The Ultimate North American Hunting Round?

[Ardent]

I don't mean the round you enjoy in your little corner of the country and feel applies to all the continent equally. I'll admit my impetus for doing this, and no doubt this thread will prove a colossal argument with little consensus, is the frustrating statement "Good for anything in North America". This is constantly thrown around to describe what I view as quite inept all around North American chamberings, I recently saw the .25-06 labelled this way for instance, and it's not even legal for Wood Bison in at least two of the places you can hunt them. Now, the .243, .25-06, .260, 7mm-08, etc etc are wonderful cartridges, in their niche. All rounders they are not. I'm going to make a list of what I view as the sensible choices for use on coastal Brown Bear in Alaska and BC, really big Moose, Roosevelt Elk, long range mountain Sheep and Goats, dog treed Cougar, speedy and distant Antelope, Wolves, desert Bighorns in Mexico and the US, stretchy Gemsbok in the desert, tree stand Deer, you name it. This is a rifle for the travelling hunter, someone who experiences as much of the game available as possible, not just Saskatchewan bucks or Newfoundland Moose etc. Ammunition availability is a real consideration, and a bias must be thrown to the big stuff as the bigger cartridges perform wonderfully on the smaller game, but not vice versa, and the rifle has to be truly last home hunting anything on the continent not just side showing in it.

In my mind there is only one best choice, which I do not presently own, .300 Win Mag. It has the trajectory, bullet weight options, light enough rifles, easily available ammunition, power for big Brown bear and Ungulates, affordable rifles... everything really.

Your thoughts? This will be fun.

 

[AP]

I have often thought that the 8x68s was pretty good in this bracket (200yd energy etc was impressive) but for practical use and availability of rifles/ammo/reloading components it would be hard to improve on the 300WM (or maybe the .338WM which doesn't seem to get the love it deserves because of the wonderful .375H&H) ...

 

[buckbrushoutdoors]

35 whelen is my vote. Easy brass to find. 180 gr to 250s will handle everything from antelope to big bears at ranges to 300 yards which 95%of game is taken. Have yet to kill a mtn goat or sheep past 300 yards. And it's more efficient than the 06.

Low recoiling for high energy numbers down range equals a very shoot able rifle for most hunters.

 

[hoytcanon]

I would have to say the .300 WM is a good choice... but dumbed down to the .30/06 it is a better choice. I don't own a .30/06 and don't want one... but it has incredible versatility and potential, both loaded up or down.

 

[jables]

I'll also have to choose the 300WM for the reasons you listed. More than enough energy and speed with a wide variety of bullets (several pre-rolled options from the cheap stuff to the premium options - more than enough options for the hand loader to mix something up for every type of game). Again, to agree with you Ardent, there are more than enough (available) factory options from the lightweight Kimbers to heavier target options from most common manufacturers, and "budget friendly" to "sell-your-house-to pay-for" options. I currently own one 300WM in a Model 700 Sendero SF II mainly for target shooting (got a nice WT doe with it this year), but would not hesitate to pick up a lighter weight hunting rifle in the same caliber. My second 2 choices would be the 7mmRM or the 338WM, but the 7mmRM just doesn't seem to have the bigger bullets for big bears, and the 338WM seems (to me) too big for the smaller 4 legged creatures (antelope, blacktails, etc...).

 

[bearkilr]

I voted for the 338, though I used the 300 WM for years on everything and it's still one of my favorites. I just prefer the slightly heavier bullets the 338 can deliver.

I'm not quite sure why the 270 Win is on that list though (brown bear,polar bear, bison). I'd cull it, or surely you'll have to add the 308...........

 

[Yukidaruma]

I voted for the tried and true .375 H&H, when you are face to face with the big bears it will help to calm the nerves to have one in your trembling hands!...yes a little bit more gun then you need for anything smaller then elk but better too much gun then not enough!

 

[Ruger No.1]

Although I have three of the ones on the list (7 mm RM,.338 WM,.300WSM), I voted 30-06. I think it is just so versatile with bullet weights without the recoil factor of the others. If I ever had to cut down to one rifle, that would be the caliber.

 

[Ardent]

.270 can deliver a tad more than .308 in my eyes with the 150gr, though it's too light in my eyes too. Not a fan of the WSMs being there either, but they are now in too many Canadian Tires to ignore. I'd feel under gunned against coastal Brown, Bison, white Bears with a .270 and equally so for .308, even though the .308 is a personal favourote for middle ground animals.

 

[ShrtRnd]

I would have to say the .300 WM is a good choice... but dumbed down to the .30/06 it is a better choice. I don't own a .30/06 and don't want one... but it has incredible versatility and potential, both loaded up or down.

+1

Based on the criteria given of ammunition/reloading supplies readily avail throughout NA and its' already proven track record, it would be hard to argue against. Although I was leaning towards the 300WM initially.

 

[Ardent]

I voted for the 338, though I used the 300 WM for years on everything and it's still one of my favorites. I just prefer the slightly heavier bullets the 338 can deliver.

I'm not quite sure why the 270 Win is on that list though (brown bear,polar bear, bison). I'd cull it, or surely you'll have to add the 308...........

