The North American Ultimate hunting caliber

Which caliber is North Americas Ultimate caliber for hunting?

  • 30-06 Sprg

    Votes: 72 35.8%

  • 303 British

    Votes: 7 3.5%

  • 6.5x55

    Votes: 12 6.0%

  • 300 Win Mag

    Votes: 57 28.4%

  • 7mm Rem Mag

    Votes: 22 10.9%

  • 308 Win

    Votes: 31 15.4%
  • Total voters
    201
none of the above, thanks anyway.:rolleyes:

I didn't vote for the 06 because if I was grizz hunting it would be at the bottom of my list, certainly not ultimate. The question should read, "Which of these cartridges will make do for NA hunting?"

BTW, .308, .3006, and .300WM are all .30 cals, so your question is lopsided.
 
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I didn't vote. None of the choices are ultimate for varmints or Grizzlies.

6.5x55 ultimate size for deer. .338 Win.Mag for bigger animals.

Thank god we don't have to settle for one cartridge. Ideally you should have at least 4 if you hunt everything. A Rimfire for small varmints. And 3 centerfires. One for larger varmints, one for antelope/deer size, one for elk/ moose/Grizzly size.
 
K98 said:
I didn't vote. None of the choices are ultimate for varmints or Grizzlies.

6.5x55 ultimate size for deer. .338 Win.Mag for bigger animals.

Thank god we don't have to settle for one cartridge. Ideally you should have at least 4 if you hunt everything. A Rimfire for small varmints. And 3 centerfires. One for larger varmints, one for antelope/deer size, one for elk/ moose/Grizzly size.
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Here in British Columbia we can be in different timber types, topography and animals in a matter of minutes so if that were the case one would have several different rifles in ones vehicle and have to sneak back and get the appropriate rifle for the occasion.
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walksalot said:
Here in British Columbia we can be in different timber types, topography and animals in a matter of minutes so if that were the case one would have several different rifles in ones vehicle and have to sneak back and get the appropriate rifle for the occasion.
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I know what you're saying. You just have to choose what you think is the best choice for that particular hunt.

And although most of the time it's the right choice you make there are exceptions, and it has happened to me. It wouldn't be much fun bumping into an overly aggressive bear if all you had was a rimfire while you're grouse hunting.
 
K98 said:
I know what you're saying. You just have to choose what you think is the best choice for that particular hunt.

And although most of the time it's the right choice you make there are exceptions, and it has happened to me. It wouldn't be much fun bumping into an overly aggressive bear if all you had was a rimfire while you're grouse hunting.
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What I am really saying is get a rifle which will do it all, practice with it and get good with it. Shot placement will nose out caliber, within reason. I would rather have a guy backing me with a .243 who can shoot it well than a guy with a big magnum and is the mayor of flinch city.
I would use my 30-06 for any animal on the North American Continent. I have shouldered that same rifle for close to forty years. Just threw a new barrel on it and it should be good for another forty.
 
I'm surprised the 7mm wasn't more popular. It's always been in there with the 30-06 and 300 as one of the best 'all around' cartridges that can do anything in my mind.
 
If I was to reccomend a cartridge to someone, with the choices only being that list, I'd tell them to get a 7RM or a 30-06.

I've used the 7RM quite a bit, and never felt undergunned...:)
 
My vote would be for a 300 Magnum, as they have sufficient energy and trajectory out to 400 yards for anything in NA, and they do not recoil terribly bad once you get some range time in

30-06/7mm Mag is close 2nd, as is the 338 Win Mag
 
ditto. In order to be 'ultimate' it has to be 'ultimate' for all species of NA game, and that includes the monster grizzlies. None of the cartridges on that list fit the bill. I'd be looking at a 338 WM/340 wby, 350 Rem/35 Whelen, 358 Norma, 9.3x62, 375 H&H and the like for a truly 'ultimate' N. American rifle.

If we drop Grizz from the list of na game, then I'd have to go with the 308 from that particular list though I still wouldn't call it the 'ultimate' round.
 
I'd be looking at a 338 WM/340 wby, 350 Rem/35 Whelen, 358 Norma, 9.3x62, 375 H&H and the like for a truly 'ultimate' N. American rifle.
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Might be a little heavy for something like blacktail or sitka. And lots of grizzes have been taken with 7mm's (and i'm sure 300's. )
 
Foxer said:
Might be a little heavy for something like blacktail or sitka. And lots of grizzes have been taken with 7mm's (and i'm sure 300's. )
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Doesn't make them the 'ultimate' choice for such game. You can load a 338 down, but you sure as hell can't load a 6.5x55 up to 338 levels.

Plus, with the tough, slow-expanding bullets meant for heavier game, I've seen 338's that do less meat damage than high-speed 25-06's with more fragile bullets
 
2 guns is needed for hunting North America

a 'light' and a 'heavy'

light could be anything from 243 Winchester on up to 300 Ultra Mag

heavy could be anything from a 325 WSM to a 458 Lott
 
I can't believe no one has recommended the .70-150 Winchester yet. :p
70-150.jpg


Patrone70-150WCF.jpg


The 4th edition of Cartridges of the World says...
150 grains of powder.
600 grain round nosed bullet
1300 feet per second
3000 ft lbs of muzzle energy

or the other loading of

900 grain round nosed bullet.
1500 fps
3380 ft lbs of muzzle energy.

"These are not exact figures but will give the reader some idea of the potential. Recoil would be murder"

:eek:
I'm pretty sure that's better then the 300 win mag. :p
 
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