Most UNDERRATED Cartridge???

[JoshT]

I threw a couple of these in because I feel they're truly underrated.

#1... .375 H&H. The 260 Accubond has made the old three-seven-five a true all around cannon. Having owned and killed critters with one... there is no doubt that the .375 running the 260 at 2800 would make a serious impression on anything it hit... including big bears. All of this and the recoil is about like a stout 12 gauge load... they know their schitt in Africa... and the .375 is held in the highest regard over there.

#2... .45/70. In a modern firearm this old soldier is capable of taking on any animal that walks the earth... including buffs and jumbos... and it isn't terribly abusive either.

#3... .338 Win. While you hear about the .338 a lot... I don't think people really know how much more gun this is than an '06 or .300 Win... it's a LOT more gun. Flat enough to handle most hunting... with a lot more clout than any big .30 can put out. The .338 is truly an excellent caliber that deserves a little more accolades than 'excellent elk rifle'.

[Slider]

No doubt it's the 9.3 in any form!!!
Where is the 7mm RM? .........

[Gutpile]

.260

[GoldTip]

I voted the 8mm remington magnum.  It got a bad rap in the days of yesteryear due to being loaded with poorly constructed bullets.  I think with handloads using todays premium bullets it would do everything that the 338wm will do and shoot flatter to boot.

[bearpaw]

Of the calibers you list, I also vote the 375 as most under rated in North America.

As you mentioned it is highly respected in other parts of the world. That is a .375 in my hands in my buffalo photo.

[Dakota Dogman]

hmmm... 7x57 seems to get a bad rap to me.
.32 H&R mag also, people seem to think it is only a glorified .22 mag.

Guess I've never known anyone who underrated the .375; never known anyone who needed one.  It was always 'more gun' than the situation demanded.

God Bless,

[WDFW-SUX]

7-mm 08

[Slider]

The 375 H&H is quickly replacing the 338 mag in Alaska. I don't think it has ever been underestimated. There just is no use for it in WA?

[JoshT]

Oh there's a use for it in WA... if I were building an "elk" rifle, it would be an 8.5# .375 H&H wearing a 2.5-8... no doubt. It also handles blackbears pretty well. I've seen what a 260 Accubond will do to stuff... and I've never seen anything like it... you think a .338 makes an impression on elk... that .375 ups the ante a bunch.

I think it's underrated because folks don't know how flat it really shoots, and how little it really kicks. I shot 72 grains of RE-15 under the 260 for right at 2800fps... and that 260 Accubond has a BC over .450... so, that's flatter than an '06 running a 180... with almost twice the energy and a very significant increase in frontal area aswell. I've shot a bunch of .338s... and all of them kicked a lot worse than the .375s I've shot... but none of them had the clout that the old ouch & ouch does.

[Bigshooter]

I voted for the 45/70.  It is a great cartride if you are a handloader.

[bearpaw]

Oh there's a use for it in WA... if I were building an "elk" rifle, it would be an 8.5# .375 H&H wearing a 2.5-8... no doubt. It also handles blackbears pretty well. I've seen what a 260 Accubond will do to stuff... and I've never seen anything like it... you think a .338 makes an impression on elk... that .375 ups the ante a bunch.

I think it's underrated because folks don't know how flat it really shoots, and how little it really kicks.

.375 does shoot a little flatter than I thought and amazing I didn't think it kicked any worse than a 12 gauge. The same sort of kick, a big push, not a sharp kick like other rifles. I felt comfortable shooting it and would highly recommend it for bear or elk. Someday I will own one.....

[Bigshooter]

Oh there's a use for it in WA... if I were building an "elk" rifle, it would be an 8.5# .375 H&H wearing a 2.5-8... no doubt. It also handles blackbears pretty well. I've seen what a 260 Accubond will do to stuff... and I've never seen anything like it... you think a .338 makes an impression on elk... that .375 ups the ante a bunch.

I think it's underrated because folks don't know how flat it really shoots, and how little it really kicks.

.375 does shoot a little flatter than I thought and amazing I didn't think it kicked any worse than a 12 gauge. The same sort of kick, a big push, not a sharp kick like other rifles. I felt comfortable shooting it and would highly recommend it for bear or elk. Someday I will own one.....

I hate recoil but it doesn't bother me to shoot a .375.  Just a push not a crack to the shoulder.

[jdb]

.45 colt

[superdown]

I think the 243. gets a pretty bad rap it's allways suggested for a kid / new shooter but it's not good enough for the seasoned hunter / shooter .

[ecnclan]

My vote the 375, shoots flat enough, will kill anything (though may be less than some want for elephant) and is incredibly efficient if you reload.