Assuming you started at the same age I did, Oh King of Canucks- I'm 75 and started with a Stevens Walnut Hill at age 10- thanks Grandpa-I like the 7x57, as did Jack O'Connor, but also the 30-06 and .35 Whelen, and shotguns- 12's with lighter loads, except the steel shot waterfowling shotguns- mainly Model 12's--both 2&3/4" and 3" versions- No 10 gauge or 3.5" 12 magnums for me, and I use RST 1 ounce loads in my LC Smiths-- @0 is Ok, but the .410 should be banned from the game fields, as was the thought of the late Nash Buckingham as well. Recoil and a poorly fitted gun- equal flinches and poor accuracy as a result. I use a .243Win Sako BA L579 with Leupold scope for woodchucks, haven't yet tried it on a hedgehog- but I'll wager a 6 pack of Molson Golden a .55 grain Hornady Moly-Tip .243 in the boiler room of a hedgehog would produce quite a splatter-
