19 caliber owners (opinions please)
- Thread starter NCVARMINT
- Start date
NCVARMINT,
I own all three Calhoon calibers. The most accurate for me is the .19Calhoon (Hornet). The flattest shooter is the .19-223. But, I like the .19 Badger the best. The .19 Calhoon has a rim. Does not feed as smooth as the badger. the .19-223 can be a little loud in small areas. The badger has excellent accuracy, not too loud, and very accurate.
All three are easy to load. The .19 Calhoon and the .19-223 are easy to form the brass. According to James you should not try to form the brass for the Badger. His prices are very reasonable for brass, bullets, and loaded cartridges. I bought 500 rounds of brass for the Badger and 200 rounds of loaded ammo. I also bought 1000 bullets in each of the weights. Between the three rifles I am set for awhile.
The Mach IV is nice. But, the Badger is nicer. Calhoon uses .30 M1 brass to form the Badger. Probably could use .221 Fireball, but M1 brass is cheap and strong.
Guess you can tell I really like these rifles.
Jeff
I own all three Calhoon calibers. The most accurate for me is the .19Calhoon (Hornet). The flattest shooter is the .19-223. But, I like the .19 Badger the best. The .19 Calhoon has a rim. Does not feed as smooth as the badger. the .19-223 can be a little loud in small areas. The badger has excellent accuracy, not too loud, and very accurate.
All three are easy to load. The .19 Calhoon and the .19-223 are easy to form the brass. According to James you should not try to form the brass for the Badger. His prices are very reasonable for brass, bullets, and loaded cartridges. I bought 500 rounds of brass for the Badger and 200 rounds of loaded ammo. I also bought 1000 bullets in each of the weights. Between the three rifles I am set for awhile.
The Mach IV is nice. But, the Badger is nicer. Calhoon uses .30 M1 brass to form the Badger. Probably could use .221 Fireball, but M1 brass is cheap and strong.
Guess you can tell I really like these rifles.
Jeff
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Jay Johnson
New member
Yes I would choose the .17 Mach IV first. The big reason is a much better selection of bullets. If something happens to James Calhoon your bullet supply is all but gone.
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White Eagle
New member
I can't say anything about the Badger or the Calhoon but I do own and shoot a 19-223 and absolutely love that caliber.I have shot coyotes with it but no fox yet ,the coyotes I have shot were all one shot kills and the Calhoon bullets made tracking so easy a kindergardener could follow.Accuracy out of my gun is around a half inch at a 100 yds,mine was a CZ rebarrel.Great guns, Great service from Calhoon.As far as bullets go there are enough 19 cal shooters to keep the cal. alive you can also get a bullet resizing die from Corbin bullet swaging to reform resize 20 cal bullets if need be.
Droopyfur2
New member
Why not a 20 Vartarg??
Same case as the Mach-IV, major manufactors bullet choices thanks to the 204, not real loud, less powder than the 223 case on and on.
Don't get me wrong, nothing against the 19. It' a caliber with its own following, and those that do like them.
It's just a 17 or 20 chamberinig would have better bullet choices at less expensive prices and a wider selection.
I chose for my first wildcat a 17 Mach-IV, the 2nd one will be a 20 VT. Can't see a 19 in my future.
Hey, we only go around ounce, go for the 19 if you've a hankering. Resale will be good if you don't like it. (My bets on you do)
Later
DF2
Same case as the Mach-IV, major manufactors bullet choices thanks to the 204, not real loud, less powder than the 223 case on and on.
Don't get me wrong, nothing against the 19. It' a caliber with its own following, and those that do like them.
It's just a 17 or 20 chamberinig would have better bullet choices at less expensive prices and a wider selection.
I chose for my first wildcat a 17 Mach-IV, the 2nd one will be a 20 VT. Can't see a 19 in my future.
Hey, we only go around ounce, go for the 19 if you've a hankering. Resale will be good if you don't like it. (My bets on you do)
Later
DF2
mikegranger
Well-known member
NCVarmint,
I have a 19-223 and have used it on coyotes for several years. It's a great gun and very flat shooting. James built mine on a Rem 700 action. I also shoot a lot of pdogs with it. When I saw the 19 Badger (Calhoon is only 140 miles from me) I almost bought one right there. It looks to be a great pdog round as well as fox and coyote upto 250 yards. I really like the compact round, which is nice when one rolls onto a pdog town for a day of shooting several hundred rounds. I would have already purchased a 19 Badger if it weren't for my Dtech AR15 fetish..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Don't worry to much about bullet availability, if for some reason Calhoon quit making bullets someone else would fill the void. There's a lot of 19 caliber shooters out there.
Bottom line, if you're shooting coyotes at 300 + yards go for the 19-223, if it's varmints you're after, go with the Badger. Either one will make you extremely happy. James does a fine job and his guns are very accurate. 1/2 MOA is to be expected.
I have a 19-223 and have used it on coyotes for several years. It's a great gun and very flat shooting. James built mine on a Rem 700 action. I also shoot a lot of pdogs with it. When I saw the 19 Badger (Calhoon is only 140 miles from me) I almost bought one right there. It looks to be a great pdog round as well as fox and coyote upto 250 yards. I really like the compact round, which is nice when one rolls onto a pdog town for a day of shooting several hundred rounds. I would have already purchased a 19 Badger if it weren't for my Dtech AR15 fetish..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Don't worry to much about bullet availability, if for some reason Calhoon quit making bullets someone else would fill the void. There's a lot of 19 caliber shooters out there.
Bottom line, if you're shooting coyotes at 300 + yards go for the 19-223, if it's varmints you're after, go with the Badger. Either one will make you extremely happy. James does a fine job and his guns are very accurate. 1/2 MOA is to be expected.
Droopyfur2
New member
NCVARMINT
I'm not pushing my Mach-IV very fast. I found an accurate load at 3838 fps and have stayed with it.
Its with AA 2230--LC-04 brass--Rem 7 1/2--and a mollied 25 gr hornady..(22 inch barrel) Good luck with whatever you chose!!
Later
DF2
I'm not pushing my Mach-IV very fast. I found an accurate load at 3838 fps and have stayed with it.
Its with AA 2230--LC-04 brass--Rem 7 1/2--and a mollied 25 gr hornady..(22 inch barrel) Good luck with whatever you chose!!
Later
DF2