Do all hunting caliber under .275

If it has to be just one rifle and good for anything in Canada ( presumably moose, elk and larger bears) AND under the 275 cal restriction, then 270 caliber would be my suggestion. Not reloading would eliminate the WSM and the Weatherby unless you have a lot to spend on ammo, leaving 270 Win. I personally have a couple different rifles in 223 Rem for varmint shooting and some larger ones for deer sized game and up. I would go with 2 rifles if you can afford it.

Jim
 
Varmints and deer primarily and some target shooting, not a reloader, available ammo at CTC and Walmart, South Western Ontario.
That screams 243 Winchester all the way. You won't be disappointed.

Possibility of some bigger game the 270 would also be a great choice.

It is my opinion that 6.5 CM ammo will never become as available as the other 2 above and never be in the same price range. It is a great cartridge as well as the 25-06, 6.5 X 55, 257 and 270 Weatherby, but cost per trigger pull is high.

If the ammo producers would get off there butt and start producing more selections of bullet weights for factory ammo in the 257 Roberts +p loads then that would solve a lot of issues.

David
 
Just went through this myself. Have a .243 fast twist at my smiths right now, reason being anything in southern Ontario a 243 will work on. 87gr v-max and a 90nbt get the nod and I can find both with ease. Biggest test is a deer or black bear, good bullets good placement good meals too follow. If you can get moose tags on a regular bases your luck is better then mine or you have more money then me too buy tags and should be able to buy a dedicated larger rifle.

I’ve been in the 6.5 fan club since my dad got me shooting a sporterized M96 when I was 11 or 12, struggled to find good bullets back then cause it wasn’t a 243 or 270 now this friggen creed thing comes along 20 some years later and the options for 6.5 bullets are ENDLESS!! IF and that’s a big IF you can find them and or afford them. I struggle constantly to find components that aren’t the latest and greatest 75 dollar a box stuff...6.5 is perfect, availability on the other hand is tough lots of back orders or premium prices.


For me 270 was out cause I spend 51 weeks down south and 1 week up north if I’m lucky. Lot more shooting gets done here then there and the 270 is a lot of gun for gophers and coyotes. It works though and you’ll be able to find what your looking for.
 
257Roberts said:
If the ammo producers would get off there butt and start producing more selections of bullet weights for factory ammo in the 257 Roberts +p loads then that would solve a lot of issues.

David
Click to expand...

I think the fact that almost nobody is producing a rifle in 257 Roberts anymore (unfortunately ) is the reason for the limited ammo selection for that cartridge. Get into reloading if you own one.

Jim
 
243, you only need one bullet weight and it will work on deer and critters.... groundhogs don't care if they get hit with a 100gr pill.
 
Get a .30-06 for the bigger game and a .223 for the varmints and targets.

AFAIK there are no big game rifle seasons where the calibre restrictions are, so its a moot point.
 
The one gun concept is an interesting one. However the bigger crossovers never do well for varmint or small game hunting in a lot of southern ON. Having shot a fair few totes with a .243 they tend to leave some pretty big holes. I’d expand out a bit to 2. One 7mm or 30 caliber something for big game, and a vanilla .223 for everything else. Not what you asked for but it’s the best route in my opinion. After that, the Creedmore if you just have to have one only. Sure everyone has one, and really it’s no better than a 6.5x55 but it’s much more readily available and in far more loadings for the factory ammo aficionado.
 
Looked around for ammo, to compare a few, and on one site there was 6 times as much selection for 6.5x55 ammo as CM. The low prices were comparable. Another site had no 6.5x55 but a fair bit of high priced Creedmore. The same site had twice as much selection for .270. I am a big fan of the Swede, and that is what I'd pick. Great heavy for calibre bullets, less muzzle blast; it just works.

As you don't reload, the .270 can be bought a little cheaper and nearly everywhere. It's a zippy cartridge and has more comforting level of punch for "nearly everything" that the .25 and .24 calibres just can't quite match. Or the Creedmore or 6.5x55 for that matter. At least standard pressure 6.5.
 
