What caliber would you select for a nice custom on a Hagn action?

Caveat - like to keep it between .222 Rem and .308 Win.

Will be used for deer, antelope, fun shooting....

What would you build?

You can never go wrong with a 7x57.

257 Roberts AI

275 Rigby AI

6.5x55

264 WM

6.5x284

quote:

Originally posted by bpesteve:
You can never go wrong with a 7x57R.

There, fixed that...

I have a falling block rifle in 7x57R. the 22" medium-weight barrel with the concentrated weight makes for a wonderfully-balanced, fast pointing hunting rifle, and the recoil is quite mild. Mine is set up as a relatively short-range rifle with a fairly fast twist rate for heavier bullets and a 2-7 Leupold with a flip-up ghost-ring peep in the quarter-rib. It is a nearly-ideal walking-and stalking rifle in our relatively dense "bushveld" conditions, but is probably needlessly powerful for most deer at short range.

The Hagn has the advantage of probably the strongest rimless extractor of all the falling blocks though, so you can confidently chamber it for anything, and I suggest that it makes sense to go for the rimless version of the cartridge, just because cases are so much easier to find.

So if your hunting is in dense cover, I think anything from 6x45 to 7x57 would be great (depending on what else you already have) and for longer-range stuff, a 7.57 with a slightly faster twist rate or a .270 would be great. Sentimentality aside, there is nothing wrong with the newer calibers either.

thanks for the great ideas! Please, add to your comments. I have learned to take advise from the experienced person.
Ross

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:

There, fixed that...

R R R, he larfed.

Do you reload? If not the answer to that question should narrow your choices considerably. Lots of great options offered but the reality of todays world is availability of some of the choices proffered really is limited. I would (through personal preference) limit my choices to a cartridge that has a military heritage of at least the 20th century. That way brass availability is reasonable and your heirs will likely be able to enjoy your good taste in firearms.

I have 3, a .22Hornet, .243 Win and .303 British. All are a lot of fun to shoot. Going to take the .303 to South Africa and shoot an open sight kudu

7.62x51R!

Ross,

On that action a 6.5x55 or 7x57 would be sweet. Something modern like a Creedmore would seem sacrilegious.

Mark

Mark,
We are aligned. I have a 7x57, no experience with the Swede, but not “skierd” to try something new.
Thanks

If you were to go small caliber - .222, .223, .243 ???

If you already have a 7x57 and want to re-load, why not look at one of the older military 6.5 or even 6mm chamberings?

6.5 Carcano, 6.5 Portuguese (Verguero), or even 6mm Lee Navy?
Any of those would be pretty unique yet entirely usable?

When you mentioned both antelope and deer, without specifying what type of deer, I immediately thought of 25-06.

If you are considering the 7x57R, a gunshop near me has quite a few boxes of Norma 7x57R brass that have been on the shelves for years. I think they would ship it to you. I have a Ruger #1A in 7x57 that is my favorite deer rifle. Dale

Dogcat,

One of my favorite rifles is a 6mm/244 Remington built on a small frame

Webley 02 action. Ammo isn't the easiest to get. I also have a Soroka

falling block in 30-06. Both work great so having a rimmed cartridge

isn't mandatory? I think a 6.5 Creedmore might fit the bill nicely?

Good luck on your build & keep us posted on the progress.

Jim

Id go with the 250-3000. Maby a 25/30/40 Krag or rimmed 7x57, even a 250-3000 IMP,

Do you prefer a rimmed round I kinda lean that way sorta maybe ?????

quote:

Originally posted by bpesteve:
You can never go wrong with a 7x57.

Big "thumbs up"

7X57R or 307Win.

Another option would be a 7x65R.

I have a buddy who has a double in this and it intrigues me.

I have a spare #1 action I am contemplating building one on.

I shoot a 6.5 x 444 Marlin wildcat known as a 6.5 Bellm #2. This is loaded using 260 Remington dies. the tough 444 brass last a long time and has a sturdy rim so my gloved hands has no problem loading/unloading the rifle. The cartridge is excellent for the proposed application and with light bullets it is also an excellent varmit rifle.

If rimmed the 6.5x57R or 7x65R are great choices. Otherwise, .257 Roberts, 6.5x55, .270, or .280 Remington.

Some of the fellows have mentioned 6.5s.
I wonder if one of the very earliest smokeless rounds to become popular among African hunters -- the 6.5 X 53 Mannlicher (.256 Mannlicher in Britain) would fit the small Hagn action.
It would be the equivalent of a four-weight fly rod and would reward a gentleman's finesse.

