If you were only going to have one caliber?

I would probably end up buying a 6.5 creed.

I think the “best” cartridge for that scenario is maybe a 284 win


I would have no problems shooting my 6.5cm to 500 on deer. Personally I take bigger for elk, but would feel fine out to 300.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SonicBurlap
6.5 prc

Currently have several 6.5 grendel (for deer) and a 6.5 creedmoor (got my first elk with it in Oct.) but I feel the 6.5 prc would do everything these do and more, just waiting for Tikka to chamber a rifle in 6.5 prc.
 
I keep seeing suggestions for the 300 wsm and other short mag calibers . While I cant speak on it first hand (never had one) but we steered clear of the short magnums for target and precision shooting when I was in the game . The reason being that they had a bad reputation for fast throat erosion thus for our purposes the barrels didnt last long enough. I always figured for a hunting rifle they would serve just fine, but not for the 100 or so rounds I was going through monthly . Any one with any insights esp. first hand exp. I am curious has that changed or did it prove not to be true .
 
I keep seeing suggestions for the 300 wsm and other short mag calibers . While I cant speak on it first hand (never had one) but we steered clear of the short magnums for target and precision shooting when I was in the game . The reason being that they had a bad reputation for fast throat erosion thus for our purposes the barrels didnt last long enough. I always figured for a hunting rifle they would serve just fine, but not for the 100 or so rounds I was going through monthly . Any one with any insights esp. first hand exp. I am curious has that changed or did it prove not to be true .
Interesting considering how many short mags are in f class and BR.
My first 7 saum barrel was awesome past 1000 rounds and finally I trashed it at 1900 because I couldn’t keep the speed up and the ES became an issue.
 
2003 we shot the first Texas State Rifle Association comp. that recognized F-Class it was pretty much all 308 . There were a few exceptions . I brought a 300 wm , my friends all brought 7mm mags. There was one young man with a 30-338. We realized one thing that day the 308 was a real handicap. Even the one young Marine sniper who showed up was greatly disappointed with its performance. It was'nt quiet the rich mans sport that it is now we all expected our gear to last a lot longer than 1 or 2 thousand rounds. No electronic whiz bang gadgets to give us our dope , don't remember any parallax knobs either. I read not to long ago from a very prolific writer on the subject that one cant expect to shoot beyond 500 yards without one. I guess Carlos Hathcock didnt get the memo. Any way I it seems I got my answer to my previous question, throat erosion is not a problem if re barreling after a couple of thousand rounds is expected.
 
.243
.308
.30-06

But not necessarily in that order.

Back when I first started shooting centerfire and got involved in metallic silhouette, there were a lot of people using 7mm08 and 308. I had gotten a good deal on a .243 and put a Weaver T-10 scope on it and shot Sierra 85gr HPBT at the chickens, pigs and turkeys (200, 300, and 385 meters respectively) and Speer 105gr SFB at the rams (500 meters). As long as I could hold steady enough, everything I hit went down with a 'clang' including rams that weighed nearly 50 pounds. What's the take away? Recoil was light, bullet selection pretty good and it shot reasonably flat. Also it took down white tail deer nicely.

My next foray into a shooting discipline was 'across the course' so naturally I had to get a 'course' rifle. That ended up being a Remington 40-XC chambered in NATO 7.62 which was stamped on the 24" SS barrel that had a 1 in 12 twist. It shot everything up to 180gr very well out to 600 yards and even up to 800 yards which is considered the start of a 'Long Range' course. At 900 and 1,000 yards the .308 would be known to go sub-sonic (depending on bullet and load) and keyhole into the target. When that barrel was shot out at 5,000+ rounds it was re-barreled with a 25" SS Obermeyer 5R, 1 in 11 twist that did better at 900 yards. When that barrel was shot out at 5,750 + rounds it was re-barreled with a fluted 25" SS Obermeyer 5R, 1 in 10 twist. It shoots everything very well including M-80 brown box, M-118 white box and M-852 (usually white box). What's the take away? Recoil can be managed, bullet selection pretty good, shoots pretty flat and groups can be tight. Also been know to take down white tail deer.

My last foray was 'long range' which would be 800, 900 and 1,000 yards. I needed a rifle so purchased a Remington LA and put a 26" SS Krieger 4g, 1 in 11 twist tight bore on it chambered in .30-06. The receiver was milled for stripper clip and drilled/tapped for blocks so iron sights could put on to be used as a 'Palma' rifle if need be. Picked up a Weaver T-16 scope on a trade and put that on the rifle. For 1,000 yards a Sierra 200gr HPBT Matchking pushed by 4831 is very accurate. Also have noted the rifle shoots M-2 brown box and M-72 white box very well. What's the take away? Recoil can be managed provided you are not shooting 'thumper' loads, bullet selection pretty good if not great, shoots pretty flat, (all things considered) and groups can be tight. Also been known to take down white tail deer.

Between the above three calibers, have shot from 22,000 to 25,000 rounds and each one does well provided it is properly matched to the task at hand.

If you are going to be shooting in some far off land and you are concerned about ammo availability, then go with .30-06 or .308.

P.S. I do remember a saying heard at Camp Perry several years ago.

