Anyhow, I thought it would be interesting to do a poll of whether folks consider the various .410", .416" and .423" rifles as a large or heavy medium bore, or a big bore?

I look at 45 on up as a big bore, but this is perhaps a nebulous argument. That said, some of us take such BS very seriously and live for such discussions.

We ought to shed the old shadings and finer specifications that were related to the BP to cordite/smokeless transition period.

One might speak of small, medium, and large bores. The 416's and 404's are definitely past the big bore bracket, IMHO.

Everything below .375 is a small bore.
Everything above .375 is a large bore.
The .375 alone constitutes the medium bore class, suitable for varmints or elephants.

This scheme follows the KISS principle, and may be controversial.

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RAB

These days I think big bore starts at 375.

375 is when the rifles are usuallly heavier, more expensive, Hornadies come only 50 to the box, more round noses etc. etc.

Actually I have always seen the 375 as being similar to the 270 in the sense that the 375 is the bottom end of the big bores and the 270 is the bottom end of the general purpose big game calibers, that is 270 through to 338.

Perception is also reality. Ever notice in those Deer forums when someone asks about loads for the 338. The answers on ballistic tips or whatever come forward.

Same question on 375 and many of the answers will be about "elephant guns" etc.

So, therefore I definitely have the 416 as a big bore.

Mike

So, 416 would be a very small big bore. Some minor disputes might rise over e.g. 45ACP vs 378WBY or 7mm/300Wby vs 7,62x39. But that�s the salt of life isn�t it. I mean, a .375 bullet is definitly medium bore, and as Paul says, a 45 is big bore. AKI

We're two votes for 45 and up, and 4 votes 40 and up.

Now, if I think about where I'd want to discuss a 40 caliber rifle cartridge, it would certainly be this forumn, and whatsit called? Big Bores

Mike,

I consider the general purpose hunting calibers to start at .264"-6.5mm. As far as the 375, its kind of a bastard child, too big for the general hunters to accept, and too small for the big bore hunters. Not to take away anything from what it can do, and how good it is.

I agree with you on 6.5mm but I was just thinking of the main caliber groups in terms of popularity.

To me, the calibers from 6.5 to 30 and probably 338 if we stretch things a bit, are what I call full size military calibers that are capable of killing anything in the word, as they all have done many times.

Mike

To those that bring up the history, black powder vs cordite, vs nitro etc, this is just a fun thread. I was thinking the here and now, when I started the thread.

Before I moved up to Alaska, I thought my .308 win would do it all, and when I was handed a 338 win mag, I thought, wow, this is a big rifle! Needless to say my point of view has shifted a bit, guess living in AK gives one a slightly different scale to measure things by. I suppose having a nearby gun stores that have 375's, 416's and 458's as normal stock, and one store that has a 505 Gibbs on the rack, makes these rounds a bit less exotic as well.

The 416 seems big to me. I'd say the 416 is a Big Bore, but not a Heavy???

Don

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Now, I would say that big bores start with the .378 Wby.

[This message has been edited by Ray, Alaska (edited 12-15-2001).]

Big 17

Flyweight - .223 Remington
Bantamweight - .243 Winchester
Featherweight - .257 Roberts
Welterweight - .270 Winchester
Middleweight - .30-06 Springfield
Super Middleweight - .338
Light Heavyweight - .375 H&H
Cruiserweight - .416 (.404 etc.)
Heavyweight - .458 Winchester
Super Heavyweight - .50 calber

So do the 577, 600 and 700 fit into the mutant class? Or would they be more along the lines of big time wrestlers, like Andre the Giant

I would bracket them like this:

.17 to 22

243 to 264

270 to 338

375 to 458

50

585 and up

Mike

Since Saeed can nail just about anything with a 375, and so can most anyone else, I would have to put the 375 as the beggining of the big bore rifles, with the 40's in the bottom end.

If you can't knock it down with a 375, I would think something 50 cal or bigger is in order.

What does it take to reliably flatten a Cape Buffalo, with one shot?
gs

quote:

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Originally posted by Socrates:

What does it take to reliably flatten a Cape Buffalo, with one shot?
gs

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Proper shot placement

Some would also add 40 or larger, properly placed.

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So many bovids! So little time and money!
RAB

Even with a 375 I find myself saying to them "This is a bigbore, you could use it on elephant if you want."

Karl.

You can use the 375 on cape buffalo, and elephant. However, if you fail to place the shot right, on the first shot, there is a chance it will use the 375 on you?

Been reading Capsticks' books about the joys of buffalo goring.

Nice to know they win, every once in a while...

gs

Sarge

http://www.ussmissouri.com/mighty.asp

gs

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/5423/m60.html

YOU really have to love her. Flat, accurate,
and, she comes with an M-60 and Browning machine gun.

The perfect woman.

gs