what do you think is the most versatile cartridge ever made?

Didn't some dude over a hundred years ago kill a bunch of elephants, lions and maybe bears (oh my!) with a 7X57 Mauser? 175 grain solids to the brain on the elephants, it is curious how over time the cartridge became less effective.
 
275 rigby or 3006
Personally i could do all my hunting with my 458wm as sheep really arent something i think id be into. Although a barberry ram would look good on my wall lol
 
6.5x55

Was used to hunt elephants and can hit a pop can at 600y with a cold bore shot. (Tikka T3 Varminter, 147gr eldm)

Now THAT’s versatile!!
 
If we use the most widely used and most varied ballistics, it would be 30-06, hands down.

If I had to pick one cartridge and be satisfied, it would be 30-06, hands down.
 
Given that the OP did not provide any range parameters to his query, it really opened up the the responses to subjective interpretation of the question.
So, given that some respondents have shorter range limitations on the hunting that they do, some of the less powerful rounds being put forth can be just as effective as those of higher velocity and energy.
For example, the 375 Win loaded with 200 gr bullets at 2200 fps with 2150 ft-lbs of energy, will still be doing over 1800 fps and carrying almost right on 1500 ft-lbs of energy at 100 yards. So given these numbers and an experienced hunter/shooter who knows the limitations of his firearm, and the quarry faced at the given moment, this may be effective on the animals listed, at reasonable ranges for this weapon. I know how effective it has been on numerous bears,wolf, moose and caribou over the 24 years I have been using mine.
Admittedly, not my first choice for bison or grizzly bear, but if I didn't have another rifle in my hands at the time, and had the right opportunity present itself, I think I would find myself in a situation similar to what Bell must have found himself in with an elephant and a 6.5x55! LOL (Keeping in mind of course, the distances that Bell was using the 6.5 and 7x57 on elephants...)
 
I want to say a 7mm magnum but a .300 magnum is really hard to argue with, particularly when stoked with a good 200 grain bullet if going lead cored or 150-180 grain monometal. A .338 has merit but seems beyond the recoil threshold of most.
Not that a magnum is truly needed, but for some situations the flatter trajectory can make itself very useful as Ardent described.
 
My 416 rigby took a Dall. Not ideal but beats then223 for moose threads.

Some people....you people....who want to use 6.5 creedmore for polar bears.

My thoughts would be 300 mag or 338wm. Think of the projectile range in each caliber. Everything from 220 swift velocity low recoil small projectile to giant round nose greetings for uninvited dinner guests.
 
I'll throw a vote to 338 Federal...good at common hunting ranges for most anything on this big island of NA
 
My vote would be for the good old 12 gauge , it has been loaded with just about everything that can fit down the barrel . And I would think it has taken just about everything it has purposely been fired at . Hey its even has subcaliber adapters .
 
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