Need new caliber recommendations please

[trukinbear]

Hi guys, I'm going on a trip and looking for a new caliber for a rifle, to compliment the handguns, and a carbine in (both in 30SC) that I'll already be carrying.

Here is what I need:
A) ability to take Roosevelt Elk sized critters at less than 200yds in moderate to heavy brush.
B) be relatively inexpensive or less difficult to reload
C) not a military caliber

I prefer semi-automatics in general, but don't mind if I end up with something that I'll find chambered in only a bolt-action. So far the 350 & 400 Legend look interesting

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[bionic knees]

those legends look weak to me, I would be looking elsewhere. that is just my take on the ballistic tables I looked at. I would rather have more steam from my rifle, especially if you are talking elk.

 

[Koda]

Here is what I need:
A) ability to take Roosevelt Elk sized critters at less than 200yds in moderate to heavy brush.
B) be relatively inexpensive or less difficult to reload
C) not a military caliber

Just about any 6.5mm caliber and larger will fill this role.
If you hunt brush a lot get a lever gun.

 

[Buddy1211]

I don't reload but so I can't comment there, But .450 bushmaster is where I landed for a semi auto brush cannon!

 

[Knobgoblin]

45-70.
No , it's not cheap.

If it makes you feel better, price compare it to .450 Marlin , or .338 anything.
Then the price won't seem as bad.

I'm dead serious tho , get a 45-70

 

[Koda]

If you really want cheap and easy to reload and perfect for heavy brush get a 30-30 lever gun. It doesnt get any cheaper and easier to reload than that. Keep it around 150yds or less for elk and your fine.

 

[OrPackrat]

Last platform I did for a road trip was a "pistol" in 300bo for subsonic ammo but I don't think that has the power your needing...

I had for a bit some AR15's in 12.7x42 aka 50 Beowolf, a pistol and a rifle, to me the recoil was minimal, little less power than a 45-70 but semi-auto.

Found that stainless steel 556 mags worked great, held 10rds single stack without bulging and fed reliably even with the factory follower...

 

[NeoBlackdog]

270 Winchester in a Browning BAR.
If you wanna get really jiggy with it the BAR in .338 Win Mag.

 

[Local Loader]

I'd say go with the 300win mag, big enough to take down just about anything and is easy and cost effective to reload for.

 

[trukinbear]

45-70 was indeed a military round, and I didn't think 6.5 or 7mm while adequate are legal in most places for big game. I'm pretty sure my last elk tag said 30+ caliber mushrooming ammunition making my carbine technically legal, but woefully inadequate My ranges will never exceed 150-200 yards. I'm carrying at least 4 pistols, the carbine in the same caliber 30SC, and a 16 gauge (12 IS military) 'Sweet 16' shotgun. I agree the magnums will indeed get the job done, but I'm looking for something with lighter recoil/report, maybe even subsonic - I guess that should have been D). Optimization for the AR platform isn't necessarily a plus as countries that forbid military calibers probably would have a cow about something that looked vaguely military. I DO like a BAR, but last I looked they were more than I paid for my first car. I'm probably looking low end Savage to low end Weatherby money as my collection has expanded rapidly recently.

 

[Buddy1211]

I'm dumb I just assumed it was Oregon and not out of state, I'll see myself out.

 

[Koda]

Why not a military caliber?

 

[bcp]

300 Savage, lever or bolt.

Bruce

 

[Local Loader]

45-70 was indeed a military round, and I didn't think 6.5 or 7mm while adequate are legal in most places for big game. I'm pretty sure my last elk tag said 30+ caliber mushrooming ammunition making my carbine technically legal, but woefully inadequate My ranges will never exceed 150-200 yards. I'm carrying at least 4 pistols, the carbine in the same caliber 30SC, and a 16 gauge (12 IS military) 'Sweet 16' shotgun. I agree the magnums will indeed get the job done, but I'm looking for something with lighter recoil/report, maybe even subsonic - I guess that should have been D). Optimization for the AR platform isn't necessarily a plus as countries that forbid military calibers probably would have a cow about something that looked vaguely military. I DO like a BAR, but last I looked they were more than I paid for my first car. I'm probably looking low end Savage to low end Weatherby money as my collection has expanded rapidly recently.

