This article isn’t going to be about which rile caliber is the best. That debate has been going on since before my time and will be long after I’m dust.

This article will be about considerations you have to make before hitching a ride on the bandwagon. Competition shooters tend to think that the grass is greener on the other side. You never know when they may be correct. But sometimes, it’s better to be patient and appreciate what you have.

How many times have you heard a shooter say, “Hey, have you heard about the new caliber? It will be the best in the world!” At that point, I usually reach for my bottle of aspirin.

This is a saying that, unfortunately, I hear several times every year. People will build rifles of that caliber, thinking it will give them an edge. Fast-forward to the following year, and you will not find a single shooter using that new shiny rifle. Seriously, I see that happen more times than I can even count.

My first mentor was a National Benchrest Champion. The very first thing she taught me was, “EVERYTHING has to be consistent. When you change one little thing on your gun, you have just changed everything.” The only thing you should change on a regular basis is your underwear.

Now there’s another side to the coin. Competition shooters, myself included, enjoy building rifles. It gives me an excuse to get into trouble with my spouse. I don’t know what I would do with myself in the winter if I weren’t building stuff.

I live in a climate not suited for human habitation during the winter. In other words, I have some quality time on my hands. Where do you think I find the time to write all these articles? (Lol)

Before you roll the dice and make a switch, I advise keeping these things in mind:

How much time and financial investment will this require?

How much practice will be necessary to get familiar with the changes?

Are you better off staying with what you know or betting on the new best rifle caliber?

Is unicorn dust a game-changer?

I competed for seven years with a small-caliber rifle (sometimes I still do) that most would consider a pea-shooter and do exceptionally well with it. I know exactly how my gun performs in all conditions automatically, as if through muscle memory.

Being intimately familiar with my system has always given me an edge. You can use familiarity to your advantage.

It doesn’t matter what you use as long as you can shoot it well.

Some think you need a Civil War cannon in order to win a 600-yard match. That’s a load of BS. John Whidden of Whidden Gunworks. has won five national championships shooting what most would say is an inefficient long-range rifle.

Honestly, you would be hard-pressed to find many national champions who consistently change from one thing to the next. There is an excellent reason for that, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it,”

What is the best rifle caliber?

So before you go off chasing the latest and greatest, it would be wise to ask yourself, “Is this the best idea?” Then again, maybe that new caliber is going to be a game-changer. Only time will tell.

I advise waiting a couple of years to see if people are still shooting it. What is the point of filling a snake oil salesman’s pocket? A little patience may save you several headaches, a lot of cash, and maybe a marriage or two.

I believe this article has answered the question What is the best rifle caliber?

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