What’s your five? 5 Calibers to do it all...

[LouEl]

6 PPC
243 AI
270 GIBBS
505 GIBBS, 525-grain @ 2300 fps for over 6,100 ft.-lbs.

 

[bmg50]

Hey guys,

I've been watching our threads for a while now and curiosity has got the best of me. With so many great choices out there for LRH which cartridges and calibers really set themselves apart from the rest, if any? Which ones make almost everyone's must have list? The reality is most people can't afford a half dozen rifles or more, so if you had the opportunity to hunt the world for everything from groundhogs to elephants and were limited to 5 cartridges or less what would they be? Just curious which ones consistently rise to the top and if any of the new Gucci cartridges make the cut or we wind up sticking with the tried and true. Feel free to state your reason or uses for each cartridge. I am not looking for a debate. There are no wrong answers. Everyone has there favorites. Just curious if there is any consistency? I think it could help some of the new guys narrow there choices when selecting their next cartridge....

I'll start! 308, 270 win, 300 WIn Mag, 338 RUM, 375 H&H. What are your thoughts???

204..275 rigby..300 rum..338 rum..and 550mag

 

[Chuck32571]

Hey guys,

I've been watching our threads for a while now and curiosity has got the best of me. With so many great choices out there for LRH which cartridges and calibers really set themselves apart from the rest, if any? Which ones make almost everyone's must have list? The reality is most people can't afford a half dozen rifles or more, so if you had the opportunity to hunt the world for everything from groundhogs to elephants and were limited to 5 cartridges or less what would they be? Just curious which ones consistently rise to the top and if any of the new Gucci cartridges make the cut or we wind up sticking with the tried and true. Feel free to state your reason or uses for each cartridge. I am not looking for a debate. There are no wrong answers. Everyone has there favorites. Just curious if there is any consistency? I think it could help some of the new guys narrow there choices when selecting their next cartridge....

I'll start! 308, 270 win, 300 WIn Mag, 338 RUM, 375 H&H. What are your thoughts???

280AI, 6.5 PRC, 300 PRC, 300 WSM and 338 LAPUA.

 

[Bwana Barry]

I live in S Africa, hunting since 1970. Ex PH in Namibia. Own 30-06 and CZ 6.5x55 and CZ452 .22lr
Had 8x68, 270, 7x57, 243, 223 and .222
My five selection for ALL game including African game :
1. 9.3 x 62 Mauser
2. 30-06
3. 6.5 x55 Swede
4. 12 # double barrel
5 .22lr

If a choice of ONLY one, then .375 H & H.

(Cannot put "12 # and .22lr aside" - the OP asked for five and these should be part of the five - otherwise, you are selecting seven!!)

 

[jshepherd61]

Hey guys,

I've been watching our threads for a while now and curiosity has got the best of me. With so many great choices out there for LRH which cartridges and calibers really set themselves apart from the rest, if any? Which ones make almost everyone's must have list? The reality is most people can't afford a half dozen rifles or more, so if you had the opportunity to hunt the world for everything from groundhogs to elephants and were limited to 5 cartridges or less what would they be? Just curious which ones consistently rise to the top and if any of the new Gucci cartridges make the cut or we wind up sticking with the tried and true. Feel free to state your reason or uses for each cartridge. I am not looking for a debate. There are no wrong answers. Everyone has there favorites. Just curious if there is any consistency? I think it could help some of the new guys narrow there choices when selecting their next cartridge....

I'll start! 308, 270 win, 300 WIn Mag, 338 RUM, 375 H&H. What are your thoughts???

Ok my personal preferences, but take into account I prefer shooting at ranges above 500yds;
1. 7mm STW- can load anything from 95gr to 195gr accurate at 2,750 fps up to 3,550 fps will easily take anything from prairie dog up to a Water Buffalo.
2. 300 PRC- Not a great with light weight Bullets due to twist rate. Likes 190 and bigger grain pills. Will take any North American animal at long range.
3. 26 Nosler- fast 55gr to 156gr pills. Great for speed goats, Deer, Elk and plays hell on coyotes. 142gr at over 3,500 fps.
4. 17 HMR- Plays hell on prairie dogs to coyotes.
5. 6 Creedmoor- much mor versital than the 243 accepts longer pills in the standard chamber.

 

[Hirschi1]

22lr
22-250
6.5 CM.
338 Federal
357 mag

I don't have much use for a shotgun.
The CM and the federal loaded with a Barnes or Partitions would fill me needs.

If a shotgun was required it would have to replace the CM and load the 22-250 with a 52 gr Barnes up to deer size game.

 

[Paladin300]

The 338RUM, in some cases, carry maybe a little more energy, but not usually, than the 375H&H. The 338 Edge, yes, but numbers don't always tell the true and full story. The diameter and bullet weight of the 375 being an advantage that, in my opinion, negates any slight ME advantage. That said, there's a reason the 375 is legal and used in most, if not all, of Africa. Lastly, and probably not an issue if one can afford an African hunt is the cost of ammunition. More important is the availability of it.

Agreed! I have both. And when hunting dangerous game on any continent tend to reach for my 375. That said, I am pushing 300gr 375s at 2550 and generating around 4700lbs of energy. I am pushing 300gr 338s at 2775 and generating around 5000lbs of energy and a little more sectional density. Both of them pack a punch! Just saying, I would not hesitate to use a big 338 if it were legal. From the post here most guys have never felt the need for a 375 though I really like them. Thinking about adding another one in either 375 Ruger or 375 Improved. A 375 H&H has about the same trajectory as a 30-06 to about 500 yards.

 

[Critter Picker]

22 LR
223
6BR
308
375 H& H

 

[Unoboats]

223 Rem VSSF
6.5 PRC
284 Win
300 WSM
375 H&H Mag

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Ya, it's interesting. There is so much more to it than just the cartridge though... I find myself wondering how some of these rifles would be setup. How would you configure that H&H, for example?

Im going to make you nauseous...

Badger M2013 action, 20 inch M40 contour barrel, thunder beast can, manners T4A with mini chassis, trigger tech, ZCO scope.

in all seriousness some sexy double gun or super pretty safari styled bolt gun with a 4x scope.

 

[milesbubba]

.260
308
30.06
300 win mag
.35 whelen
Last 3 interchangeably to me except longer range being 300

 

[blvette75]

Hey guys,

I've been watching our threads for a while now and curiosity has got the best of me. With so many great choices out there for LRH which cartridges and calibers really set themselves apart from the rest, if any? Which ones make almost everyone's must have list? The reality is most people can't afford a half dozen rifles or more, so if you had the opportunity to hunt the world for everything from groundhogs to elephants and were limited to 5 cartridges or less what would they be? Just curious which ones consistently rise to the top and if any of the new Gucci cartridges make the cut or we wind up sticking with the tried and true. Feel free to state your reason or uses for each cartridge. I am not looking for a debate. There are no wrong answers. Everyone has there favorites. Just curious if there is any consistency? I think it could help some of the new guys narrow there choices when selecting their next cartridge....

I'll start! 308, 270 win, 300 WIn Mag, 338 RUM, 375 H&H. What are your thoughts???

.223. 6.5 creedmoor, 300 win mag, 338 win mag, 458 win mag

 

[James Greenlee]

My personal choices are a little different than what's most practical haha, but I'll play along. I love these types of posts!

.22LR
6mm-284
.284 Win/Norma Match
.308 Norma Magnum
.375 Ruger

EDIT: Since we are assuming we have a 22LR, then I would make my first choice a .22 BR setup for 60-75gr bullets.

 

[reggart]

22lr
.223 wylde
.30-30 or .35 rem
.270 win
.300 wby mag