So, you went smaller caliber, but not down to .223…

[jimh406]

I went smaller to a 300 WSM with a suppressor and heavier scope. That might not seem like much of a reduction, but it's quite a bit from a non braked/nonsuppressor 300 Wby Magnum with a light scope.

Still to be done, threading my 300 Wby and 270. Maybe a 223, 243, 6, or 6.5 in prep for my grandkids getting old enough to hunt/shoot if they are interested.

 

[Wildhorse]

Maybe I missed them memo to go smaller but I find myself just going and or staying big. Currently shoot 270 weatherby mag and 338 win mag going to 35 whelen 270 weatherby and 375 ruger while keeping the 338 win mag as a reserve rifle.

 

[270quest]

Me and hunting friends/family have been killing lots of critters of the years with the 7 rem mag and will continue, but my wife and kids have 243, 6 and 6.5 creeds and kill deer and elk. I also am rechambering an 8 twist 22-250 tikka to 22 creedmoor. Planning to shoot deer and antelope with it next year with 80 grain ELDs.

 

[hereinaz]

25 creed and 6mm arc coming down from a 30-06 and a 7mm rem mag.

223 doesn't carry enough energy at distance for my preferences

I still have a .280 ai and 7mm magnum though that get the nod when chasing elk. But I wouldn't hesitate to use the 25 creed either. 6mm arc is mostly a target and Varmint rifle.

I am right there with you, 6bra, 25 mag, and 7mm. I have a .223; but wouldn’t take it out for the same reason. I do have an AR 15 in 22 Grendel/arc I would use for long range varmint work if I ever get out coyote hunting.

 

[gerry35]

My prediction. There's going to be a bunch of nice rifles unloaded so probably some good deals to be had. In a few years time I also bet some of the guys will be buying something a bit bigger because there is still a place for bigger rounds.

 

[StupidLightweight]

My prediction. There's going to be a bunch of nice rifles unloaded so probably some good deals to be had. In a few years time I also bet some of the guys will be buying something a bit bigger in a few years time because there is still a place for bigger rounds.

I agree 100%, and the trend has been going on for some time now. It began with people selling magnums and is now trickling down to those ditching '06-family cartridges. As for these shooters returning to something larger in a few years, perhaps that will occur too. We're a fickle market.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I’ll have to respectfully disagree with the above statements , as folks figure out the terminal performance of these smaller cartridges, they will only gain popularity. More companies will come out with 6mm cm, 6mm arc, 6mm br.

If the popularity of the Texas heart shot increases… I may be mistaken though…

 

[Shraggs]

My first was 32 spl, then a 7 mag I reduced to a 308 which was better, but added a 6 mm rem but it was a 1 in 14 twist. So added a 350 rem mag and a 358 win. All over the board… And for Michigan deer in restricted area a MZL and a 12 ga.

Since Rokslide, magnums as well most are gone. Definitely in low recoil fragmenting camp.

My stable starts with the 223/77 as main rifle

6cm/108m for longer range wind & legal reasons

Keeping beloved 32 win lever and cup core. Inside 200 the 32 spl kill deer very quickly with rapid expansion, great for drives too.

And my blr 358. I learned on a lever and still like shooting and carrying them. The 358 is for bigger game/bears where I may want fast handling and a blood trail with more range.

For local deer, 350 legend with rapid expansion too. Very empathetic killing like my 32 spl.

 

[gerry35]

I’ll have to respectfully disagree with the above statements , as folks figure out the terminal performance of these smaller cartridges, they will only gain popularity. More companies will come out with 6mm cm, 6mm arc, 6mm br.

If the popularity of the Texas heart shot increases… I may be mistaken though…

I hear you. Bullets these days are the best they have ever been so it doesn't take as much to kill reliably as the old days. Before the magnum craze of the 1960's they were using pretty mild rounds like the 250 Savage, 7x57 and 6.5x55 to kill some big animals so this is nothing new. The 30-06 was considered a big gun back then and still is. Guys that are unloading 7mm-08's, 270's and 7mm RM's might regret that one day was my point.

The vast majority don't hunt dangerous game but there will always be room for bigger rounds for them. Been thinking a lot lately about a Browning BLR 300 WSM with 210 gr ABLR's, or similar from Berger or Hornady, would be a stomper for a grizzly gun. Guys used to use 375's and still do but a combo like that is going to make a huge hole and be easier to shoot. I would be just as happy with a BLR 30-06 using the same bullets.

 

[Stumpy208]

I started out with a Remington 721 30-06 that my dad gave me. I used that for awhile until the sear failed on me. After that I bought a Savage 110 30-06. I'm currently using a Browning Xbolt in 6.8 Western. Earlier this year I bought a 6.5 grendel with the idea to shoot a deer with it but haven't taken it out yet.

