If you had to choose

I'd have to go with 45-70 as its mild to wild easy to load and case life is exceptional. Also I don't think I'd ever feel under or over gunned
 
The 30-06 has so much going for it, that it becomes the winner by default.
Versatility, ammo easy to find, big enough to discourage even nasty critters.
Tolerable recoil....the list goes on and on.

As much as I appreciate many chamberings...if only one was allowed, I'd pick the '06.

Dave.
 
The Kurgan said:
As much as I love 7x57 and 6.5x55, in the end, nothing is more versatile than 30-06. It can do it all, and it does it all very well. From 150 to 220 grain bullets in all configurations, there isn't anything walking in North America it can't drop with a well placed shot. It's a proven battle calibre and doesn't have anything to prove to anyone.
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Well said. Solid choice.
 
Ok, here we go again...............340 Wby, why? Because I don't just hunt NA, because the bullet selection goes from 150 or 180 to 300 grns, because with the right load it will shoot almost as flat as a 257 Wby and then with 300 gn loads it hits harder than the 375 H&H and will out penetrate it. The 340 Wby with handloads for the job at hand, is without a doubt the single most versatile cartridge on the planet and is, without compromise, fully capable of taking a ram across a canyon at 500 mtrs one day and then thumping an elephant on a frontal brain shot the next day, with equal aplomb. It can be handled nicely in an 8-9 lb package which isn't too heavy for the average rifleman...........if there is a down side to the 340 it is the recoil may be a little more than the average 10 shot a year shooter will enjoy. The answer to this of course is to become a 1000 round a year shooter, and pretty soon you won't even notice it went off............I challenge anyone to show me a better cartridge ballistically speaking, that will shoot flatter and hit with greater authority with heavy bullets, than the 340..........I can think of one right off the hop but it has an even bigger downside......the 378 Wby.......
 
c-fbmi said:
Ok, here we go again...............340 Wby, why? Because I don't just hunt NA, because the bullet selection goes from 150 or 180 to 300 grns, because with the right load it will shoot almost as flat as a 257 Wby and then with 300 gn loads it hits harder than the 375 H&H and will out penetrate it. The 340 Wby with handloads for the job at hand, is without a doubt the single most versatile cartridge on the planet and is, without compromise, fully capable of taking a ram across a canyon at 500 mtrs one day and then thumping an elephant on a frontal brain shot the next day, with equal aplomb. It can be handled nicely in an 8-9 lb package which isn't too heavy for the average rifleman...........if there is a down side to the 340 it is the recoil may be a little more than the average 10 shot a year shooter will enjoy. The answer to this of course is to become a 1000 round a year shooter, and pretty soon you won't even notice it went off............I challenge anyone to show me a better cartridge ballistically speaking, that will shoot flatter and hit with greater authority with heavy bullets, than the 340..........I can think of one right off the hop but it has an even bigger downside......the 378 Wby.......
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Do you feel the 340 Wby is better than the 338 RUM, if so why? How are they different?
 
c-fbmi said:
Ok, here we go again...............340 Wby, why? Because I don't just hunt NA, because the bullet selection goes from 150 or 180 to 300 grns, because with the right load it will shoot almost as flat as a 257 Wby and then with 300 gn loads it hits harder than the 375 H&H and will out penetrate it. The 340 Wby with handloads for the job at hand, is without a doubt the single most versatile cartridge on the planet and is, without compromise, fully capable of taking a ram across a canyon at 500 mtrs one day and then thumping an elephant on a frontal brain shot the next day, with equal aplomb. It can be handled nicely in an 8-9 lb package which isn't too heavy for the average rifleman...........if there is a down side to the 340 it is the recoil may be a little more than the average 10 shot a year shooter will enjoy. The answer to this of course is to become a 1000 round a year shooter, and pretty soon you won't even notice it went off............I challenge anyone to show me a better cartridge ballistically speaking, that will shoot flatter and hit with greater authority with heavy bullets, than the 340..........I can think of one right off the hop but it has an even bigger downside......the 378 Wby.......
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Since I love my .340 Wby and like to stir up the 30-06 guys, i will give this a X2!!!
 
HOSSONE,

I know you are scared of the mighty 30-06 and it likely makes you wet the bed at night..... They say to control your fears you have to face them. I'll let you shoot my 30-06 you have secretly been dying to shoot.
 
Dogleg said:
Polls results about best cartridge for everything are usually skewed by 30-06 users who haven't done much of anything outside of their own backyard. It's sort of funny.
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For the likes of myself and quite a few others here on site, our experience pales in comparison to that of yourself and a few others. So, for a choice to use in our North American backyard, what would be your pick of the litter?
 
BongoBob said:
Do you feel the 340 Wby is better than the 338 RUM, if so why? How are they different?
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BB.......don't have any experience with the 338 RUM or Lapua, but given that they will match the velocities of the 340 Wby I assume they would work just as well............magazine capacity would be their downside, compared to the 340 Wby..........
 
sharp shooter said:
HOSSONE,

I know you are scared of the mighty 30-06 and it likely makes you wet the bed at night..... They say to control your fears you have to face them. I'll let you shoot my 30-06 you have secretly been dying to shoot.
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lol...just like you stepped up to the 22-250 from your other little pew pew caliber....one day you will see the light.....
 
Dogleg said:
Polls results about best cartridge for everything are usually skewed by 30-06 users who haven't done much of anything outside of their own backyard. It's sort of funny.
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That's a mighty big assumption you're making. I know plenty of mature shooters who have "done it all" in terms of shooting, hunting, travelling to the dark continent, etc... and most would say the same thing: 30-06. Just for the record, I have other favourites, but as a reloader, I can enjoy other calibres with similar ballistic characteristics.
 
I made this choice this last year; sold all my centerfire guns but my .338 WM. Now that I'm rebuilding the collection I don't think there is any room in it for a 30-06. My next one will be a 7mm caliber (I have magnumitis so probably a 7rm).

I wanted a gun that would work for elk, and a switch of front blade would allow it to shoot 200 grainers at deer. I also plan on taking it abroad to Australia or South America for water buffalo when the economy picks up; now I don't need to buy a new gun (even though I probably will); another 1000 dollars towards the dream hunt.

If a 30-06 can do anything; can't a 338 do it better? I don't need the range of the 340; I hunt with iron sights, might put a scope on the 7.
 
I don't have anything against the '06, in fact I hunt moose with one and like it, but whenever this topic comes up and I see the overwhelming favor given to the .30-06 I can't help but wonder, "Do people like it because they hear other people say how great it is?". Yes, it can do a lot of things, but it can't do anything significant that a .300 H&H, a .303 British, an 8mm, etc., etc. can't do.

So for best all-around cartridge (ammo availability notwithstanding)?
A really fast .30 or .33. A Wby or RUM or Lapua or SAUM, don't really care. Load it down with Trail Boss or 4895 and light bullets to shoot rabbits or load it up with RL22 and 200 gr TSXs or whatever you want and shoot everything else.
 
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