It always flies straight
It always flies true
If it shoot good for me
It will shoot good for you
NATO 7.62
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Bakwa
308
It's sure slow, and will equally blow, 308 no way, I say hey, don't go that route, because surely later, will follow a pout.
Kicks like a mule, it's a substandard tool, I seen the light and ain't being no fool.
Invented by bean counters, sure saved us some dough, most sought after cartridge, why I don't know.
Let's blow off ammo, missing left and right - oh darn almost, but not quite. Better you say?, SURE thing, yeah right???
Why not .7BC in quarter bore flavor, could have done our mil boys such a huge favor!
The gov put it to you, ain't nothin new, it's a 30 cal affair, all dizzy eyed you stare.
We know better now but it'll knock down a cow, oh big wow. Instead of the heart, it got shot in the ass, that's how it goes in the wind, alas.
Mine winks from the dark in back of my safe, a family heirloom but might need some backup, as last resort it is, thus ends my timely retort.

Pick something that's fast, with BC to boot, the barrel won't last, but it'll take home the loot.
Yes half the drift, that's a hit most the time, don't even need wind flags, unlike the fags. (JK, it rhymed so I used it, lol)
Gotta have speed, gotta be sleek, pick that long bullet that will put them to sleep.
So far away, can't even see, a mile you say, it's no problem to me. T'was a rock the size of your head, yes that's what I said, not easy but not hard, that's what speed + BC gets you in case you're a tard.

Weird mood, lol. I did this in light humor so don't get your panties in a wad okay.
 
Last edited:
steve123

Very well written, had to read it several times to get through it as I would lose my place due to laughing. Always good to share some humor in these trying times. Also have to agree with the content of your post as the newer cartridges out perform the stuff I was using 3-4 decades ago.
 
  • Like
Reactions: steve123
Fine then. I'll put 300WM out there. B/C when you go on ur first elk Hunt, it's all over. Hunt is the wrong word here. Experience is a better word. Elk experience.
What ever you get, you need to hand load. can double your rifles (your) performance.
Can load a nice and soft round for deer, and a canyon screamer for elk.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bandit320
7x57 for sure. Accommodates all variety of loadings from mouse to elephant farts, great brass life, has an interesting history, and I really just want to play around with a #1 shooting some of the newer high BC bullets. Think that would keep me entertained for a long time. Plus it's got just the kind of je ne sais quoi you need to be pointlessly smug about something.
 
Ooooh as long as we have broken the language barrier 'so sayeth my French compadres' we might as well include the 8X50R Lebel and load a bunch of half moon magazines to shoot in our Chauchats. ......... Just kidding.
 
You have to have a gun for every species.

B1304BEB-ABC3-4EC8-B41E-F09712F517FE.jpeg
 
Blah blah blah blah. Every caliber just wants to be a 308!!!
No kid dreams of owning a Yamaha. They all say... " Some day I will own a Harley!!!". Well, the 308 is the Harley...

Thereby a reason its nickname is "HARDLY", just like your comparison of the 308 Tardly.
Certainly not up for debate, there's some humility for you that you just ate, :p and first thing in the morning, right out of the gate, must be fate but not too late.
You can change your mind and it's just about time, and to the knowers of windy 308 blowers, we'll bask in our hits while you boys create those big ole - divots.

I don't know why I'm so inspired , lol.
 
Last edited:
steve123

You have me beat hands down, there is no way I could keep up with your expository writing intertwined with poetry to include limericks and/or haikus. I might be able to throw in some 'Middle English', ala Chaucer and 'The Canterbury Tales' but my memory of my college years is pretty rusty lol.
 
  • Love
Reactions: steve123
300 Win. 110-225gr projectiles for every application under the sun. Capable of harvesting every game animal in North America. Factory ammo is available (pre-covid) in every gas station in the west. Do I really want to hunt coyotes with my 300 no. But you asked if I had to pick one.
 
You bought a Yamaha, didn't you? It's ok, just wear a full face with tinted shield and your friends won't know.

Thereby a reason its nickname is "HARDLY", just like your comparison of the 308 Tardly.
Certainly not up for debate, there's some humility for you that you just ate, :p and first thing in the morning, right out of the gate, must be fate but not too late.
You can change your mind and it's just about time, and to the knowers of windy 308 blowers, we'll bask in our hits while you boys create your divots.

I don't know why I'm so inspired , lol.
Fat chicks and mini bikes...

Awesome poetry ^^^^^
 
  • Like
Reactions: steve123
.308 Win all day long. Is it slow? Certainly. But I've never met a deer or elk who noticed the .15 second time delay. If your argument is "all that hold-over" at range, every caliber has hold-over, just learn your ballistics.

It is inherently very accurate, easy to find ammo in every variety at a good price, and reloading components, it is easy to load or buy lighter rounds for lighter game, and heavy rounds for heavier game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RUTGERS95
The "chances" are, you won't be off far, but what of statistical ballistics, via windage, the length of car??
Too lessen the "chance" get a fast high BC bullet in quicker advance, just in case the facts are diluted due on purpose mind trance.
A 200 yard shot it makes never mind, but a 600 yard shot, it helps most the time.
Rather it not gut shot, don't taste good in the pot, or lost in the woods cause it just didn't drop, don't worry those predators will find it when upon rot.
.2 holdoff don't sound like much, but farther down yardage it's not my kind of crutch.