What would you guys choose?

Well, if I had to choose just one caliber for hunting everything in Ontario I'd have to give the nod to the venerable .30-06. Moose is the biggest thing you will encounter (by far) so you need to tool up for that, but with ranges typically short and the Ontario moose not (usually) being so huge like the Alaska-Yukon variety I don't think you need a magnum. There's be no reason why the .280 or .270 wouldn't serve well also. Now if you want to throw coyotes or foxes into the mix I guess you won't be hunting for the fur. lol
 
Find the right rifle for you hunting conditions and buy it in whichever chambering it comes with provided it has a minimum of a 6.5 bore. If the rifle fits you, if you have good optics on it, that again are appropriate to your conditions, and provided the rifle is easy to carry, it doesn't much matter which cartridge it is chambered for. Beware of cartridges which hold more than 50 grs of powder if you're recoil shy, or just an occasional shooter, and you'll be good to go.

To me this would mean a standard bolt action rifle with a 22"-24" barrel chambered for .270, .280, or .30/06 with a low powered variable scope, up to say a 2.5-8X, but probably a 1.75-6X. But that is for my circumstances which might not apply to you.
 
270 or 270WSM as it will open up more hunting oportunites (silly regulations we have here). Enough for any Ontario big game and loaded down is good for yotes in the south.
 
triton said:
I'm debating on going to one calibre for a scoped rifle, and an open sighted rifle. These would be for big game in Ontario. I have a couple of ideas, but haven't chose one yet. What calibre would you choose, and why?

Dave.
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Not much info to go on for use??

I would assume a scoped rifle for game where shots might be longer, for which my personal choise would be a bolt 280 but 270-30/06 would be adaquate ;)

& the open sited rifle I would assume for where closer shots are expected, in which case I'd love to have a 358 in a repeater of choice.
 
If you get a variable power scope that goes low enough in magnification, you don't need iron sights, except if you want a backup to your scope. A 1.5-6x would probably cover all your bases and even a 1-4x would also work well.
 
30-06. Ammunition is readily available everywhere and in many different types for all game in north America(150-200gr easy to find). And it is the legal minimum requirement for hunting bison up here which would be the largest game you can hunt on this continent.

If I owned a 30-06 when I moved here I probably wouldn't have upgraded from .303brit to 375 H&H recently. I needed a new gun in case I want to go after bison at some point and figured the extra couple hundred foot pounds with almost the same ballistics wasn't worth buying a new rifle for.
 
.30-06

2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
tjhaile said:
If you get a variable power scope that goes low enough in magnification, you don't need iron sights, except if you want a backup to your scope. A 1.5-6x would probably cover all your bases and even a 1-4x would also work well.
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Excellent advice!!

My go to rifle is a 280 with a 1.5x6x B&L :)

I am not a fan of 1x4x, they never seem to work as nice as a 1.5x6x.
 
I think I'd go .270 in one of the new Winchester Featherweights with a fixed Leupold FX3 6x42 scope with LR reticule. Nice flat shooting 130 grain bullets for a bit less recoil. The barrel in .270 might be a little stiffer than .308 cal as well. :confused:
 
The 308Win will do it all, at least in Ontario, and won't break the bank buying ammo, or finding it, if you're short.
Bullet selection is excellent, and it's not a powder burner, a fairly efficient cartridge.

It is accurate, and has enough range to take game at the ranges most guys should shoot at, and doesn't beat the shooter to death either.
 
The 308, 30.06 and the 270 are ballisticly very close so might as well take a 308 since it is usually the most accurate caliber and you buy yourself a 300 mag if you go for the big bears now you are cover for everything... JP.
 
30-06

scoped rifle......new Winchester M70 EW with 3-9X Leupold.

Iron sighted rifle....new Winchester M70 Fwt with front sight installed and recevier sight that fits the rear bridge without drilling & tapping the side of the receiver...
 
308 or 30-06, either would be great. The 308 is a loveable plain jane workhorse and the 06 is just a touch more energy and a touch less accurate. I was hunting at 13 with an 06 and it was a little much, but I managed. As an adult I find it very comfortable to shoot.
 
.308, 30-06, .303 brit, .270, .243, .7mm-08, .25-06, for a scoped rifle. For an open sight rifle,I'd go with a large caliber cartridge, Ontario is mostly short distance anyways. so, .444, .45-70, .45LC, .454 Casull, .44 mag, .38-55, hell even .375 win. Remember, pistol cartridge ammo is cheap too. Also, any thing in ontario will fall to a well-placed bowshot, if you like being close.
 
For the scoped rifle: 30-06. Very versitile in game size, wide range in bullet weights, easy to shoot and you can get ammo at the nearest gas station if you run out.

Open sight: 44 mag, easy shoot, great in close quarters from 3 ft. to 100 yds. light weight for dogging, good stopping power.

Personally I use a Kimber 8400 Classic select in 30-06 topped with a Leupold 3.5x10, hand loaded with 165gr nosler partions. No moose has ever won the arguement.

For close in work and dogging a Ruger semi auto in 44 mag with a Bushnell Holo sight. (My eyes are of the age they don't do well with open sights) Very light fast and dependable set up. The 44 puts deer and other intendeds on there butts real quick.
 
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