No 35 Whelen? Heathens.... I'm becoming pretty enamoured of it.... Trouble with the question is there are a fairly good cross section of cartridges that undoubtably fit the bill....most suggestions have been appropriate. I've been thinking about getting back into a .300 of some sort....probably a Winchester or Weatherby, though I'd jump at a reasonably priced .300 H&H if I happened to have cash in hand....that cartridge is just plain ###y. Plenty of buddies who exclusively use the 7mm magnum on game up to moose and elk as well. Pick a cartridge that can launch a 150 grain or better at a good clip and you'll have your answer.
what is the best hunting caliber for north america?
- Thread starter kyan
- Start date
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Think I remember your post recently, very admirable.
Great choice for them on cartridge as well.I like those 160 Accubonds too, mostly in STWs but once in awhile in a 7 Rem . They hit hard. So do the 180s in a .300 RUM.
Seen the latter in person thanks to you, folded grizzly was the result.
40 years ago i faced the same choice. a local shop convinced me to go with a ruger in 300wm. for a few years that rifle did deer moose and bear. i now hunt with mostly medium bores or a 7 mag. for a one rifle hunter its hard to beat the 300. ammo is avalable every where and not to pricey.
I would like to say .308 but I just missed a deer on the weekend (completely) by overcompensating for bullet drop on a long shot when I was making a split decision
A flat shooter is always nice in quick 1 second decision shots.
A flat shooter is always nice in quick 1 second decision shots.
There are few perfect calibers for everything , moderate kick ,legal for different large and small game species Ie. To hunt Bison in BC your bullet must be 175 grain or larger and carrying 2000 ft/ lbs or more energy at 100 yards. Some places in NA minimum caliber for elk and other game is .270 . That being said if you can't place a good shot none of them work well . A good single rifle would be a .308 or 30/06 they have been around a long time they are pretty good at what they do and ammo is available at most stores in a wide variety of bullet weights . Personally I like .243 with the right bullets and good shot placement it does everything I need it to do. But there are places and game it will not be legal for even if it "could" take them with enough patience and a willingness to pass on a lot of shots.
Actually choose a rifle that fits you and go with the cartridge that the rifle is chambered in, if the rifle is in a chambering between 6.5x55 to 375 H&H!!
If you are think of a dangerous game cartridge get a 577 nitro express double rifle!!
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
What decade were you born?
Seriously pick a 7mm or 30 cal developed in that decade and you will have a winner and a bit of a novelty to go with it.
Careful though , some members here will easily be dated and have to admit age by using my formula.
7mm RM - 1962
7mm-08 - 1980 was standardized.
.308 - 1952
30-06 , you get that one but you would be damn old!!
300 WM - 1963
338 WM - 1958
Seriously pick a 7mm or 30 cal developed in that decade and you will have a winner and a bit of a novelty to go with it.
Careful though , some members here will easily be dated and have to admit age by using my formula.
7mm RM - 1962
7mm-08 - 1980 was standardized.
.308 - 1952
30-06 , you get that one but you would be damn old!!
300 WM - 1963
338 WM - 1958
Last edited:
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
What decade were you born?
Seriously pick a 7mm or 30 cal developed in that decade and you will have a winner and a bit of a novelty to go with it.
Careful though , some members here will easily be dated and have to admit age by using my formula.
7mm RM - 1962
7mm-08 - 1980 was standardized.
.308 - 1952
30-06 , you get that one but you would be damn old!!
300 WM - 1963
338 WM - 1958
Eww...was there anything good developed in the 70's? #### that...I'm an old soul. 300 H&H, 366 Wagner, 416 Rigby for me!
Yep! The 7-30 Waters from the mid-70's is a great cartridge that never caught on. I would hesitate calling it an "all-round" North American cartidge though.
I live and hunt in BC and carry a .300 mag most of the time when in Grizz country. I was out a few weeks ago for three days in a very remote area solo with a healthy population of Grizz. I had just read this article http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr152.pdf.
I have always felt pretty safe packing a .300 mag, but after reading this article it made me think and ponder a bit. I guess the fact that this year has been a record year in the West for bear encounters and mauling s.
So I am not sure if the .300 mag is the best gun for where I hunt. In the attached report which seems quite thorough and objective rates the .300 mag in last place for bear protection only.
Thoughts ?
Dog_River
I have always felt pretty safe packing a .300 mag, but after reading this article it made me think and ponder a bit. I guess the fact that this year has been a record year in the West for bear encounters and mauling s.
So I am not sure if the .300 mag is the best gun for where I hunt. In the attached report which seems quite thorough and objective rates the .300 mag in last place for bear protection only.
Thoughts ?
Dog_River
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
A two minute scan of that paper shows a lot of flaws. This is very outdated info, at first glance it appears a single .300 Win load was tested (Federal 180gr cup and core, blue box being today's equivalent), and they ranked everything on factors that are largely bullet related, not cartridge related; retained weight, and penetration. Old science.
Your .300 is the most common rifle you'll encounter in the north half of BC for fair reasons, carry a quality bullet and carry on.
Ardent is right. That test was conducted in the early-mid eighties and bullets have come a long way since then. I don't think a single load using the Nosler Partition was tested, and it was readily available back then, at least to handloaders. It would be interesting to see this test re-done with modern premium bullets.
I also happen to agree with Ardent about the .300 WM. http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1175555-The-Ultimate-North-American-Hunting-Round
Granted the paper is dated but in the study they mentioned that the rounds where purchased locally and they did not intend to purchase the most advanced or best ammo on the market. This was done to simulate a hunter and the acquisition of all the ammo was done in a similar manner, to simulate a hunter using available ammo for that particular cartridge. I think this aspect of the study make sense. I doubt the .300 mag would raise near the top if the study was done again.
Don't get me wrong I love my .300 Mag but this study does bring some reflection for what is the best round for where I hunt.
Dog_River
Don't get me wrong I love my .300 Mag but this study does bring some reflection for what is the best round for where I hunt.
Dog_River
