Most versatile chambering for handloaders?

[Mustang72]

Only one!--- 30/06 or 35whelen.
I have to admit that I don't own a Whelen yet,but it is supposed to be very good with cast bullets and there is the pistol bullet option. 250 partition should be plenty of big bear medicine. If the only way that you would ever hunt the big browns is with a guide then a 30/06 would be my chioce. If I lived around bears then a 35whelen would be my chioce.
If I could have 2 then a 223 and a 300wm. I think a 223 and a 338wm is about as good of a 2 gun combo as you can get,but I just don't care for that much recoil and don't like brakes on hunting rifles. Don't care for barrels over 22inches long for an all around gun either.

 

[Rick_W]

Brown bear,moose and elk area pipe dream for most , if you can aford them you can aford an appropriate gun and or round.
So that leves us with black bear,deer and hogs....in that case a lot of rounds will work.
The 45-70 might struggle a little at 400 but other old rounds like the Sweede, 06 or 308 as well as many other youngsters would work.
Best?? I'm still lookin

Not looking for the BEST, just the most versatile.

And not looking for a wonder-bullet that will work on deer at 50 yds traveling 3000 fps just as well as on a buffalo at 400 yds traveling 1500 fps.

Knowing the area to be hunted, the animal pursued of and the range to be shot I would hope to be carrying the appropriately constructed round.

The .45-70 can be loaded down to powder puff rounds with 300 gr cast lead bullets over Trail Boss for short range thin skinned game and can also be loaded with jacketed or solids over appropriate powder charges for most any dangerous game. And out of a Marlin Guide Gun it's fairly light, maneuverable and quick with follow-up shots. But that doesn't mean it's the most versatile, though it's probably good enough for most.

 

[Greyfox]

Versatility at your range requirements, 308 or 30-06.

 

[jebel]

338-06, accepting that some animals on you list are at shorter range and others able to stretch out. You're essentially asking what cartridge would you hole up with in the Alaskan wilderness with nothing but components. I don't think "ideal" really comes into the equation. More like the practical concession.

 

[Alibiiv]

I'll probably get beat up here, but.................. If I wanted just one "versatile" rifle that will handle all of the game that you mentioned, and.............can handle "lead" as well as the jacketed bullets, the 45-70 is not a bad round to look at. We have guys at my club who shoot 600 yard buffalo shoots with them. All of their bullets are hard cast and very accurate. I had a Browning 1885 hi-wall with a 28 inch barrel in 45-70, extremely accurate and easy to reload for; 5 shot clove leafs consistently. The 405 grain Barnes bullets were all that anyone could ask for in performance and accuracy when hunting the game that you stated you wanted to hunt. "Again" I make this suggestion based upon your criteria. I have the 35 Whelen, although I have never shot cast bullets out of it, I would not hesitate to shoot any of the game you have described here at the distances that you are looking to hunt. The 338-06 is another great cartridge to look at. All of the cartridges that have been mentioned in the responses are good suggestions, however the "kicker" is the "lead" component. The barrel burners cannot be pushed to the high ballistics that they are made to shoot at, if you push them too fast, no matter how hard-cast they are or with a gas-check, they are still going to lead your barrel. I don't know if you have ever had the experience of cleaning out a leaded barrel, if you haven't you really do not know what a fun experience you are missing out on!

 

[Hand Skills]

30/06 or 35whelen.

Yup. Simple as that!

 

[Alibiiv]

Only one!--- 30/06 or 35whelen.
I have to admit that I don't own a Whelen yet,but it is supposed to be very good with cast bullets and there is the pistol bullet option. 250 partition should be plenty of big bear medicine. If the only way that you would ever hunt the big browns is with a guide then a 30/06 would be my chioce. If I lived around bears then a 35whelen would be my chioce.
If I could have 2 then a 223 and a 300wm. I think a 223 and a 338wm is about as good of a 2 gun combo as you can get,but I just don't care for that much recoil and don't like brakes on hunting rifles. Don't care for barrels over 22inches long for an all around gun either.

