearing out all the lefty-liberal natives, I'm going with Europe on this one.
So put me down for the 300 H&H.
Billy Bob
30 August 2010, 08:13
cmfic1I'd use my 358 Norma
Rod
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"A hunter should not choose the cal, cartridge, and bullet that will kill an animal when everything is right; rather, he should choose ones that will kill the most efficiently when everything goes wrong"
Bob Hagel
30 August 2010, 08:20
asdf8x57 -- a 250 gn Woodleigh at 2300 fps should neatly slay anything here, but it would be iffy for enraged bruins
30 August 2010, 10:54
JOE MACKSince it had to have originated outside the CONUS, I'd choose my 9.3x74R Ruger #1 for PG. For the burly critters, I'd use a .450/.400 NE 3". I like my .416 Rigby, but dote on the .450/.400.
JOE MACK aka The .41FAN
HAVE MORE FUN AND GET THE JOB DONE WITH A .41
I am the punishment of God…
If you had not committed great sins,
God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you. (GENGHIS KHAN)
01 September 2010, 08:17
MileHighShooterI see lots of big boomers listed here....for ALL North American hunting? The vast majority of that game is going to be under 400lbs.
My vote would go with something more universal, but still capable from coues to musk ox or brownies
8x68S
or
308 Norma Mag

If you think every possible niche has been filled already, thank a wildcatter!