The best all around rifle caliber for hunting

[Argonaut]

Excellent research. Numbers don't lie.

Those differences are inpreciveable by either the shooter or the target.

 

[osprey]

I do believe most could tell the difference. 2 ft/lbs is about the difference between a 150 gr bullet at 3320 vs a 180 gr bullet at 2960 out of the same 300 win mag. Not trying to win you over Argo, just providing evidence that there are some compelling reasons for some to choose one over the other. You are happy with your 300 NM and Orygun and I see merit in the AI calibers. I can live with that.

 

[Ura-Ki]

22 Pounds of Recoil isn't that stiff, but it's getting there! .300 W.M starts to hurt at around 25 F.P.
My New project weighs in at a pretty light 7 pounds 4 Oz, that 20 pounds through a steel butt WILL smart a bit!
It's fine right now in standard .30/06, partly because of the stock design and how it fits, any hotter and it's getting a brake on the snout!

 

[Captain O]

Those differences are imperceiveable by either the shooter or the target.

I was commenting on the statistical analysis, not the end result.

 

[Tesoro]

Hah I cant believe there are still these posts! 40 yrs ago same thing same 15 diff recommendations. except now there are new cartridges to add as a contender.
My submission is the 6.5 creed for PNW hunting. Bullet selection from varmint to 140gr for elk and bear. Advantages of the creed is short action, economical to shoot, long barrel life, low recoil for follow up shots and sufficient power to kill anything we have. Its long range performance is not much diff than 7mm 308 etc unless you know what you are really doing and have the right setup. Then you have an advantage in that area. But thats maybe 1% of the creed owners?

 

[KKG]

Tesoro; Just remember, You're the one posting to a 6 year old Thread.

 

[Tesoro]

Tesoro; Just remember, You're the one posting to a 6 year old Thread.

I know but I couldnt help myself!

 

[DeanMk]

Hey buds, I was thinking about getting back into hunting. I used to go back in the 80s with my dad, but after he passed I just have not had the chance to go. So, what I am looking for is a good caliber that I could maybe hunt Varmints all the way up to maybe elk. Does a caliber even exist? I was thinking .243 but it may be a bit light for a big elk.
Any suggestions?

I don't know about elk, but .243 would work on anything from prarie dogs to deer.
Same with the .250 Savage.
7mm-08 would work with slightly larger game; maybe Fox to Elk, say.
None of these will shoot across canyons (unless its a tiny little canyon ), but in my mind, hunting is all about tracking your prey (or lying in wait) until you're in an advantageous position to dispatch them, anyway, so I think any of those cartridges should be fine.
...however, the universal answer is usually .30-06 and there's nothing wrong with that one, either.


Dean

 

[Blowgunner]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but...
.357 mag. Out of a rifle it's a very good performer. .38spl puff loads up to full house .357 loads.
From small game to Deer. Elk even, sub 50 yards.

 

[Captain O]

Handgun: .41 Remington Magnum/.41 Special (wildcat),

Rifle: .30-'06. Springfield

 

[FishnhuntOR]

7/08 is plenty for elk. Even out to 400 yards.
Low recoil, quality bullets , shot placement.
Shoot, even the 6.5 sweede, they kill moose in Europe with those for 100 years.
Sorry but sometimes Americans are size queens

 

[DeanMk]

Handgun: .41 Remington Magnum/.41 Special (wildcat),

Rifle: .30-'06. Springfield

Interesting story with the .41 Mag.
It was originally offered in two loads; 210gr. JSP @ 1500 f/s & 210gr. SWC @ 1050 f/s.
The jacketed bullet was supposed to be the hunting load, the SWC was supposed to be the police load.
No one ever used the SWC and officers complained that the jacketed load was too powerful for duty use.
.357 was much more controllable and worked just as good, so it won the day.


Dean

 

[teflon6string]

Okay, I really don't know and I don't have a dog in the fight, so to speak. Let me approach this from a sort of reverse angle and hopefully learn something.

What shortcomings would make 30-06 less than the ideal all-around hunting caliber if I could only have one rifle?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

In the August 2017 issue of American Hunter author Richard Mann states that the .30-06 sucks...His reasoning is summed up as recoil and better bullets for other cartridges.

