Need some help choosing hunting rifle caliber

[hoytcanon]

In Southern Africa the .243 was voted as the most popular hunting cartridge in South Africa, Namibia and south-western Botswana, because of its long range capabilities and effect on game in the Springbok/Blesbuck category where ranges can reach in excess of 300m...

The .308... have flat trajectories, with ample killing power for almost any North American game but .. .. have considerable recoil...

My 2 cents.

HUH??? .243 tops in SA??? I believe historically that would be 7X57...
.308 win has considerable recoil??? Maybe compared to .223, but... not compared to other 7mm/.30 cal class cartridges.
This smacks of internet savvy...

 

[triton]

25-06,,,the do it all cal..

Yep!

 

[triton]

With factory ammunition, of the 3 cartridges you listed and the game you intend to hunt, I would go with the .223. Ammo is cheap which means you'll pratice much more and pratice will allow you to place a .223 bullet in the right spot to humanely kill any Monitoba deer you'll ever encounter when you use the Nosler Partiton, Barnes X bullets or even the heavier "cup and core" bullets. The .223 barrel has a life expectancy of aprox. 7000rds whereas the .243 and .25-06 will be done by 1500-3000rds. The .25-06 has a very limited choice of available factory ammo.

If later on you decide to hunt moose and bear, then a larger cartridge (260, 7mm-08, 308) would be recommended...but saying it is neccessary is a matter of opinion!

If you plan on getting into reloading then I suggest you move straight up to the 308 Winchester cartridge. You can load it with everthing from 100gr plinkers all the way up past the 200gr. bullets and it will handle anything and everything roaming North America. Barrel life is in the 7000rds area as well.

I think the .223 choice is bad advice!!! Especially for someone who is new to hunting. Just my 2 cents.

Dave.

 

[-Savage-]

There are four that never fail to impress me: 30-06, 308, 270, and 7x57. If I were to choose amoung the four, it would be 7x57. It gets the job done, always, with less recoil and a nice flat trajectory. All the rest are simply boutique calibers to me Yes, you can substitute 7mm-08 for 7x57 if you don't reload.

I agree completely.

Would I recommend that anyone start shooting with a .30-06? Never. But, a recommendation is just that, a recommendation.

 

[-Savage-]

HUH??? .308 win has considerable recoil??? Maybe compared to .223, but... not compared to other 7mm/.30 cal class cartridges.

In an 8 lb rifle, the recoil energy of a typical .308 bullet is 16 - 18 ft-lbs, depending on bullet weight.
In a similar 8 lb rifle, the recoil energy of a typical 7mm-08 bullet is only 12 - 12.5 ft-lbs.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

Perhaps others cannot, but I can feel the difference in recoil between shooting a .308 and a 7mm-08.
At the range, I can comfortably shoot a 7mm-08 all day. But after shooting two boxes of .308 rounds, it's no longer a lot of fun.

 

[hoytcanon]

In an 8 lb rifle, the recoil energy of a typical .308 bullet is 16 - 18 ft-lbs, depending on bullet weight.
In a similar 8 lb rifle, the recoil energy of a typical 7mm-08 bullet is only 12 - 12.5 ft-lbs.
Experientially, I can feel a considerable difference between shooting a .308 and a 7mm-08.

And there is nothing inherently wrong in being "internet savy". This conversation is taking place over the internet! And anyone giving advice to a beginner should have a wide range of knowledge of the topic, from many different sources including direct first hand experience.

I shoot and reload .25/06, .260, 7mm-08, .280 and .308 in the same and similar platforms... and yes, on paper there is a recognizable difference in recoil levels but IME at the range or in the field, there is no effective difference... they all bump your shoulder a tad... but not objectionably so...

I am not interested in regurgitated internet info (especially not Chuck Hawkes)... first hand experiences from many sources is what I am looking for... there are plenty of research posters... sharing links is one thing... speaking imperically from information "READ" online is of little value to me... I can read too, and draw my own conclusions... but to each their own. Good shooting.

"And by the way," in your vernacular, questioning posted information is hardly a flame war... unless you are the sensitive sort.

 

[Ardent]

I shoot and reload .25/06, .260, 7mm-08, .280 and .308 in the same and similar platforms... and yes, on paper there is a recognizable difference in recoil levels but IME at the range or in the field, there is no effective difference... they all bump your shoulder a tad... but not objectionably so...

I am not interested in regurgitated internet info (especially not Chuck Hawkes)... first hand experiences from many sources is what I am looking for... there are plenty of research posters... sharing links is one thing... speaking imperically from information "READ" online is of little value to me... I can read too, and draw my own conclusions... but to each their own. Good shooting.

"And by the way," in your vernacular, questioning posted information is hardly a flame war... unless you are the sensitive sort.

Good retort. It should be politely noted Savage, that you quoted and referenced what appears to me to be a useless source, with no references itself unless I missed it. That .243 being the favourite 300 yard + cartridge of Southern Africa is one of the more absurd, and impossible statements I've read. Impossible in that even if it was, who certifies all of Southern Africa's favourite cartridge for 300 yards and greater? I am not familiar with an authority here or there that can speak for our favourite cartridge at a given range.

I think one needs to be careful not to over extend their opinions on the internet, best to stick to what we truly know. I'm guilty of collecting opinions and then forming my own myself, but I try to stick to first hand as much as I can.

On recoil, I'm with hoyt, though I note your experiences as exactly that which I hope to hear on the internet, first hand. Personally, if you blind folded me (not a sound idea), I couldn't tell you the difference between a .260, 7mm-08, .308, .270, or .30-06; all give a completely unobtrusive bump in my experience. Things begin to change at .300 Mag, and by .375 H&H (rifle weight considered average for each chambering) you're starting to get recoil, in my opinion mind you. I find .458 Lott to have "recoil", as in it makes you think about recoil before the trigger is pulled, not a good thing. Quite frankly .375 H&H is the upper end of what I can shoot well, that is shoulder it and pull the trigger thinking only about the shot, so that's where I stick, but I digress. I suppose your point is we all need to find that point and know it.

 

[Der Hauptgefreite]

To the OP!

As you can see for your self, everybody has a different preference when it come to hunting calibers. Maybe you should talk to some Hunters in your area, and with any luck they let you shoot a rifle or two.

 

[-Savage-]

Good advice, Der Hauptgefreitre! If he can, the OP should talk to the local shooters and try their firearms, and make his decision from his own first hand experience.

 

[Slopok]

Sadly, I learned to shoot with a .308 and a 12g. But, I have used a .243 for both coyote's and deer. Used the .308 on moose. I didnt find that the .308 had anymore recoil then the .243 imo. Until I moved to AB, it was all, .270, 30-06 or a .308. They say you can kill a moose with a .243, but i'll stick with the .308. So, like mentioned above, talk to people in your area and see what they are using to kill cleanly and humainly. And then make your decision from there!