Best "One Rifle" Caliber?

[AZ_Hunter]

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?

A tikka superlight 30-06 is going to be a handful and a half. I have one. Suppressed helps, but it’s still a handful. It’s not unshootable, just know the rifle moves when fired.

 

[Ringbill27]

A tikka superlight 30-06 is going to be a handful and a half. I have one. Suppressed helps, but it’s still a handful. It’s not unshootable, just know the rifle moves when fired.

Even my Lite 30-06 is a shoulder thumper. With a limb saver I tolerate it but it’s stout.

 

[LookinforDirt]

The 30-06 is a solid choice but I’m thinking a do everything rifle cartridge for me would be the 7mm08. With the 120TTSX and the 139LRX.

Funny how the 7mm-08 rarely comes up in cartridge threads. It handles a nice range of bullet weights, very good bc’s, very accurate, easy to load for, short action, low recoil. Strong argument for a do-it-all hunting cartridge. I deer hunt with 120gn TTSX and have a couple boxes of 139gn LRX bullets I still need to try.

 

[Ringbill27]

Funny how the 7mm-08 rarely comes up in cartridge threads. It handles a nice range of bullet weights, very good bc’s, very accurate, easy to load for, short action, low recoil. Strong argument for a do-it-all hunting cartridge. I deer hunt with 120gn TTSX and have a couple boxes of 139gn LRX bullets I still need to try.

the 7mm08 is really a fantastic cartridge and that 120TTSX is amazing bullet. I was testing loads for both the 120 and the 139 last year right before season and landed on a better load for the 120. Went with it and it worked well. The 7mm08 just doesn’t get the love it deserves.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

the 7mm08 is really a fantastic cartridge and that 120TTSX is amazing bullet. I was testing loads for both the 120 and the 139 last year right before season and landed on a better load for the 120. Went with it and it worked well. The 7mm08 just doesn’t get the love it deserves.

Another vote for the 7-08. Great cartridge with tremendous ammo selection, light recoil, and better ballistics than .308. My daughter's 18" suppressed Tikka is a pleasure to shoot. She killed a magnum cow at 182 yards with 162 ELDX last fall.

If 6.5 Creed anxiety bugs you, the 7-08 is in the middle between the creed and the .308 (and does everything better than the latter).

 

[Dougfir]

There ought to be a lot fewer 'what cartridge' threads and a lot more 'what bullet' threads... There just isn't that big of a difference between most of the cartridges, when it comes down to it.

 

[nm.otter]

It's not rocket science:

• Pick the bullet(s) you want to use.
• Pick the cartridge, barrel length, and twist that will deliver them at the distance you need while retaining sufficient velocity to allow them to function as designed.

 

[rclouse79]

I went the nonstandard route with a 25-06 for my do all rifle with a 223 for a trainer and for the kids.

 

[nmarchr]

6.5 PRC is my favorite caliber. It will fit the bill for anything you want to hunt in NA. We use ours for coues and antelope all the way up to oryx and elk and everything we have shot with it has died. Actually, all have been very fast 1 shot kills.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington if you reload is a great cartridge. 90 gr. E-tip, 90 gr. Accubond or 100 gr. Partition.

280AI is a sweet cartridge that is commonly chambered and it won't beat you to death shooting it. Great ballistics with anything from 140 - 160 gr. bullets.

30-06 is hard to beat. Fabulous cartridge that works for 95% of game. 165 - 180 gr. bullets will do.

300 WSM - same as 30-06 above. Wonderful cartridge that is accurate and a killer for sure.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

tikka's are kicky, 30-06 no fun in teeker, go 6.5cm and the 120gr cx or something...if gotta burn 50+ gr powder look into limbsaver, or stock, I've got a 308 and have had .270 win, they are about same for me and that's as much recoil as I would take in a lightweight unless putting a telescope on top but a 7 lbs all up give or take a 1/4 lb not fun, a buddy has 30-06 and limb saver recoil pad does help a bunch (I've shot it with him), he's been scoped a fair bit lol...he knows about the 6.5 cm now and would make the move if he could afford

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

All of the cartridges mentioned will work fine with proven factory loads. If you search the threads on here, elk have been consistently and effectively killed with everything from .223 to .300 RUM and then some. We're actually spoiled with the tremendous number of great cartridges available. Personal requirements and preferences (and grievances) are what drive people to choose a cartridge these days. There are both perceived and evidence-based differences in recoil, effective range, etc..., and its very easy to complicate things. With a little time investment, you can research what cartridges recoil more for given loads, study ballistic charts out to X distance, etc... At the end of the day, its a personal choice, and one the OP should make for himself after educating himself and not just listening to a bunch of guys on a forum.

