Most Unpopular Calibre

[purdey24]

Just be interested to know what most people find to be the most unpopular of the relatively common calibres and why.
In my experience it seems to be the 25-06 although I think it is one of the best calibres out there , fast and flat and suitable for the biggest highland reds.

 

[VSS]

30-06, for the simple reason that the only time I've ever fired one I got clouted in the eye by the scope. No other rifle has ever launched such an unprovoked attack upon me, so the 30-06 has stayed in my mind as an aggressive brute!

 

[Uncas]

30-06, for the simple reason that the only time I've ever fired one I got clouted in the eye by the scope. No other rifle has ever launched such an unprovoked attack upon me, so the 30-06 has stayed in my mind as an aggressive brute!

There's nothing wrong with an 06 that a good strait stock wont cure.

 

[8x57]

Just be interested to know what most people find to be the most unpopular of the relatively common calibres and why.
In my experience it seems to be the 25-06 although I think it is one of the best calibres out there , fast and flat and suitable for the biggest highland reds.

Cartridge or calibre?

 

[Pine Marten]

No, come on, this is like asking what the prettiest colour is. The question needs boundary conditions. What's the cutoff for being relatively common? And how would we know how common or not they are?

But I think the answer is going to be down to availability/distribution and risk aversion/safe bets. A bit like the disproportionate popularity of Beretta O&Us. I mean they're excellent, no question. Just a bit pedestrian. A bit Meh as we now say.

 

[enfieldspares]

I have never liked .243 Winchester. It isn't as good as the 6mm Remington and yet had the advantage of rifles with twist rates that could stabilise 100 grain bullets that the 6mm Remington did not and which proved near fatal to that cartridge.

I have the same dislike for the .270 Winchester vis-a-vis the .280 Remington even though I've owned five rifles in .270 WCF and shot my first deer with one and only owned the one .280 Remington. The .280 is everything the .270 ought to have been!

 

[Mungo]

30-06, for the simple reason that the only time I've ever fired one I got clouted in the eye by the scope. No other rifle has ever launched such an unprovoked attack upon me, so the 30-06 has stayed in my mind as an aggressive brute!

This from a man who shoots an unmoderated .270!!

 

[VSS]

I have never liked .243 Winchester. It isn't as good as the 6mm Remington and yet had the advantage of rifles with twist rates that could stabilise 100 grain bullets that the 6mm Remington did not and which proved near fatal to that cartridge.

I have the same dislike for the .270 Winchester vis-a-vis the .280 Remington even though I've owned five rifles in .270 WCF and shot my first deer with one and only owned the one .280 Remington. The .280 is everything the .270 ought to have been!

My two favourites, dissed in one post! You heartless beast

 

[Pine Marten]

I had a similar experience with one of the club's Tikka T3 .308s with a plastic stock. For some reason it just felt like being hit with a bat every time I shot it. Probably down to stock fit, but it put me off the 308. Although nothing I've shot has been as nasty as a Lee Enfield 303.

 

[enfieldspares]

My two favourites, dissed in one post! You heartless beast

Yes! And I've even owned a .243 Winchester as well! And I also don't like the 7x64 either (I've owned one of those too) but as with the excellent .280 Remington the former thrives while the latter is sadly near disappeared.

 

[VSS]

This from a man who shoots an unmoderated .270!!

Well the only time the 270 clouted me it was entirely my fault, so I forgave it almost as soon as I'd wiped the blood out of my eye.

 

[muddy42]

I really don't think I have an answer for this. I have fired most of the common UK deer calibres - 223 (Scotland) 243, 270, 7x57, 308, 30 06. They all do the job, other things put me off such as light rifles, long barrels, pistol grips, straight pulls (cycling a bolt is so automatic, I cant get used to them), massive scopes mounted too high up.

 

[Ratel]

Used a 303 for a while, not for stalking though. Fair bit of clout if prone, not so bad off a tree when stood. Hate .270, owned one but never again. Loved the 30 cal carbine but restricted on range. Think I'll stick with .243, 6.5 X 54MS and .22 Hornet. Would use Hornet for everything if allowed.

 

[murrayb]

I had a similar experience with one of the club's Tikka T3 .308s with a plastic stock. For some reason it just felt like being hit with a bat every time I shot it. Probably down to stock fit, but it put me off the 308. Although nothing I've shot has been as nasty as a Lee Enfield 303.

How can you malign the 303 Brit? It's a puppy to shoot

I don't like the 300WM.... The scope jumped up and hit me in the face. One day I'll get around to selling it....

 

[finnbear270]

Anything that doesn't fit me properly.

 

[shakey jake]

if you mean cartridge17hmr, sounded awsome, let down by crap ammo

 

[Fabnosh]

300WSM. I had this chambering in a Sako Finnlite that has a straw for a barrel and was only slightly heavier than a wasps fart. It excelled at being uncompromisingly uncomfortable to shoot.

FN

 

[Steff]

It‘s not the calibers, it‘s those bastard Schweinsrücken stocks which also tend to be too short if from the '90s or earlier.
That said the .30-06 is really a doggone nasty bugger. With a .300 WM you know to except, but that sneaky old .30-06 just kicks you in an ambush.

 

[Pedro]

To be honest, .17hmr tends to be a bit of a Marmite thing. Some love it for the little round's ability to shoot straight far beyond what you'd expect, but it is, of course very susceptible to wind and some take up pitchforks and burning torches against it because of the split necks, which is either sorted or not sorted now depending on what you read.

By the way, I like marmite in any calibre.

 

[Smellydog]

30/30.
Very unpopular but I love it
Used it extensively in three leverguns and would have another.