Best calibers for western hunting old and new using factory ammo

[Choupique]

There's a big ole pile of whitetails that would dispute that if they could... but I've never seen a whitetail ghost as of yet anyway.

Mines killed some nice deer as well. I like 338 win mag a lot. I find it's a great one-gun choice for North America. I bought mine for elk and have found myself doing EVERYTHING with it. Ive been impressed by how consistent it is on deer. Nice wound channel, exits 100% of the time, no grenaded and shredded meat to deal with. It's depositing a lot of energy into the landscape, but whatever. I'm fine with that.

As a bonus, if your bull breaks out and starts ripping everyone's fence up and yall decide its time to give him what he deserves, you've got the right tool for the job!

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Just a little dose of reality on the factory ammo availability aspect. This is the screen shot of midway's rifle ammo options today. Some people are talking about tons of factory ammo options for things that have half or fewer options than the 308 or 6.5 creed.

 

[BLJ]

Disclaimer. Never been out west. But when I go.

308 Winchester with 175 TMK’s. 400 max.

That’s my vote for old and new.

ETA. Missed the factory ammo part. Same cartridge with a 165/168 something.

 

[Ernie]

I was just pondering. If you could choose only one e caliber for western hunting that would cover deer, antelope, elk, and black bear, which would you choose and why.

Of the old school standards, my number one pick would most likely be the 7mm Rem Mag. It has a good range of bullet weights available in factory ammo, and shoots fast and flat. The recoil is stout, but not terrible in most of the rifles I've shot. I think a close second with less recoil would be the 270 Winchester. Decades after it was introduced it still launches a 130 grain projectile at about 3,100 fps.

Of the newer breed of cartridges, I would say 6.5 PRC, 6.8 Western, or 7mm PRC would be good choices. For less recoil the 6.5 CM, though not my personal favorite, would be up there. I think the 6.5 PRC offers good improvements over the CM with not too much more recoil.

Since you said you probably would never take a shot beyond 300 yards your choices are almost limitless.
The 6.5 Creed can get it done easily at those distances.
The 308 Win family of cartridges is viable as well, with the 260 Remington, 7mm-08, and 308 Win being among them.

14" 260 Remington MOA Maximum - 1-shot at close to 100 yards.

This was his shooting position (picture taken after he killed the cow.

Our daughter killed a bull elk with the same MOA

This 15.75" 284 Winchester (performance level of a 7mm-08 rifle) took 7 elk on public land in SW Colorado over the years, with the majority of the shots being over 250 yards. The two bulls out of that 7 was at 353 yards (Bedded) and 540 yards (Broadside standing).

I have never bear hunted, but I have taken everything else in that list with customized XP-100's and the MOA Maximum. I have taken elk with these cartridges: 260 Rem, 6.5 PRC, 284 Winchester, 7.82 Patriot (Larger than the 300 WSM), and the 7mm Dakota.

I consider elk the most difficult to kill in the group of animals you listed. These animals are not bullet proof. With a 300 yard max distance, pick what you want and go have fun.
Everything in your list will do a good job with elk, if you can place the bullet properly.
Pick a rifle that you can shoot well from field shooting positions. Use a good bullet that will penetrate and have some expansion.

 

[Dennis]

I would choose either a 30-06 or a 300 Winchester Magnum caliber as my all round choice. The 30-06 is where I started and has always been a favorite. However the nod usually goes to a light weight 300 Winchester Magnum.

 

[Ernie]

15" 6.5 Creed with 140's at 265 yards. One and done

14" 308 Winchester MOA at 350 yards from a sitting position.

15.75" 284 Winchester, that I referred to earlier

 

[garrettcolvin41]

I’m looking to get an all in 1 rifle for western hunting and likely going to go with a 7 mag. The 6.8 western looks very interesting as well. Will have to do some more research.