A little old school, but 6.5 Swede (6.5x55) has taken more game around the world than you can imagine... With the right load it'll take anything from a polar bear to a whitetail.
 
Workin Man said:
I think the fact that almost nobody is producing a rifle in 257 Roberts anymore (unfortunately ) is the reason for the limited ammo selection for that cartridge. Get into reloading if you own one.

Jim
Click to expand...

I know what you are saying Jim, there is a lot 257 shooters out there, but the industry is focused on the fanboy stuff.
Currently I have 3, 257's and always looking for more good deals.
I reload for all my rifles and have not bought a factory round in years.
This 6.5 craze, as far as a hunting round, there is nothing that has not been produced in the past that would not do what it does. It's all about the marketing. If someone came out with the .25 X 57 and said it was the best thing since sliced bread it would sell.

Thanks
David
 
257Roberts said:
This 6.5 craze, as far as a hunting round, there is nothing that has not been produced in the past that would not do what it does. It's all about the marketing. If someone came out with the .25 X 57 and said it was the best thing since sliced bread it would sell.
Click to expand...

While I certainly agree that the marketing and timing has had a lot to do with the success of the 6.5CM, the 257Roberts is of an old and antiquated design and would not be released at all these days.

It's too short for a long action and too long for a short action and does not have the bullet selection support that wannabe LR 6.5 shooters "think" they need.

Yes the 6.5 surge will recede somewhat but given it's overall excellent design, I'm thinking you will see it continue to be way more popular in days to come than most all of the marketing blunders of the last 30yrs. Most 6.5 shooters would not even realize why the 6.5 is a great design, they just bought them cuz they thought is was cool.

Saying that, I'm not selling my 257Rob for a 6.5CM any day soon. :)
 
I have several that I could choose 243, 6mm-284, 25-06, 7-30 Waters but the ones I play with the most lately are a 22" factory tapered fluted Rem 700 LTR and a shortened to 19" barreled T/C Contender carbine both are chambered in 6.8SPC.

Parent case is a slightly shortened and necked down to 270 cal 30 Rem the parent case for a 30 Rem is a 30-30 the parent case for the 224 Valkyrie is a necked down 6.8SPC case.

I usually load them with 95gr Barnes TTSX at 2900fps and 110gr Accubonds at 2750fps I have shot several deer over the years with the 95gr TTSX load and just this last Sunday shot a blacktail buck with the 110gr Accubond load shot was appr 140 yards broadside bullet entered just behind the right leg broke two ribs going in went thru both lungs broke two ribs on off side when it exited deer made it tops 70 yards.

This round was designed for the semi-auto AR15's - Robinson Arms XCR-L now that they are basically banned not many people are shooting it bolt rifles and single shots are really rare here.

If conditions were good I'd shoot deer out to 300 yards and coyotes out to 400 yards with them.
 
I knew an older fellow who used his .243 on everything. He shot quite a few moose without problems.
 
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I have always been a 6.5mm fan, 260 Rem, 6.5X55 Swede, and now the 6.5CM. All great cartridges and rifles are readily available, ammo and reloading components too. The obvious choice of the three is the 6.5CM, shot a pair of 'yotes last winter, then took it moose hunting up north. Can do a lot with that little cartridge!
 
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Another vote for 243 Win - previously I thought of it only as "beginner" level. Local fellow uses his for everything - while out on farm machinery, in pick-up, out on trapline or when cutting birch for sale. And his is the little "Youth" model Ruger - 16.5" pencil barrel, 12" length of pull. I never used such a small one, so have ordered one - no cost savings whatsoever being "small", but will be new experience for me. I bought a .243 Win for Grandson's first deer hunt; previously got one for my wife, son and daughter for their first deer (all used the same rifle, when the time came) - so if "good enough" for them, why not try one myself?? With 85 grain to 100 grain Accubond or Partitions, what would be lacking???
 
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