Best "One Rifle" Caliber?

[Lock3]

I'm about to pull the trigger on one of the Bass exclusive threaded T3X Superlites in 30-06 but have been waffling on if that's the caliber to go with after digging through the forums. This will be my one hunting rifle for the next 2 years (roughly).

The more I read on Rokslide, it seems like the 30-06 just has a lot of negatives (esp if you don't reload) and I should maybe get a 6.5 PRC (or another modern caliber) since it does much of the same with much lower recoil and less wind drift / drop (i.e., more margin for error). I don't reload right now.

I currently use a CTR chambered in 308 but don't want to carry a heavy barrel around for no reason any more / wanted more flexibility in the cartridge.

My rationale for the 30-06 was primarily barrel life, ammo cost, and ammo availability. I know barrel life isn't typically something people consider on this forum, but I've been training a lot this year since I started late in life and swapping out a barrel is pretty close to the same price as a new rifle. Doing that every 1000-1500 rounds is pretty brutal (probably every 6 months for me at this point) but I can deal with it if 6.5 PRC or another cartridge really is that much better/more forgiving. I thought about .270 but barrel life is pretty much the same as 6.5 PRC with less performance.

Use case-wise, I've been primarily been hunting mule deer and boar but have a bear tag this year and am planning a cow elk hunt in NM this January as well. I weekend warrior so 5-8 mile hike-in and 1-2 nights per trip - fairly mountainous.

Would you buy a 30-06 over a 6.5 PRC (or other cartridge) as a do-it-all?

 

[jimlitzinger]

I'd go with the 30-06 personally. Its a great caliber that you can find everywhere and has great performance on all big game.

 

[lil' bear]

You can find factory tikka take-off barrels pretty cheap. You could always get another barrel for your ctr. And for that reason I would get the magnum bolt face so you can have one of each.

 

[nm.otter]

I recently bought a T3x Superlite 20" in 6.5 Creedmoor for similar reasons (and a lot less recoil). At typical NM hunting altitudes and temps, it should be lethal out to 650 yards or so.

Picked up 200 rounds of Hornady American Gunner (140 BTHP) ammo at $1 a pop so I can break in the barrel and practice. I'm saving the brass to reload, but a barrel swap and a sizing die will get me to .25 Creedmoor or 6mm Creedmoor.

 

[Matt5266]

Based on your post I would recommend the Tikka in a 6.5 creed. Plenty for your hunting/distance needs. Less recoil, good barrel life and can literally buy ammo anywhere now

 

[Speaks]

If you want to practice a lot you dont want one gun you want a 223 and then your 2nd gun. As you said a barrel swap is the same cost as another rifle, might as well do it up front and save on ammo too.

A 223 + 30-06 would be a fine do anything in north America combo, same could be said for 6.5 prc, the prc would have advantages that mean a lot on paper but maybe not a ton in practice for most of us. Could also do a 6.5cm and get the recoil benefits (that is my current pairing with my 223).

We all love to talk about optimizing what we are shooting but a 30-06 is going to do just fine killing anything that needs killing, so will a bunch of other options. It would not be my choice to put a few thousand rounds a year through though.

True one gun for hunting and practice might be a 6arc but they you are doing that barrel swap right up front and could have just had the 2 guns...

 

[Q_Sertorius]

If you only want one gun, I would get a .243, personally. With a good bullet it will kill anything you desire out to 500 yards.

If you want something bigger, hard to go wrong with a 6.5 CM, 6.5 PRC, .270, or .30-06.

My combination of “modern” rifles is a Tikka .223 trainer and a Tikka 6.5 CM main rifle.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

Can’t go wrong with either 30-06, 270 Win, 308, or 6.5 Creed.

Top four available versatile cartridges.

 

[Lock3]

Based on your post I would recommend the Tikka in a 6.5 creed. Plenty for your hunting/distance needs. Less recoil, good barrel life and can literally buy ammo anywhere now

I have to shoot mainly copper because I'm in CA. Was hoping to get something with a bit more weight than 6.5CM. It doesn't seem like copper bullets are available in heavier grain weights, which also seems to give some margin of error on larger animals.

Also, I every time I go out with a guide, my friend with the 6.5CM gets relentlessly trolled haha.

Is it wrong to be thinking about grain weight on bear / elk?

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I have to shoot mainly copper because I'm in CA. Was hoping to get something with a bit more weight than 6.5CM. It doesn't seem like copper bullets are available in heavier grain weights, which also seems to give some margin of error on larger animals.

Also, I every time I go out with a guide, my friend with the 6.5CM gets relentlessly trolled haha.

Is it wrong to be thinking about grain weight on bear / elk?

Think expansion, not energy. If you have to use a mono, you want something that will launch it fast so it expands reliably. That would make me lean towards a 6.5 PRC rather than a 6.5 CM. Or use lighter mono bullets in the 6.5 CM.

People who troll the 6.5 CM are either hopelessly old-fashioned or just teasing.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Jordan Smith]

Just grab a T3x in 6.5 CM, shoot the 127 LRX, and be happy. We've killed moose, elk, large ~400 lbs MD bucks, WT, etc., with that bullet from the 6.5 CM with zero issues.

 

[nm.otter]

Mono metal bullets are less dense than a cup & core design, so (for any given size/shape) they weigh less. You need to keep velocities high enough that they'll still expand at whatever maximum effective range you expect.

DRT and McGuire make some interesting CA-legal stuff that has very good reviews, but they're not cheap.

