Most popular caliber in your area...

[Bigahh]

For Hunting. My 86 year old Father and I just finished talking about this subject. We hunt in Wisconsins Big Woods in the Northern part of the State. In the area you hunt what is the most popular caliber used by Hunters ? My dads answer was 30-30 no Question, mainly the 30's through the 70's. His camp at that time was .32 Special for the most part. In 2011 in the same area as my fathers, but quite a few years later I would have to say 30-06 from what I hear at Restaurants, Gas Stations, Bars and other places. In my Camp the .308 is tied with the .35 Rem with 3 each out of 7 hunters. How does your area match up Caliber Wise ? I am interested what our good friends Nath and Gamekeeper from across the big pond have to say. I am interested in their answer.

[kimwcook]

The guys I hunt with, when I get the chance range from 243, 30-06 and 270 for deer. 300 Win. mag and 7mm for elk.

[Nath]

Good question!

The most popular has to go to 223 and 243. Not counting the 22lr, everyone with a licence has a 22!
A handfull of 308 and 270 and some old timers with Hornets and 222(long may they last).

When I had a 30wcf I was probably the only one hunting with one for a 50mile radius!

We never here or see a 7-30waters or 25-35. Sometimes a 45-70 or a 444 at a range somewhere,,,,,,

Nath.

[Rusty]

Last year in our camp we had 3 .270's, 2 .243's, 1 8mm, and 1 .308.
That was in WV. One thing I notice here in Fla. is that there arre a lot of .243's.

[cshold]

Remington model 760 Gamemaster in 30-06 or .270

[madman4570]

Here prior to some years back being shotgun only(then it being the 12ga)
Now, it seems about 50% or more of those I have talked with use the 30-06
So,considering the many others that are being used such as the .243/.270/30-30/.308 and so on(think probably the 30-06 rules the roost?

[AJMD429]

Indiana prohibits most rifle calibers on deer, so for deer it is still:

• 12 gauge slugs (saboted or regular) - for those who have hunted awhile, and have no reason to change
  .308 semiautos & 7mm Mags - for those who ignore the law (unfortunatly many)
  • (most of them seem to prefer 300-plus shots at running deer without a backstop)
  .44 Mags in leverguns - for those who keep up with what is now legal (and have good taste )
  .357 Mags in leverguns - for recoil-shy (if someone doesn't tell them ".357's can't kill deer" )
  7mm Mag in Encore pistols - for those who obey the 'letter' of the law, but not the intent

[375hh1973]

Went to the range the other day to shoot a few rounds of skeet and afterwards took a walk over by the rifle range. Majority were .30-06 and .270s, a .257 wby, 2 308s, a 7mm rem mag, and a guy blazing away with a .338 win mag. I always like to watch these guys blaze away, sighting in without a proper rest. Wish I had stock in an ammo company!

[Triggernosis]

.30-06, .270, some .308 and lately the .300 Win. Mag. for "beanfield" rifles.
75% of the time, though, it'll likely be a .30-06.

[6pt-sika]

Over the past several years the dominant cartridge on MY sanctuary has been the 444 MArlin shooting cast bullets . However thats more me wanting to try different bullets then anything !

There was a time when you mostly saw a 7mm-08 , 280 REM or 7mm REM MAG on MY sanctuary .

Then later it changed to 260 REM and 264 WIN MAG .

Now it's still a 444 with cast bullets and most anything else that makes me look twice

[model55]

.270 although no one in my group carries one ,here they seem to out sale everything else.

[shooter]

Depends on the experience and school of thought for the hunters around here. A lot of people that only hunt and don't shoot much outside of deer season use either a 30-30, .270, or a 30-06. If I had to make a guess, I would say first place is pretty close between 30-30 and .270. For the kids it's .223 and .243 without a doubt. I think in my camp last season I used both .243 and .270, and everyone else shot a .270 or 30-06.

I see more and more people going to the super short fat magnum cartridges, because that's definitely what's needed to kill a 100-150 pound whitetail .

