Your All Around Rifle and Cartridge Combination

[Cold Trigger Finger]

I kind of answered this question on another thread called the Perfect Deer Rifle - 338 RUM. Basically what I said is that I would take my full custom 338 RUM with muzzle brake. It shoots 0.3 MOA and kicks less than my 06 so what is not to like? With this chambering you are not under gunned on the really big stuff (brown bear for example) and it won't damage meat on a small animal like deer - IF you use Barnes or similar bullets.

Since Barnes bullets out of a 338 RUM with pass through just about any animal, a bigger animal gets hit harder than a smaller animal. I have tested this on both elk and deer with zero meat damage. If an animal is big enough to stop the bullet - then it is going to get the whole 5,000 ft lbs which if it is that big the added power is probably needed.

I have found the same thing using good tough bullets on deer. . And the 375 s. For up here given the clarity of the? These make sense. . Having had both the 338 RUM and a 375 Weatherby I would probably go with the 375 . But for me it would be a coin toss.
As far as all around rifles these were THE 2 rounds along with the 358 STA that were the closest to the perfect all around rounds for Alaska.
But then I built a 9.3×64 Brenneke. Why, ???? I'm still asking that? . But it is a great round.

 

[davkrat]

When I was talking to my wife about this topic (actually she was typing as I can't type worth a s#@*), she said "What about my rifle?" so here is her "go-to" rifle that she has used since 1994. She bought into my "one gun for everything philosophy". We hunt big game, live in grizzly country and at one time thought when we got "rich and famous", we would hunt Alaska and/or Africa (which hasn't happened to date!) So, I convinced her that she needed to retire her .270 and get a .338 Win Mag. For the first couple of years, she wasn't totally convinced that the .338 was the way to go (she loved her .270). After years of use and many one shot kills including an elk at 400 yards, she is pretty pleased with her rifle. She has a "box stock" factory Win Model 70 .338 SS push feed. but does not have iron sights. The only modification made was cutting the stock and putting on a Pachmyer decelerator. She also has Leupold QD's, Leupold VX3 - 3.5-10 CDS weighing in at 8 lb. 10 oz. scoped, loaded with sling and has a Vari-X III 2.5-8 Leupold for backup. We built her some cast bullet loads that work pretty well on small game and like mine, should work for "small" big game. Her hunting round is a .225 Barnes TTSX at about 2950 fps and actually offers flatter trajectory and more foot pounds of energy out to 800 yards than does my rifle. I/We feel that we are pretty well covered on all-around rifles. - memtb

Sounds like a great setup! Pretty impressive your wife can handle a 225 grain bullet going 2950 fps!

 

[Jud96]

When I was talking to my wife about this topic (actually she was typing as I can't type worth a s#@*), she said "What about my rifle?" so here is her "go-to" rifle that she has used since 1994. She bought into my "one gun for everything philosophy". We hunt big game, live in grizzly country and at one time thought when we got "rich and famous", we would hunt Alaska and/or Africa (which hasn't happened to date!) So, I convinced her that she needed to retire her .270 and get a .338 Win Mag. For the first couple of years, she wasn't totally convinced that the .338 was the way to go (she loved her .270). After years of use and many one shot kills including an elk at 400 yards, she is pretty pleased with her rifle. She has a "box stock" factory Win Model 70 .338 SS push feed. but does not have iron sights. The only modification made was cutting the stock and putting on a Pachmyer decelerator. She also has Leupold QD's, Leupold VX3 - 3.5-10 CDS weighing in at 8 lb. 10 oz. scoped, loaded with sling and has a Vari-X III 2.5-8 Leupold for backup. We built her some cast bullet loads that work pretty well on small game and like mine, should work for "small" big game. Her hunting round is a .225 Barnes TTSX at about 2950 fps and actually offers flatter trajectory and more foot pounds of energy out to 800 yards than does my rifle. I/We feel that we are pretty well covered on all-around rifles. - memtb

Sounds like you two wouldn't have a problem using the rifles you chose in any part of the country. Especially with the light cast loads for small game and your heavy loads for big game, you definitely have everything covered.

