One caliber

[Rizzy]

For north American game.....I like my .270 the best

 

[hodgeman]

For all hoofed animals then I'd be happy with a .270.

It's the stuff without hooves that make me want the bigger stuff.

 

[Big Sky]

My vote would be for the 7mag.

 

[philw]

If I had to go with one caliber it'd be .284 caliber. If I had to go with one cartridge it'd be a 7 mag.

 

[justin davis]

7 mag

 

[a3dhunter]

30.06

 

[unm1136]

I only have 1 centerfire rifle to take any game with. A 30.06. But, this rifle is in need of some stuff. It is a WWII vet, and it is not free floated, has a pencil weight barrel, and the zero wanders depending on barrel temp. It also needs to be refinished. The 35 Whelen AI is calling to me...

pat

 

[Justin Crossley]

I like the 7mm mag. The 300 mag would be my second choice.

 

[squeekieslayer]

7mm mag

some of you 300 guys should look at a comparison of downrange velocity/ke on the 300 vs 7mm. I know it surprised 1 of my friends into purchasing a 7mm and selling his 300. Cheaper bullets, lighter recoil, better downrange ballistics.

 

[Ryan Avery]

7mm mag

some of you 300 guys should look at a comparison of downrange velocity/ke on the 300 vs 7mm. I know it surprised 1 of my friends into purchasing a 7mm and selling his 300. Cheaper bullets, lighter recoil, better downrange ballistics.

I did, a 230g bullet out of a 300 rum at 3000fps wins

 

[Arrowslinger]

This was a decision i needed to make in '97, so i went with a 7mm and haven't regretted it yet.

 

[squeekieslayer]

I did, a 230g bullet out of a 300 rum at 3000fps wins

I agree, but when we are talking "all around" i think anything from coyotes to moose, i dont think i would use a 230 grain giant shooting a coyote. then again, you can get way smaller bullets for the 300. I just like that I can shoot 160 gr accubonds with my 7mm and feel like I am good to go on anything that I hunt, I dont have to change bullets based on my game.

300 is better for brute force, you are right, but for my personal usage, the 7mag does the trick. I was just pointing out that for most loads, a comparable load in the 7mm performs equally well, if not better, at longer (300+) yardage.

 

[Steve O]

For north American game.....I like my .270 the best

Yep, from antelope to Alaska Yukon moose, I have used the lowly and vanilla .270 Winchester. Works so well I have four of them from a 6# all up tiatanium job to a fancy super grade to cover every "hoofed animal" situation. Big nasty toothy critters make me want more power and diameter, but I am 100% comfortable and confident with my .270 for every NA ungulate.

 

[Mckinnon]

Yep, from antelope to Alaska Yukon moose, I have used the lowly and vanilla .270 Winchester. Works so well I have four of them from a 6# all up tiatanium job to a fancy super grade to cover every "hoofed animal" situation. Big nasty toothy critters make me want more power and diameter, but I am 100% comfortable and confident with my .270 for every NA ungulate.

Steve O, I don't think the 270 is lowly or vanilla at all, tried, true, and proven is what I would say.

 

[Mckinnon]

I agree, but when we are talking "all around" i think anything from coyotes to moose, i dont think i would use a 230 grain giant shooting a coyote. then again, you can get way smaller bullets for the 300. I just like that I can shoot 160 gr accubonds with my 7mm and feel like I am good to go on anything that I hunt, I dont have to change bullets based on my game.

300 is better for brute force, you are right, but for my personal usage, the 7mag does the trick. I was just pointing out that for most loads, a comparable load in the 7mm performs equally well, if not better, at longer (300+) yardage.

Good point, I have never shot a 7mag and know very little about them, I think I like the 300 because of the wide range of bullets I can use. You have a great point about not having to work up different loads for different animals though. Recently I have been playing around with different loads in 165 and 180 grains tried to find the best all around.... maybe a new rifle would solve that, haha!

 

[tstowater]

I can't stick to one caliber. I primarily shoot a 300 WSM. It would be a good choice, but the '06 and the 300 Win Mag would have more ammo availability. I like to shoot too many other guns to stick to one caliber. I run from the 17 Remingtons to a 338 Win Mag and most everything in between. Probably too specialized, but a good excuse to buy a different caliber.

 

[Ryan Avery]

I agree, but when we are talking "all around" i think anything from coyotes to moose, i dont think i would use a 230 grain giant shooting a coyote. then again, you can get way smaller bullets for the 300. I just like that I can shoot 160 gr accubonds with my 7mm and feel like I am good to go on anything that I hunt, I dont have to change bullets based on my game.

300 is better for brute force, you are right, but for my personal usage, the 7mag does the trick. I was just pointing out that for most loads, a comparable load in the 7mm performs equally well, if not better, at longer (300+) yardage.

I do agree the 7mm is a great round. But when I am hunting in bear country, I like to know I have a big projectile!

 

[flyinsquirel]

Yep, from antelope to Alaska Yukon moose, I have used the lowly and vanilla .270 Winchester. Works so well I have four of them from a 6# all up tiatanium job to a fancy super grade to cover every "hoofed animal" situation. Big nasty toothy critters make me want more power and diameter, but I am 100% comfortable and confident with my .270 for every NA ungulate.

Hard to argue with this. Plus it's fun to kill animals with the 270 next to guys that have $3k in their super duper shoulder dislocator.

 

[CrzyTrekker]

.30-06 if I could only have one rifle. Can find bullets in different weights just about anywhere. But I like 7mm and the new wildcat calibers better.

 

[GrantMan]

30.06 been a multi purpose round for a lot of years. I sure do like mine.