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How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

Hawk45

Hawk45

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 29, 2002
1,360
2
50
Ohio
Time to get a new lightweight hunting rifle and looking for something that is good for varmints and deer. I reload for .223, .260, .308 and 300WM. I've been wondering if I should just get a rifle in one of those calibers to keep things congruent or add another cartridge? In the past few years I've been moving more towards the K.I.S.S mentality which leads me to just getting a rig in one of the above (probably .223 b/c the options in factory .260 rigs is limited).

So how many cartridges do you load for? Are you happy with your setups or would you prefer to consolidate down to fewer setups?

Curious,
Hawk
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

I load for more than one caliber...

I would suggest that either 260 or 308 can do either job very well. I used to use a 25-06 for groundhogs and with Nosler Partition bullets use it to harvest deer quiet easily.

The 223 will be marginal at best, even with a speciality hunting bullet. They just don't make the same cross section to do traumatic damage.

The 300WM is a wonderful cartridge. But that's a lot of powder to stuff down the hole shooting varmits. With that much powder volume, it will be easy to over speed a smaller light weight projectile. Most 300WM barrels start to loose their best accuracy after 750 rounds. With a quality borescope you can see throat erosion after 100 rounds.

Read a lot of quality BOOKS. Don't just decide by what you read on ANY internet site or sites. Try some Jack O'Conner or Jim Carmichel for starters.

Good luck with your choice.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

I agree with Victor, 223 will definitely kill a deer but leaves a lot on the table in imperfect situations. My favorite for dual purpose use (varmints/deer) is the good ole 243.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

Currently 2, .223 and .308. I have equipment to add .30-06, .270, and .222. I shoot the .223 and .308 for high power and the rest intermitantly. Next time I need to reload one of the others, I'll set up for it.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

1) 50bmg
2) 338
3) 243
4) 308
5) 223
6) 22 hornet
7) 30-40krag
8) 30-30
9) 7mm-08
10) 30-06
11) 30carbine
12) 6.5x47
13) 6br
14) 6ppc
15) 8mm
16) 6.5x284
17) 260 rem
18) 45acp
19) 40s&w
20) 10mm
21) 9mm
22) 380acp

And I am looking into another caliber right now.

It never ends once you get started.

Terry
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: suasponte</div><div class="ubbcode-body">1) 50bmg
2) 338
3) 243
4) 308
5) 223
6) 22 hornet
7) 30-40krag
8) 30-30
9) 7mm-08
10) 30-06
11) 30carbine
12) 6.5x47
13) 6br
14) 6ppc
15) 8mm
16) 6.5x284
17) 260 rem
18) 45acp
19) 40s&w
20) 10mm
21) 9mm
22) 380acp

And I am looking into another caliber right now.

It never ends once you get started.

Terry </div></div>

That's a lot of cartridges to load for. I only have the following:
50BMG
338LM
300WM
308win
243win
223rem

Still working on the handgun issue. Don't shoot enough to justify loading yet. May have to do that soon.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: suasponte</div><div class="ubbcode-body">1) 50bmg
2) 338
3) 243
4) 308
5) 223
6) 22 hornet
7) 30-40krag
8) 30-30
9) 7mm-08
10) 30-06
11) 30carbine
12) 6.5x47
13) 6br
14) 6ppc
15) 8mm
16) 6.5x284
17) 260 rem
18) 45acp
19) 40s&w
20) 10mm
21) 9mm
22) 380acp

And I am looking into another caliber right now.

It never ends once you get started.

Terry </div></div>

damn, that's a lot. Maybe add .357 or .38?
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.223
.22-250
7.62x39
6.8 SPC (sort of)
.260 Rem
.308
30'06
7 RemMag
338LM

9mm
38 spl
357 mag
40 SW
10mm
357 Sig (sort of)
45 acp

Chris
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.223 X3
.308 X3
.30-338WM X1
.338LAPUA X1
.300 WM X1
6MM BRX X1
.243 X1
.30-06 X1
6.5 WD X2
.284 WIN X1
.45 APC X1
.44 MAG X1
9MM X5
.357X3
.38 SPC X1
And soon to be .22-250 X1


WOW I never got to looking at this now I know where all of my cash is going...lol
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

So far only for .308 for myself, but I do the work for others when needed..

.303-25, .300winmag, .243

Not sure whats next on the list for me. Maybe a .338 Lapua mag or 6.5x47 Lapua, maybe even load for a mosin nagant if i get one in the future.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.222, .223, .260, .280, .30-'06.

