What caliber would you bring back from the dead?

[MS 9x56]

Wouldn't that be a .30-03?

No 30-06. I don’t believe that 250 grain bullets are made in 30 caliber anymore but this is what they look like.

 

[Rule 303]

I love talking about calibers, their pros and cons, the situations to use them in, their history and so forth. Above all that I love collecting them! But one of the worst parts about the history of firearms and calibers, is that some seemingly great calibers die out.
Leaving those of us who want to use them scrambling to find brass and dies and the like.

So if you found a Genie in a bottle, what caliber or two would you get him to bring back into the mainstream?

For me it would be the 450NE (the 3 1/4") for DG, and the 350 Rigby for PG.
-It is criminal that the 450NE never came back to life after the ban.
-I think the 350 Rigby with modern loads and powders would be one of the great all around calibers.

Loaded properly - not to the Brits 35 Whelen level -the 350Rigby would equal or slightly better the 358 Norma mag. Now if you were to Improve the 350Rigby you would be close to a 358RUM.

 

[jruby]

I would say it comes down to what and where you are hunting. If hunting bears or boars in thick cover heavier bullets offer more penetration and shock value to put game down fast and permanently.

Why not go to a bigger cartridge if you need more energy.

 

[RedTag]

It’s not fully dead yet but the 300 H&H. Really sad to see the caliber disappearing.

The major manufacturers were all supporting this cartridge until pretty recently. They’ve been dropping it left and right in the last few years. Maybe they’re too focused on their newer proprietary alphabet soup short cartridges instead, or maybe they just thought people didn’t want the old .300 H&H anymore. I think they misjudged just how popular it still is. Perhaps they will bring it back if enough of us keep on asking for it!

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Merkel:
View attachment 678405View attachment 678406

Lovely rifle. Mama has a K1 in 7x57R.

Safe shooting

 

[SaintPanzer]

No 30-06. I don’t believe that 250 grain bullets are made in 30 caliber anymore but this is what they look like.View attachment 678420

Yes... but consider the history of the .30-06. Wikipedia is never a source, but this Guns and Ammo page also summarizes it:

Classics: 1903 Springfield Rifle - Guns and Ammo

There are those who, with some justification, consider the U.S. Model 1903 Springfield to be the

www.gunsandammo.com

Initially, the 1903 Springfield was chambered in a new .30-03 caliber. The cartridge employed a rimless, necked-down case with a 220-grain round-nosed bullet that left the muzzle of the 24-inch barrel at some 2,300 feet-per-second (fps).

"Though the round was certainly adequate for military work, when the Germans adopted a superior pointed spitzer bullet in 1904, the Americans followed suit with their own version that had a 150-grain cupro-nickel-jacketed bullet that boosted the older round's velocity by some 400 fps. The famed .30-06 was born. Existing guns were altered, and all new ones were chambered in the updated round."

So even though I can put a 220 grain round in my .30-06, I just consider that the .30-03. As far as a 250 grain round, yes, you're right...

 

[Sarg]

Why not go to a bigger cartridge if you need more energy.

Because believe it or not lots of people in lots of countries can only have one or so high power rifles by law or from financial reasons & a 30/06 will do everything if it has to !

This is the most common line often quoted by people in America who luckily have pretty good firearme laws & commonly have a bit more money (also stronger US dollar value) the rest of the world is sometimes not so lucky & has to make do !

A lot of the reason why in a lot of countries firearms are used on what some people think are the inappropriate animals, ie shotguns in Africa & South America, smaller & underpowered (some say) in these & Australia ie 45/70 & 12ga again .

When I first hunted in Australia’s NT way back certain cartridges were illegal, any cartridge going over a certain velocity, so 12g with slugs & hot loaded (not technically legal) 45/70 were used to kill hundreds of Buffalo, Bantang, Scrub Bulls & most everything else !

PS I have used the 30/06 a lot with the 200gr & especially 220gr in Africa & on bigger tough game in Australasia, works extremely well.

 

[jruby]

Because believe it or not lots of people in lots of countries can only have one or so high power rifles by law or from financial reasons & a 30/06 will do everything if it has to !

This is the most common line often quoted by people in America who luckily have pretty good firearme laws & commonly have a bit more money (also stronger US dollar value) the rest of the world is sometimes not so lucky & has to make do !

A lot of the reason why in a lot of countries firearms are used on what some people think are the inappropriate animals, ie shotguns in Africa & South America, smaller & underpowered (some say) in these & Australia ie 45/70 & 12ga again .

When I first hunted in Australia’s NT way back certain cartridges were illegal, any cartridge going over a certain velocity, so 12g with slugs & hot loaded (not technically legal) 45/70 were used to kill hundreds of Buffalo, Bantang, Scrub Bulls & most everything else !

PS I have used the 30/06 a lot with the 200gr & especially 220gr in Africa & on bigger tough game in Australasia, works extremely well.

Makes a lot of sense. When all you have is a hammer everything else is a nail. If a 180 gr pill in a 30-06 isn't enough I will use a bigger or faster 30 cal magnum. The biggest thing have here in Oregon are elk. My 338-06 pushing 225g noslers or mu 300H&H pushing 180g noslers do just fine.

