musing on the redundancy of calibre debates

Very interesting. One point not mentioned so far is that some calibres are easier to shoot than others. When someone shoots one of my rifles, I want them to hit the target, enjoy the experience and be keen to do it again.

Regards

JCS
 
In the UK if you're young & impressionable it's always best to buy a .243 and a .308 early on.

Once you see how boring these are (the conversation falls flat whenever you admit to owning them) it's time to search for a more interesting diversion.

You must never part with either, or you'll have nothing in common with the rest of the herd.

You've brought up an issue I've always found fascinating: the simple urge to be different for the sake of it.

I understand the urge to experiment and to seek novelty when there is evidence that an orthodoxy is inadequate, or where you're fairly sure that convention can be improved upon. But I think I'm too pragmatic (and probably too lazy) to seek novelty just for its own sake. If the conventional works as well as I ever need it to, then I see no need to keep looking.

There is also an unfortunate tendency for people who seek novelty for the sake of novelty to be rather smug about it, which makes them a touch irritating.
 
Very interesting. One point not mentioned so far is that some calibres are easier to shoot than others. When someone shoots one of my rifles, I want them to hit the target, enjoy the experience and be keen to do it again.

John - with a moderator on, do you think there are noticeable differences in the experience of actually shooting any rifle in the spectrum between .243 and .30-06? I was astonished the first time I shot a .270 with a mod on - it really didn't seem noticeably different to my .222.
 
You've brought up an issue I've always found fascinating: the simple urge to be different for the sake of it.

I understand the urge to experiment and to seek novelty when there is evidence that an orthodoxy is inadequate, or where you're fairly sure that convention can be improved upon. But I think I'm too pragmatic (and probably too lazy) to seek novelty just for its own sake. If the conventional works as well as I ever need it to, then I see no need to keep looking.

There is also an unfortunate tendency for people who seek novelty for the sake of novelty to be rather smug about it, which makes them a touch irritating.


I think you are right, some people can be smug "oh, you don't use/have a .318 super tiger/Mercedes GL764 GTiS Racing/100" flat screen...pity" ;)

I do think most just want something different for whatever reason, whether it be a slightly faster cartridge or because it fits into their ideas on hunting or just simply because they don't want another .308.
Its for the last two I got mine. It's different to all popular cartridges in the UK but fits in with my needs (real or imagined!)
I think it adds variety. A mate of mine was so intrigued by my thinking he wanted to try it, not go the whole hog but try heavy bullets in his .308.

Everything has upsides and downsides. Whatever makes you happy :)
 
I have to agree with OP but , I do notice a huge difference between the ability and stability between the .243 and the .270 specially at distances greater than than 200 yards.
 
Well ive not bothered to ask and wont
Ive worked out what Cal I want as a first Deer gun and what I want if I got something bigger as a second Gun if ever

and am happy that they along with all the rest above .243 will do the job :)
 
Well ive not bothered to ask and wont
Ive worked out what Cal I want as a first Deer gun and what I want if I got something bigger as a second Gun if ever

and am happy that they along with all the rest above .243 will do the job :)

Good man. There is enough info already out there t help with choices :)
Have fun with your varmint rifle ;) I kid, it's a good round
 
Everything has upsides and downsides. Whatever makes you happy :)

Like everything in life, it's finding a balance that best suits your needs and wants.

I'm a huge fan of the 6.5mm and 7mm moderate cartridges. I am also a fan of the .30-30 and .30-06.

Why? For practical and intellectual reasons as well as nostalgia.

With properly constructed bullets, all of the small bores will work. Pick your poison.
 
seems to me that there is a big difference between stalkers who choose a specific calibre to do a job (right reason imho), those that "go bigger to allow for shot placement" (ie to use enough gun)and those that "just have to have because thats what's "in fasion" at the range or in the shooting press?
 
those that "go bigger to allow for shot placement" (ie to use enough gun)

What do you mean buy this? Shouldn't shot placement always be the goal regardless of caliber/cartridge? Or do you mean going large to allow for a larger margin of error? <<<though I believe this to be erroneous and false confidence.
 
What do you mean buy this? Shouldn't shot placement always be the goal regardless of caliber/cartridge? Or do you mean going large to allow for a larger margin of error? <<<though I believe this to be erroneous and false confidence.

I agree. DSC1 (our deer stalking certificate) demands a 4" group at 100 yards. It doesn't allow 6" if I'm using my 45-120!
That been said, accidents do happen and a larger or more powerful calibre is handy in that scenario but only to an extent. Gut shot 'em and no cartridge can save you!
 
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