THE 340 WEATHERBY bar none, but because you chose to ignore a few of the best ever.........300 Wby, 300 RUM, 8mm RM, 338 RUM, 340 Wby, 358 NM, 358 STA, 9.3X62 or X64 or X300WM, just to name a few, I'd have to go with the 300 WM which is no slouch in any arena in NA. Even the big bears will succumb quite nicely to a 200 or 220 gn Part from a 300 WM. I used one for years before going to the Wby but didn't really feel the Win Mag lacking a bunch, the Wby just gave me a tad better range and drives heavier bullets a bit faster.
The Ultimate North American Hunting Round?
- Thread starter Ardent
- Start date
308 and 9.3x62, I use them both for everything BC has to offer and have never let me down.
If it is down to only one and species not currently in the hunting regulations are on the table I would say 50bmg, I dont want to be undergunned
If it is down to only one and species not currently in the hunting regulations are on the table I would say 50bmg, I dont want to be undergunned
I hate to admit it but it has to be the .30-06. I don't own one, never did and never will. Nothing wrong with it obviously but just too boring for me. Phil Shoemaker says he would have no issues guiding a hunter on a brown bear hunt with a properly loaded .30-06 and big moose are cleanly killed every year in northern Canada and Alaska. Enough power but not too much to handle by most.
Easy to say when packing a 375 for back up.....lol
dgradinaru
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- British Columbia
Out of the list I chose the .30-06 for the reason of ammo availability and good power with out to much recoil. I would use bullets within 190-220gr. I my self use and prefer the 8x57 mauser and 9.3x62 for all of my hunting needs, so the 30-06 being so simular to the 8x57 in the 180gr-220gr bullets makes a good choice for me.
If you take a look at the caliber offerings from the major mfg's on their various models, there is more than a few that are "only" chambered in 30.06 and 270 Win.
They don't do that because there is some "overwhelming demand" for other calibers.
They are trying to make money after all...
They don't do that because there is some "overwhelming demand" for other calibers.
They are trying to make money after all...
Bigfoot 870
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
.....he said. Yes, until people start questioning the list and start shooting down other peoples choices
Regardless of all the .270 vs .308 vs .30-06 redundant-banter............for all of North America, I vote for .375 H&H, as there's no such thing as too dead
Edit:
Now that I see the .30-06 is in the lead, you guys killing brown bears, polar bears and bison, with that cartridge, be sure to post your videos
And for only the second time ever, I agree with sheephunter
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Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
While I like and respect both cartridges, "popular" by no means immediately equates to "best". Please also remember the target game for like nine out of ten hunting rifles sold is Bambi, not a Polar Bear to Pronghorn spread of game, which is what this thread is about.
My vote goes to the 375 Holland and Holland magnum. There is nothing in North America that cannot be ethically taken with this grand old girl. As Craig Boddington says "It is one of the only cartridges ever designed that can be taken anywhere in the World and used on any game in the World and few, anywhere would call it unsuitable".
I am bias towards the 375ruger. 250g for the long range stuff and 300g for bison, grizz ect.
Bottom line it's too much to pack up in the alpine. Loaded ammo is a little harder to come by.
30-06 is a great round. I have one and would have no issue taking it anywhere.
Ammo is everyware. Can be had in light platforms and can reach out when needed.
I must admit IMO the best one on that list it the 300WM.
Also IMO. Every calibre could do everything in NA.
Would the 270win meet the min energy for bison?
Can you get .270 cal 175g bullets. ?
Bottom line it's too much to pack up in the alpine. Loaded ammo is a little harder to come by.
30-06 is a great round. I have one and would have no issue taking it anywhere.
Ammo is everyware. Can be had in light platforms and can reach out when needed.
I must admit IMO the best one on that list it the 300WM.
Also IMO. Every calibre could do everything in NA.
Would the 270win meet the min energy for bison?
Can you get .270 cal 175g bullets. ?
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Plenty of bears of all colours have been dropped with .303's, 30-30's, 44-40's, musket balls, arrows and atlatl darts. Russians regularly use mosins to shoot brown and polar bears (if my Russian neighbour is a good enough witness for you).
I remember reading about a wanna be Brown bear hunter in the early 20th century in coastal BC or AK being told that he should probably trade his 30/30 for a .303 (maybe '06) if he wanted to be safe. Anyone recall what work this is from?
As an iron sight afficionado, I don't see all that much difference in the ranges I would be capable shoot with a .300 win mag and a 30-06 with open sights.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Just barely, though the .270 is a very poor choice for Bison in my opinion.
This is the king of our continent folks, I put him ahead of Polar Bear only because the Bison is tougher. He's up to three times the size of an eastern or southern bull Moose, far tougher, and lives in places you don't want to be tracking as far as he can walk wounded. /End of dramatic presentation, but it's true. A big Wood Bison is one of the few animals I've encountered and hunted in the world that has ground growth, not shrinkage, and one of the only that is far bigger than you expect it to be. Big bulls are ridiculously large, and it's upon this and coastal bears I'd prefer .300 and up.
When I went to Russia my gun paperwork got all screwed up so I was given an AK47 to use with the advice that it held 11 rounds so if I saw a bear I should pull the trigger 11 times. I didn't take that as a real endorsement of the round....lol I never got to try out their advice...thankfully I think.
Bigfoot 870
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Bigfoot 870
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Woodleigh and Barnes make 180 grain .277 projectiles.
I voted 300 Wm however the old 30/06 isn't far behind. Some can't handle a 300wm but those who can can push the limits further than the 06
I'd like to see how the 45/70 would fair in this debate. It does have long range potential especially now with all the new technology in range finding and optics
I'd like to see how the 45/70 would fair in this debate. It does have long range potential especially now with all the new technology in range finding and optics