Should have added too the .308 isn't quite as good as the .30-06, and the .30-06 is so uniquitous it was hard to justify including .308 when it's an obvious second and even third choice in .30 cal behind the -06 and Win Mag as an all around continental cartridge. Figured with the popularity of the .308 the snub should be properly explained. And for those who say .30-06, remember the .300 will do everything it does and more, with the added range and power.

 

[International Harvester]

340 Weatherby.

 

[Salty]

Not on your list but I'm waiting on a 7 wsm these days and on paper would be happy with that for any conceivable hunting I'd do. If sneaking up on the biggest coastal grizzlies was in the cards it wouldn't be my first choice but with a 150 gr ttsx on board I'd be reasonably confident there too. Ask me in a few months and I'll probably have a different answer cause there's tons of others that will work, and the mind does tend to wander.....

 

[BigUglyMan]

I don't mean the round you enjoy in your little corner of the country and feel applies to all the continent equally. I'll admit my impetus for doing this, and no doubt this thread will prove a colossal argument with little consensus, is the frustrating statement "Good for anything in North America". This is constantly thrown around to describe what I view as quite inept all around North American chamberings, I recently saw the .25-06 labelled this way for instance, and it's not even legal for Wood Bison in at least two of the places you can hunt them. Now, the .243, .25-06, .260, 7mm-08, etc etc are wonderful cartridges, in their niche. All rounders they are not. I'm going to make a list of what I view as the sensible choices for use on coastal Brown Bear in Alaska and BC, really big Moose, Roosevelt Elk, long range mountain Sheep and Goats, dog treed Cougar, speedy and distant Antelope, Wolves, desert Bighorns in Mexico and the US, stretchy Gemsbok in the desert, tree stand Deer, you name it. This is a rifle for the travelling hunter, someone who experiences as much of the game available as possible, not just Saskatchewan bucks or Newfoundland Moose etc. Ammunition availability is a real consideration, and a bias must be thrown to the big stuff as the bigger cartridges perform wonderfully on the smaller game, but not vice versa, and the rifle has to be truly last home hunting anything on the continent not just side showing in it.

In my mind there is only one best choice, which I do not presently own, .300 Win Mag. It has the trajectory, bullet weight options, light enough rifles, easily available ammunition, power for big Brown bear and Ungulates, affordable rifles... everything really.

Your thoughts? This will be fun.

Doug is going to #### all over your head for neglecting the 340 Weatherby!

But I have to agree with you...you can do damn near anything in North America with a 300 Winchester.

 

[sheephunter]

I'm a fairly recent .338WM convert and it got my vote. With range of weights in quality bullets available and the advent of simple ballistic hunting reticles, there's really nothing this cartridge can't do and you can have it in a relatively lightweight rifle without getting beat up too bad....something that is important if this is to double as a mountain rifle. Ammo is easy to find and since I started shooting 185-grain bullets out of mine for most stuff, it really changed my mind about the 338WM. In many if not all ways, it makes the 300WM obsolete. Perhaps other than at extreme ranges.

 

[BongoBob]

I went with the .338 WM, but would also feel good with the .300 WM (although I don't have one), or .375 H&H.

 

[NAA]

The venerable .30-06 .... it's the benchmark by what most ctg's are compared to....

-------------
NAA.

 

[Neo]

Gotta agree with BUM that there's not much you can't do with a 300 Win -- but I've always felt pretty much the same way about the 30-06, which gets my vote. Have never found it lacking on animals from coyotes up to eland in size (an African animal, yes, but I think that sets a pretty high bar with respect to body size and tenaciousness), and a no-holdover trajectory with appropriate sighting out to nearly 300 yards. With familiarity, it shoots flat enough to stretch out a good deal further and still hit with decent authority. All this, and it's one of the easiest of cartridges to find if ammo gets misplaced or lost.

Yeah, I know, the 300 Win does it all and more, and is almost as common a round. It's just that after decades of hunting, I've yet to come across a hunting situation that I couldn't manage with the '06 -- or one in which the .300 would have saved the day. And as for the ability of the '06 to take literally ever huntable species in North America, that was long ago proven when Grancel Fitz did just that in the 1930's and 40's. Then just to prove it again, JY Jones repeated the feat. There may be "better" rounds both on paper and in practice, but I'd be hard pressed to think of any reason why the '06 isn't up to the task. I guess that's why I keep hunting with it so often

 

[Homesteader]

Ammo is easy to find and since I started shooting 185-grain bullets out of mine for most stuff, it really changed my mind about the 338WM. In many if not all ways, it makes the 300WM obsolete. Perhaps other than at extreme ranges.

That's a good one, obsolete. Haha. They are both excellent cartridges, I've had both, and could easily live with either. If I was after bear specifically then I'd give the 338 the nod........but the 300 will amply handle bears as well, and I'd say do a smidge better job on the rest. Ammo availability is not a consideration for choosing the cartridge to me unless it is unobtainium. Plus I still have a 300 7 rem mag, and 06 are also right in the running.

Final answer 300 Win Mag in rifle of your choice.

 

[ShrtRnd]

And for those who say .30-06, remember the .300 will do everything it does and more, with the added range and power.

Agreed, the 300WM does have the added range and oommph behind it. Maybe some are factoring in something you didn't include, which is recoil management? '06/270/08/7mm is tolerable for most, once you step into the .300 and beyond realm some might feel the added recoil could be a negative against those cals (?) an un-necassary trade-off maybe? (just kinda thinkin out loud here).