Help me pick a Calibre!

[ResearchinStuff]

People have taken moose with a 223, and report that it works well.

6.5 creed is probably the best factory ammo only cartridge available for a new hunter, with 6 creed right behind it. Factory ammo and factory rifles for those 2 work extremely well, and they are low recoil options with fragmenting bullets that produce great wound channels. If you get a bison tag eventually you can always grab the 308 or 3006 you've been using, 156gr is the heaviest 6.5 cal bullet I know of.

Recommended reading list:

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

6mm/6.5

I didn't want to derail another thread. So I started this one. Who has shot/witnessed a big game animal past 500 yards with a 6mm or 6.5? Many members here love to tell you their opinion about it, but I am figuring out that damn few have done it. So if you have, please tell me the chambering...

rokslide.com

6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

With the success of .223 and 6.5 threads on big game, thought I’d throw this one into the mix. Show and detail your results harvesting big game (deer, bear, elk, moose, African game) using 6mm/.243 cartridges. Please detail bullet, MV, impact velocity, and whether hand load or factory ammo.

rokslide.com

 

[Dennis]

30-06 would be my choice! To me it seems to be the perfect balance between to big and to small.

 

[Jbrown250]

People have taken moose with a 223, and report that it works well.

6.5 creed is probably the best factory ammo only cartridge available for a new hunter, with 6 creed right behind it. Factory ammo and factory rifles for those 2 work extremely well, and they are low recoil options with fragmenting bullets that produce great wound channels. If you get a bison tag eventually you can always grab the 308 or 3006 you've been using, 156gr is the heaviest 6.5 cal bullet I know of.

Recommended reading list:

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

6mm/6.5

I didn't want to derail another thread. So I started this one. Who has shot/witnessed a big game animal past 500 yards with a 6mm or 6.5? Many members here love to tell you their opinion about it, but I am figuring out that damn few have done it. So if you have, please tell me the chambering...

rokslide.com

6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

With the success of .223 and 6.5 threads on big game, thought I’d throw this one into the mix. Show and detail your results harvesting big game (deer, bear, elk, moose, African game) using 6mm/.243 cartridges. Please detail bullet, MV, impact velocity, and whether hand load or factory ammo.

rokslide.com

The 6.5 is a tempting option if not for accuracy/shoot ability alone. Thanks for all the resources I will did into those this weekend.

 

[Jbrown250]

Great caliber is a 30-30 and small enough not to damage the meat too much. For elk I’d say 30-06 or 303.

Ill check out the 30-30, thanks!

 

[Lunchbox37]

is that available in a factory load with the 60g of h4831sc? I don't have any equipment or experience handloading.

I'd say just go with a 30-06, very versatile cartridge.

As far as bullet selection goes, theres always the proverbial "It Depends". If you're not reloading, then the best bet is to get box of a couple different Factory Ammo loads for hunting and see which one your rifle likes (ie groups) best. For reference I have a Browning X-bolt Speed SR in 30-06, it does not like the 168gr Sierra Game Kings (2" @ 100yds) & 180 Hornady Outfitter (Copper 180gr Bullet, ~3" @ 100yds), but does extremely well with 178gr Hornady Precision Hunters (ELD-X bullet) sub 1/2" @ 100yds. Does Ok with the Federal Terminal Accent (1").

Just spend some time at the range and experiment.

 

[Jbrown250]

30-06 would be my choice! To me it seems to be the perfect balance between to big and to small.

This seems to be a general census, thanks for the input!

I'd say just go with a 30-06, very versatile cartridge.

As far as bullet selection goes, theres always the proverbial "It Depends". If you're not reloading, then the best bet is to get box of a couple different Factory Ammo loads for hunting and see which one your rifle likes (ie groups) best. For reference I have a Browning X-bolt Speed SR in 30-06, it does not like the 168gr Sierra Game Kings (2" @ 100yds) & 180 Hornady Outfitter (Copper 180gr Bullet, ~3" @ 100yds), but does extremely well with 178gr Hornady Precision Hunters (ELD-X bullet) sub 1/2" @ 100yds. Does Ok with the Federal Terminal Accent (1").

Just spend some time at the range and experiment.

The 30-06 I have shot was temperamental at the range with various rounds. Perhaps another ought 6 and range time with a selection of bullets is my best bet!

 

[ResearchinStuff]

the sloppy SAAMI specs for 30/06 chambers and ammo will tend to create picky rifles. This is also true for the vast majority of cartridges.

Modern cartridge designs, i.e. the creedmoor, PRC, and ARC families, have much, much tighter tolerances, and thus lend themselves to being consistently, predictibly accurate with most factory ammo.

 

[MJB]

Get two guns you need a backup just in case....

For me 270 win 130gr perfect for deer can do bigger game but why push it if don't have to. I also like the 270 wby mag.

My 06 with 180gr lead works great for moose and elk......no need for the 300 but it does go a lot harder than the 06

Two rifles per hunt just in case

 

[PNWGATOR]

HIGHLY recommend you read each thread in their entirety linked in post 21 by @ResearchinStuff

Bullets matter. Recoil matters. Delivery systems matter.

 

[Easylife]

Hey everyone, new Rokslider here!

I’m located on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada and getting into hunting. I’d start with blacktail deer, but would hope to eventually (as soon as experience and opportunity presents) move towards larger game such as elk, and in a few years moose.

