What is America's all time best, purely civilian hunting cartridge?

[Mallardsx2]

30-30 for sure. Lot of deer died from that cartridge in PA over the years….and I mean a LOT. I know over 25 people who still hunt with one.

 

[noharleyyet]

 

[CowboyLeroy]

22 lr ya dingleberries

 

[Scott85]

Military uses 22lr so that’s out.

 

[Ghillieman]

300wm..is that american? ;0)

 

[old roper 42]

What is Americas’ all time best, purely civilian hunting cartridge?

So let’s talk “Made in in the USA”. Designed right here for sporting/hunting intentions only. Stop right there. Forget foreign, and leave out military . Sorry no 30-06, 308, 30-40 even the 45-70.

I'd say 30-06.

 

[BrentD]

What is Americas’ all time best, purely civilian hunting cartridge?

So let’s talk “Made in in the USA”. Designed right here for sporting/hunting intentions only. Stop right there. Forget foreign, and leave out military . Sorry no 30-06, 308, 30-40 even the 45-70.

I don't really understand the rules here. But, since .45-70 is DQ'ed and .22 lr didn't seem to attract a following (though I still think it is the best hunting cartridge including the ex-military), I'll nominate the 12 gauge shotgun shell. It meets the rules, has been around forever, is used for everything, and comes in more flavors than ice cream.

 

[millerkiller77]

300wsm

 

[Bigman58]

270 win. Is one of the best hunting cartridges of all time. It is never given a fair trial when people start haveing the conversion but it is a magnum cartridge in all but name. It is flatter shooting to 500 yards than almost any Standard cartridge out there. And it will be around long after a lot of these new fad cartridges are gone.

 

[shrapnel]

This is worth a look, I agree with the 270 Winchester…

6.5 Creedmoor Versus 270 Winchester — Ron Spomer Outdoors

In a 6.5 Creedmoor versus 270 Winchester ballistic competition, which wins? Drop, drift, retained energy, velocity, and recoil are compared.

www.ronspomeroutdoors.com

 

[mtmuley]

This is worth a look, I agree with the 270 Winchester…

6.5 Creedmoor Versus 270 Winchester — Ron Spomer Outdoors

In a 6.5 Creedmoor versus 270 Winchester ballistic competition, which wins? Drop, drift, retained energy, velocity, and recoil are compared.

www.ronspomeroutdoors.com

I managed to keep my kids behind .270's through all the Creedmoor hype. mtmuley

 

[sclancy27]

.270 Win for FTW

 

[JV842]

Shameful admission. I killed a mule deer buck with a .222 Remington. mtmuley

No shame in it…proper shot placement w range limits
My grandfather loved his .222, 22 hornet, n .218 bee on white tails n hogs; I’ve done the same w all 3 too
N he had lots of other rifles to choose from but most of the times the 222 was in the truck when we went to feed cattle

 

[justdada]

Are muzzleloaders excluded from this poll?

 

[HighDesertSage]

Sell it to someone who will hunt it. It's a great 50 yard elk cartridge.

Fixed it

 

[Mustangs Rule]

270 win. Is one of the best hunting cartridges of all time. It is never given a fair trial when people start haveing the conversion but it is a magnum cartridge in all but name. It is flatter shooting to 500 yards than almost any Standard cartridge out there. And it will be around long after a lot of these new fad cartridges are gone.

If it came down to just one cartridge it would be the .270 hands down.

Now given that it is built on the parent case of the 30-06, which is possibly the greatest military round of all time, is a 270 a purely civilian cartridge ?

I think not!

I did consider this when I began thus post.

How about a ,257 Roberts? It is based on the 7x57 and cannot be called "purely civilian" like the 30-30, ,222 Remington, the 250-3000, the 300 Savage, 35 Remington, 38-55, 32 Winchester Special and many others.

If I had to pick just just one "purely civilian" to hunt with it would be the 300 Savage.

 

[Bigman58]

If it came down to just one cartridge it would be the .270 hands down.

Now given that it is built on the parent case of the 30-06, which is possibly the greatest military round of all time, is a 270 a purely civilian cartridge ?

I think not!

I did consider this when I began thus post.

How about a ,257 Roberts? It is based on the 7x57 and cannot be called "purely civilian" like the 30-30, ,222 Remington, the 250-3000, the 300 Savage, 35 Remington, 38-55, 32 Winchester Special and many others.

If I had to pick just just one "purely civilian" to hunt with it would be the 300 Savage.

Does the 300 savage still count though since it is the father to the 7.62 nato and 308 as we know them? If we are going off of purely civilian with no military family I would argue that one of the Winchester short magnums whose parent is the 404 jefferies, would have to come into the discussion since their parent case was never in the military or any descendants. I personally favor the 270 &300 wsm’s.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Does the 300 savage still count though since it is the father to the 7.62 nato and 308 as we know them? If we are going off of purely civilian with no military family I would argue that one of the Winchester short magnums whose parent is the 404 jefferies, would have to come into the discussion since their parent case was never in the military or any descendants. I personally favor the 270 &300 wsm’s.

I would think that the direction of time counts big. The 300 Savage was developed as a purely civilian round in 1920. As much as I love the 35 Whelen is came from a 30-06.

To make a counter point since the first smoke-less powder cartridge was the military 7 x 57 and its case head was .473 and the 300 Savage used that design the 300 Savage is out too.

30-30 then

 

[Wind Gypsy]

This is worth a look, I agree with the 270 Winchester…

6.5 Creedmoor Versus 270 Winchester — Ron Spomer Outdoors

In a 6.5 Creedmoor versus 270 Winchester ballistic competition, which wins? Drop, drift, retained energy, velocity, and recoil are compared.

www.ronspomeroutdoors.com

Pretty fair comparison but Ron “doubts anyone can duplicate the Hodgdon book max 143 eldx creedmoor loads of 2800 fps safely”