Favorite caliber

[dario541]

SOME of us have been wrangling over the meaning of the first Amendment and some other non germaine items recently. So, I think it is time to get back to the reason why we joined this forum in the first place. So, I have a question. What is your number one favorite caliber and why? You can choose handgun, rifle or shotgun.
I'll start the ball rolling. My top choice would be the 30-06. Why? Because it is the granddaddy of most rifle calibers in use today. This calber consistently ranks in the top five in popularity and has for many years. Everything is compared to it. Time after time down through the years I have seen a new caliber introduced and I almost always hear something like "it's almost as fast as a 30-06." Or, "it's more powerful than the 06." Or "faster." And so on. Is this a good enough reason to favor it? Not neccessarily. But the 06 has the power to do almost anything you need a rifle to do. It is not unpleasent to shoot. You can hit targets at 1,000 yards with it. It has a wide range of bullets available. If you find any ammo being sold anywhere, there will probably be 06 there. You can hunt anything from mouse to moose with it. It doesn't have to be your only gun but I think that everybody should have an 06 rifle on their rack. What do you think?

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[darkminstrel]

7.62x54r is mine. It's nearly as fast as the 30-06, nearly as powerful, can hit targets out to 850m, is incredibly cheap, and I've three rifles that it feeds. I'd use it for hunting, plinking, and long range precision shooting(with hand loads).

 

[JC9995]

.270. What a great round. For most of the same reasons as the OP... been around for a long time, great all-aROUNDer. Very good B.C., higher than average sectional density= great penetration.

 

[speelyei]

.30-'06

Varmints to elephants, near magnum size capacity, every load in the book tried, tested, and refined, it's my favorite, hands down.

 

[onearmedswordsman]

.308Win - But probably because I have never tried .30-06.

From now on, it'd be nice if with your choice you also state what your fav is competing with. In my case, .223REM, 5.45x39, 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, and several popular hangun cal starting with 9x18mm.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

I am strictly a handgun guy so my favorite calibers are all handgun calibers. My favorite caliber is .45colt with .45acp close behind...but I am also very fond of .40S&W and .357SIG for self defense.

 

[Jamie6.5]

My 6.5 by 57 Ackley wildcat, followed by the .270. I have lots of experience with the '06 though, from my DCM days, in both the '03 spfld, and the Garand. It's a great round no doubt, I just like things that shoot a little flatter.
For flat shooters, a hand loaded 130gr .270 is hard to beat. Mine will clock near 3200. 3130fps is most accurate tho.

 

[Bill Siegle]

My favorite caliber is 45Colt. I can shoot anything from pussycat Cowboy loads to Holy Sh*T Buffalo Bore +P. No matter what, I get a big ole grin everytime I pull the trigger Also, as a pure ego trip thing, no matter who I find myself hanging out with, no one ever argues that the caliber works.

 

[raindog]

7.62x54r is mine. It's nearly as fast as the 30-06, nearly as powerful, can hit targets out to 850m, is incredibly cheap, and I've three rifles that it feeds. I'd use it for hunting, plinking, and long range precision shooting(with hand loads).

Now I'm curious. What three rifles do you have that shoot 7.62x54r? Three different Mosin-Nagants?

The only rifles I'm aware of that shoot this caliber are the Mosin-Nagant, the Dragunov, Winchester 1895, and the SVT-40 (as well as various machine guns).

Not that there is anything wrong with owning three Mosin-Nagants, of course ;-)

 

[Searcher451]

I'm a 9mm guy, seeing as how most of the handguns I own are in that caliber. Nothing wrong with 9mm.

 

[Scrammer]

My first big bore that I fired was 1903 Springfield in 30.06 at the age of 14.
My grandfather hunted deer, elk, and moose in Canada with a pre 64 Winchester model 70 featherweight. But he always thought I should have a 300 Weatherby.
I'll take the 30.06.

 

[jordanvraptor]

9mm in pistols and 5.56mm in rifles. I only shoot for fun and to be prepared for the very unlikely possibility of being assaulted by a criminal. Against humans, 9mm and 5.56mm are more than enough to do the job coupled with high capacity and controllability. If I ever had to hunt for food, I would not limit myself to five rounds, I would use bait and probably shoot it at fairly close range.

 

[NK777]

I choose three. Pistol 45 ACP, Rifle 308, Shotgun 12 gauge. Why? Because all of them are good all around calibers with plenty of knock down power.

 

[simpleguy]

Currently it's my 30.06, I am trying to like the 300win mag, but the one I shot is impossible for me with an 8+lb. trigger......it's a mid 80's Savage.

 

[bnr32gtr]

The favorite calibers that I have actually fired would be the .45 ACP and .243 Winchester.

For calibers that I like on paper, I would go with the .45 Super in handguns and .408 CheyTac in rifles.

 

[huntpotter]

Probably be .308. Just because it is available surplus, and match grade. Lots of platforms, Fal, sniper rifles, hunting rifles. Good for punching paper, all the way to hunting elk. Handguns would be .45, just because I'm a 1911 guy.

 

[swoop]

Tuff choice to make, but I'll have to say .44 mag. Must be the Dirty Harry thing.

 

[RobertJ.]

Number one would be the .357 Magnum. If I was limited to one firearm, a S&W chambered in this caliber would be my choice. Small enough to conceal, large enough to be intimidating, powerful enough to stop a serious situation with one well placed shot. Also, get close enough, and it'll drop a bull elk with a clean head shot. My current firearms in this caliber are a S&W 2.5" Combat Magnum, and a Rossi copy of a Win Mod. 92

Runners up are:

2. .22 LR

3. .30-30 Win.

4. .38 Special

5. .44 Magnum

 

[littlecars]

22LR all the way. Fun to shoot, quite, little to know recoil, many many pistals and rifles avalible with the same cartrige. I can hit a target a 1000 yards with one easy,ha ha.(it mite take a hole brick, but I can hit it). What other gun can you go out and shoot 1000 rounds with and not feel guilty about it.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

I like a dose of history with my recreational shooting. I also like to roll my own. For those reasons the 50-90 Sharps is still my favorite.