One Cartridge for All North American Game

Texas270

Lil-Rokslider
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If you had to pick one cartridge from pronghorn to polar bear, what would it be?

And why?
 
If you had to pick one cartridge from pronghorn to polar bear, what would it be?

And why?
25-08 AI

Enough terminal performance for anything to 700yds in any environment and just low enough recoil to spot almost all impacts.
 
Already did with a 308 for the last 20 years. Then I forked up my shoulder and have to use a 6.5CM now. If I don’t get surgery I’ll be shooting a Grendel soon.

Lower recoil, great selection of bullet weights and types. Easy and plentiful reloading and performs better than I can shoot to a limit of 600 yards.
 
6 Creed or fast twist .243 for ranges under 700. 6.5 PRC if you want to stretch it from 700-1000.
 
7mm backcountry from a 16" barrel seems about perfect for anything under 500 yards. Not sure I'd ever attempt to shoot that far tho.
 
I'd pick the .30-'06, as unfashionably "Fudd" as that is.

Why?

1) I'm heavily invested in the cartridge, even though I presently have no firearms that use it. I have a crap-ton of cases, large rifle primers, IMR 4064 and 4350, and component bullets from 125 grain Sierra spitzers to 220 grain Colorado Bullets / Barnes blunt-nosed solids. I still have a crap-ton of loaded .30-'06 ammo, as well.

2) It works. Not just on the North American continent, but on all of them. I took an inherited Griffin and Howe in .30-'06 to Botswana twice and shot everything on m license with it both times.

3) The M-1 Garand and 1903A3 Springfield use it, so I can use it in one or the other to shoot CMP Games "GSM" matches.
 
If I could only have one cartridge for everything North America it would be a .338 win mag. If I wasn't counting Alaska, I'd take a 7 PRC or 7 Rem Mag
 
10 years ago I picked a standard barreled 30-06.
Why: I liked old-school. I liked the 30-06's trajectory-to-recoil level for a 30-cal. 30-cals seemed to make guides in grizzly country more comfortable. Not too many unnecessary arguments when you are in camp with a 30-06.

This year I picked a shortened and suppressed 6.5 PRC.
Why: I expect the same or better terminal performance as the 30-06 with lower recoil, extended range, and less noise.

(Edited to add "the why".)
 
Mine is the 7 saum. I already have it and like it. You can get it done with something smaller and be able to spot your shots but it's what I chose.
 
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