If you ever get the opportunity to acquire a 35 Whelen, the 30-06 probably will never leave the gun safe. It is a very accurate, powerful, easy-on-the-shoulder cartridge. If you load the round too hot, it can be tough on brass. Since my son and I have built the Whelens they are the only rifles that we shoot. You ought to see what it does to plates at 100 and 300 yards.

 

[Rick_W]

I'll probably get beat up here, but.................. If I wanted just one "versatile" rifle that will handle all of the game that you mentioned, and.............can handle "lead" as well as the jacketed bullets, the 45-70 is not a bad round to look at. We have guys at my club who shoot 600 yard buffalo shoots with them. All of their bullets are hard cast and very accurate. I had a Browning 1885 hi-wall with a 28 inch barrel in 45-70, extremely accurate and easy to reload for; 5 shot clove leafs consistently. The 405 grain Barnes bullets were all that anyone could ask for in performance and accuracy when hunting the game that you stated you wanted to hunt. "Again" I make this suggestion based upon your criteria. I have the 35 Whelen, although I have never shot cast bullets out of it, I would not hesitate to shoot any of the game you have described here at the distances that you are looking to hunt. The 338-06 is another great cartridge to look at. All of the cartridges that have been mentioned in the responses are good suggestions, however the "kicker" is the "lead" component. The barrel burners cannot be pushed to the high ballistics that they are made to shoot at, if you push them too fast, no matter how hard-cast they are or with a gas-check, they are still going to lead your barrel. I don't know if you have ever had the experience of cleaning out a leaded barrel, if you haven't you really do not know what a fun experience you are missing out on!

Most of my shooting these days is with lead - all too familiar with trying to push something too fast.

I have a Miroku Browning Hi-Wall and Marlin 1895.

My thinking in this question is that just because a heavy jacketed or solid bullet can be pushed to 3,000 fps for long range or dangerous game, that doesn't mean that same cartridge can't be loaded with a hard-cast lead gas-check and used at closer ranges on thin-skinned game without wasting half the meat.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I'm telling you... Don't overlook the .308 Win... Especially performance with modern bullets like the 180 Berger Elite Hunters. Whole new ballgame.

 

[FEENIX]

I'm curious if people commenting have "actually" ever seen a live moose, elk, or a big brown/grizzly.

It's pucker time!

 

[ATH]

Hard to reconcile 400 yards on game (not targets) with the need to shoot lead.

Absolute most versatile IMHO is 300WM, but limiting to 400 yards, a .30-06 will do just as well. But I have no experience trying to shoot lead from these relatively fast rounds.

The .45-70 will give you more versatility to shoot lead, but will cut your reasonable range short of the goal.

30 caliber has far more bullet choices, but .458 gives you all you need.

I'm a big fan of the 35 caliber too, but bullet choices are fewer.

 

[Mustang72]

Moose,Elk--yes. Browns---not yet!

 

[Rick_W]

Looking at the .338WM, one could load a 225 gr Swift A-Frame or 250 gr Nosler Partition ~2,600 fps. You could also load a Barnes 160 gr TTSX to 3,100 fps.

At the same time you could load a 250 gr lead gas-check to 1,200 fps.

My questioning is not in trying to find a cartridge capable of pushing a lead projectile to hyper-velocities, but to determine if a particular long-range cartridge is more suitable for loading lighter weight and/or lower velocity projectiles to hunt more conditions.

 

[therifleman556]

If you're handloading, and like the versatility of being able to use cast bullets and handgun bullets to cover a wide range of scenarios... I'd second (or third or fourth) the 35 Whelen. If you want some more sauce than that, 358 Norma, STA, or maybe WSM. You could even go a 358 Ultra Mag if you're brave.

For the level of versatility it offers, it would seem the 35 calibers don't get the love they deserve. Maybe not the fastest shooting rounds in the world, but even the "slow" Whelen offers plenty to get to 400 on a lot of species.