Favorite Caliber (s)

[nobody]

.257 Weatherby and 7mm Rem Mag. If I had to narrow it to just one, it would be the 7.

 

[hereinaz]

I chose a 6 BRA and 7 Sherman Short mag shooting Berger hunting VLD.

Both cartridges are short fat, extremely efficient, easy to load for, and very accurate, with less change due to environmental conditions.

 

[EmperorMA]

If I really had to consider factory ammo I would change from 6.5 Creedmoor and 7 SAUM to 6.5 Creedmoor and either .270 Winchester or 7mm Rem Mag. That would probably end up being the .270 Win as I'm just not and never have been a fan of the 7RM but I do recognize its versatility and ubiquity. I still prefer shorter, more efficient cartridges designed for long bullets, though.

I have thought about this scenario often and I always come to the same conclusion. I like three calibers more than any others: .264, .277 and .284. I like that they are similar in performance, as I prefer my two-rifle battery to have quite a bit of overlap .... I like for one to be a very plausible and capable backup for the other. I want to know in my head that if for some odd reason I had to take the other rifle over my first choice, I really wouldn't have any worries.

Then I want there to be just enough of a difference that it isn't a difficult mental chore to choose between them. For example, it is easy to figure out the better tool when you have a 6.5 Creedmoor and a 7 SAUM. Not so easy if I had a 6.5 PRC and 7 SAUM.

Ironically, my favorite caliber has always been .270 and I used some version of that for many years. I have gravitated more toward 6.5 and 7mm in the last 20 years as heavier and sleeker bullets have come into fashion, as the .270 has always been a red-headed step-child when it came to high-BC bullets. The new 6.8 Western has changed all that and I fully expect to see more long bullets and more factory offerings using them in the future. Hell, there are already just as many 6.8 Western factory ammo options as there are 7 SAUM! My guess is, I'd eventually end up with a 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 140-147s and a 6.5 Western shooting 165-175s.

 

[Eric_F]

I chose a 6 BRA and 7 Sherman Short mag shooting Berger hunting VLD.

Both cartridges are short fat, extremely efficient, easy to load for, and very accurate, with less change due to environmental conditions.

The 6 BRA is the third cartridge I reload (284 Win, 6 BRA, and 6.5 Grendel). I don't hunt with it as the 6.5 does just fine on deer, and hoping one day to use the 284 on Elk.


As for ammo availability, sure it's impossible to find the first two on the shelf. But there is a benefit recently to shooting oddball cartridges is that they're often the only ones you can still find. See below from my local Fleet Farm right after Thanksgiving (and just before deer hunting season) 280 Rem and 6.5 Grendel were basically all that was on the shelf:

 

[hereinaz]

The 6 BRA is the third cartridge I reload (284 Win, 6 BRA, and 6.5 Grendel). I don't hunt with it as the 6.5 does just fine on deer, and hoping one day to use the 284 on Elk.
View attachment 257237

As for ammo availability, sure it's impossible to find the first two on the shelf. But there is a benefit recently to shooting oddball cartridges is that they're often the only ones you can still find. See below from my local Fleet Farm right after Thanksgiving (and just before deer hunting season) 280 Rem and 6.5 Grendel were basically all that was on the shelf:
View attachment 257235

I handload everything I shoot long range, because I want control over everything I can. I typically try to buy enough components for at least half the life of the barrel, so I am not hurting even in this crunch. I have factory barrels I could spin on if I needed to go with something like .243, .308 or 6 creed and use factory ammo.

I like all three of your choices. Actually, I love all cartridges, I just love some a little more. LOL.

 

[Skee7533]

270 Winchester and 338 Winchester.
If I could only have one, 270 Winchester.

These were the first two that I thought of also.

 

[wind gypsy]

6 CM or BR and 7 SAUM.

 

[Winnie]

7mm-08 and 300 WSM.

 

[Trapperkid]

Just don't pay attention to your "better" half because divorces suck lol. But if I had to choose I'd go with 6.5 creedmoor and 7 saum. The funny thing is I own neither of these.

 

[WJS23]

Just my 7mm-08 but if could have 2 I would take my 45-70 as well

 

[orelkaddict]

243 and a 300

 

[earrow]

204 and 264wm

 

[hereinaz]

6 CM or BR and 7 SAUM.

Thats the combo!

 

[WCB]

What kind of "better half" is that?

My two favorite right now are my 7rem and 7mm-08.

 

[Achigan1]

300 H&H and 375 H&H.

 

[scott_co]

6.5 Grendel (123 grain Hornady Black or SST) and 7mm RM (180 grain Berger VLD hunting).

 

[Sticky762]

9mm G19 - Carry Pistol
10mm G20 - Woods defense
.458 Socom <100 yards
.308 >100 Yards
5.56 - Home Defense

 

[Chino]

.308 and .300 WSM

 

[rootacres]

This is a pretty interesting thread. Many different ways to efficiently do the same thing.

I like the 7mm SAUM for the 50-300 pound game, I like to use it on elk too.

Also while I don’t own one I’d do a 300 mag of some kind for anything larger than an elk. Pick your poison 300 PRC, WBY, WM etc.

Admittedly I have an AR, an easily justifiable 3rd rifle to have in the safe in my opinion. If I hunt anything smaller than deer/antelope I’d use that unless the ranges were longer.

 

[BirdHunter91]

Favorite now day's is probably whichever you have or can find ammo for. Luckily I don't fall under the category! I love my 300 PRC currently! Something about shooting big 30cals. I did have a 338-378wby for a while and was shooting 300gn AB's which was a lot of fun to shoot and very accurate.