I've been to that well, and now I only load less than half the chamberings I once did. Any additional firearms I acquire will almost certainly possess one of the above chamberings. Maybe a .35 Whelen. It's a matter of finding a good chambering for particular purposes, and staying with it.

.222 is for FV200 Comp. .223 was for FV200 comp, is now for Varmints. .260 is for LR match shooting, until recently, 1000yd F Class. .30-'06 is for deer hunting and Service Rifle applications. .280 is for deer hunting and being evaluated for LR comp.

I also hunt 12 & 20ga, mostly slugs/sabots, and a .44Mag levergun. Deer. Most of my hunting loads are Remington commercial ammo; I don't shoot enough hunting ammo to make load development worthwhile. I may go so far as to substitute a Sierra or Nosler hunting bullet for a ballistically similar sibling match bullet. I tried SST's and found I wasn't able to get them to perform to my own match ammo standards. I probably goofed somewhere along that line.

Greg
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

223,225AI(did),243,243AI,708,270,308,30-30,30-06,300WSM,7MM RUM..243 would be an excellent choice for Varmint and Deer..
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.223
.243
.308
30/06
45/70

We kill a lot of deer with the .223 ....not going to get into the argument over whether it is a good deer caliber. It works for me and my kids very well. Where you hunt matters. I would not use the .223 if I was hunting long ranges but in woodland, and fields less than 200 yards it is very adept at killing deer. That said the .243 is hard to beat as an all around caliber with very good bullets available for varmints and deer.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

I load .223, .243, and .308 in the rifle calibers. I used to load more but have since sold off everything but these three. One the three will kill anything I will be shooting at here in TN.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hawk45</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
So how many cartridges do you load for? </div></div>

Whatever walks through the front door. .223 up to Cheytac rounds.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.204 Ruger
.223 Rem
.223 Rem AI
.22-250
.22-250 AI
.220 Swift
6mm Rem
.243 Win
.257 WeatherbyMag
.308 Win
.30-06
7mm RemMag
.300 WinMag

Seems like I'm forgetting something...........
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.380
9mm
38 spl
357 mag
40 sw
10mm
41 mag
44 spl
44 mag
45 acp
454 casull
19 calhoun
223 rem
22-250
243 AI
6.5x47 lapua
6.5 grendel
6.5x55 sweden
7STW
308 win
30-06
300 weatherby
7.5x55 swiss
7,62x54R
8mm mauser
soon:
338 edge and 6mmAR
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

We do 'as interesting as some' yet not 'as many as others'. The point is, find out what you're happy with.

Decide for yourself what you like.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

22 jet
221 Fireball
380
9mm
357
38 Spec
40 S&W
44 Mag
45 Colt
45 ACP
455 Webley
223
22-250
6.5x50
6.5x55
6.5 Carcano
7mm
7mm Mag
276 Pedersen
30 Carbine
308
7.5 MAS
7.5 Swiss
30.06
30/40 Krag
7.62X54R
7.62X39
7.7 Jap
303 Brit
303 Savage
30-30
8mm Mauser
8mm Lebel
8mm Hungarian
40/65
45/70
50 Browning
However the last few years it's been mostly 223. 308 & 45 ACP
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.223, .225 Win, .220 Swift, .257 Roberts Imp, .270 Win, 7x57, .308 Win, .30-06 Sprg, .338-06 Imp, .375 H&H
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.223
25 WSSM
.308
458 SOCOM
50 Beowulf
50 BMG

.380 acp
7mm TCU
9mm
38/357 Mag
44 Mag/445 supermag
45 Win Mag
475 Wildey Mag
375 JDJ
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

22-hornet (for three rifles and a pistol)
.223 (for three different rifles)
.22-250 (for two rifles)
.243 (for two rifles)
.270
.280
6.5x284

Hard to beat the .243 win for a varmint rifle you want to bust deer with. Great bullet selections, load data and a pleasure to shoot.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

.223
.243 win
.308 win
.300 wm
.444 marlin
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

223 and 308 are all that I load for currently. I'm about to start with 6.5 creedmoor. I have loaded for a handful of others in the past but got away from it.
 
Re: How many rifle cartridges do you load for?

I load for these;
22 hornet
222 rem
223 rem
22-250 rem
22-250 ack imp
243 win (custom)
257 roberts
6.5-284 (custom)
7mm rem mag
30 carbine
30-30 win
308 win
30-06
300wsm (custom)
300 wim mag
308 norma mag
300 wby
338 win
47-70
I also load for several handgun calibers.It gets bigger and bigger. Pete
 
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