 

[BigDog00]

My personal choice is .300 wsm, but factory ammo is tough right now. If you are sub 300 yards.... pick whatever you want. Just about anything will be effective under 300 yards as long as you do your part.

 

[Idamuley]

7 PRC would be a great all around round for western game, but personally for me the recoil is a bit much for a lighter weight mountain gun for me without a brake. It also depends what you are going to be hunting the most. If you’re hunting elk most the time a 6.8 or 7mm or probably best but I have shot my last three elk with my 6.5 PRC and it has done the job well.

 

[Tobey]

280 remington, unimproved

 

[cuttingedge]

I went with a Winchester XPR 7mm Rem Mag. It has a 26" barrel and no brake. I won't get to shoot it for a bit because I just had hand surgery this week. This is a stock photo, only it has a brake and mine doesn't. Hopefully it will suit my needs for accuracy.

 

[Macintosh]

Just a little dose of reality on the factory ammo availability aspect. This is the screen shot of midway's rifle ammo options today. Some people are talking about tons of factory ammo options for things that have half or fewer options than the 308 or 6.5 creed.

View attachment 538453

True. Cartridges like 6.5cm are a LOT more available than people give them credit for. At the same time, midway isnt a rural general store. Ime when I have an ammo availability issue around a hunting gun its generally in a situation where online isnt an option and Im limited to local mom and pop places. Around me that means 30-06, 308, 270, and 99% of the time NOTHING else. These places are far more likely to have 30-30 ammo than they are 6.5cm. Other areas I know its diff, but you get the picture.

I’m going with:
Old: 270win
New: 6.5prc
Basically the same thing at my personal hunting distances.

 

[gerry35]

I went with a Winchester XPR 7mm Rem Mag. It has a 26" barrel and no brake. I won't get to shoot it for a bit because I just had hand surgery this week. This is a stock photo, only it has a brake and mine doesn't. Hopefully it will suit my needs for accuracy.

View attachment 539855

The 7mm RM is still one of the best, congrats on your purchase.

 

[cuttingedge]

The 7mm RM is still one of the best, congrats on your purchase.

I just couldn't come up with anything I'd need to do that I couldn't get done with 140gr to 175gr projectiles.

I would like to have the 6.8 Western just because, but I'm gonna wait it out until rifles and ammo are more easily found. I may go with a model 70 for a keeper at that time.

 

[gerry35]

I just couldn't come up with anything I'd need to do that I couldn't get done with 140gr to 175gr projectiles.

I would like to have the 6.8 Western just because, but I'm gonna wait it out until rifles and ammo are more easily found. I may go with a model 70 for a keeper at that time.

There's nothing in North America I wouldn't hunt with a 7mm RM. Recoil isn't bad either and you can find ammo anywhere. I'm hoping for the 6.8 W to succeed and there's no reason you can't buy one later.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Old: 300 Sav
New: 7-08

 

[stevevan]

Hard to beat the Ole 30'06 or .270 win for an all around gun. Others I like are the 300 win mag or 300 wsm. I'm an old school guy so I don't get to excited about the newest best all calibers.

I'm sure some guys will smurk but I like the 25-06, old or new

 

[KenLee]

Just a little dose of reality on the factory ammo availability aspect. This is the screen shot of midway's rifle ammo options today. Some people are talking about tons of factory ammo options for things that have half or fewer options than the 308 or 6.5 creed.

View attachment 538453

How bout us Fudds that are sitting on cases of the good oldies?
Send them 270, 30-06, 7mag, 300wm

 

[Tmac]

All my stuff is like me, old. Almost always pick a 25-06Rem or 270Win or 280Rem. If factory ammo is scarce, the 270 eats, otherwise depends on my mood I guess. My most modern cartridge for big game is my 260 Rem or 7mm-08.

 

[sneaky]

Rebarrel a 7 mag and get rid of the SAAMI spec chamber and put an 8 twist on it and do everything the 7PRC does with much better brass availability

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