 

[cohunter14]

I would probably go with a 300WM or 300 RUM...either one would do the trick, one would just do it a little better

 

[tuck2]

I do not have a All around rifle and cartridge combination. I don't wont one. I shot my first deer in 1953 and since then have killed them with 22-250 Rem, 243 Win, 257 Roberts, 25-06 Rem , 264 Win Mag , 270 Win, and 308 Norma Mag. Killed elk with a 270 Win, 308 Norma Mag, and 340 W Mag rifles. Bullet selection , shot placement and knowing the bullets energy with drop at various ranges are the keys to clean kills with any cartridge. I have looked for the perfict prairie dog shooting since I first shot them in 1949. So far I have shot p dogs with 17 HM2, 17 HMR, 17 Hornet, 17 Fireball, 17 Rem, 204 Ruger, 22 LR RF, 22WMR, 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball, 222 Rem, 223 Rem, 22-250 Rem, 220 Swift, 243 Win, and some other big game cartridges. None are worth a darn unless unless shot from an accurate rifle. I doubt that there is a All Around Rifle and Cartridge Combination for any thing.

 

[davkrat]

As a counter your knowing your load argument I would say that is much easier to do with a single gun/load than dozens of different rifles. Sure you aren't going to be shooting prairie dogs with a 180 gr Partition (at least I hope not if I'm in the area!)

 

[tuck2]

When I was a young about 40 some years old Id check out my big game rifles by shooting a few p dogs. At 300 yards a 225 Gr bullet fired from a 340 W Mag don't do a lot of damage to them, the bullet must not be opening up. I also shot a few p dogs with my 270 Win and 308 Norma mag. Unlike now ,back then there were few into p dog shooting.

 

[Greyfox]

It would have to be my Cooper 520 n 6.5-284. One load, 140 Hunting 140 Berger VLD.

 

[FEENIX]

My go to chambering is the .300 Win Mag loaded with 190 VLDs and up. My SAKOM995 in .300 Win Mag is backed by my trusty Savage111F also in .300 Win Mag. Last year, I was blessed with a young bull elk at 931 yards using 190 VLD.

Because where I hunt I can potentially ran into, coyote, wolf, antelope, muley and WT deer, black bear, and elk ... I only have one load for all of them. This year, it'll probably be with 210 VLDs.

 

[Kennibear]

I am surprised that this thread is so civil up to this point. Usually......

I used to believe in all thing 30/06. But my first choice today would be 300 Win Mag.

Since I understood the OP to mean a hunting solution and not a Zombie Apocalypse I figured it makes sense to use a larger caliber and shoot down rather than a small caliber pushed over it's upper limit. Bear/elk/moose makes the stuff under 6.5mm/264 not realistic. And if cast bullets are in the picture even the 50BMG works with Unique and a 50 Caliber round ball (180gr).

The two sleepers are the 7mm RM and the 6.5-284 Norma previously mentioned. The Norsemen have taken everything on Planet Earth (even in Africa) with the 6.5mm so it is viable. The 6.5-284 is doing some impressive stuff and would be my lightest choice. It is very doable and has an edge over the 260 Rem or 6.5 Creedmore.

The 7mm RM is the #1 magnum in America for a reason - it works. It reaches down the critter scale better than the larger calibers and is powerful enough for the larger listed game. It should probably be the first choice as most people can shoot it well.

Effective (read: accurate) cast bullets start at 308 caliber so the least 30cal is the 308 Win. It suffers at extended range on the big critters compared to the 30/06 even. The upper end of the velocity cast bullets can be pushed accurately is about 2000fps so you need to think 210 - 220 grain cast bullets in 308. Really the 300 WinMag is the 308 cal I think fits best.

338 caliber? Yeah, for sure a good choice. 338 WinMag, 340 Wthby, 338 RUM etc. Pick one, they all will do nicely.

375 H&H is the World's all-rounder. Cast bullets make even pdogs a fun shoot. 375 is probably the upper end of calibers. Recoil at this level is a no go for the majority of shooters.

