1st Larger Bore Suggestions

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DealHunter

New member
So for Christmas I was thinking of picking up a larger caliber rifle "just for fun" since it's not something I'd really have much practical use for but is something lacking in my collection (largest cal. I own is a .30-06). The biggest cal. I've shot so far is a .300WM/heavy 12ga slug.

I'd been looking at the Savage 116 Brush Hunter in .338WM or .375 Ruger, a Marlin 1895 SBL .45-70 or perhaps something like a CZ 550 in .375 H&H or Ruger M77 African .375 Ruger

I admit to liking short barreled rifles in general (except for the CZ which I just think looks classy in its own way...) even though I know you lose performance and increase blast with them. It's not something I'd be shooting very often of course so I'm not that worried about shoulder bruising sessions at the bench.

Also, while the .338WM/.45-70/.375 H&H have been around forever, I wasn't sure if the .375 Ruger was a passing thing or how easy it was to find ammo.

Anyone have any experience with these rifles in particular or have a suggestion for a model I'd missed that would fit with these?

Again, the "why" is because it's just plain fun to have a variety of firearms to own and shoot :)
 
The 375 Ruger has a few fans. I don't know if it will ever be mainstream, but think it has enough interest to stay around. Get enough brass and it wouldn't be a problem if you reload.

The 45-70 is extremely over rated. It does a better job of knocking down the shooters than the game on the other end of the muzzle with hotter loads. It will work, but one of the 375's is far more effective on any game, at any range, and with less recoil.

The 338's don't offer any real advantage over 30-06. With the better 200gr and heavier bullets in a 30-06 there is no game animal that will ever notice the small difference a 338 offers.

If I wanted something bigger than 30-06 I'd skip right over everything else and go straight to one of the 375's. They can be loaded down if you don't need full power and offer decently flat trajectory with moderate recoil.
 
When you said "just for fun" to me that is exactly why I like the 45-70 cartridge ! Most factory ammo have mild recoil ( especially Remington 405 gr loads ) , it can be reloaded up or down depending on needs , I can get cast bullets in bulk quite cheaply , I like the challenge of the rainbow trajectory ( honest ) , it has served me well with one shot kills up to a nice sized black bear so far ! I have never needed a souped up load yet on game but have shot them at the range and have a few on hand ! I know somebody that claims the 350 gr Hornady FP works very well on Elk loaded over 2000 fps in a Ruger #1 ! What range you can shoot it depends on how much time and practice you put into knowing your rifle and load !
 
What's large?

Not sure what you define as a 'large' cartridge, but from the responders in the thread so far, I kind of get the idea.
It I had a place to stretch it out, I would run, not walk to purchase the Savage 110 chambered in 338 Lapua. It's got a very amazing price to the (per reviews) quality of the model though I have read some controversial responses citing marginal accuracy. But most are very positive.
And the 338 Lapua is the 'new normal' for long range, large size, heavy hitting cartridges. Reloading required of course, but that's true for nearly anything bigger than .308.
GL with your decision.
B
 
Depending upon your budget and how "large is large", .50 BMG can be no more expensive to shoot than some of the others mentioned, and is a certifiable BLAST.
 
If you hunt, I would counsel you to take a good look at the 9.3x62. There ain't much on the face of the earth that can't be taken with it. In North America, it is a freakin' hammer. All that and it fits in a standard long action.
 
DealHunter,

Since you state that you have no need or plans for this "big Bore" I'd recommend going straight to the 45/70.

Reason first is simply because you can load it from mild to wild, depending on the rifle it is chambered in, and make it anything from a fun plinker to something with which to hunt the largest critters which walk North American as well as most of the rest of the world.

It is great with cast bullets which are a bunch cheaper then jacketed bullets of any reasonable quality.

The 45/70 DOES NOT need to be loaded to warp velocities to make it highly effective on game.

Just pick a good Wide Flat Nose (WFN) cast bullet of over 400gr and propel it at a velocity of 1400 - 1700fps and bring on the big critters.

Or if your only into the plinking scene, throttle back that 400gr bullet to 1000 - 1200fps and have fun.

Brass lasts and lasts.

Personally I like the RUGER #1 in this caliber, but for a good rifle with more capacity, go to a Marlin.

My go to load for all 45/70 shooting is a 465gr WFN at 1650fps. Somply awesome on game!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
If you can be happy with a lever action, the 375 Winchester is a fine cartridge; and in modern Winchesters, the 38-55 is no slouch either.
 
