Odd/Obsolete Calibers

[348Winchester]

Do any of you ever hunt with any off the wall calibered rifles?

I collect classic deer rifles and hunt with them frequently. Some of these rifles come in odd calibers that must be reloaded for or fatory ammo is scarce and pricey.

There is a particular pleasure that arises from hunting with a rifle from another era. Some of the calibers I have taken deer with are...

348 WCF
32 Spl
25-35 WCF
30-40 Krag
44-40 WCF
38-55 WCF
401 self-loader

 

[KENBOB10]

I used to have a 25/20. Good shooting rifle, but shells were hard to find. The "Jordan" buck was killed with this caliber.

 

[bigtex]

First rifle I ever carried deer hunting was a borrowed 32 special. Didn't get to shoot at anything but it was a nice old rifle. I'm thinking it was a lever action Winchester?

 

[Diehard Hunter]

I have killed deer with a .44-40. Killed a bunch with .35 rem, but that is not as unusual.

 

[Mike Belt]

I have an old 25-20 that belonged to my great grandmother. I've always wanted to kill a deer with it but ballistically it's the worst caliber ever made. For a 500 yard shot I think hold over is something like 18 feet.

 

[BSK]

I shot my biggest buck with my great-grandfather's Remington Model 14 pump-action in 32 Rimless, which he purchased from the Montgomery Ward's catalog in 1914. I had to find reloading dies and reload the rounds myself.

 

[KENBOB10]

I have an old 25-20 that belonged to my great grandmother. I've always wanted to kill a deer with it but ballistically it's the worst caliber ever made. For a 500 yard shot I think hold over is something like 18 feet.

I never killed a deer with it. 50 yds though it would shoot good.

 

[Bone Collector]

I don;t use any odd ball calibers. I do have some military guns though. one is 7.62 x 54 I think it is called the Russian 30-06. I found soft point ammo for it and may give it a whirl this year.

As an aside. I don't think i have ever heard of the calibers listed in the original post....

 

[BSK]

Several in my family use wildcat rounds. We've got a 357 Herrett, a 7x30 Waters, and a 7mm TCU.

 

[infoman jr.]

I just shoot whatever is attached to my helicopter at the moment.

 

[Brisco Darlin]

I used to have a 25/20. Good shooting rifle, but shells were hard to find. The "Jordan" buck was killed with this caliber.

i've got my grandpaw's old rifle in that caliber. never fired it though.

 

[in the dog house]

One of the 1st guns I hunted with was a 7.7 Jap rifle. Got it because it was cheap. I soon found out why it was. Ammo was outrageous. $42 a box and that was long ago. Great shooting gun though.

 

[Lost Lake]

I love lever actions and use a few that are odd ball.
444 Marlin
.375 Winchester(souped up .38-55)
.45-70
In a bolt action I love the 8mm Mauser. I have a Remington 700 Classic chambered for it and its a neat rifle.

All of these are made better thru reloading but that keeps me involved year round and makes it even more fun.

Would love to have a Model 71.348 Winchester and I still kick myself for not buying one back when they could be had for a mere grand.

 

[rem2506]

I once had a .30 herret, a .357 herret in tc contender. I now own what used to be called a .25 Nieder I believe. trivia question... anyone know what it is called now?

 

[bigrob]

BSK that 7x30 waters is a bad to the bone round. I have one In a TC contender

 

[wskp11]

My three odd ones to pass on that were passed to me
30/40 Krag
351 win
22 JetMag killed my first deer with this

 

[bjohnson]

My next rifle: .300 H&H

 

[BSK]

BSK that 7x30 waters is a bad to the bone round. I have one In a TC contender

Yup, love that round. And all the wildcat calibers I mentioned are for Contenders. Myself and my two brothers all hunted exclusively with Contenders for awhile.

 

[348Winchester]

I used to have a model 94 Winchester in 7x30 Waters. I regret selling that rifle.

 

[7wsm]

I don;t use any odd ball calibers. I do have some military guns though. one is 7.62 x 54 I think it is called the Russian 30-06. I found soft point ammo for it and may give it a whirl this year.

As an aside. I don't think i have ever heard of the calibers listed in the original post....

mike bellm is rechambering these now in the tc encore

 

[ghostfive]

I had a 25-20 until someone stole it.

 

[348Winchester]

I've always wanted a 25-20. I have a 32-20 revolver though.

 

[Crosshairy]

I chickened out on buying a 41 magnum pistol last year, and I got the 44 mag instead.

I still think I want one, I just wasn't ready to go through the constant ammo headaches with shooting it, and I don't have time to take up reloading just yet.

 

[rukiddin]

I have always wanted a 8mm magnum. That's really the only other rifle I ever see myself buying. I kick myself for not buying it, but I found one in a 700 Classic NIB A few years ago and let it slip by.

 

[Wobblyshot1]

Killed a mule deer with a H&R officer's model trapdoor in 45-70 once. Was using a duplex load(4227/1fg goex black) and 405 grain cast bullet. Poor thing didn't know what hit him.

I've also got single shots in 38-55 and 40-65. I should be hunting with them, too, but have just never gotten around to it.

 

[348Winchester]

I've taken several with my 38-55's. It's a great caliber!

 

[BSK]

I've also got single shots in 38-55 and 40-65. I should be hunting with them, too, but have just never gotten around to it.

Those sound like cool rounds!

 

[Hunter 257W]

I once had a .30 herret, a .357 herret in tc contender. I now own what used to be called a .25 Nieder I believe. trivia question... anyone know what it is called now?

25 Neidner = 30-06 necked down to 25 caliber

Yep, I got one of those. :) One of the very best deer cartridges ever in my opinion.

 

[Hunter 257W]

Do any of you ever hunt with any off the wall calibered rifles?

I collect classic deer rifles and hunt with them frequently. Some of these rifles come in odd calibers that must be reloaded for or fatory ammo is scarce and pricey.

There is a particular pleasure that arises from hunting with a rifle from another era. Some of the calibers I have taken deer with are...

348 WCF
32 Spl
25-35 WCF
30-40 Krag
44-40 WCF
38-55 WCF
401 self-loader

You make me drool with that list 348Winchester. All I have in that category is one of the newer 1990's production Marlin 1894's in 32-20. I don't plan to try a deer with it though. I know it would kill a deer and did kill many but don't feel it's ethical. But it sure is fun to shoot. I shoot 5.7grains of Unique and a 115 grain bullet cast from wheel weights into a Lyman mold. It gives 1280fps and is a lot of fun. Vaporizes walnuts into dust and whallops squirrels like a sledgehammer. I may be getting a 35 Remington soon which is practically obsolete even though Marlin still chambers it. I'd like to use the 35 to do some cast bullet deer shooting.

The 401 self-loader you mention is a really rare one that very few have even heard of. Come to think of it, I think you are the 1st guy I've heard of that had one and hunted with it.

As someone else already said, I sure wish I'd have bought a Winchester 71 in 348 back before they got so high. That is a gun with style for sure. Just holding a 348 cartridge in your hand makes you daydream of far off hunting camps and adventure.

 

[Hoss]

My first rifle was a gift from my Dad. It was a .303 British Enfield Sporter.