I need a new hunting rifle

My_Ram said:
It is amazing to me how many people will recomend a .270 or 30.06 because they are "adequate" for large game. It seems to me that a plastic shovel is "adequate" to dig the suez canal as well but that doesn't make it the right tool for the job. If you are hunting the largest game in North America then why not use a tool designed for the job like the .338. Then you don't need to qualify your recomendation with " if your shots are broadside" or "inside 200 yds" I think the .270 is a fine deer cartridge but why push it's capibility. The 30.06 was designed by the army to kill 200 lb mammals. Unless a little extra recoil makes your panties bunch up, use a cartridge design for large game. The .338 Win Mag is built for large game.:bangHead:

GIMME A FREAKING BREAK. :bsFlag::bsFlag::bsFlag:

People were hunting big game with 30-30s before the whizzbang super magnum 338 WSSM SAUM was ever around.

Gonna knock the 303 british now too? :bsFlag:
 
Wow, I may have stirred up some repressed feelings of inadequacey here.
Supercub: The 30.06 and .338 use the same size of action so the weight is the same for the same brand of rifle. Ammo is about $5 more fore a box, but 30.06 ammo costs more than a box a .22 shells so I'm not sure what the point is. I don't know where you shop but I live in a small town in BC about 100 miles from the NWT border and I have no trouble finding .338 ammo. Maybe if you are looking in a corner store in rural NB you might have trouble, but then I would just buy ammo before I left home. The only other point you made is that not everyone can handle them, which is what I said to start with, "Unless a little extra recoil makes your panties bunch up, use a cartridge designed for large game."
catnthehatt: I agree, I prefer Brownings and Kimbers myself, but each to their own. I think the original question said he was looking at a stainless synthetic, then the discusion changed to everyones favorite caliber.
mylesrom: If you check my post I never said the 30.06 is barely capable of taking moose, you just made that up. The question is what is the best tool for large game like moose and elk.
the_big_mike: People were hunting with spears long before the 30.30 was invented. That doesn't mean that it's the best tool for the job.

In a lot of African countries the LEGAL MINIMUM caliber for dangerous game is the .375 H&H. That isn't because you can't kill a 2000 lb cape buffalo with a 30.06 that is because they don't want to have to keep cleaning silly tourists out of the lions teeth. It isn't rocket science, but it is physics, small light bullets are good for small light game. Large heavy bullets are for large heavy game. Yes eskimos kill polar bears with a .243, but that doesn't mean that it's the best tool for the job. For my money, if I want to hunt coyotes I will grab my .243 and if I want to hunt moose and elk I will grab one of my .338s:D
 
My_Ram said:
Wow, I may have stirred up some repressed feelings of inadequacey here.
Actually, I'm OK with myself the way I am and don't feel inadequate, thus the absence of magnums in my safe.





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mylesrom: If you check my post I never said the 30.06 is barely capable of taking moose, you just made that up. The question is what is the best tool for large game like moose and elk.


Big Ram: You mentioned the 30-06 was designed for 200lbs mammals,(men) so obviously you are meaning its not suitable for big game as that was not the intent of the military... Its not the right tool for the right job, according to you.

I have had no problem taking Moose and Elk with my 308.

Is the 338 a good caliber for big game, sure.... but so is a 270 and 30-06 or 308.

Out of curiousity why aren't you using a 375 H&H as its a far superior tool to the 338 for the job of big game hunting?
 
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mylesrom: Actually I just bought a .375 H&H for my next trip to Africa because I'm planning on hunting large, dangerous game. Definitley buffalo and hopefully leopard as well. So if you happen to be hunting moose and elk on the Muskwa this fall you will find me packing a .375 H&H because I think the only thing more important than packing an adequate caliber for the job at hand is to make sure that when the moment of truth comes that you are ready and able to place the first round of whatever caliber in the correct place for a clean and humane kill. So I will burn up as much .375 ammo as I can over the summer and if I get a chance I will tip over a couple of black bears this spring so that I will be ready when I get my chance in Africa. Besides, as far as I know you can't really make game animals to dead, they are either dead or running around wounded by someone with an inadequate caliber.:rockOn:

CV32: :cool: way cool, I wish I was rich.
 
Its not called inadequate caliber, its called poor shot placement or poor bullet construction. Larger calibers don't make up for bad shots. Its called range time.
 
my 2c. i love my 280 kills what i hit,and is acc.(rem 700) my boys both use 7x57 with no prob.I have or had many cal.and they all kill IF the well made bullet hit proper zone. Just get a gun that fits & shot it lots.
 
CZ or Tikka in 6.5x55 Swede.
Will take any game in this country. Accurate, proven cartridge, for hunting at most ranges.
And you'll love the low recoil for when those needed follow up shots are required.
Not sure if they come in Stainless though!

my $0.02
7.62mm
 
.30-06 in a long action bolt gun or .308 in a short action bolt gun.

.338 magnum if you need to compensate for some personal shortcomings.
 
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