I wanted to know... what are some of the most popular calibers in AU... Starting with perhaps the top 3 varmit 22caliber, then top 3 med 270,3006,308, 300etc... then heavy...375 and above.
Thank you.

[ 11-03-2003, 08:35: Message edited by: smallfry ]

Smallfry,

I think you'll find they're pretty similar to what are shot in the US. I don't have stats but for centrefires I'd bet this list would be pretty accurate:
222
223
22/250
243
270
308
30/06
I guess 30/30 should also be in the list somewhere.

There'd also be a fair smattering of 300 Win Mags, 375 H&H's etc, but they wouldn't make any top ten list.

G'day smallfry (where did you get that name from, you a short arse or what mate) Stu is close, but it depends on the state you are from and what you are hunting, I reckon 60% of hunters here use the .222 to .308, 20% 30.06 to .300mag+, and the rest .338 and up. stuff like 375H&H, 458win, 45.70 is very common around my hunting mates, I'm a member of the Big Game Rifle club of Aus. and you will see all sorts of cals. and firearms right up to the shoulder breakers mate, hope this puts a light on what we have here..take it easy...Les

I reckon StuC pretty well summed the calibres up.

Most shooters would have a .22 rimfire and maybe half of them a 12 gauge shotgun as well. Or at least they did before the gun "steal-back". For every ten or so .22 you will find a .22 Magnum.

Maybe one in ten of shooters would have a centrefire. Perhaps a little higher. The most common centrefire used to be the .222. .22/250s are also quite common. Too much for foxes but about perfect for roos. The .17 Remington was a big hit in Australia when fox furs were valuable and was the biggest market for them in world at that time. Still it was more a specialist calibre.

Then the feral shooters had a lot of .243s, and if bigger .270s and .308s. A lot of deer hunters use .30-06s. If you went back 20 years most hunters used rifles smaller than .30-06 with .308s, .270s and .243 the most common. Since then more people have looked for more grunt and higher velocites so you see more magnums and also .338s.

Virtually all Australian game is over-gunned by a .30-06 which is why the smaller calibres do so well. Most early water buffalo hunters just used their deer rifle loaded with heavy solids such as a 200 gr .30. But now if you have one it is certainly worth using something bigger.

Virtually every Aussie shooter who buys their first big bore gets a .375 H&H Magnum. There would be probably at least 5 to one of these to other big bores. Most hunters who buy one of these dream of going on an African safari but they also see use on feral pigs which is great fun. Some sambar deer hunters use medium to big bores too such as the .338, .358 , 9.3 and .375s. Some .45/70s in lever actions and a few .458 Win Mags (from the ammo in gun shop shelves) as well.

About the only sporting cartridge available after WW2 was the SMLE .303 and thousands and these were in use and converted to wildcat .25s and .270s. Most of these probably gather dust now.

But you will find many varied calibres and rifles in use here, from the .17 K-Hornet, the .221 Fireball, 6x47mm, the European metric calibres especilaly the 9.3s and the Nitro Express calibres. They are just not very common or widespread in general terms but perhaps more common in per capita terms than many other countries. It is not for no reason that Bertram makes cases for all sorts of obscure cartridges, Woodleigh makes bullets for all sorts of medium and big bore calibres, and SImplex made a variety of dies. All these for a relatively small market.

I believe there are about 1 1/2 million registered shooters in Australia.

Gidday,
I do not know what the others use but I will put my list here and see how it stacks up.
.22 ( about 3)
.22 hornet
.222 Rem
6.5x55 Swede
30/30
12 Gauge
There we go and am saving to start on pistols just to piss howard off.
Peter

Lots of .22/250's, .222's , .223's a few .243's and then you have .270's 30/30's, 30/06's a few magnums 7mm, .300 etc.

A few 45/70's getting around among hardcore piggers.

But there the most common calibres.

People like myself into bigbores etc. do not make up the general Aussie shooting publics avergae calibre choice.

I too would also like some pistols for no other reason than Howard is an ignorant, selfish, uninformed, moron.

But I would like to get to Africa and I would also like a double rifle

Well, out in my safe there are:
22 rimfire
17 mach iv
221 Fireball
223
6*47
6mm/250
243
308

I would say its probably similar to U.S ,though one difference is where the 30 06 is very popular in U.S ,the 308 is much more popular in OZ. I think 44 mag lever actions are fairly common in my area for pig hunting.

Quite happy to be regarded as eccentric, but since this IS a poll, here is a list of the only metallic cartridges I have discharged at game in the past several years:

6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer
.450/.400 3-inch Nitro Express
.416 Chatfield-Taylor
.500/.450 3 1/4 Magnum (Nitro-for-black)
.577 x 2 3/4 Light Nitro
20-bore/.577 (Nitro-for-black)

Hope to have my 12-bore 'Paradox' up and running by next season.

Bet that throws out the statistics!

Mate, not bad. The only "exotic" stuff I own is a K-hornet and a 9.3x62. I've got dies and brass for 6.5 MS for when I finally get around to doing that one.

I've been reading a few of your double rifle articles. Looks like you have a fine collection there.

I recently purchased a 250/303 from a exporter from "down under", and it is a dandy. A lot like the 250/3000. I bought it because it cost less than $100 US and came with a sizing die. Built on the Mk 4 jungle carbine. I am getting good groups loading with 250 Sav data.

I think this might be the hunting line up down here in Victoria;

Small
22LR
223 Rem
22 Hornet or 222 (close call)

Medium
270 Win
308 Win
30-06
303 Brit or 30-30 (close call)

Med-Large
375 H&H
9.3x62
338 Mag

Large
45-70
444 Marlin
458 Mag

Plinkers
22 LR
44 Mag
44-40 Win

How's this gents?

