since 1995
Most Popular Rifle Chamberings
Choosing a Christensen Arms rifle is often the easy part. Selecting the round or caliber that is best suited for your needs can sometimes present a larger challenge. If you’re on the fence, or just curious to know what other people hunt and hit the range with, we’ve put together a quick guide outlining the top 5 most popular bolt-action rifle chamberings we’ve sold over the past year. Don’t fret—whether you choose to follow the crowd or opt for something less conventional you’re still shooting a Christensen Arms firearm.
Few will be surprised that 6.5 Creedmoor (6.5 CRDMR) leads the list in 2018. This highly versatile do-anything cartridge has a well-deserved reputation for long-range accuracy on the range and a broad array of hunting applications. The 6.5 Creedmoor is a lightweight short-action round that produces less recoil than other popular chamberings. Shooters can generally expect a relatively long barrel life and common availability of ammunition. For hunting, 6.5 Creedmoor is suitable for most game smaller than elk or moose.
Generations of Americans have favored the .300 Winchester Magnum (300 WIN MAG) as an all-around hunting and target shooting cartridge. It certainly isn’t a new long-action chambering, but has earned its keep with serious long-range performance that delivers hard hitting shots without the recoil of larger rounds. If you’re only going to ever hunt with one rifle this might be the chambering for you. This cartridge is powerful enough to hunt nearly any animal found in North America, but it is particularly popular for elk, moose, and bighorn sheep.
Those who choose to shoot .338 Lapua Magnum (338 LAPUA) are looking for the largest and most powerful long-range round they can get. This long-action chambering will deliver lethal shots far and fast, although it packs a punch at both ends. Ammunition is often slightly more expensive and less common than other popular chamberings. Shooters can expect to see a barrel life similar to the .300 Winchester Magnum. The .338 Lapua Magnum is capable of hunting most large animals.
Another traditional cartridge, the .308 Winchester (308 WIN) has achieved notable recognition as a highly versatile short-action chambering. A firearm chambered in .308 Winchester will not consistently achieve the same long-range performance as 6.5 Creedmoor, but will likely experience a longer barrel life. As one of the most popular hunting cartridges of all time, ammunition is widely available for this chambering. The .308 Winchester is well suited for most medium to large sized game including elk and moose.
The 7mm Remington Magnum (7MM REM MAG) is another tried and true round that has stood the test of time. Similar in size to the .300 Winchester Magnum, this long-action chambering is capable of achieving slightly longer distances with less recoil. However, it lacks some of the knock-down power .300 Winchester Magnum is known for. Barrel life will generally also be comparable to .300 Winchester Magnum. Hunters will find the 7mm Remington Magnum suitable for deer, sheep, elk, and some larger game.
