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caliber for small - midsize game?
You might want to specify as to what you mean by 'small - midsize game' AND if you plan on eating it.

In Oregon small, edible game is typically rabbits, squirrels, and to a lesser degree nutria, raccoon, porcupines and some lesser known creatures.

We really don't have any 'midsize' game animals that are really edible but some have talked about eating coyote and cougar but I cannot verify that personally

Regardless, opinions vary but these small/midsize animals can be taken reliably with nearly any of the already recommended calibers however I am a part of the 'less is more' when it comes to small/midsize game hunting and having done a LOT of it over the years I prefer more traditional guns when doing so, AND for me, the .30-30 Winchester is tops on my list.

Part of this is because I reload and typically load my .30-30 (as well as other calibers) down to reduced levels for small game hunting.
 
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How do we know the testicle is still good? :s0140:



The value depends greatly here! What caliber it is, twist rate, and age, and can you give chamber wear spec's? :D:p
36 and childless so damn thing might be shooting blanks IMHO:s0125: as for caliber ohhhhh bb sized but made of brass so thats a plus:s0108:
 
Other than the .30 (¡Treinta-treinta!) I mentioned earlier, if one prefers a bolt-gun rather than the lever-action, a big plus one to the 6.5×55㎜ Swedish. It has been a while since I've shot such a Mauser, but what a beautifully handling rifle, and more than up to the tasks our friend inquired thereof. :s0155:
 
30-06. Widest selection of bullet weights in factory ammo. In normal times, it can be found in just about any gun shop across the country. It will reliably take any game in North America except for the largest bears. It's not oppressive to shoot and reasonable cost to reload.

Take this advice from a guy who drove to Wyoming to hunt antelope and left his ammo on the kitchen table.
 
First.....

What would you hunt?

Where/what type of terrain would you hunt?

Rifle setup to me is more important than cartridge choice. Rifle setup is determined by range and the environment.

For example, I might carry a handy lever action 30-30 in the woods to hunt 150 to 200lb deer. But then again, if I were hunting open prairie or high desert, I might have a 26 inch barreled bolt action chambered in 7mm Rem Mag or even a 300 magnum with a higher powered scope to hunt 110lb pronghorn.

You can see how a rifle that's perfectly appropriate for one hunt, would be a hindrance for the other.
 
Regarding eating racoon; my vet warned me that racoon has been found to carry a brain parasite that can be transmitted to humans / dogs. Handle at your own risk, not very common but info for thought. I wouldn't eat racoon, one rare bite might be the one to make you slowly go crazy before you're doctor finds out why.
 
@kbf64
/// TIKKA T3X ULTRA LIGHT /// fluted stainless 6.5 Creedmore /// 308 win /// 300win either would be my choice I have all of them
make sure to put muzzle break on the 300 other than that Happy Humting
 
The 30-06 is probably my most loved cartridge, but I think it's beyond overkill on small and even medium sized game. I'm assuming when the OP says "game", the intention is to eat the kill and the '06 is very powerful for things like that.
However, if the intention is eradication, the '06 is certainly up to the job!

I still need to take @Spitpatch up on his challenge of hunting coyotes with a 30-06. :D
 
The 30-06 is probably my most loved cartridge, but I think it's beyond overkill on small and even medium sized game. I'm assuming when the OP says "game", the intention is to eat the kill and the '06 is very powerful for things like that.
However, if the intention is eradication, the '06 is certainly up to the job!

I still need to take @Spitpatch up on his challenge of hunting coyotes with a 30-06. :D
Hunting Yotes with a .30/06 is lots of fun, even better with a .270 or 7 mm Mag! Then there is my fav howler killer, the mighty 6.5 Swede, and it's little safe mate, the .243!
You gotta go and see for your self, it's a hoot!
 
7.62x51/.308 is a good all around hunting cartridge, as are some of the other mentioned cartridges. It is a bit on the heavy side for small game

I have 110 gr hard cast light loads for .308 - Bullseye (I forget how much - 10 grains?) with a wad of dacron on top. Both Nosler and Federal make varmint ammo for .308, and Hornady makes a 110 gr bullet that expands down to 1600 fps. You can also load sabots - I have some of the old Remington Accelerators - but performance varies a lot, depends on the load and twist and rifle. You can swage .32 caliber bullets from .311-.314 down to .308 to get light bullets (e.g. 78 gr).

My grandfather hunted bear, elk and deer with an old .30-30 and was quite successful with it. Being .308 caliber, you have similar choices of bullets.

The 7.62x39 has similar power to the .30-30, but does not handle heavier projectiles as well. It does shoot 123 gr flatter than .30-30 shoots 150 gr - if you are sticking to off the shelf ammo - but at typical ranges (less than 300 yards) there isn't that much difference. The 7.62x39 is a fairly accurate cartridge when shot thru a bolt action like the CZ 527. Again, similar bullet choices to the .308 if you are into reloading (even if it is just using a Lee hand press or similar setup).

5.56x45/.223 with heavier bullets (e.g., 90 grain) can be made to work for medium game and is more versatile than .308 for small game - you can light load .223 down from 3K fps to subsonic.

All of these cartridges have the advantage of being commonly available (yes, even today) - especially 5.56 and 7.62x39. I have rifles for each cartridge and they each have their pros and cons. Whether any one will work for you depends on what you are hunting, why you are hunting it (e.g., meat vs. pest control), the terrain and environment (open country vs. dense forest), distance, skill and your willingness to accept the compromises each has.
 
Regarding eating racoon; my vet warned me that racoon has been found to carry a brain parasite that can be transmitted to humans / dogs. Handle at your own risk, not very common but info for thought. I wouldn't eat racoon, one rare bite might be the one to make you slowly go crazy before you're doctor finds out why.

Had a co-worker who got CJD - which can be acquired from infected beef.

It is best to cook meat well done - I prefer it just this side of charred - but then they say you can get cancer from that. Gotta die sometime. *shrug*
 
Regarding eating racoon; my vet warned me that racoon has been found to carry a brain parasite that can be transmitted to humans / dogs. Handle at your own risk, not very common but info for thought. I wouldn't eat racoon, one rare bite might be the one to make you slowly go crazy before you're doctor finds out why.

"Crazier'n a pet 'Coon?" (wunna my Uncle's favorite expressions.)
 

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