 

[Pescetism]

I have to shoot mainly copper because I'm in CA. Was hoping to get something with a bit more weight than 6.5CM. It doesn't seem like copper bullets are available in heavier grain weights, which also seems to give some margin of error on larger animals.

Is it wrong to be thinking about grain weight on bear / elk?

Another vote for lighter weight and/or higher velocity with monos. Assuming this thread gets much traction you'll probably get more recommendations for 22/6/6.5 CM than the PRCs or larger.

If you're wanting to go larger than 6.5CM and are set on the Bass Pro exclusive I'd pick .308 over 30-06. IMO it's better in every usable metric other higher velocity with heavier mono bullets.

 

[Lock3]

Another vote for lighter weight and/or higher velocity with monos. Assuming this thread gets much traction you'll probably get more recommendations for 22/6/6.5 CM than the PRCs or larger.

If you're wanting to go larger than 6.5CM and are set on the Bass Pro exclusive I'd pick .308 over 30-06. IMO it's better in every usable metric other higher velocity with heavier mono bullets.

Won't I lose velocity with the 308? I thought the 30-06 was basically 308 +P with the same grain weight bullets (e.g., 150s).

I'm not particularly set on the bass exclusive, it's just hard to find the new threaded Tikkas in diff calibers and that's the easiest one to get.

I could get the older T3x versions with a 6.5 or 6.5 prc since they don't have much recoil. I'm shooting my 308 right now with no muzzle brake.

 

[nm.otter]

Longer, slipperier bullets hold velocity better at distance.

.308 is not a great choice for long, heavy projectiles.

 

[TaperPin]

Literally millions of game animals have been taken with the 30-06. With the wide variety of loads available, it’s still a solid choice. I don’t use hunting rifles as trainers, so I’d pair it with a 243 for 95% of off season shooting. If me and the other old bros pull up and start making bets on hitting a rock way out there, the 243 is what I’ll use 99% of the time. 30-06 should be more popular now than it ever was since we have easily dialed scopes and good rangefinders that make up for the rainbow trajectory.

I think it’s best with 165 gr bullets for any rational shots out to 500 yards.

 

[Davisjj8]

I'm about to pull the trigger on one of the Bass exclusive threaded T3X Superlites in 30-06 but have been waffling on if that's the caliber to go with after digging through the forums. This will be my one hunting rifle for the next 2 years (roughly).

The more I read on Rokslide, it seems like the 30-06 just has a lot of negatives (esp if you don't reload) and I should maybe get a 6.5 PRC (or another modern caliber) since it does much of the same with much lower recoil and less wind drift / drop (i.e., more margin for error). I don't reload right now.

I currently use a CTR chambered in 308 but don't want to carry a heavy barrel around for no reason any more / wanted more flexibility in the cartridge.

My rationale for the 30-06 was primarily barrel life, ammo cost, and ammo availability. I know barrel life isn't typically something people consider on this forum, but I've been training a lot this year since I started late in life and swapping out a barrel is pretty close to the same price as a new rifle. Doing that every 1000-1500 rounds is pretty brutal (probably every 6 months for me at this point) but I can deal with it if 6.5 PRC or another cartridge really is that much better/more forgiving. I thought about .270 but barrel life is pretty much the same as 6.5 PRC with less performance.

Use case-wise, I've been primarily been hunting mule deer and boar but have a bear tag this year and am planning a cow elk hunt in NM this January as well. I weekend warrior so 5-8 mile hike-in and 1-2 nights per trip - fairly mountainous.

Would you buy a 30-06 over a 6.5 PRC (or other cartridge) as a do-it-all?

I had this exact internal battle about 3 years ago. I ended up going with an x-bolt in 6.5 prc that I handload for 156 bergers, which you can also get in factory ammo now. I have more knockdown power with my load then I do in a 30-06 with less recoil. I also have a shorter action, which isn’t a huge deal but it made my rifle a tad lighter.

I don’t know if I’d say the 06 has a lot of negatives, it’s a great cartridge that’s killed plenty of animals for a long time. However there are definitely more efficient cartridges now. Since you’re not planning on reloading I’d check your local shops to see what kind of ammo variety they have for 6.5 prc before buying, my local shops each have 4-6 kinds. If your local shops don’t carry it I’d go with something else since you don’t reload.

 

[TaperPin]

I have to shoot mainly copper because I'm in CA.

Penetration is never an issue with copper bullets, so some extra diameter by using a larger caliber isn’t a bad thing.

 

[Ajsomp]

6.5 creed is the most popular cartridge for good reason.

If you want one gun to shoot, hunt, train etc get a 6arc. Can be hand loaded hot but the barrel life is better and ammo is right around $1 . Not quite 223 barrel life but you’ll get a lot of use and practice out of it. And it kills great

 

[Pilsner]

Think expansion, not energy. If you have to use a mono, you want something that will launch it fast so it expands reliably. That would make me lean towards a 6.5 PRC rather than a 6.5 CM. Or use lighter mono bullets in the 6.5 CM.

People who troll the 6.5 CM are either hopelessly old-fashioned or just teasing.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

+1 for this! 6.5 PRC. barrel life is WAY over 1k to 1500 rounds unless you are doing stupid things with it. Hell, I just swapped out a 300 PRC barrel that had more rounds than that through it and it was ran both hot and stupid.
Unlike the comment above me I think that if you are limited to monos then you want velocity above everything else - increasing diameter will limit speed if the charge weight is the same.