What was the best military rifle cartridge in WW2?

[timmy]

Forgotten Weapons is one of the most authoritative sources on Youtube that I've found.

Ian addresses the best rifle cartridge of WW2 and why in this video. I will say, he didn't choose mine, and after watching and thinking about it, I see his point. It hasn't changed my "wish list," but that's all such a list is for me anymore, anyway. So give it a try and see where Ian ranks yours. Maybe you'll agree with him, and maybe you won't, but it's a fun and learning video:



Any other viewpoints?

[Jr.]

My top 2 Military Surplus Rifle to own within the Indian law,
1.Mauser K98k (Karabiner 98 Kurz) chambered for the 7.92X57 mm Mauser Cartridge.
(Ammo may not be easily available)
2.1903 Springfield in 30.06.
The Mauser Bolt was incorporated into the Springfield Rifle.

Regards,
Jr.

[eljefe]

Attr to Ian V Hogg:

“… the American's had the best target rifle, the Germans had the best hunting rifle, and that the British had the best battle rifle…”

In a ‘mad minute shoot’ , the venerable Smelly cant be beat. Call me parochial

[timmy]

It's true that the cartridge and the rifle for which it was intended can become intertwined!

I see Ian's appreciation for the 7.35 Carcano round. Many of these rifles were sold to Finland, which was engaged with the Soviet Union in a war, because, as Ian mentioned, the Italians couldn't equip their own Army with the new weapons in time. The Finns didn't like them, due to the crude sights. Many look at the Mosin Nagant as a crude rifle, but I think that it's quite elegant compared to a Carcano. Yet, the Carcano is a relatively inexpensively made rifle suitable for the purpose for which it was intended.

All this said, I like the 6.5 Japanese Arisaka cartridge. The rifle for it was famously strong, and its said that the rifle's very long barrel made it fairly quiet to shoot, besides the cartridge itself having low recoil. The quiet report was said to make the 6.5 Japanese quite effective in sniper use in the jungles of Guadalcanal. I would like to have one, in fact, with a very good or better bore.

But in the end, I suspect that the Soviets probably answered the question correctly with the 7.62x39