Hunting & Fishing All around caliber

[notquiteright]

Re: All around caliber

I once spoke with a couple of Canadiens about what it took to kill a moose. Their favorite was the 7x57. Killing one was never the problem they told me, dragging it out of the water was the real beyotch.

I dont doubt a 300wm will work, no doubt a 30 ought is excellent.

I'll still carry my 308, have way too many rounds through it now. If someone was to deny me that rifle and I was to start over- the 6.5x55 or 7x57, both have great penetration, mild recoil, rifle I dont mind dragging around.

Besides my wife told me size dunt matter, its how you use it!

 

[Jerry m]

Re: All around caliber

Canadian's I know use .308 Win, .30-06 .300 WM and .338 WM for moose.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[Tunanut]

Re: All around caliber

My 270 has served me well for many years. These days I find myself using a 243. Dad swears by his 7mm Weatherby.

 

[michael_aos]

Re: All around caliber

I've been really happy with my 270 WSM.

 

[marduk185]

Re: All around caliber

my bias is .308 but 3006 and 300win mag are groovy too.

 

[michael_aos]

Re: All around caliber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: palma</div><div class="ubbcode-body">.260 Rem. </div></div>

Very cool cartridge, but it's hard to find a factory rifle offering and not a huge selection of factory ammo.

 

[SURVIVORTYPE]

Re: All around caliber

+1 on 7mm Rem mag up to elk. Ammo availability, BC, and a flat shooter. just fine for my needs.

 

[CarbonOne]

Re: All around caliber

Good advice. I own most of those. Hope to own them all one day!

 

[elkhuntinguide]

Re: All around caliber

<span style="font-size: 8pt"><span style="color: #99FFFF">.308...</span></span>

 

[Sami]

Re: All around caliber

6.5x55 for all around caliber, not just big game.

 

[PJ3]

Re: All around caliber

For medium size game (whitetail, mule deer, lopes)and grandhogs I like the 25-06. My 308 with 150gr Barnes TSX handloads is a close second.

 

[customones]

Re: All around caliber

30-338 win use it in montana on deer elk and black bear mild recoil no need for a muzzle break extremely accurate and you can seat the bullets where they want to be seated with room left over.

 

[7mmRM]

Re: All around caliber

7mmRM then 308Win.

 

[vprtoad]

Re: All around caliber



Small to medium sized game: any well placed bullet in the boiler room
Medium to large sized game: same as the above
Brown bear and Africa: +1 on the above

 

[rpk762]

Re: All around caliber

The 300WM is my do it all cal. Granted the 30-06 is also a good choice.

 

[saleen63]

Re: All around caliber

280 ackley improved for me

 

[cooper_257]

Re: All around caliber

300WM with 180-200gr

 

[threetrees]

Re: All around caliber

laws of my area require us to have a min energy of 2700 joule at 100m to be allowed to hunt/shoot anything (including up to 150kg red deer - largest thing around here; or 100kg ibex).

mountains and steep slopes favourite a fast bullet ...

270 wsm all the way - if you take the above energy value as a rough estimate for how far you want to shoot with a decent penetration probability, you can easily go to 250m and don't be too concerned whether you dog will pick up a blood trail.

(well. assuming you have a hard enough bullet as well)

 

[michael_aos]

Re: All around caliber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: threetrees</div><div class="ubbcode-body">270 wsm all the way</div></div>

I've also been very impressed with the 270 WSM for hunting.

140gr Accubond @ 3250fps.

 

[threetrees]

Re: All around caliber

jup. personally i'm however (still) undecided about the bullet. accubond is great and easily can do red deer. on the other hand, for small animals it might be a bit too hard (especially the 150gr). which is why some here prefer the ballistic tip. more expansion upon impact ... but then, the ballistic tip is likely too soft for boar

what's been your experience with bullets/animals so far in that regard, michael?

so far i've been using rws ks.

 

[michael_aos]

Re: All around caliber

Honestly the Winchester Supreme works so well in my rifle, I'm picking it for everything from pronghorn to elk.

 

[EXSOCAL]

Re: All around caliber

300 win mag for everything from little deer to some African game.

 

[threetrees]

Re: All around caliber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Michael Aos</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Honestly the Winchester Supreme works so well in my rifle, I'm picking it for everything from pronghorn to elk. </div></div>

talking about the xp3? is it too hard for smaller things like small deer or chamois? any experience in that regime?

 

[Rich Coyle]

Re: All around caliber

Most of my life I have been told I am weird. Again it looks like it here. I go for the .257 Weatherby or a wildcat that is close with 100 TTSX for everything in the lower 48.

For Alaska I would take my wild cat .375 with 250 TTSX at 3,100 for everything 'cause I'm scared of bears.

 

[rebelman]

Re: All around caliber

30-06 150 grain for Whitetail in AL
300 WM 165-180 grain for Elk in CO

 

[bmt]

Re: All around caliber

308

 

[threetrees]

Re: All around caliber

i know people in czech that use 243 up to red deer. it's about hitting the right spot.

a .50 on a leg won't give you a trophy

 

[flyrodder]

Re: All around caliber

.30-06 for all the reasons mentioned - easy to find ammo and rifles, gobs of bullet options, will kill any north American game, easy to load from very light to reasonably heavy. I loaded some 110-grain bullets at around 2,200 fps for my 12-year-old sons to practice with and then they took mule deer with some 150-grain loads without a hint of trouble.

 

[mdesign]

Re: All around caliber

If we're just going for caliber and not factory ammo availability at a store somewhere then I'd propose the 7-08 or the .280.

For me the 7-08 is a 308 with better ballistics and the .280 will handle heavies well for larger game if you choose. Both do everything their 30 cal cousins do with the same benefits.

 

[phightower]

Re: All around caliber

.308 will always get my vote!

30-06 was the first medium cal rifle I ever shot and I thought it was awesome but when I shot the .308 it kicked less and to me thats very important.

.308 may not stay as flat and can be overkill on smaller whitetail but I've never shot 300 yrds+ and I want my targets to drop like a rock.

Plus, it's the bare minimum if you take a shot at a dominant hog.

Never shot a 300wm but I met a Navy SEAL a month ago that said it was the best medium round ever...