Least favorite caliber?

TXVAshooter · Jul 19, 2005

Can't say I have one...yet.
Sound of fellas, stories, experiences to forever turn you from a caliber?

TXVA

wired · Jul 19, 2005

It's hard to find a caliber that people don't like for any given reason, but since you asked -

.300 WinMag, because a lot of retards think it's the bare minimum you need to hunt deer/elk with nowadays, and is throwing us even deeper into the "bigger is better" ideology.

huntswithdogs · Jul 19, 2005

Let me say first off that I don't neccesarily dislike any one caliber or the other. I've some guns that I"ll refuse to shoot again! Right up on topof that short list is a friends Marlin in 45-70.I shot this one twice..... my first and last! WHOOEEEE! That SOB crossed my eyes! After he told me what he was loading them shells at,I checked them in the "book" and they were listed as safe! Not in my own "personal" book. Since then,I tend to stay away from 45/70's.

HWD

luv2safari · Jul 23, 2005

243...neither fish, nor fowl... Remember, this thread is a person's least favorite caliber. I am sure that the 243 may well be many people's favorite caliber.

I feel it is a bit too big for varmint shooting and is too small to be a truely adaquate deer (on up) round. 223, 22-250, or 220 Swift are better varmint calibers...257 Roberts or 250-3000 are much better deer calibers. Just MHO...

uglydog · Jul 23, 2005

I'm kind of with luv2safari with the 243 but have to clarify that I really don't like calibers or bullets that are marginally small or lightly constructed for the animal being hunted. Examples for deer would be the 243/6mm class or smaller, blackpowder cartridges under 32 cal., the .30 M1 cartridge (for some unfathomable reason this is now legal for deer in MN), or using light (for the cartridge) bullets that aren't necessarily made for the animal being hunted. One I just heard about was using on deer 85 gr and 100 gr Ballistic Tip type bullets from a .243 and 25/06 respectively. I feel these bullets are geared more towards varmints and are not constructed heavily enough to reliably take deer sized game. The proponent of this practice felt velocity was all important with penetration an afterthought at best. I gotta get off that soapbox.

cmb3366 · Jul 24, 2005

.308 winchester; for short action lever rifles the .300 Savage fills the same niche, and when dealing with bolt guns, the .30-06 gives better velocities. Those reasons, allong with a sour experience with the only .308 I ever bought hav given me great disdain for this cartridge :wink:. For some reason I've never cared for the .243 either, but I recently came into possesion of a minty 1958 Winhester model 70 Featherweight so chambered (my grandfather's), And I must say, that I am slowly growing to accept the cartridge, but it's never going to be a favorite of mine.

mountainview · Jul 25, 2005

TXVA, can't say I have any least favorite cals yet. I like most anything that goes "boom" and sends a projectile down range. Like tools, any caliber is going to have its uses it should or should not be used for. When it ain't used right, t'aint the tool's fault.

1gsplover · Jul 26, 2005

Usta wuz I disliked the .243... very poor bullet selection. Nowadays the selection is much broader... it'll do for small deer and the like.
///olde pharte///

mak48 · Aug 2, 2005

I dont like the .243, dont really know why, I would rather shoot bigger or smaller, just not .243, I guess its too popular and I like to be different.

Maser · Sep 5, 2005

well my least favorite caliber is the .25 auto i think thats the most useless cartridge ever invented

1gsplover · Sep 5, 2005

ABSOLUTELY!!! Of the pistol calibers, the .25 is the sorriest thing i have ever fired, with the red hot .32 coming closely behind. :evil: At the other extreme, can anyone explain the utility of the .500 S&W?
Shoot safely.
///olde pharte///

wired · Sep 5, 2005

Re: re: Least favorite caliber?

1gsplover said:
At the other extreme, can anyone explain the utility of the .500 S&W?

Handgun hunting for bears, maybe? Handgun hunters are handicapping themselves enough by using pistol ammo in short barrels anyway, so the only way to make up a little ground is to use BIG pistol bullets.

Maser · Sep 7, 2005

Re: re: Least favorite caliber?

1gsplover said:
:evil: At the other extreme, can anyone explain the utility of the .500 S&W?

self defense against dangerous game of course :roll:

luv2safari · Sep 7, 2005

I am of the opinion that the very best handgun to have if confronting dangerous game in an emergency is anything with a short barrel in 38cal or bigger...so you can get into your mouth fast and blow your sorry a$$ away before you are ripped to shreds. :twisted: :shock:

There are no adaquate handguns for true dangerous game. They do beat throwing rocks, in most situations, but I have watched a tracker chase away a ticked off young male lion at VERY close quarters by throwing rocks. If he had shot the lion with any handgun, both would now be dead...both left alive... :roll:

surehuntsalot · Oct 12, 2008

most useless in my book
500 S&W
243 Win.
300 Win Magnum

j870sm · Oct 13, 2008

243 and 308. I do like the 243 for yotes if I am out of 22-250 or 223 bullets. Never seen a reason for 308 unless it is an M14.

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · Oct 14, 2008

I would have to say mine is the .308. Like others said it isn't and 06 and the .300 savage did the same job. the only thing I like about it is I can take the barrel off and make a worthwhile caliber. :wink:

hodgeman · Oct 15, 2008

I for one love the .308 and am fast becoming a big fan of the .300 WSM.

Least favorite since this thread isn't about what we like?

I would have to say the 7.62x39. I hate that round- not good for shooting anything except folks or paper and their are lots better rounds to do either with. Its principal appeal seems to be the availability of dirt cheap (or used to be) ammo and rifles to shoot it up in. As a hunting round it leaves a lot to be desired and as a target round a lot more.

Also hate the .340 Weatherby for no other reason than its pretty over powered for most critters and seems to attract long range shooting at things like elk and big bull moose (flame suit on). It also kicks viciously- I'd much rather shoot a .375 or .416.

I could probably learn to love the .340, I doubt I'd ever love the 7.62x39.

vicv · Oct 15, 2008

this is funny. i thought i was the only who disliked the .243. too much for a dedicated varmint rifle and not really enough for deer. i think a better varmint/deer caliber would be a .25/06 but don't know for sure as i've never owned one. that'll be the next one in my safe. i also agree with the 300 WM. my friend has one he swears by but i just can't see the point. at the ranges we shoot an 06 would do just as good and i think the 338 would be better with that much powder

heelerman · Oct 15, 2008

All this hatred of the .243, suprising. About every woman I know shoots one and kills stuff with it. Myself, it would be .218 Mashburn Bee. It has what is doubless the shortest neck of any. It's a proper bit#h to reload and the finished product is so delcate that you almost have to wrap each one, and don't rattle em around or thats what you will have rattles!