The Browning X-Bolts are lightweight and little to no recoil and can run subloads if you choose to, I myself run higher loads but I'm going further out. My wife is only 5 foot and is able to handle our 300WM X-bolt and hit within 1 MOA at 300yds with a 220gr bullet with a safe max load powder charge.

 

[Knobgoblin]

The Browning X-Bolts are lightweight and little to no recoil and can run subloads if you choose to, I myself run higher loads but I'm going further out. My wife is only 5 foot and is able to handle our 300WM X-bolt and hit within 1 MOA at 300yds with a 220gr bullet with a safe max load powder charge.

Extremely light.
And , with a break, it's easy to shoot.
Loud. But minimal felt recoil.

 

[Local Loader]

Extremely light.
And , with a break, it's easy to shoot.
Loud. But minimal felt recoil.

Sound can be easily fixed with using a can but unless you're next to a wall or something the shooter doesn't hear near as much of the sound the person next to you will. I've shoot mine without ear protect and doesn't sound any worse to me than a 308 with a mil-spec break on it or a bolt with no break on it.

 

[bcp]

If the country is a nit-picker about military cartridges, they could ban the 300 Winchester Magnum, too.

Bruce

 

[1775usmc]

.300WM gets my vote.

But we used it in the military. So I guess it's out.

 

[lucusloc]

Anything long range will do short range just fine. The nice thing about short range is that you can get away with a lot more. Think you really need 6.5 Creed for elk? Look at the tables and you will see that 6.5 Grendel will have equivalent energy closer in. If you would take an elk at 300+ with Creedmore you can take that same shot (energy wise) with Grendel at about 100. This dramatically opens up your platform options, as you can get Grendel in everything from cheap(ish) bolt guns to top end MSRs. And if you are never planning on taking those long shots the fact that Grendel tapers off to a worrisome degree (at least for large animals) is not really a problem for you.

But if you do go for a 6 to 6.5 cartridge you are giving up playing with big bore cartridges, and those are where the real fun is at close range. I know I already mentioned .338 ARC and .375 Socom in that other thread, but there are so many more options, from the even bigger bore 458 Socom to straight walls like .450 bushmaster and .50 Beo. And those are just the "AR" family of cartridges. The 350 and 400 legends also fit right in there, but we mentioned those elsewhere too.

If you are willing to move away from semi-auto (which seems prudent given you are talking about hunting in legally restrictive places) that opens up even more options, like lever actions in .44 mag or .500 S&W, 30-30, .45-70, .444 marlin and .454 Casull. Many of those options can also be had in bolt actions, which may be even less legally problematic. All of those will take large game within 200 yards with no problem, provided you can do your part (which may be more or less difficult considering how fast some of those cartridges drop, but I am assuming you will do at least a little bit of practice before heading out to the hunt). And while some of those are indeed old timey military cartridges, I am not sure any of them count as such legally today?

I have shot the vast majority of those cartridges and they are all fun as hell to shoot, have decent availability (especially if you are willing to order online) and have decent reloading support like dies and bullets (because you also mentioned that elsewhere as well). Some of them, like the 30-30, might be considered a little under power for a full size bull elk, but with good shot placement they will work just fine. Know the limits of your cartridge and don't try to bulldoze the shot right through the thick part of the shoulder or anything like that.

Since you did specify under 200 yards I would definitely skip any of the true magnum rifle cartridges. Not only are they just bigger guns but they are also overkill for your specified needs. They will, of course, absolutely do the trick, and will probably be super easy to use (recoil disregarded) due to their very flat shooting nature at such close ranges, but they would not be my first choice if I knew ranges would be limited.

 

[trukinbear]

If the country is a nit-picker about military cartridges, they could ban the 300 Winchester Magnum, too.

Bruce

I'll sail through the territorial waters of several different countries, and set foot (customs) on a few. Some are much more restricted than others, but most have a prohibition on military calibers. Which is why in Mexico for example 380 & 38 Super are more popular than most places.