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Hunting >> Hunting in Australia, NZ & the South Pacific

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NitroX
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Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39883
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib
#350921 - 28/02/21 03:20 PM

Your favourite or most popular Australian and NZ hunting calibre

The South Pacific's turn.

Now we use almost entirely US and European/British cartridges/ calibres. I did show Euro/British, because Aussies do think that way.

We do however have some uniquely Aussie choices. created here. They will not feature highly in modern and popular use. WERE widely used however in the years following WW2.

So this discussion will not be on the original origin of the cartridge but more what is used here, now or in the past.

All members are welcome to join in whether located here or not, have visited here, have hunted or shot here or not.

Please join in.

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Bindi2
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Reged: 03/03/11
Posts: 80
Loc: WA, Aust

Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: NitroX]
#350942 - 28/02/21 11:18 PM

303, 243.303,22K Hornet .22, .177 lately 308. Almost forgot the shottie 12g

Edited by Bindi2 (28/02/21 11:21 PM)

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93x64mm
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Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4200
Loc: Nth QLD Australia

Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: Bindi2]
#350969 - 01/03/21 10:21 AM

The humble .22LR in a Winchester single shot for lighter stuff (wallabies) & the H&R model 1900 410 shotgun, for top knot & squatter pigeons - yum!
My older cousin had a Parker Hale M1100 lightweight in .243 which back in the 70's was then a very flash piece of kit, well it did everything heavier! He didn't realised that I would have bought all of his gear & sold it when I was away doing my trade exams for 30 pieces of silver!
I finally have one of my own H&R 410 but its a model 1915, virtually identical to the Model 1900. I'm keeping that for my grandkids to learn on. Some how I'd like to see if I can get an old Winchester model 60, I think that what it was. Most probably like hens teeth now!

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NitroX
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: 93x64mm]
#350992 - 01/03/21 03:53 PM

Before getting on to what mine are, are there any Aussie or Kiwi cartridges?

The closest I can think of, are the .303 derivatives after WW2 and maybe WW1?

With lots of surplus SMLEs in .303, many were modified to create the .270/303, the .25/303, even a .22/303. .375/303s as well I think.

No doubt Canadians will say these are not uniquely Australian and NZ but maybe they were here first.

I think in the 1950's a .303 and some of these would have been the most common. In addition to rimfires and shotguns, and perhaps .22 Hornets.

Richer shooters might have had a Rigby .275 as one of my "neighbours" did have.

The only other firearms I personally know about from older days were Martinis - Henrys and Cadets - and other pre 1900 firearms. Even the odd muzzle loading shotgun.

Later with the .222 and .243 such modern unheard of velocities and ease of use and versatility caused them to become the most popular.

I wouldn't mind a .25/303 in a SMLE one day. Would make a nice Southern feral pig rifle.

Do our members here agree with my comments and beliefs above? Or am I wrong?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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93x64mm
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Reged: 07/12/11
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Loc: Nth QLD Australia

Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: NitroX]
#350997 - 01/03/21 07:34 PM

There was a great number of .303 & its derivatives after WWII up to the late 60's early 70's; so John I believe you are correct. I can recall a lot of the old 'outdoor' magazines that my uncle used to have that had been stored away; many of them mentioned at least one article that would pertain to the .303 in its many guises & lots of adds for ammunition to reflect as such.
As to the era between WWI & WWII, I believe it would be a real mishmash of 1892 Winchesters, 310 cadets & God only know what else! Most probably the common 12 gauge shotgun would have been the most common overall; the humble rabbit 'underground mutton' fed a lot of folks during the depression years.

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Bindi2
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Loc: WA, Aust

Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: 93x64mm]
#350999 - 01/03/21 09:14 PM

There were 3 versions of the 22/303.
The 243/303 is no slouch.

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NitroX
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: 93x64mm]
#351002 - 02/03/21 01:32 AM

Quote:

As to the era between WWI & WWII, I believe it would be a real mishmash of 1892 Winchesters, 310 cadets & God only know what else! Most probably the common 12 gauge shotgun would have been the most common overall; the humble rabbit 'underground mutton' fed a lot of folks during the depression years.

Yes I forgot there were a fair number of lever actions in such cartridges such as .44/40, .32/20 etc. Out bush, cowboys! I remember reading about water buffalo hide hunters using them on water buffalo from the back of a horse. The .44 that is.

Of course the .22 rimfire was everywhere, and every farm had one, and probably a shotgun of some sort.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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EDELWEISS
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Reged: 22/11/05
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Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: NitroX]
#351010 - 02/03/21 05:01 AM

Well I was gonna say 310 Cadet; but I have yet to fall that far down the rabbit hole of hard to find cartridges (Lord knows its on my list); so Ill just say .303 what else could be a more perfect answer.

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DarylS
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Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: EDELWEISS]
#351027 - 02/03/21 08:30 AM

I have a head-stamped .270-303 ctg. case.
No idea where it came from - obviously Australia - but how & when???

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Marrakai
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Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3591
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: DarylS]
#351071 - 03/03/21 01:45 PM

Edelweiss:
If you were in Oz the .310 Cadet is a piece of cake to load for.
Unprimed Bertram cases for under a buck a throw, and perfect coated bullets from Hawkesbury River (and other makers no doubt) cheap as chips considering the quality.
Shot one of mine a couple of weeks ago at our "Rorke's Drift" event, as I didn't have enough BP-loaded 577/450s on hand. Felt like cheating!

Otherwise, the old three-oh is certainly a safe call.

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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BigEyeBob
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Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: 93x64mm]
#351235 - 08/03/21 07:45 PM

The 222 Rimmed is a totally Australian cartridge .I have a Martini Cadet chambered in this cartridge and enjoy using it . Handloaded with 50g zmax projectiles and Bench mark powder it's very accurate.

MY 303/25 built on a 96 Ludwig Lowe mauser is a great favourite rifle,handloaded 100gn Taipans do the job .
THE KAR98 I own chambered in 303/270 is another.
Both these rifles get used regularly .

The above cartridges were loaded commercially in Australia up to the mid to late 60's I believe by a couple of companies . A lot were repurposed milsurplus 303 cartirdges necked down to accept the 25 and 270 sized projectiles with some cordite sticks removed. Later new berdan prime cases were used and some breed of ball powder .

Of course the 222Rimmed was not a 303 based cartridge ,it was entirely its own cartridge case ,primarily designed for the surplus of Martini cadet conversions .

There was a number of cartridges based on the 303 case , 6 versions of the 303/22;at least three 25 cal conversions ,303/270 , 303/243/6mm , and just recently 303/35 ,and from Sth Africa a 303/416.

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DarylS
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Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: BigEyeBob]
#351240 - 09/03/21 04:54 AM

The straight .303 to .408cal is an interesting number.
It is a little shorter than the .40 Maynard, seems to me and would make an excellent smokeless round for a Mark 111 or better yet, a #4.
Ken Waters, some time ago, had a #1 Ruger chambered for the .303 necked to .375 and called it a .37 Rimmed, seems to me.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Rule303
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Reged: 05/07/09
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Loc: Woodford Qld

Re: Your favourite or most popular Aussie and Kiwi hunting calib [Re: DarylS]
#351258 - 09/03/21 05:09 PM

My most used is the 270Win here and in NZ. Followed by 35Whelen, 35 Sambar, 358/338RUM, 303, 6.8SPC then the humble 22Rimfire. My 22 Hornet is a Slazenger which is a Lithgow No1 *** converted to 22 Hornet. Not many rabbits around my area. My other calibres get very little use.

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