Well...I have never found the 30-06 all that severe in recoil , in the rifles that I have owned or shot.
Granted that recoil can be subjective and due to poor rifle fit more than the cartridge itself.
I can't really argue that bullet selection and design hasn't come a long way since 1903....

I really can't say why one should not use a .30-06 ...it works well for all of North American game and much of African game as well.
Of course the title "Best" is also subjective...and one man's best is another's "What the hell are you thinking?....
For me it seems that if the .30-06 didn't work ...it wouldn't still be with us after all these years.
All I can really say is that I like it and trust it.
Andy

 

[orygun]

Okay, I really don't know, so I'll approach this from a different angle and hopefully learn something.

What shortcomings would make 30-06 less than the ideal all-around hunting caliber if I could only have one rifle?

Any potential shortcomings of the 30-06 compared to another cartridge would also show a shortcoming of the other cartridge when compared to the '06, or so I believe. More power vs. more recoil, weight and possibly less magazine capacity. Flatter trajectory vs. either less power or more recoil. Less common cartridge vs. price of ammo. Points like these and more are why choosing a proper rifle, even if it is the "one rifle", are hugely personal. As perfect as I believe my rifle is, it's perfect for me.
I would be hard pressed to fault anyone for choosing most of the cartridges based off of the 308 and 30-06 or for choosing one like a 300 mag of some brand/length. Cartridges in this class will get it done.

 

[Captain O]

Interesting story with the .41 Mag.
It was originally offered in two loads; 210gr. JSP @ 1500 f/s & 210gr. SWC @ 1050 f/s.
The jacketed bullet was supposed to be the hunting load, the SWC was supposed to be the police load.
No one ever used the SWC and officers complained that the jacketed load was too powerful for duty use.
.357 was much more controllable and worked just as good, so it won the day.


Dean

I know the old story, but Elmer Keith was RIGHT! (He usually was). Both of those loads made the 4" barreled S&W Model 58 perform exactly as needed!

Leave it to someone on the police force to screw it up.

 

[irongoat66]

This nice buck is resting his head on a remington 721 in 300 h & h mag and I have taken a slightly smaller with yes a 223 loaded with a 62 gr ttsx barnes, point is, most rifles will work, whats more important is to develope a love relationship with your firearm so you feel that tingle when you pick it up and you dont flinch when you squeeze it gently. When you ask it to it touches (with authority) what you want it to. So I guess what I am saying is, choice is big enough but not to big, fast enough but not to fast and smooth enough but,,, sry rambeling (I like them all) but if i had to choose Id say, ummmmm, 280 ackley (7mm bullet in a blown out 30-06 case) for non handloaders just a plain jane 280 rem..


my 2 pennies used to be worth so much more but I cant remember where I put them

 

[orygun]

Interesting story with the .41 Mag.
It was originally offered in two loads; 210gr. JSP @ 1500 f/s & 210gr. SWC @ 1050 f/s.
The jacketed bullet was supposed to be the hunting load, the SWC was supposed to be the police load.
No one ever used the SWC and officers complained that the jacketed load was too powerful for duty use.
.357 was much more controllable and worked just as good, so it won the day.


Dean

I bought my first 41 Mag in the 80's when just about the only ammo available for it was the two listed loads. It really torqued my then wife that I spent so much money on ammo when Pay-Less closed out their sporting goods department, but I got 9 boxes of Remington ammo for less than half price. Most of it was that SWC lead crap. It always leaded up the barrel and was a complete PIA to clean up after. I always wondered if that's why the police ended up with JHPs instead of SWCs.

 

[Blowgunner]

Okay, I really don't know and I don't have a dog in the fight, so to speak. Let me approach this from a sort of reverse angle and hopefully learn something.

What shortcomings would make 30-06 less than the ideal all-around hunting caliber if I could only have one rifle?

To me an all around hunting caliber needs to work for small game, up to large game. -06 is way over kill for small game, especially if you're hunting for meat. Sure it can be handloaded for such duties, but for a lot of people, including myself, not worth the headache. I've played with all sorts of necked small game loads. Some work okay. Some dont. Straight wall cartridges are much easier to load, and seem to be more forgiving with light loads, from my experience. I have been thinking about playing with Trail Boss over light bullets for necked cartridges, but haven't got around to it.
My .30 wadcutters worked okay for small game but had to be cycled slowly.

 

[bbbass]

More game animals have been killed with .22LR than any other cartridge!!!