No one else here will have one (caliber).

While my other post and poll are meant to identify what calibers will be most common in the deer woods on Saturday, does anyone plan to carry a rifle chambered in something that will far less popular? I know there are those who place great value in old military calibers especially.

My usual. 6.5x55 Swedish

The 6.5×55mm Swedish (also known simply as the 6.5×55 mm) is a first-generation smokeless powder rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It was introduced in the 1890s, and is still one of the most common cartridges in modern rifles built for the Scandinavian market today. The cartridge was developed in a joint Norwegian and Swedish effort starting in 1891 for use in the new service rifles then under consideration by the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway.[6] In 1893, the cartridge was standardized and adopted under the name 6.5×55 mm to facilitate logistical cooperation between Norway and Sweden.

Wikipedia

7.62x54r will be in my truck while picking up and dropping off hunters this weekend.

Mine cal for this year is not all that commone. 325 WSM.

At some point I will carry a Winchester model 94 in 38-55 that my father in law gave me. Best we can figure, it was made in 1897-1899 time frame. I killed a buck with it 20 years ago, I figure it’s time to at least shoot a hog with it

Based on your poll in the other thread, the caliber I'll be carrying is not very popular. It is the .30-06.

That’s been my go to for a long time, it’s killed a ton of deer but I need to use a few others this year to change it up a bit however the Ol 06 will be used some to I’m sure.

Mine is a .575 soft lead ball, patched with pillow ticking.

I know this is not what you asked for but I will have a second rifle suppressed .22 lr for pigs.

The 6.5 sweede may be the most popular in the Scandinavian market, but I'd say it's pretty rare in the US. I have 2 that I will carry at some point this season that are fairly rare. 45/70 is fairly a fairly rare deer Rifle I believe. 2nd one that I will carry is .357 mag in a rifle. Although. 357 mag isn't rare by any stretch, as a deer rifle, I believe it is as well.

A quick check of the Midway USA website finds the price of 6.5 Swedish ammo to be right in line with most other calibers.

You might be the unofficial winner of this contest...

The 7.62×54mmR is a rimmed rifle cartridge developed by the Russian Empire and introduced as a service cartridge in 1891. Originally designed for the bolt-action Mosin–Nagant rifle, it was used during the late tsarist era and throughout the Soviet period to the present day. The cartridge remains one of the few standard-issue rimmed cartridges still in military use, and has one of the longest service lives of any military-issued cartridge.[4]

The American Winchester Model 1895 was also chambered for this cartridge per a contract with the Russian government. The 7.62×54mmR is still in use by the Russian military in the Dragunov, SV-98 and other sniper rifles, as well as some modern general-purpose machine guns like the PKM and Pecheneg machine gun.

I'll probably use my 25.06 Remi 700 in the mornings and my 6.8SPC AR in the evenings when it's more likely to see hogs.

JR

Here she is. 1937 Tula model.

240 weatherby mag

I might just pull out my 1867/74 swedish rolling block to take. Originally in 12.17x42R rimfire. It would have then been converted to 12.7x44R centerfire. But when I was working on fire forming reloads I did a chamber cast and found it had later been converted to 50-70. I made up 50 black powder cast bullet hunting loads for it, sighted it in, and had intentions to hunt with it for kicks one season. I never have, but I do hear it singing to me from the gun safe.

Im digging this thread much more than the popular caliber thread

I can think of nothing more nostalgic than using such a firearm to put a deer on the skinning rack.

If I decide to take a doe or does later this year, I'll pull out the Doe Snatcher - my .220 Swift with my handloads.

25-06, 30-06, .357 mag, and the wife’s .270 will hopefully all get to let a few fly this season.

I almost always hunt with a few different ones. This year it will most likely be 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 38-55 and 6.5 Grendel. Might drag out the 7-30 Waters Contender

I almost always hunt with a few different ones. This year it will most likely be 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 38-55 and 6.5 Grendel. Might drag out the 7-30 Waters Contender

That's cool.

If I decide to go close and iron sights, 9.3x57.
Nobody has said 450 Bushmaster. May have to dig out the Ranch rifle....

Winchester 1895 in 30-40 Krag. Be taking it it to the "pig" stand.