In my neck of the woods i would say the 223 is most popular so is 308 there are still plenty of 303's getting used and here at least i think every 2nd person bought at least 1 6.5 swede they are very popular last week about 15 local shooters had to shoot for an accreditation for feral pest control in national parks at least half were going to use a 6.5mm swede in one form or another some guys even ordered new Howas in that calibre there was some 243's some 308's and 30/06's deer shooters here start at 7mm rem magnum and go up to 300 win and 338 win mags being common not a lot of real big calibres here nothing bigger than pigs and goats locally you could probably find some feral cattle or the odd camel if you looked hard enough
my current favourites 22 rimfire 222 magnum 6.5x55 303 british(with my user name that shoudn't be surprising!!!) and my 9.3x62mm there is no such word as overkill

Pete, talk to the SSAA. They have been doing the accreditation and organising some culls. I seem to remember reading not too long ago that they were organising a scheme in Qld.

Stu C Gidday,
Yea I knew the SSAA was doing a conservation thing .Yes as i was typing this I started to remember they did do some thing in the Flinders Ranges didn't they, with National Parks?
Old age clouds the mind(not all the substances that i did when younger!!)
Peter

Pete it is through the SSAA it is basiclly an extension of what has been happening in SA for about 15 years details still a bit sketchy but this is a test case for Victoria I would suggest getting in contact with the SSAA in Queensland they might be able to shed some light on it

Between my boy and I we have a 22mag, 223 and a 270win. Covers everything up to pigs and fallow, but then we don't go after the scrub bulls, or the Top End. NitroX, you're in the Barossa, anywhere near Peter Lehmann's (sp) wines? My sister lives over there, (I think it's Angaston?) I'm due to visit her at Christmas, and would like to catch up with you - swap a few stories, sink a wine/beer or two! Email me.

You know, it's funny, I was just reviewing this thread - you reckon Howard's got it in for gun owners, wait until you get an application for an AVO taken out against you by your ex!! (even though she herself supports hunting!! Howard is a pussy cat by comparison!! As they say - Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, I pissed her off because she was the one screwing around - wouldn't mind if I was the 'guilty' party!. Just my luck!! Wish me luck, fellers!

rugeruser

Yes I live not that far away from Angaston and also PLW.

If you're interested in meeting up for a drink and a chat, OK, let me know when you will be around.

Your comment about AVO's.

Nowadays we live in the post-1984 period and the thought police is here and now. People are encourage to spy on their neighbours to see if they water their gardens at the wrong times, dob on people walking their dogs with a lead greater than 2 metres or God forbid a trained dog with no leash at all (!!!!). Shooters have a lot to fear from neighbours or disgruntled persons. The shooter is presumed guilty and needs to prove innocence.

NitroX, what's the reference to "post-1984" about? I was still in high school then!

NitroX, have sent email to you.

I USE
.222
.27o
.7mmSTW
.7mm Rem
.375 H.H
Weidmannsheil
Martin

Orion the 7mm stw would be great for long shots in the out back wouldn't it ?? I have never seen this round in action before and I wondered wether it was even around at all in oz.

Hi All
I have
.22rf x2
.22/250
.243
tikka 12g over .222
270 weatherby mag
300 win mag
44/40
couple of 12guages
and a .22 over 20guage

Cheers
Steve

smallfry

223, 22/250, 243, 270, 308 and the 6.5 X 55 would be the most common calibres sold here.

270 is probably more popular than 308 in more expensive rifles like M70 or Sako and same for 22/250 compared to 223.

I think the main difference to the US would be:

1) 30/06 is not the big mover here. In new sporting rifles (that is, not ex military conversion or other rebarrels) this sixe gun is completely dominated by the 270 and 308.

2) Of the more common magnum calibres such as 300 Win, 338 Win and 375 H&H, I think the proportion of 375s owned and use is higher here than in the US.

If these forums are a guide then US shooters seem more inclined to match the calibre to the animal than is the case with Australians.

Mike

Your back Mike, thought you had disapeared !!

Hows you projects going ??

Ah yes, I see now. I was thinking of some legislation change that I hadn't heard of.

Ah the most popular calibres. sorry this is a debate i love so I'll ramble my way in. I always love to look at stock lists of brass in gunshops and on www.customhandloads.com.au to see random calibres listed. Amonst the calibres i'm suprised to see, Ahem .218 Bee .224 Weatherby .416 Weatherby .460 Weath. 470 NE .338 Lapua 6.5 Carcano .300 RSAUM. Has anyone ever been in contact with any of these calibres? No offence if you own one or anything in fact I love the .338 Lapua but I thought I was in a minority

Welcome to the forums .338

I had a carcano once, it came with 100 military rounds. Every now and then a round would fail to fire, but when it did fire it spat a flame out of the barrel about a foot long I bought it for $100, sold it for $120. It truly was a peice of crap.

Bakes

In the north(QLD) 223's are pretty common. People like their 30-30's too.Exmil bolts esp the 303.

Honestly I reckon the commonest hunting calibres were 10/22's, skk's and sks's pre the ban.

243's and 270's are probably the 'proper' hunting calibres there.The 308 as well-its considered the serious working farmer type gun. I reckon there is one in every shed.

But even in the far redneck north there are sales for the oddball and massive stuff.

I think Australia is just as diverse as the yanks in this regard. We tend to think of "a good gun to get" and just blast anything with it.

Karl.

The far red necked north!! I resemble that

Bakes

.338_lapua
My father has a 224 weatherby, personally I prefer the 22-250. I have seen a few 224 for sale.

Also a friend has 416 Weatherby he ended up turning off the belt and improving it, which was when I shot it. That rifle started my interest in big bores.

looked at a sako 338 but at over $4000 AUD I quickly lost interest.

[ 11-25-2003, 06:00: Message edited by: 416SW ]