[1894c]

The guys I hunt with, when I get the chance range from 243, 30-06 and 270 for deer. 300 Win. mag and 7mm for elk.

+1 -- same with us, I'm the "old-guy" with the leverguns in 44, 357, 45/70 :)

[fordwannabe]

The most used seems to be 30-06 but I see and hear about a ton of guys using the 7mm mag on a 100-150 pound deer at25 to 100 yards, I don't get it, but maybe they aren't secure in their masculinity? Don't know I am gonna use a marlin 1889 in 44-40 for whatever that means.

[afish4570]

Most popular are 3006, 270, (1)300 Sav. ,me with a 4570 or a 356 Win. An occasional 3030, 35 Rem. and a 300WSM (told the kid it was too much gun and costs a fortune to shoot. afish4570

[2X22]

Around here I would say the .300 win mag followed closely by the 30-06. Most deer hunters here also elk hunt so the use the .300 mostly, at least the ones who are hunters first and shooters second, the ones who own only one rifle.

I am looked at like a bit of a freak when I am seen with a .38-55 or .44 rifle. But we eat deer and elk every year, dadburn it

2x22

[roundup]

In our elk camp in N.E. Oregon we had:


30/06 4
7 MM Rem Mag 3
300 Rem SAUM 2
338 Win Mag
300 Savage
45/70

Three five point bulls

[Old Shatterhand]

In this corner of Sweden:
.30-06
6.5x55
.308W
8x57IS
9.3x62
9.3x57
.222 Rem
.22 Savage HP (popular in cape guns)

Pete

[TNBigBore]

Here in north central Alabama I see lots of bolt rifles in 270, 30-06, 7mm Mag and 300 Mag. Lots of Browning BARs in those chamberings well. They are usually mounted with some huge 50mm moon scope as well. You see a Marlin or Winchester 30-30 every once in awhile. You almost never see a 35, 32, 44, 444, 45-70 etc, and I have never seen another hunter carrying a Savage 99 in 300 Savage as I do.

[Borregos]

In our camp this year we had:
1 45-70
1 30-30
1 303
1 308

So I guess 30 cal was most popular
I was the odd man out by the way

[spaceman spiff]

At my camp there were:

2 30-06
2 30-30
1 38-55 (mine)
1 308


spaceman

[damienph]

The most common among deer hunters that I know is .243 followed by .270. I am the only one that I know of who even owns a .30-06 and definitely the only one who ever hunts with a lever action in any caliber (usually .444 or .375).

[t.r.]

Remington pump action in 30-06 is most popular. But there are also a couple Marlin 35's in camp. 30-30 gets very little respect from many SE Pennsylvania hunters.

In contrast, 30-30 carbines are still very popular in western Pennsylvania. Go figure.

TR

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

Most popular caliber is .308, most popular catridge chambering seems to be the .30-06

[AJMD429]

At my camp there were:
2 30-06
2 30-30
1 38-55 (mine)
1 308
spaceman

I like your choice best...

[bdhold]

.270 and .243 in the TX hill country

[Lastmohecken]

I would say around here, the most popular calibers that actually go hunting, are the .308win, 30-06, .270, 25-06, 7mag Remington, but you will see everything, and some like the 22/250 and even the .223

In ammo sales, my guess is by the ammo on the shelves, it's still 30-06, .270, .308, 30/30 and 7mag, with the 45/70, .223 and 22/250, and 300 win Mag.

The WSM's are around, with a few folks using them, and for the poor folks, you will see some of the SKS AK 7.62 x 39 stuff, and the Russian Mosin Nagant ammo, as many people find a $120.00 gun attractive, and the truth is the old Mosin Nagant is quite capable.

[Old Time Hunter]

In our camp just about everyone brings a .30-30 (I think only one out of the "main" group of eleven does not own a .30-30), but what they actually carry into the woods that first morning is as follows:

4 - .444
2 - .30-30
2 - .308
1 - .30-06
1 - .35
1 - .270

this is the first year in 71 years that my fathers .32 Special will not be in the woods, he had a stroke a couple of weeks ago and is in serious condition.