What's your one favorite caliber?

[Doug Hamilton]

7 MM REM Mag. Was the first rifle caliber I ever owned and I will have one in my safe until I can no longer shoot.

I've killed a lot of blacktails, a couple of muleys and two pronghorns with my 7 RM. One of the truly great calibers in the West!

 

[Loud8362]

30-06 rifle.

 

[CZDiesel]

One of the great things about hunting is being able to outfit for the hunt and choose your gear for that specific hunt including your rifle and what’s its chambered in goes along with it…
So it’s hard to choose just one in many ways because I want to have that fun choosing a specific rifle in my collection for each hunt.

Having said this if it’s just one it’s an easy choice! 338 WinMag!!!

Shoots nearly as flat as a 7mm mag and yet hits as hard as a 375 H&H! I know of no other cartridge that can do this. So whether you are on a sheep or antelope hunt or a Grizzly or Buff hunt the 338 WinMag will do an incredible job leaving little to be desired!
Shooting 175gr at serious speed to 300gr with serious smack! The 338 WinMag is Singular!

Aaand it can do anything the 35 Whalen can only a lot better lol

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Which calibre I prefer depends on the day, the month, the year……….
I don’t think it’s as simple as that…..
For me anyway
Gumpy

 

[AustinM]

510 Kodiak Express
Nothing says fun like nearly 6,000 ft.lbs. coming out of a marlin lever gun! Plus, it's the round that truly got me into big bores and changed the trajectory of my life!

 

[MS 9x56]

One of the great things about hunting is being able to outfit for the hunt and choose your gear for that specific hunt including your rifle and what’s its chambered in goes along with it…
So it’s hard to choose just one in many ways because I want to have that fun choosing a specific rifle in my collection for each hunt.

Ou are just reachingHaving said this if it’s just one it’s an easy choice! 338 WinMag!!!

Ow Bob will explain yShoots nearly as flat as a 7mm mag and yet hits as hard as a 375 H&H! I know of no other cartridge that can do this. So whether you are on a sheep or antelope hunt or a Grizzly or Buff hunt the 338 WinMag will do an incredible job leaving little to be desired!
Shooting 175gr at serious speed to 300gr with serious smack! The 338 WinMag is Singular!

Aaand it can do anything the 35 Whalen can only a lot better lol

Now Bob will explain that you are just reaching

 

[BGGMKLR]

One of the great things about hunting is being able to outfit for the hunt and choose your gear for that specific hunt including your rifle and what’s its chambered in goes along with it…
So it’s hard to choose just one in many ways because I want to have that fun choosing a specific rifle in my collection for each hunt.

Having said this if it’s just one it’s an easy choice! 338 WinMag!!!

Shoots nearly as flat as a 7mm mag and yet hits as hard as a 375 H&H! I know of no other cartridge that can do this. So whether you are on a sheep or antelope hunt or a Grizzly or Buff hunt the 338 WinMag will do an incredible job leaving little to be desired!
Shooting 175gr at serious speed to 300gr with serious smack! The 338 WinMag is Singular!

Aaand it can do anything the 35 Whalen can only a lot better lol

Great minds think alike.
Spike

 

[PARA45]

I believe it would depend on where I'm hunting. In Africa, I've become a huge fan of the 375 H&H; the more I hunt with this cartridge the more I like it. In the US (no Grizzlies), I would choose my 7mm Weatherby Magnum. In urban conditions, my Glock 19, with two spare magazines.

 

[V42]

7x57

 

[Frederik]

Interesting to see the love of the 7x57 but you actually see few international hunters hunt with them here in Africa I suppose hunters would rather bring the biggest they can handle and somehting that will easily take longer shots.

When I was still a PH and OUutitter I can remember of two hunters using 7x57 on hunts one was normal 7x57 other one one was rimmed from a drilling.

Most hunter opted for .30 calibers and bigger with a bunch of 7mm rem mag popping up.

 

[Tex .416]

Interesting to see the love of the 7x57 but you actually see few international hunters hunt with them here in Africa I suppose hunters would rather bring the biggest they can handle and somehting that will easily take longer shots.

When I was still a PH and OUutitter I can remember of two hunters using 7x57 on hunts one was normal 7x57 other one one was rimmed from a drilling.

Most hunter opted for .30 calibers and bigger with a bunch of 7mm rem mag popping up.

What made you feel confident when the hunter pulled it out and what made you groan in your mind?

What seemed to most often produce good results and what most often caused long tracking jobs?

 

[Frederik]

What made you feel confident when the hunter pulled it out and what made you groan in your mind?

What seemed to most often produce good results and what most often caused long tracking jobs?

Tex, firstly there is a difference with a new client or repeat client you know what to expect with repeat clients and how they handle a rifle and how they hunt.
Then with proper guidance from a ph wounding game is mostly avoidable.
Shot Placement is key and part of guiding and making sure the client knows it, setting up more times on the stick to get a proper shot still wastes less time than tracking wounded game.

I have been lucky enough not too have many wounded and lost game over my career as PH that covered mostly plainsgame then. My Clients were mostly from Scandinavia and Europe and we did advise to use premium bullest and most used Rhino bullets or Barnes.

Lastly to answer your original question when it comes to plainsgame if a client can handle the rifle a 338 win mag with a 200gr or heavier bullet is a great combo.
A much wider range in Premium bullets also helps.

 

[Hagler.450Ex]

9.3x57....or 9.5x57 (.375 Rimless Nitro) once I get my (new for me) MS 1910 by year's end. But for now, it's 9.3x57. There is no real difference anyway.
It (they) are just a 'sweet spot' for me as far as an everyday rifle is concerned.
In fact, I would venture to say, anything 9.3 and above based on the standard Mauser case head, and no need to open bolt faces.
Even the 9.3x74 if I had a little single in it.