I’ve talked to 5 or so local hunting/firearm shops all with conflicting calibre opinions. I would love to hear your opinions/experiences on these two calibres and I am all ears to other suggestions.

The first being the .270, which I know is to small for moose, questionable for elk depending who you ask, and great for deer. If I were to go this route I know I would need a larger second calibre rifle later on. Which if possible I would like to avoid for now, but understand it might be my only choice. Would this ethically allow me to hunt elk?

The second being the .300 win mag, will kill everything with proper utilization on the hunters behalf. The problem I’ve read is potential meat loss on smaller deer (which I’ve heard can be negated with the right choice of ammunition). This option is appealing as I can master one rifle, one round. But wonder if this is stupidly overkill for my needs, or risking meat loss?

I’ve shot 30-06 and .308 and had no problem with recoil, I understand the win mag hits a but harder but imagine I would be fine? At least with a limbsavor.

I understand the value of shot placement over calibre, and would never take a shot I wasn’t confident in.

If you’ve made it this far into my ramblings, thanks for reading! Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

-J

I have alot of friends in your area and they all use a 30-06 for dropping big game. I dont think they ever had any issues getting ammo. Just my feedback from people I know moose country. I never went moose hunting but I bet its alot of fun. Good luck.

 

[wildwilderness]

Why would a .270 Win be a nogo for Moose? Heck people have taken those with .30-30's.

It’s not a no-go, just that the 30-06 would be better

 

[fwafwow]

HIGHLY recommend you read each thread in their entirety linked in post 21 by @ResearchinStuff

Bullets matter. Recoil matters. Delivery systems matter.

+1 on this advice. Much of the above has been hashed out, at length, in those threads.

 

[SPEDRAY]

Either 308 or 30-06 will work for gou. I have had both. I prefer the 308. It might not have the range of the 30-06 but for most hunters it won't matter at the range they shoot at. The 308 is a lot easier to find ammo for and kicks less. A win - win in most instances. Pick a 165 - 180 grain bullet of good construction (ie accubond, partion, terminal ascent) and shoot as much as you can.

 

[Highlands Hunter]

Pretty much what everyone has said. Get a .270 win, 308 win or 30-06. My .308 killed 3 elk and 1 deer last year and they had no idea it wasn’t a magnum.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Buy a 30-06.

 

[Jbrown250]

I have alot of friends in your area and they all use a 30-06 for dropping big game. I dont think they ever had any issues getting ammo. Just my feedback from people I know moose country. I never went moose hunting but I bet its alot of fun. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply! 30-06 seems tempting, I’m going to head to a local store and shoulder some options in 30-06.

 

[gerry35]

Tikka and Browning are the two I always recommend to take a look at. Better than the cheap entry level guns but still reasonably priced. Very rare to hear of one of those with issues compared to a lot of more expensive guns.

 

[Jbrown250]

the sloppy SAAMI specs for 30/06 chambers and ammo will tend to create picky rifles. This is also true for the vast majority of cartridges.

Modern cartridge designs, i.e. the creedmoor, PRC, and ARC families, have much, much tighter tolerances, and thus lend themselves to being consistently, predictibly accurate with most factory ammo.

That makes a lot of sense, and backs up my experience with a 30-06. Thanks again for all the resources, I'm diving through them now.

Get two guns you need a backup just in case....

For me 270 win 130gr perfect for deer can do bigger game but why push it if don't have to. I also like the 270 wby mag.

My 06 with 180gr lead works great for moose and elk......no need for the 300 but it does go a lot harder than the 06

Two rifles per hunt just in case

I could get behind the two rifles needed, now only if I could get my wife behind it . Haha open to suggestions persuading her on that!

I have alot of friends in your area and they all use a 30-06 for dropping big game. I dont think they ever had any issues getting ammo. Just my feedback from people I know moose country. I never went moose hunting but I bet its alot of fun. Good luck.

I’ve been recommended 30-06 more than a few times. Im really stuck between that, .270, and .308. I don’t think I can go wrong with either from what Im reading to get me started hunting. I think Im going to go see what rifles/calbres my local store has in stock and shoulder some rifles.

Either 308 or 30-06 will work for gou. I have had both. I prefer the 308. It might not have the range of the 30-06 but for most hunters it won't matter at the range they shoot at. The 308 is a lot easier to find ammo for and kicks less. A win - win in most instances. Pick a 165 - 180 grain bullet of good construction (ie accubond, partion, terminal ascent) and shoot as much as you can.

another +1 for the .308, ive shot both .308 and 30-06 and enjoyed the .308 more but I think thats in part the ammo I shot out of the 30-06 the rifle didn’t seen to want to throw me sub moa while the .308 had no issue at 100 yard.

 

[fwafwow]

Thanks again for all the resources, I'm diving through them now.

Let us know what you think after diving through the links provided. My guess is that you may end up with something other than the 30-06. And I’m not against the 30-06 - apart from ARs, I currently own only Fudd calibers - 25-06, 270 and 30-06. But if I was starting over, I’d probably focus less on the caliber and more on the bullet selection, likely ending up with 6 or 6.5, or 223.

 

[Easylife]

Thanks for the reply! 30-06 seems tempting, I’m going to head to a local store and shoulder some options in 30-06.

Remington 783 is a great budget friendly option. If money is not a issue Winchester Model 70 hands down.