6.5x47 Lapua is not very common. Good hunting caliber with proper bullets.

I would figure I would be the winner in this contest , as I have many rifles in cartridges that I developed . 35 Carcano , 8.8mm Mosin , 8x47 mm Mauser , 357 Bandit , 44 Bandit , 45 Bandit , 500 Bandit , 7x48 mm Mauser to name a few . I also hunt with some rare European rifles . Gew-88 in 8x60 mm , French Lebel in 450 Nitro express , 11.2 mm Sc Mauser .

Where do you ever find casings for such loads?

He aint shrugging that off lol.

I am guessing you are shooting a .58 caliber Muzzleloader of some sort. Which one are you shooting?

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Shoot, most everything I carry around these days would be considered odd by "modern" standards...

Scoped bolt rifle? 6x45 (6mm-.223) if I'm feeling wild, a .250 Savage or 7 Mauser if I'm truly serious...most likely my old warhorse .375 H&H. I refinished its original French walnut stock this last year and it deserves to spend time afield as well (and the .375 is a helluva versatile cartridge and has been since 1912).

There'll be "double rifle days" where I'll be afield with a .30-30 double, a .45-70 double or even a 9.3x74R (almost as versatile as the .375).

"Small" days will find me with a .25-20 or a .32-20 in my hands (levers, of course).

My God, how boring it must be to only hunt with one rifle...that's why I avoid it at all costs!

Mark

257 Roberts

I’m gonna buy a 240 Page Sooper Pooper and win this next year. Or is that today’s 243? I need to consult Mr Ackley’s book.

I make them . On some of them I even have to make the jacketed bullets .

450 Marlin

1956 Remington Gamemaster chambered in .300 Savage. Inherited from my Dad. Used to carry it occasionally, now it’s all I deer hunt with.

9.3 X62

Just curious how some of you end up with these rifles chambered in some of these calibers. Don't take me wrong, my point isn't to call such decisions into question, but rather, if there's a story behind the decision.

The 9.3×62mm (also known as 9.3×62mm Mauser) is a rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge designed in 1905 by German gunmaker Otto Bock. It is suitable for hunting medium to large game animals in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.

The 9.3×62mm was designed to fit into the Mauser 98 bolt-action rifle.[2] European hunters and settlers in Africa often chose military rifles for their reliability and low cost, but colonial governments in Africa fearful of rebellions often banned military-caliber rifles and ammunition. The 9.3×62mm was never a military cartridge and so never had this problem.

I might take my Marlin 336ER in .356 win.

I picked up a beautiful custom Mauser this year in 9.3x62 it will do fine for a whitetail, just put it behind the front shoulder and let her rip. I hope to be posting a picture of it after this week. As big a bullet as it is it kicks like my 30-06 using 220 grain bullets

After owning and shooting rifles in about all the commercial and military cartridges , I went looking for the real old European hunting rounds . After that I started designing my own cartridges that did what I wanted to do a little better and building rifles to shoot them . For example I developed the 45 Bandit for pig shooting over 25 years ago , before pig hunting became so popular .

Is that the Graham shooting range?

Thanks for the reply.

Hopefully we'll see that 126 post count grow at lot in the future.

I like going through old estate sales sometimes to find things you don't see every day. I have an old 6.5 japanese rifle with bayonet, and a 303 british I shot my first deer with.

Austin Rifle Club Range. That picture is from 2005. I had sponsored a little vintage military rifle shooting match that year. I won the scoped rifle class in 2001 with a M41B and though I also won in 2005, it did not count because my part time business sponsored it. I gave away antique Turkish mausers to the winners. Good times back then.

475 linebaugh in a revolver. Haven't seen that listed yet

I am a long time gun collector and own over 200 long guns. Mostly military Curio and Relics focused on collections of USGI, Swedish, Antique Centerfire, and a curio collection of rifles of unusual design or provenance. And the rest just an accumulation or investment. I used to pick one rifle from the collection every year to find or make a hunting load for, sight in, learn it's limitations, then hunt with it for one season. With my eyes not what they used to be and most of those rifles being open sighted, it has pretty much ended that practice for me.

I'm using handloads for deer this year, and i plan on carrying my 7X57 if any hogs arrive.

