Hi
which kind of guns and calibers and loadings are most used and populair in South america?
regards
YES

I cannot offer any true expertise and I am sure some of the men who live there will respond. For my uses I really like the 45-70 and the .308.

thanks Bill for your reply
it seems our aknowledged south american freinds are not willing to share their knowledge in hunting with us .
regards
YES

Give them a while, they are all out hunting!
I'm taking a 9.3x74R double this year for a hunt in the Chaco. It depends on what you are hunting--Red deer in the mountains or buffalo along the rivers, or puma, or carpinchos (capybara). We'll have a .22 for viscachas. Except for buffalo, any good deer cartridge should work fine for everything else.
BillintheWild's choices are perfect.

yes: the most usually found calibers here are the .308 Winchester and the 7.65 x 53 Mauser (these were military chamberings). But you may follow Bill´s advice: the 45-70 with hot loadings and proper bullets for the heavy stuff and the .308 for the lesser game. Now, if you want to use only a gun, I think that the .338 Winchester is perfect, alas, now is somewhat difficult to obtain here ammo and components. I use a two gun battery: a .300 Winnie for long shots and a .375 Holland for close work. For the water buffalo, some sportmen like the .458 Winchester or such kind of stoppers.
Ah, and we didn´t answer due to different reasons. In my own case I´m sick with a bad case of flu and never learned about your question.

thanks for replies
my favourite do all gun is an old 8x57 js loaded with 195 gr norma oryx an old husqvarna,but i have a ruger 77 in 3006 stainless and a husky 6,5x55 too i forgot a brno 602 in 375 , but i think it is too heavy for walking around a day and maybe unnecaissary powerful.nice to here from you from south america
regards
YES

I think nainital nail it.

You are not the only one that likes the 8x57mm. The owner of the gunshop in Guatrache (La Pampa) told me that 8x57mm S is very popular there.
Most big game rifles used in Argentina are .308 Win. or .300 Win.Mag.IMHO
Martin

Most common calibers down here...

22 long rifle
243 win
25-06 rem
308 win
30-06
20 ga
12 ga

L

After ,traveling a lot in most of the hunting fields of Argentina from JUJUY and Salta to La Patagonia ,without doubt ,the mauser 1909 in 308,second can be the 3006,and then the 300winch and the 375hyh .On shotguns the 12 gauge followed by the 16 ,and every farmer has a 22 .Pistols 9mm,45,and40 .Juan

In the Peruvian jungle of the people that have guns most are 16 gauge single shots.
Regards, Keith

ditto, in the Ecuadorian amazon you can buy lots of very crudely made 16ga single shots which are often set as trap guns.

In Mexico the most common shotguns are 12's.
The most common rifle cartridge is by far the .22lr but that is mostly due to the draconian gun laws there.
For center fire i think it would be .270 and .30-06

I understand that some countries have -- or did have in the past -- restrictions against using rifle calibers that have been used as military weapons.

Is that true?

If it is true, wouldn't that prohibit use of the .30/06, .308, 7x57, 8x57, .303 British, 6.5x55, and some others?

LE270: not here, at least for the moment. Anything over 6.5 millimeters and under .501 is allowed. No semi automatic weapons, please, so let your BAR at home.

it would be very similar like here, the 30-06 is superb and many others, but a 300 Win Mag and 375 is a great versatillity, i think a good switchbarrel rifle like a Sauer or Blaser is what i will have with me when i come to Argentina for hunting some day