Not sure how a 45-70 could be counted as overrated. I personally love my Guide Gun shooting either 300s @2300ft/s or 500s @1600ft/. Both are pretty strong loads in a Levergun but a No. 1 could probably handle even more. You could pretty much hunt anything on earth with that. Plus, 405grain Corelokts are awesome on deer. Light recoil, big hole in, big hole out, and less meat damage than my 308.

All that being said, if I wanted a big bore rifle, I'd like a 375 H&H or a 458 Winchester.
 
I wouldn't mind a .338 LM Savage 110BA but the rifle and ammo costs are almost 2x everything else I've been looking at and that'd be a bit much for a "fun gun" (I have handled them though and was impressed).

A .45-70 lever would be nice as I'd said but I'm not sure about the recent quality of the Remington made 1895s (and used JM 1895s are hard to come by around here).

I hadn't really considered the 9.3x62 so will have to take a look. The nice thing about the .375 H&H is I can find ammo easily (during the crazy times reloading supplies where hard to find though). 375 Ruger fits in a standard long action as well, but again seems much harder to find and regardless of reloading options, I like being able to buy factory stuff if needed as well.
 
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I'm going to have to add another vote for the 9.3x62. CZ chambers several of their rifles in this caliber.

This is the largest caliber that can be used in a standard length action with a standard bolt face. If you handload, Nosler sells 9.3 bullets in not only AccuBond and Partition, but also in Dangerous Game Solids. That definitely gives you some options to work with!

This is one of those calibers high on the "someday" list for me.
 
Not sure how a 45-70 could be counted as overrated.
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Because it won't even match my muzzleloaders in performance( Well accept rate of fire ) let alone any modern magnum cartridge.

I'm not saying the 45-70 doesn't do its job, but it doesn't do it any better than the muzzle stuffers it replaced.

Boomer
 
FALPhil
Senior Member

Join Date: September 10, 2007
Location: Racoon City
Posts: 864
If you hunt, I would counsel you to take a good look at the 9.3x62. There ain't much on the face of the earth that can't be taken with it. In North America, it is a freakin' hammer. All that and it fits in a standard long action.
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+1111111

everything on this earth HAVE been taking with it, biggest calibre you can fit into a mauser98 so german colonists used it extensivly

love it, dropping everything I aim it at so far, moose, boars and bears, loads of death in it

there is a saying about the 9,3x62:

too big for daisies and too small for t-rex but just right for anything inbetween.

A tikka perhaps?

I have an argo in the calibre, a joy to shoot

A dream of mine is a lever action like the browning blr/sako finnwolf or a pump like rem7600 in the calibre
 
Boomer58cal,

You may have me on diameter, but that is where the comparison would get shaky.

There is simply no way that you can safely get enough black powder into that front stuffer to out do my RUGER 45/70.

Although it would be fun to see the attempt. :D

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
458 Win mag or 375 would both be fun. I would lean towards the 458 if I was looking for entertainment. It's a real boomer.

I've never shot one, but weatherby makes a hotter 458 caliber in the wby 460 mag as well.

I do have to say to jmr40 re his assertion that "The 338's don't offer any real advantage over 30-06." is nonsense.

A 338 wm will launch a 210 400 fps faster than a 30'06 and will propel 250 gr bullets at the same velocity you get with the 180 in 30'06. I haven't tried them, but I think you can get a 200 gr moving north of 3000 fps.
 
Boomer58cal,

You may have me on diameter, but that is where the comparison would get shaky.

There is simply no way that you can safely get enough black powder into that front stuffer to out do my RUGER 45/70.

Although it would be fun to see the attempt.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
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Say when, hell I'll buy lunch :D

My .50, .58 and .62's are all tested to 250g FFF. I generally run 120g FFF with a 900g bullet in my. 62 for 1200 fps but 250 FFF will hit 2000 fps for 8000 ft-lbs of energy.

Boomer
 
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Hey Boomer58cal,

No disrespect to muzzle loaders but I think that's an unfair comparison. I have five shots of handy, reliable death with my Guide Gun. Just different arenas in my mind.

Sounds like you have some nasty powder guns though. 8,000lb ft beats the 458 Winmag and 460 Weatherby mag too. And in all fairness, I bet it kicks harder than a 45-70 too. :)
 
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