I have owned two rifles on Hagn actions. I bought the barreled actions from Herr Hagn and had them built. My 223 was too small on a mini action so I sold it. I then purchased a medium barreled action in .30/06. Martin prefers them to be built in rimless cartridges. My rifle is being engraved now and will be stocked and finished this year. I hope to produce a 7.5 pound finished rifle.

Falling Block actions are my personal favorite.

What is your idea of "Fun" shooting..?
Low recoil..?
Casting your own bullets...?
Black Powder...?
Sub Sonic Loads...?

Average hunting distance... for dear...?
Antelope..?

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
What caliber would you select for a nice custom on a Hagn action?

Caveat - like to keep it between .222 Rem and .308 Win.

Will be used for deer, antelope, fun shooting....

What would you build?

Dogcat--here in Texas a .222 or .223 would fill the bill. If you go to Colorado for example the deer are tougher or at least they read the internet so you would need at least a .243.

Ross,
It has been a few months, what caliber did you decide on?

Glad you asked -
.223 Rem and 7x57 in Hagn single shot actions, put together by Matt Roberts.
Waiting on the actions now.
Will be a matched set.

Sounds like a great combination of calibers!

If possible, keep us updated (build photos,...)

My Hagn is a .30/06

Light rifle
7x57r

Medium rifle
9.3x74r

Heavy rifle
450 Nitro 3.25”

Rimmed cartridges all the way for a single or double

I have three single shot centerfire rifles 7x57, 270 Win and 30/40 Krag.

I think that the 270 is the best of the three for an all around deer/antelpe gun.

I feel that the 264 Win mag and 6.5-284 don't fit the single shot idea that well. Nothing against the two cartridges, my 6.5-284 has killed my biggest deer and antelope to date.

I have a 270 WCF in a Ruger no,1 still id rather have the same in a 250-3000, the worlds most wonderful caliber!

3030 just saying!

I agree with domit and like the idea of a 30-30. It is a more versatile caliber now than it has ever been thanks to the proliferation of bullets designed to expand at .300 Blackout speeds. My favorites include the Barnes Tac-Tx 110 and 120 grain bullets and the Hornady 110 grain CX (formerly GMX). With the added speed of the 30-30, these expand quickly and form a massive mushroom -- and don't perform like the typical hard mono since these were meant for speeds much lower than the 30-30 produces. They also retain virtually all of their weight.

In short, they are wicked on game and have served me exceptionally well. With these bullets, the 30-30 is easily a 300 yard medium game cartridge. At that range, the aforementioned bullets will still open to nearly .60 caliber on soft tissue and will be packing around or over 1000 ft./lbs of energy.

Recoil is minimal, and it's a cartridge that's just plain fun to shoot.

I agree with Bobby and domit on the 30-30 in a Spitzer bullet for a single shot. My grandson used one ( H&R Handy Rifle) in Africa several years ago with CEB bullets for PG. It worked fine.

I have a TC Encore in 7x57 AI that is fun to shoot but I have not hunted with it yet. Brian

One that is never mentioned is the 25/35. I had small size Falling Block Works action and found listed a new Montana Barrel Works 25 caliber barrel that was half octagon/tapered round. It finished out to 28" and was very light. At that time, LeverEvolution powder was new and I tried it. With the new powder, high quality spitzer bullets and the 28" barrel, ballistics were shocking. It was comparable to a 257 Roberts and seemed to be ideally fit for a single shot rifle. I often have thought about having it modified to an improved version but never have done it. Loads would be much different and it seems so balanced in its use that I have never done it.

My sidelever Ruger, .30-40 Krag in Namibia.

6.5x55 Small Hagn action, Martini barrel

I don't know if dogcat finds it helpful to simply list the single shot chamberings we have, but it is fun. So I will too. All my single shot rifles are Ruger No. 1 guns. Currently I have a first year 6mm Remington 1B, Lipseys run 28" bbl 6.5mm Creedmoor (a great caliber, for all the haters here), 7x57 RSI, 30-06 1A, 300 H&H 1S, 450/400 1H, and 458 Win Mag 1H Liberty Year (with a storied ownership history). I've also owned No. 1 rifles in 223, 243, 250/3000, 25-06, 270, 375 H&H and 416 Rigby. My favorites are the 7x57, 300 H&H and 450/400. I like the classic calibers in a classic rifle like the No. 1.

Ive always considered putting together a 25-35 Win, but thats just me, not for most folks...Its a caliber I grew up with, shot a lot of game with and and would go well with my 94s..Might go with a 25-35 IMP ) 25-30-30 IMP same..