Best all around caliber

[ilikegunspdx]

All those old calibers are not good enough. Go for whatever new round the manufacturers are pushing that is .003% different than a known excellent round that has been used for years. (Kidding!).

 

[titsonritz]

If I were made to pick , some O' them new fangled metallic cartridges....they'll never ketch on by the way....
I'd pick :
.45-70
.30 WCF
.30-06
.270
.308
Any of the above would do for me...and my hunting.

Some things that might be a smidge more important....

Well at least you put the king on the top. Between that one and .280AI, my hunting battery is complete enough for me.

 

[bionic knees]

Options are always good, I have .223, .257 Roberts, .270 WSM, .308 Win, .338 Win mag.

 

[Oxygen Mask]

whats everyones opinion on the best do it all caliber for western big game?

.22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer

 

[1911Fanatic]

I'd go 30-06 all day long.

 

[Oxygen Mask]

While I love my .243 for deer, if I could only have one hunting rifle it would be the venerable 30-06.
My .243 is a Ruger Ultralight
My 30-06 is a Browning BAR
For 2 legged defense I'd grab the Mini14....

 

[trevi]

I am biased to the 270 Winchester, very biased. But, I'll have to say as an "answer" to the OP, the 30-06 would be it. Don't own one any longer, that is why the 270 Win is the most repeated cartridge in my bolt arsenal, tied with the 6.5x55.

 

[Retired Guy]

30-06. Just about any gun shop will have it in stock.

 

[Oxygen Mask]

30-06. Just about any gun shop will have it in stock.

Or if you're in Montana, any supermarket, convenience store, and most restaurants......

 

[rhollister71]

If I were made to pick , some O' them new fangled metallic cartridges....they'll never ketch on by the way....
I'd pick :
.45-70
.30 WCF
.30-06
.270
.308
Any of the above would do for me...and my hunting.

Some things that might be a smidge more important....

Learn how to hunt...learn the land you hunt in..learn the animals you hunt...
Respect all the above as well.

Lean how to shoot and 'Care and Feed" for your rifle...in as many situations that you may find yourself in.

Respect your hunting and shooting abilities ...And stick with them.
The hunting field is not the place to experiment....
Save that for the range.

Andy

45-70 will drop any mammal in this hemisphere to be sure.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

45-70 will drop any mammal in this hemisphere to be sure.

Oh yeah...enjoyed hunting with this rifle for sure.
Andy

Springfield 1873 "Trapdoor" Rifle.

• Andy54Hawken
• Jun 21, 2020

 

[Oxygen Mask]

45-70 will drop any mammal in this hemisphere to be sure.

Yep! Fun for squirrels....

 

[Oxygen Mask]

Oh yeah...enjoyed hunting with this rifle for sure.
Andy

Springfield 1873 "Trapdoor" Rifle.

• Andy54Hawken
• Jun 21, 2020

What's that thing under the bayonette?

 

[2ndtimer]

You 30-06 fans are living in the past. The cartridge is 120 years old, for crying out loud! You need a more modern, new fangled cartridge: the .270 Winchester, it is a fresh 100 years old, but 100 is the new 50, when it comes to cartridges.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

What's that thing under the bayonette?

Well....the bayonet scabbard....
The other is a original Southern Cheyenne Arrow...circa 1860's - 1870's.
Andy

 

[Oxygen Mask]

220, 221, whatever it takes....

 

[Oxygen Mask]

Well....the bayonet scabbard....
The other is a original Southern Cheyenne Arrow...circa 1860's - 1870's.
Andy

Very cool!

 

[rhollister71]

45-70 will drop any mammal in this hemisphere to be sure.

Been doing it for 150+ years something must be Right

 

[orygun]

Magnums are seductive trap to fall into but being able to place shots with precision usually trumps all that "knock down" power.

I was awestruck when the 375 Ruger came out. I couldn't resist. Yeah, it kicked pretty hard but it was a 30-06 plus 100 grains. My 180gr '06 loads and my 270gr 375 loads had the same trajectory to at least 300 yards. It didn't matter which gun I had. I hunted with it a couple of times, mostly because it took Tim a little while to get my rechambering done. After that, on the chopping block it went.

Ive killed every species in oregon with a 22-250....so thats what works best for me.

The local version of WMD Bell killin elephants with a 7x57.

Well at least you put the king on the top. Between that one and .280AI, my hunting battery is complete enough for me.

I just sold my third 45-70. If it had been a lever, not a single shot, I might have kept it, but I'm kinda fickle...

Options are always good .257 Roberts, .

It goes nicely with my 30-06, too.

Yep! Fun for squirrels....

I twice shot squirrels with a 30-30. Not much, if anything left.
These days I'd only shoot a squirrel if I had to eat. They are too fun to watch.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Squirrels are fun to watch for sure.
Good to eat too....sure wish we could squirrel hunt here in Washington.
Andy