What is the MOST FUSSY cartridge...and LEAST?

[Bob Wright]

I found all my rifles with heavier barrels and good bedding were easy to tune.
22-250, 270, 7RM, and one 30-06 that is a noodle barrel, plastic SPS stock shoots anything well. Go figure.

 

[Joe-boy]

I haven't dealt with a large amount of calibers, but 22LR (which I still shoot the most) is extremely challenging. Occasionally a box of el cheapo shoots great. The next lot doesn't. If you try a box of high quality ammo that shoots great in your friend's rifle it might be all over the place. Or when the temp changes the groups open up. Or remain great but the POI changes. I've learned to test the available ammo with a decent sample size and then buy as much as I can to ensure I don't have to do that again the next month.

223 Rem has been relatively easy, but there's still one bullet I haven't been able to get grouping decently.

Many have told that 6.5 Creedmoor is a very forgiving cartridge. The chamber/throat dimensions seem to reduce some issues seen with other cartridges.

 

[Turpentine21]

As an aside it seems like anything I can use AR Comp in has been easy to work with. 308, 6.5 Grendel, 5.56. It just took me a while to find out about AR Comp.
In 270 Imr 4350 at around 55 grains was always the ticket with a 130 grain bullet And 52 worked well for a lighter recoiling load.

 

[TR1Hemi]

12 Ga sabot slugs. I was military and hunted in my home state of Illinois pre-straightwall laws. Loading your own is not really feasible, and with as few as you shoot why would you? My first was a Hastings barreled Rem 1100 with cantilever scope mount. My dad about had a good chuckle when I came home on leave and picked up 10 different loads, he knew the pain that was coming, benching a slug gun is not that fun. Some ran 5" at 50y, most were 2-3" then I put some Lightfiled's in one cloverleaf. Done deal. Took a non-typ 8pt at 127y on Crab Orchard NWR. My dad ditched his 870 smoothbore with rifled slugs and saddle scope mount that year.

My Gloss Engraved 1100 was too nice to subject to deer hunting, so my next setup was an 870 SuperSlug, rifled with cantilever mount. It ran best with the Federal Barnes eXpander Copper solid. That is what I took the 8 pointer in my profile pic about 70 yards. Also in the Crab Orchard NWR. 1oz at 1500fps and check out the HP in those bad boys!

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

Let's go down the rabbit hole. What is the most fussy cartridge you've ever had to deal with? You eventually got it to shoot acceptably but with much heartache and effort or maybe only shooting 1 particular load acceptably and shotgunning all others.

On the flip, whats the cartridge you found that can do no wrong? Whatever you throw together shoots well and just plain makes it looks easy.

Easiest 6.5 CM
Hardest 7-08 A.I.

 

[ARlife4me]

Easiest 264wm pre64 w/ Sierra 85, 100 & 140's.
Pita's: not sure yet other than 357sig

 

[Moondoggie]

The most fussy rifles have all been Brownings
The most fussy cartridge…has been the 270 Win.

The easiest rifles have been customs, shocking right
The easiest cartridge has been 6 Creedmoor, all three I load for don't seem to care about the combo I put through them.

Agreed on the Brownings

 

[Moondoggie]

Easiest, 6.5 creedmoor & 220 swift. Swift shoots everything sub MOA.
Fussiest, Browning BAR chambered in 30.06, and the Browning bolt with boss only likescancouple cartridges

 

[JP_SFL]

I had a custom built 7STW. That rifle would shoot every bullet I put through it into small groups. I've never owned any other rifle that would digest everything with such outstanding performance.

wat barrel?

 

[dwsitz]

My 6xc the tubb design and my 22-250 have been hands down the easiest to load for right off the get go.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

wat barrel?

I've had many rifles built over the years and have used most high-end match grade barrels. To be honest, I can't remember whose barrel was put on that particular rifle. If you want a good barrel today, I'd suggest looking at the builds of the guys who are winning matches recently.

There are MANY great barrel manufacturers today, and most of them can produce a barrel that is capable of better accuracy than you can use in a hunting rifle. Sub .5moa guns are fairly common today.

 

[milo-2]

The fact that we all have differing degrees of accuracy standards, this thread is subjective upfront.
Wouldn't the more efficient case designs be easier to load for?
I agree to some extent the barrel makes a difference, especially in factory rifles. It's pretty tough to get a crap custom barrel today using brand name barrels.

I'm leaning toward the chamber-throat being more important if ease is the goal.

 

[crazymonkey]

On the easy side my ruger 300wm it shoots everything . On the fussy side my Contender in 357 harret is not that it's fussy its just alot of work to get the case prep and dies set correctly.

 

[Rosebud]

For Me...
Fussiest: 224 Valkyrie
Easiest: 308 Win

I loaded for a guy who had bought a new Valkyrie from CZ. My 1st experience with the model 600. Not sure which was responsible for the hassle, rifle or cartridge. But that was the most pain in the A#$. I'd loaded in many years.