For this version of this conversation (which has been covered dozens of times in the time I've been a member) my recommendation for anybody that is buying an off the shelf Tikka and using factory ammo would be one of the following:

.243, 6.5 Creed, 7-08, and 6.5 PRC, in no particular order. All will easily kill elk in the average hunter's maximum range (300-400 yards) with appropriate bullets and shot placement. The first 3 have recoil that the vast majority of people can effectively manage with or without a brake or suppressor, and the PRC can be tamed with a limbsaver recoil pad and better yet a suppressor. In any case, 6.5 PRC recoil is still what I would call "medium" and certainly less than a 7 mag, 30-06, or 300 mag.

The 7-08 and 6.5 PRC also have adequate machisimo and street cred for guys that give a crap about that stuff.

 

[TaperPin]

I totally agree with those that say the 06 is no pussy cat in the recoil department. It shouldn’t be an only gun or practice will suffer. I think it’s a great hunting round, but that shouldn’t be confused with training/plinking.

 

[Jordan Smith]

It's not rocket science:

• Pick the bullet(s) you want to use.
• Pick the cartridge and barrel length that will deliver them at the distance you need while retaining sufficient velocity to allow them to function as designed.

Don't forget to make sure you pick the correct twist rate and throat for the bullet you selected.

 

[Jordan Smith]

There ought to be a lot fewer 'what cartridge' threads and a lot more 'what bullet' threads... There just isn't that big of a difference between most of the cartridges, when it comes down to it.

The biggest difference, IMO, are the SAAMI specs that support the best bullets. One of the major advantages of the 6.5 CM is the SAAMI standard 8" twist and tight throat specs that allow feeding from a magazine while reaching the lands with the long, high-BC bullets.

 

[Bluefish]

Any .473 bolt face would work fine, ie 30-06, 308, 6.5cm, 7-08, 243, 25-06. Personally for copper only a 25-06 with 80 or 100g ttsx is fast. Look at Barnes data. 3700+ for the 80g, 100g is 3200+. You won’t be under 2200 which is very generous for a minimum opening speed until almost 500 yards. If you ever want to rebarrel, the .473 bolt face can be any number of 6mm offerings and on a tikka, changing action length is just a bolt stop and magazine change.

 

[elsb0048]

In your shoes I'd pick something else. If I'm shooting enough to burn barrels out I'd also be thinking about ammo cost and recoil where both the 6.5 prc and the '06 have downsides.

6.5 creed is an obvious choice for ammo cost. Perhaps not at its best with monos given it has a little lower muzzle velocities so you could get below expansion velocities at moderate ranges. .243, 6 creed, or .270 might be better choices for the monos given they start out faster and ammo is still cheap.

 

[Jordan Smith]

In your shoes I'd pick something else. If I'm shooting enough to burn barrels out I'd also be thinking about ammo cost and recoil where both the 6.5 prc and the '06 have downsides.

6.5 creed is an obvious choice for ammo cost. Perhaps not at its best with monos given it has a little lower muzzle velocities so you could get below expansion velocities at moderate ranges. .243, 6 creed, or .270 might be better choices for the monos given they start out faster and ammo is still cheap.

The 127 LRX opens up very easily and aggressively for a mono. No concerns with that bullet in a 6.5 CM out to beyond where most guys should be shooting game (500+ yards).

 

[Big_wals]

If you are actually shooting enough to burn out a 6.5 prc barrel every six months, why not just buy a 223 trainer as well? You would pay for it in short order with the price of factory ammo, not to mention not screwing a new barrel on twice a year. I’d say 6.5 creed or prc, probably a prc to push monos a little faster, plus a 223. Everyone needs a bolt action 223 anyways

 

[Mike D Texas]

You are already invested in the .308. Since you HAVE to use copper, get the Barnes 130 grain TTSX. Factory loads run 3100+ fps in a 20” barrel. You will blow through any hog with that.

With handloads and SRP brass you can run 150 hammers at 3200fps in a 20” barrel.

I don’t understand why people don’t see the value to a .308 as a utility cartridge.