 

[375er]

Ask Phil Shoemaker...

 

[matt85]

True Matt but very few if any rifles made in .303 in this day & age, (there are thousands out there lol) I think last we’re Ruger No1 & Uberti maybe still Uberti, unfortunately I hear both aren’t very accurate or have problems ?

On the 8 bore, I have Shotguns & rifle, very few original brass cases but shoot heaps of Winchester Kiln gun cases with no problems, cheap & very plentiful, I read that Remington cases were better but these are fine, use both Black powder & Nitro (Blue Dot, getting hard to find) loads !

As long as ammunition or components are available, you could always have a custom rifle made in 303 British.

Do you have a source for those 8g kiln hulls? What loads have you used in them? I use a 1200gr 0.849" bullet over 260gr of FFg black powder or 67gr of Blue Dot.

I lucked out last year and scored 8 pounds of Blue Dot from MidwayUSA! Keep a watchful eye out at all times... you never know when they will suddenly make a batch.

 

[MS 9x56]

Makes a lot of sense. When all you have is a hammer everything else is a nail. If a 180 gr pill in a 30-06 isn't enough I will use a bigger or faster 30 cal magnum. The biggest thing have here in Oregon are elk. My 338-06 pushing 225g noslers or mu 300H&H pushing 180g noslers do just fine.

Being a hunter and not a shooter I have no use for belted magnum calibers. My mantra is go slower with a heavier bullet and get closer.

 

[PerH]

No 30-06. I don’t believe that 250 grain bullets are made in 30 caliber anymore but this is what they look like.View attachment 678420

Woodleigh have a 240 grain that is made for the 06 for its 100 year anniversary. But it works in other .30cal also

Hope they make and send them soon also again after all that went on .

 

[jruby]

Being a hunter and not a shooter I have no use for belted magnum calibers. My mantra is go slower with a heavier bullet and get closer.

I don't normally shoot past three hundred yards. I find magnum provide the added horsepower when needed. Not all magnums are for long range. IMHO

 

[Redfishga1]

.318 wr

 

[Rule 303]

MS 9x56 not all magnums are belted, and I guess it depends on what you hunt but sometimes a bigger hole in the animal works way better than a heavier small hole bullet. However I do like your thinking.

 

[Don458]

50-70 government. Because it’s becoming increasingly hard to find Ammo/Brass

 

[grand veneur]

To stay on the topic despite everything, belted cartridges vary in popularity due to their design, but they are also part of the history of cartridges. Some people believed, which is partly true, that one need a belt for some cartridges, for the cartridge 375 H&H Magnum for example and above all for the cartridge 300 H&H Magnum, otherwise such cartridges would, due to their conical shape, slide into the chamber. The belt should replaces the rim. Due to the success of the two cartridges mentioned above, the belt has become over time a symbol of high-performance cartridges, but that is right, you don't need it for almost cylindrical cartridges with shoulders. Despite it, there are surely older cartridges with belts that some people would like to bring back. I am thinking, for example, of the original cartridge 7x73 mm vom Hofe, not the already mentioned 7x66 S-E vom Hofe variant from the 1950s.

 

[RedTag]

To stay on the topic despite everything, belted cartridges vary in popularity due to their design, but they are also part of the history of cartridges. Some people believed, which is partly true, that one need a belt for some cartridges, for the cartridge 375 H&H Magnum for example and above all for the cartridge 300 H&H Magnum, otherwise such cartridges would, due to their conical shape, slide into the chamber. The belt should replaces the rim. Due to the success of the two cartridges mentioned above, the belt has become over time a symbol of high-performance cartridges, but that is right, you don't need it for almost cylindrical cartridges with shoulders. Despite it, there are surely older cartridges with belts that some people would like to bring back. I am thinking, for example, of the original cartridge 7x73 mm vom Hofe, not the already mentioned 7x66 S-E vom Hofe variant from the 1950s.

I like belted cartridges. I think it’s somewhat unfortunate that the belt came to be regarded as a symbol of power rather than what it truly is: a near guarantee of reliability under adverse conditions and consistent headspacing even if one must source replacement ammunition in a far off land…

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Yes... but consider the history of the .30-06. Wikipedia is never a source, but this Guns and Ammo page also summarizes it:

Classics: 1903 Springfield Rifle - Guns and Ammo

There are those who, with some justification, consider the U.S. Model 1903 Springfield to be the

www.gunsandammo.com

Initially, the 1903 Springfield was chambered in a new .30-03 caliber. The cartridge employed a rimless, necked-down case with a 220-grain round-nosed bullet that left the muzzle of the 24-inch barrel at some 2,300 feet-per-second (fps).

"Though the round was certainly adequate for military work, when the Germans adopted a superior pointed spitzer bullet in 1904, the Americans followed suit with their own version that had a 150-grain cupro-nickel-jacketed bullet that boosted the older round's velocity by some 400 fps. The famed .30-06 was born. Existing guns were altered, and all new ones were chambered in the updated round."

So even though I can put a 220 grain round in my .30-06, I just consider that the .30-03. As far as a 250 grain round, yes, you're right...

The 30-03 cartridge case is also .040“ longer than the 30-06
Gumpy