I didn't jump into the .223 yet because I didn't read that thread until a month ago. If I would have read that sooner (wish I would have!) I would have bought a RSS instead of the 6.5 I did get haha.

My oldest is going to be able to get a hunting license next year and I think I'm going to get him a .223 to hunt with so he can practice a whole lot with it before hand and not develope any bad habits from recoil.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I hear you. Bullets these days are the best they have ever been so it doesn't take as much to kill reliably as the old days. Before the magnum craze of the 1960's they were using pretty mild rounds like the 250 Savage, 7x57 and 6.5x55 to kill some big animals so this is nothing new. The 30-06 was considered a big gun back then and still is. Guys that are unloading 7mm-08's, 270's and 7mm RM's might regret that one day was my point.

The vast majority don't hunt dangerous game but there will always be room for bigger rounds for them. Been thinking a lot lately about a Browning BLR 300 WSM with 210 gr ABLR's, or similar from Berger or Hornady, would be a stomper for a grizzly gun. Guys used to use 375's and still do but a combo like that is going to make a huge hole and be easier to shoot. I would be just as happy with a BLR 30-06 using the same bullets.

I’m keeping my 375 because I like it but I’m totally moving on from 300wm, the 30-06 is going to be my 30 caliber rifle. I’ll probably move on from 308 too but not just yet. I think with my 06, 6.5 and 375 I’ll be good.

 

[gerry35]

I’m keeping my 375 because I like it but I’m totally moving on from 300wm, the 30-06 is going to be my 30 caliber rifle. I’ll probably move on from 308 too but not just yet. I think with my 06, 6.5 and 375 I’ll be good.

Pretty tough to beat those three. I like the 225 gr Sierra in my 35 Whelen because it offers rapid expansion which a lot of guys seem to like. I wonder what the 250 gr Sierra would do in your 375? Bet it works great.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Pretty tough to beat those three. I like the 225 gr Sierra in my 35 Whelen because it offers rapid expansion which a lot of guys seem to like. I wonder what the 250 gr Sierra would do in your 375? Bet it works great.

I might try it. I’ve had great results from the 260g accubonds (which I have like a thousand of) and the 250g ttsx as well. I also have a pile of 260g partitions.

 

[gerry35]

I might try it. I’ve had great results from the 260g accubonds (which I have like a thousand of) and the 250g ttsx as well. I also have a pile of 260g partitions.

When I had my 375 Ruger the 260 gr Accubond was my favorite. Great bullet.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

When I had my 375 Ruger the 260 gr Accubond was my favorite. Great bullet.

I’ve had excellent results on moose and bear with that bullet out of my HH.

 

[cowdisciple]

I’m keeping my 375 because I like it but I’m totally moving on from 300wm, the 30-06 is going to be my 30 caliber rifle. I’ll probably move on from 308 too but not just yet. I think with my 06, 6.5 and 375 I’ll be good.

I went from . 308 to 6.5cm, and now have a RSS in the works. I've been hunting moose with a muzzleloader, but if I decided I needed more rifle (maybe I'll finally draw that bison tag) I think it'd be a 7mm PRC.

 

[Ozarkansas]

Honestly, I don’t hunt with .223 because I have a .243, and a .223 doesn’t offer an advantage to me other than cheap ammo and marginally lighter recoil. I really think a 6mm cartridge with a stout 95+ plus grain bullet is the best whitetail round there is.
Plus I’m a sucker for obscure calibers, so even if I didn’t have the .243 (which my dad got for me when I was a kid), I’d probably end up with a fast-twist 22-250 or some kind of quarter-bore just to be different.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Started out with muzzleloaders. Then dad got me a 300win........so I used his 243. Then up to an '06. Shot one with a 223 it worked, but I wasnt impressed. So back to the 243.

Have a few boomers now but the 223 an 243 get used the most.

 

[Pdzoller]

I’m currently building a 6CM out of a Savage Axis that I rarely used. I figured it would be a good first build. I have and love my .300WM but the thought of spotting my own shots sounds pretty nice. I chose 6CM because I don’t reload yet and it’s the smallest I can legally use for all large game in Oregon.

 

[FLS]

Ive killed deer with a bunch of different cartidges. Had the .223 merit badge decades before the Rockslide or the internet were a thing. I have several and shoot them way more than anything else. Economy of components and barrel life make them a no brainer. That said, Ive killed more big game with a 25-06 than anything else. It was about the best terminal performance I had experienced with the least amount of recoil. 115 Grain Noslers and 117 Sierras at 3000 fps killed everything like lightning and didn’t beat you up doing it. Prior to reliable range finders and repeatable dialing scopes it was about as flat and lethal as you could get without shooting a magnum. It worked well back then and still works, I don’t see any reason to change.