5 Cartridges I’d Never Hunt Deer With
BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 6 months ago
Richard Mann Field & Stream.
He doesn’t like the 6mm Remington because it does nothing for him that the .243 doesn’t.
As for the 6.8 SPC, it’s luster has faded according to him. Delightfully, he does mention both the 6.5 Grendel and the 6mm ARC. As you know, I’ve hunted hogs with the 6mm ARC and have wondered why it hasn’t been more widely accepted as a replacement for the 5.56 given it’s heavier bullet weight (> 100 grains), almost equivalent muzzle velocity and almost equivalent recoil. Made by Hornady for U.S. SOC for high ballistic coefficient and heavy hits at distance, I wouldn’t hesitate to hunt white tail with it.
300 Blackout. Too weak. Need anyone say more?
444 Marlin – why use it when you have the 45-70? I don’t know about that one.
30-06 – his reasons sound to me like personal problems. Maybe he should get over them. I know guys who hunt with 300 Win Mag because “I don’t chase a blood trail.”
On May 18, 2023 at 10:55 pm, 41mag said:
Ammo availability is key tho. 30-06 is ubiquitous and there’s so many different loads you can buy to suit your use case.
On May 19, 2023 at 5:21 am, jrg said:
The 6mm thumbs down does not make sense to me. The reverse could be said of .243 Winchester just reworded. Performance is extremely similar, I’ve seen the meat damage from both and cannot tell them apart. Both rounds humanely killed game – ’nuff said.
I had a .444 Marlin a long time ago. I liked it a lot but it was purchased a few years before I had to self contract our house and I had to let a few ‘toys’ go. The Marlin was one of them, regretably. Had a Williams 66 peep sight on it – it shot pretty well. A .44 calibered 30-30 in performance I guess would be my short description. About a pound heavier than the Marlin – Winchester levers. I liked the heavier barrel – it settled down for the shot faster for me.
Dissed the .30-06 ? Heretic – burn the witch !! :^) I think the writer was chuckling to himself thinking of the reader’s reaction would be.
On May 19, 2023 at 12:16 pm, Georgiaboy61 said:
“30-06 – his reasons sound to me like personal problems. Maybe he should get over them.”
Over the years, lots of FA authorities and gun-writers have tried to write off the legendary 30-06 and they have failed every time. Not only isn’t it obsolete, it remains the standard against which other .30-caliber center-fire cartridges are measured…and for good reason. There’s very little that it can’t do – and do well.
As Colonel Jeff Cooper once said, “If you can’t do it with 180 at 2700, you probably can’t do it…” He was talking about a 180-grain bullet at 2700 fps – fired from a 30-06.
On May 19, 2023 at 12:30 pm, Latigo Morgan said:
My wife’s uncle went all in on the 6.8 SPC in a Black Rain AR-15 a couple years ago. Then he discovered he couldn’t get ammo for it.
I get the .444 vs. .45/70 thing, but….44!