286: .30 Caliber Cartridges: Your Ultimate Guide

11/30/23 • 133 min

Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!

The United States is a country where 30 caliber cartridges reign supreme. Don’t get me wrong: other bore diameters are plenty popular too, but none can hold a candle to the .308 in terms of popularity or variety though. In fact, if there were an “official” rifle cartridge of the United States, I’m sure it would be a 30 caliber cartridge of some sort. In this episode, I hit the highlights of some popular (and not so popular) 30 caliber cartridges and discuss their history, legacy, their strengths and weaknesses, and their recommended uses in detail.

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Sponsor: Go to HuntingGuns101.com and Sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday (along with my weekly ammo supply updates).

Resources

30 Carbine: A Light, But Useful Cartridge – Blog article referenced in podcast

30-30 Winchester: Still Relevant A Century Later – Blog article referenced in podcast

30-40 Krag: Your Ultimate Guide – Blog article referenced in podcast

300 Remington Ultra Magnum: The Complete Guide To The 300 RUM – Blog article referenced in podcast

300 PRC: Read Before You Buy One! – Blog article referenced in podcast

300 WSM vs 300 Win Mag– Blog article referenced in podcast

300 PRC vs 338 Lapua – Blog article referenced in podcast

Best 300 Blackout Ammo - 300 Blackout Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 308 Win Ammo - 308 Winchester Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 30-06 Springfield Ammo - 30-06 Springfield Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 300 WSM Ammo - 300 WSM Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 300 Win Mag Ammo– 300 Win Mag Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 300 Win Mag Rifles – 300 Win Mag Hunting Rifle Recommendations

Best Hunting Ear Protection For Sportsmen – Ear protection recommendations

Best Rifle Scopes For Hunting - Rifle scope recommendations

Best Hunting Rifle Slings - Rifle sling recommendations

Show notes: https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/podcast/30-caliber-cartridges/

Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

30 Carbine: A Light, But Useful Cartridge – Blog article referenced in podcast

30-30 Winchester: Still Relevant A Century Later – Blog article referenced in podcast

30-40 Krag: Your Ultimate Guide – Blog article referenced in podcast

300 Remington Ultra Magnum: The Complete Guide To The 300 RUM – Blog article referenced in podcast

300 PRC: Read Before You Buy One! – Blog article referenced in podcast

300 WSM vs 300 Win Mag– Blog article referenced in podcast

300 PRC vs 338 Lapua – Blog article referenced in podcast

Best 300 Blackout Ammo - 300 Blackout Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 308 Win Ammo - 308 Winchester Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 30-06 Springfield Ammo - 30-06 Springfield Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 300 WSM Ammo - 300 WSM Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 300 Win Mag Ammo– 300 Win Mag Hunting Ammo Recommendations

Best 300 Win Mag Rifles – 300 Win Mag Hunting Rifle Recommendations

Best Hunting Ear Protection For Sportsmen – Ear protection recommendations

Best Rifle Scopes For Hunting - Rifle scope recommendations

Best Hunting Rifle Slings - Rifle sling recommendations

Show notes: https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/podcast/30-caliber-cartridges/

Previous Episode

285: Hunting With Banish Suppressors: The Good, Bad, & The Ugly

Today we’re going to talk about hunting with suppressors in detail. I first jumped on the silencer bandwagon back in 2021 when I purchased a Banish 30 from Silencer Central. I now possess 5 different suppressors and I’ve accumulated a lot of experience at the range and afield with them over the past 2 years. I hit highlights of all 5 suppressors I own in this episode (along with the pros, cons, and recommended uses for each one). Plus I also share some lessons I’ve learned over the past couple of years about using and caring for a suppressor, explain what the process of buying a suppressor is like, and give you some specific recommendations on which suppressor models are best suited for the sort of hunting you do.

Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Click here, purchase a qualifying Banish suppressor from Silencer Central (like the Banish 30, Banish Backcountry, or Banish 46), and receive a Banish 22K-V2 rimfire suppressor for free for a limited time while supplies last.

Resources

Banish 30 Review – Blog article referenced in podcast

Banish Backcountry Review – Blog article referenced in podcast

Banish 46 Review – Blog article referenced in podcast

Ep 283: 2023 New Mexico Mule Deer Hunt With My Son! – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 249: 2023 Silencer Updates With Brandon Maddox – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 232: 2022 Arizona Elk Hunt Recap – Podcast referenced in episode

Next Episode

287: 6.8 Western vs 7mm PRC: Battle of the New Kids on the Block

I have another cartridge comparison for you today where we compare two of the newest centerfire rifle cartridges to hit the market: the 6.8 Western and the 7mm PRC. Especially since they're both so new and seem to fit into a similar performance category, it’s only natural that many hunters would be curious about how the 6.8 Western stacks up against the 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge. Well, that’s what I do in this episode where I investigate the 6.8 Western vs 7mm PRC debate in detail and provide some insight into which cartridge is better suited for common hunting situations so you can make an informed decision on which one will work best for your individual needs.

Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Hunting Guns 101: If you enjoy these cartridge comparison episodes, then you will love Hunting Guns 101 because it’s full of the same sort of information contained in these episodes, just with even more detail and analysis. Hunting Guns 101 is jam packed with useful information about practical ballistics and firearms in general that will help you be more successful afield and fill more tags on your hunts.

This training will teach you what you need to know about practical ballistics and is guaranteed to be both a time and money saver going forward with future gear purchases. Go to huntingguns101.com/form and submit the order form to receive instant access.

Resources

7mm PRC vs 6.8 Western: Ultimate Guide – Blog article referenced in podcast

Best 7mm PRC Ammo For Hunting - 7mm PRC hunting ammo recommendations

Best 6.8 Western Ammo For Hunting - 6.8 Western hunting ammo recommendations

Best 7mm PRC Rifles For Hunting - 7mm PRC hunting rifle recommendations

Best 6.8 Western Rifles For Hunting - 6.8 Western hunting rifle recommendations

Best Hunting Ear Protection For Sportsmen – Ear protection recommendations

Best Rifle Scopes For Hunting - Rifle scope recommendations

Best Hunting Rifle Slings - Rifle sling recommendations