.25 WSSM, and just to make it interesting, I might carry my .41AE as a side arm. My wife will hunt with her .243 WSSM

This years starting long gun will be the SMLE .303 British. If she takes on down I will pull out my Sav 1899 in .303 SAV

It's obvious that hunters have enjoyed plenty of choices when it comes to finding a rifle that's entirely sufficient for taking wild game. And yet, there are those who still flock to something new as if it will somehow outperform everything before it.

I've often said that if you want to learn something new about firearms, don't head to the range and look for the guys wearing camo. Rather, look for the old gray-haired guys who look like they would never waste their time sitting in a deer stand.

I'll be using my .357 Marlin on opening day.

My first deer ever was taken with a 7.5 Swiss Schmidt-Rubin. I wish I still had that rifle.I think it cost my uncle $25 in 1972, and a box of ammo was almost $20.

Thanks for the reply.

Hopefully we'll see that 126 post count grow at lot in the future.
[/quote


I do not post much , so 126 is good for me .To honor this thread I am going to bring my 1903 Lebel African sporter in 450 Nitro express this weekend for pigs , and I will bring a camera. We will see what a 500 grain bullet will do for a big pig . Since the rifle has express sights on it , the pigs will need to be out in daylight .

I hope to take down something other than hogs with my TAC 30 (aka 30 Herret AR). It will start out as my back-up rifle though because my pet 6.8 SPC has the place of honor first.

Me too. CZ 550 FS.

Here is a photo for Texas Dan . I spent three days at my place , mainly to guard the borders and check on the deer . I did shoot a mid size [ about 180 lb ] boar after dark . Since it was dark I could not use the .450 NE rifle as it only has express sights . I used my .357 Bandit bolt rifle with a scope . I developed the .357 Bandit about 5 years ago , the 350 Win Legend it a copy . Same exact case size , the only difference is Win made their case head about .007 larger so you had to use their cases . They also changed the bullet type a little going with a more rifle style bullet . I wanted the impact performance of the .357 pistol bullet at high velocity , yet the expansion of the pistol bullet at subsonic velocity . I used the H - 180 xtp bullet for this shot . I hit the boar in the side of the head at 95 yards . It knocked him over and then he rolled down the side of the dry creek bed .

357 mag and 38-55 are getting more popular. When it's time, I will hunt with my Ruger 44 Special. I carry my 45 Colt rifle as well.

7wsm

.264 Win Mag

Hoping my oldest grandson gets his first deer with my old 6x47 (222RemMag necked up to 6MM) 85gr Partitions....

My son will be carrying a 7.7 Arisaka for opening day in Arkansas this weekend that was handed down to him from his PaPa.

That's awesome!

I sat with a 7.7 jap a week ago. Shot a hog recently with my Swede.

I have a 38-40 Win that I doubt that I'll ever shoot again. When I first got it over 40 years ago, I shot a deer and retired it. The ammo I have for it is ancient.

IF I take a rifle out this year. 338 Win Mag, 7mm STW or 300 Weatherby Mag

.357 Maximum 180 grain jacketed soft point.
A dream to shoot and deadly accurate from single shot 18" barrel!

45 Colt or 35 Remington. Whichever one I grab going out the door. The 45 Colt usually gets the nod though, I need to rethink the scope on my 35 Remington. If I hit west Texas again this year it will be the boring old 7-08.

.220 Swift for head shots on does

Just picked up a Tikka 270, so that’s what I’ll use for the remainder of the season.

I doubt I'll be carrying this deer hunting, but here is my "odd-rifle-cartridge" combo.

You'll no doubt have a lot of company with that choice of cartridge.

I bought a Pre 64 Model 70 in 300 H&H magnum from a fellow THF member a couple of years ago. I am going to try it out on a BB Doe. Might be a little over kill but we shall see.

Will mostly carry my 25-06 although it doesn't seem that rare looking at this thread. If pigs start showing up I'll carry my 7.62x39 Ar15 with 154 gr soft points. I could carry my 30-378 Weatherby Mag for a rare carry but it is way too much for Tx deer especially when the furthest shot on my place is about 200 yards...

What is that, 218 bee, on small Martini.

.280 Rem