Small mid size game, all around caliber?

[BigDog67]

I doubt many have the ability to 'swage' lead into useable bullets.

Perhaps you meant casting possibly?

Simply a matter of purchasing the dies.

 

[xlsbob]

As fond as I am of my 25-06, I'd have to say go with a 30-06 since it has a bigger margin for error and a wide range of bullets easily found.

 

[The Heretic]

I doubt many have the ability to 'swage' lead into useable bullets.

Perhaps you meant casting possibly?

Or if you don't have a sizing die - you can make one:

 

[Dyjital]

.243, .308, .223, .300 Sav, 30-30 Win.

All common except the .300 Savage and typically available for less than a buck a round.

 

[bbbass]

Yeah proghorn look like fun, though I have no idea of the tagging system in OR and how long it would take to do the "right" way...

If you want desert goats (pronghorn ), you'd be better off going to Wyoming. Tho it's not as good as the halcyon days when you could get two tags just for the asking, compared to OR it's mucho easier. Here you'd have to wait a long long time to get an Antelope tag.

 

[bbbass]

When I lived in E. WA, I hunted for rockchucks and coyotes when I wasn’t hunting deer.

.22-250 for chucks is the cat's meow. I used my Ruger #1V on them. Lot's of fun to hit them laying down on the rocks... 2" target at 200yds. Sometimes my shot would go slightly low and blow their carcass 20' into the sky. Nothin left but fur and backbone. Yikes!!!

 

[turq]

How ‘bout a 6.8 SPC ll. My most accurate rifle in an AR 90gr at 3000fps up to the 120gr
.277 bullet. ie. 270Win

 

[FortRock]

How ‘bout a 6.8 SPC ll. My most accurate rifle in an AR 90gr at 3000fps up to the 120gr
.277 bullet. ie. 270Win

I was going to suggest the 6.8 but OP was thinking about calibers that are totally adequate and readily available. It is possible to reload .308 up and down the scale for whatever game 'd joure is hopping across the land. .243 is a great and flexible round. HOWEVER.... my last 3 deer have been by 6.8. I think 125 yards is as far as I would try with it though. I have had spectacular results on paper out further, but at 110 yards I had an accubond stop on the far side shoulder of a large animal. I have taken deer with the .223 as well. I think the 6.8 is great for "small and mid-size game." Bumping up from there, I would keep a .243 and a .270 on hand.

 

[No_Regerts]

.22-250 for chucks is the cat's meow. I used my Ruger #1V on them. Lot's of fun to hit them laying down on the rocks... 2" target at 200yds. Sometimes my shot would go slightly low and blow their carcass 20' into the sky. Nothin left but fur and backbone. Yikes!!!

I have seen this first hand! A friend of mine used an M70 Featherweight in 22-250 as a “kick around” gun.

 

[DLS]

.22-250 for chucks is the cat's meow. ...

If that's the case does that mean my .220 Swift is "the dog's bark"?

 

[bbbass]

If that's the case does that mean my .220 Swift is "the dog's bark"?

Probably more like "the wolf's howl"!!!

 

[Buck13]

Regarding eating racoon; my vet warned me that racoon has been found to carry a brain parasite that can be transmitted to humans / dogs. Handle at your own risk, not very common but info for thought. I wouldn’t eat racoon, one rare bite might be the one to make you slowly go crazy before you’re doctor finds out why.

Raccoon parasite of concern is roundworm, a fecal transmission critter. Stay away from their turds! Frequency of this parasite is very high, something like 1/2 or more of all raccoons.

Not sure what the frequency of leptospirosis is.

Diseases from raccoons and other wildlife - King County

www.kingcounty.gov

 

[DizzyJ]

.223 for small, .308 for medium.

 

[RVTECH]

Or if you don't have a sizing die - you can make one:

Interesting idea!

I may have to give it a try. I think I have some cutoffs of round, steel bar just like shown in the vid out in a scrap bucket in the shop!

 

[DeanMk]

Thinking of getting a hunting rifle this spring, any recommendations on an all-around caliber for small - midsize game? I was thinking 308 win, or 6.5 CM.

Any rifle recommendations 5ish round capacity? Something they might have at a big box store now like Sportsmans Warehouse.

1980's-1990's Remington Model 7, or Remington Model 788, in 7mm-08.

 

[WTC]

.223 for small, .308 for medium.

Or 6.5 Grendel for both if I could find ammo

 

[Mecanik]

Deer don't take much to put down. My advice is to walk into all the gun shops in your area and write down all the mid size calibers they have and take your pick whatever caliber you saw in every one of those stores. I'm not an exotic caliber nut so most anything works but I personally would pick a 7mm 08 as my first pick and 308 as my second and 7.62x39 as my third. The 7.62x39 is actually a good deer caliber with the right bullets and cheaper to shoot than the others. The 6.5CM is a new caliber but it's showing it self to be one of the hottest new calibers and I think it's going to be around a while.

 

[BigDog67]

Plus one on the 7mm-08.

 

[pharmseller]

I’m a 7mm-08 homer, so that’s my vote.

 

[RevBadger]

I have a Remington 700 in .243 WIN. It's perfect for anything short of an elk or bear. The dude at my LGS says that he takes his out deer hunting every year. Lighter and less kick than a 308, but it is essentially just a necked down 308.

But being disabled, I haven't actually taken it out hunting. So I can't attest to that. But I can attest that it's great at hitting a gopher target from 100ish yards away.

So being that I have no practical hunting experience to add, I did find this page that compares it to the 6.5 creedmore.

6.5 Creedmoor vs 243 Winchester Review & Comparison

Want a sweet shooting big game hunting cartridge and can't decide between the 6.5 Creedmoor vs 243 Winchester? The best choice is

thebiggamehuntingblog.com