Most common caliber

[Whitetail312]

So as a beginner in long range hunting and a small time preppier kind of guy, what do you think the most common cartridge in North America is? I know the 223/5.56 is the absolute most popular, but I think either a 300 win mag, or 30-06 Springfield would have to come in close seconds.

 

[sea2summit]

9mm...

 

[YZ-80]

Up until 20 years ago, probably the most popular sporting cartridge known to man, the .30-06. It was iconic in terms of name recognition and there were many deer camp debates over whether or not a .270
was better. Nowadays? It's anybody's guess, there's so much out there. I'm sure the .308 deserves honorable mention along with the .556.

I do have an idea of what might be the most popular cartridge currently but I'm kinda scared to say.....

 

[Heavyiron]

Now looks like 6.5 caliber is the new kid on the block. 2nd would either be a draw between 7mm or 270.

 

[Whitetail312]

Up until 20 years ago, probably the most popular sporting cartridge known to man, the .30-06. It was iconic in terms of name recognition and there were many deer camp debates over whether or not a .270
was better. Nowadays? It's anybody's guess, there's so much out there. I'm sure the .308 deserves honorable mention along with the .556.

I do have an idea of what might be the most popular cartridge currently but I'm kinda scared to say.....

Same here, I didn't even want to mention the 6.5 lol

 

[yobuck]

Well my first season to hunt was 1947 in NC PA.
And, I wouldn't be so sure the 3006 was the most popular cartridge, at least in PA. More likely the 3030, 300 Savage, 35 rem, were more popular back then. In fact I'm not so sure the 06 has ever been the most popular in terms of hunter numbers using that cartridge there. Popular for sure, and probably always will be for good reason.

 

[LongestShot]

By far and away the most popular cartridge is the 22LR. If you get into centerfire cartridges that's another story.

 

[djfriesen]

By far and away the most popular cartridge is the 22LR. If you get into centerfire cartridges that's another story.

Along these lines, I'm sure .22 is the most popular caliber. Cartridge, well that would be anybody's guess.

 

[jasonco]

Cal-i-ber; the internal diameter or bore of a gun barrel or Car-tridge; a casing containing a charge, primer and a bullet.

 

[Whitetail312]

Should've specified centerfire, but oh well

 

[LVJ76]

Excluding the 223, 9mm and 22 LR, I would say the good ol' 30-06 Sprgfd or the 308 Win

The 270 Win, 243 Win, 30-30 Win, 7mm RM, 6.5 CM, 7mm-08 Rem and others are also very common but I dont think they top the other two, at least not yet. Some like the 6.5 CM maybe in new sales of firearms but the ones that I think you will find the most guns out there are still the 30-06 and 308.

 

[Bravo 4]

.308/7.62x51
Googled it.

 

[Dosh]

Very early the 30-30 was the big deal. In the 50's and 60's 30-06 and .308 in lots of lever rifles. Then came the magnums and the crazy race to one-up the last greatest. Of course there's always going to be the Wildcats. This is what I observed here in the West.

 

[YZ-80]

Well my first season to hunt was 1947 in NC PA.
And, I wouldn't be so sure the 3006 was the most popular cartridge, at least in PA. More likely the 3030, 300 Savage, 35 rem, were more popular back then. In fact I'm not so sure the 06 has ever been the most popular in terms of hunter numbers using that cartridge there. Popular for sure, and probably always will be for good reason.

You are probably right. My FIL and his FIL hunted the west central PA mountains with the 300 Savage and the .35 Rem for a couple decades until they both got Remington 760 Gamemasters in .30-06 (probably the mid-70s). Guys seemed to love those pumps up there and they'd usually pump 'em dry at the deer running across the power line easments! Oh how they would roar in the woods!