Recoil between a 30-06 firing 180 gr bullets and a & RM firing 175 gr bullets is very, very similar. 7 RM is a fine choice for an all around rifle in Canada, unless you're in big bear country. Then bigger is better. - dan
Best do-it-all hunting caliber
- Thread starter RYoung
- Start date
Recoil between a 30-06 firing 180 gr bullets and a & RM firing 175 gr bullets is very, very similar. 7 RM is a fine choice for an all around rifle in Canada, unless you're in big bear country. Then bigger is better. - dan
Hunters are notorious for wanting to be "over gunned", and as a result develop horrible shooting habits. Arguably most hunters would be better served with a smaller cartridge then a magnum.
My vote would be 6.5 PRC. For hunting purposes, you should be able to take down any game in North America. 6.5x55 has been used very successfully for many, many years in nordic countries, taking out a plethora of big game. Easier to shoot, easier to practice with, a lot more reasonable in cost.
I don't really understand the fascination for big cartridges for NA hunting, it seems to accomplish instilling poor shooting habits into hunters more then anything else.
My vote would be 6.5 PRC. For hunting purposes, you should be able to take down any game in North America. 6.5x55 has been used very successfully for many, many years in nordic countries, taking out a plethora of big game. Easier to shoot, easier to practice with, a lot more reasonable in cost.
I don't really understand the fascination for big cartridges for NA hunting, it seems to accomplish instilling poor shooting habits into hunters more then anything else.
thatmikeguy
Regular
- Location
- Steinbach, Manitoba
Something of the short action variety. 6.5 CM or 7-08 or 308.
300 WSM will beat both the 30-06 and 308 and fit in a short action.
280 AI would be hard to Beat and a 30-06 would prob be Best. RJ
Great rifles, when you live in a part of the country where you are allowed to use them, but here in Southern Ontario, my all-round go-to remains the 6.5 x 55; legal, more than adequate, soft shooting and inherently accurate. If I lived elsewhere, maybe I would get the 9.3 x 62 out more often. (since size seems to matter to many). Fun to shoot though!!
I shoot a 280, and don’t own a 06 now. That said for a non reloaded and a one gun outfit I would buy the 3006. Ammo available and a wide range of bullet weight. It does take a lot of range time to hit a target (6”) at 600 yd. No benches in the hills. My advice, and it’s worth what your paying for it, is spend pre season trying to get close to game. Work the wind and make no noise. Good luck and let us know how you make out.
There's not a one of us that would want for anything if all we had was a good 30-06 topped with a 3-9.
The trouble is that we gun nutz are also gun snobs and think we have a better plan than the aforementioned rifle/scope combo, but in the end we really don't.
so saddly well defined.
dgradinaru
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- British Columbia
The 8x57 does it for me. 180gr TSX at 2780fps. 200gr at 2550/2600 fps. The 30-06 would be my second choice.
Aaannnd... I bought a braked .300 Weatherby. So much for that.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
‘Magnum’ is a broad, overused term. I would argue it should mean cartridges capable of throwing a typical a typical mid weight bullet for the bore at 3000fps or better.
That combination isn’t BS, it’s just remarkably effective and useful especially here in the West. In marketing alone, I’d agree the term gets thrown around casually and loses its meaning.
If you don’t intend to hunt buffalo and above, .300 is the best do all. I personally choose .308 for the light recoil in light rifles, and ubiquity in ammo and across different types of guns. But it isn’t a .300 on game, that’s for sure.
That combination isn’t BS, it’s just remarkably effective and useful especially here in the West. In marketing alone, I’d agree the term gets thrown around casually and loses its meaning.
If you don’t intend to hunt buffalo and above, .300 is the best do all. I personally choose .308 for the light recoil in light rifles, and ubiquity in ammo and across different types of guns. But it isn’t a .300 on game, that’s for sure.
"Why not just use a 30-06?"
Is the first question I always ask when friends and acquaintances talk about a new hunting rifle. Doesn't mean it is the best choice everywhere and for everybody (far from it), but it's an extremely useful reference point.
Is the first question I always ask when friends and acquaintances talk about a new hunting rifle. Doesn't mean it is the best choice everywhere and for everybody (far from it), but it's an extremely useful reference point.