Much as I would choose the 300 WinMag for a one gun/one caliber/ multiple loads solution for myself, the 7mm RM and 6.5-284 Norma are a better choice.

KB

 

[memtb]

Jud96,

Thanks for a very interesting post. And thanks to all for thoughtful, insightful, and above all "civil" responses. Quite often these can get ugly, just shows to the class of folks we have here!!
This is a topic that's been an interest of mine since I was in my teens. I grew up in Louisiana, loved hunting deer, small game, and critters. I bought a Model 88 Win.(.308 Win.) when I was 14(1967), and started hand loading soon after with a $10.00 Lee Loader. At sixteen I got a S&W Mod. 28, with hand loading being the only way I could afford to shoot it. Casting bullets came along soon thereafter. Within a few years, I thought that it would be good to have a "one gun, do it all rifle"! This is when I first starting casting bullets for the .308 Win. Summer time found me shooting snakes, armadillos, turtles, and general "plinking". In the fall, it was squirrels and rabbits (you quickly learned – head shots only)! In the early '80's, with dreams of Alaska and Africa, I bought my first .375 H&H. Developing cast bullet loads for it, seemed to be a "natural" progression!
I would like to add another response to your topic. I told you what my wife and I use. Another viable option (IMHO) would be one of the .358 cal.(.358 STA, Griffin& Howe, Norma, ect.), for those who do not cast their own. Handgun bullets at reduced loads in these rifles provide, inexpensive, low recoil, and effective practice or small game loads. memtb

 

[MudRunner2005]

I am surprised that this thread is so civil up to this point. Usually......

I used to believe in all thing 30/06. But my first choice today would be 300 Win Mag.

Since I understood the OP to mean a hunting solution and not a Zombie Apocalypse I figured it makes sense to use a larger caliber and shoot down rather than a small caliber pushed over it's upper limit. Bear/elk/moose makes the stuff under 6.5mm/264 not realistic. And if cast bullets are in the picture even the 50BMG works with Unique and a 50 Caliber round ball (180gr).

The two sleepers are the 7mm RM and the 6.5-284 Norma previously mentioned. The Norsemen have taken everything on Planet Earth (even in Africa) with the 6.5mm so it is viable. The 6.5-284 is doing some impressive stuff and would be my lightest choice. It is very doable and has an edge over the 260 Rem or 6.5 Creedmore.

The 7mm RM is the #1 magnum in America for a reason - it works. It reaches down the critter scale better than the larger calibers and is powerful enough for the larger listed game. It should probably be the first choice as most people can shoot it well.

Effective (read: accurate) cast bullets start at 308 caliber so the least 30cal is the 308 Win. It suffers at extended range on the big critters compared to the 30/06 even. The upper end of the velocity cast bullets can be pushed accurately is about 2000fps so you need to think 210 - 220 grain cast bullets in 308. Really the 300 WinMag is the 308 cal I think fits best.

338 caliber? Yeah, for sure a good choice. 338 WinMag, 340 Wthby, 338 RUM etc. Pick one, they all will do nicely.

375 H&H is the World's all-rounder. Cast bullets make even pdogs a fun shoot. 375 is probably the upper end of calibers. Recoil at this level is a no go for the majority of shooters.

Much as I would choose the 300 WinMag for a one gun/one caliber/ multiple loads solution for myself, the 7mm RM and 6.5-284 Norma are a better choice.

KB

Well, you won't get much arguement from me, because everybody has what they feel is the best all-around caliber. Me personally...I have quite an assortment to choose from, because I don't feel there is a such thing as a "1-size fits all" caliber.

But, IMO, the 7mm RM is the closest thing to it for North American game. With the .300 WM and .30-06 in a tie for 2nd place. The reason it's a tie, is because what the .30-06 lacks in velocty and distance (compared to the .300WM) it makes up for in a 60+ years of more use and experience, which puts them at about an equal playing field, in my book.

Once again, simply my opinion, as I don't feel there is a specific right or wrong answer to Jud's question.

 

[Cavscout68]

A Swedish 6.5/55 Mauser. Battle tested, field tested kills big to small game. Read somewhere that the largest polar bear taken to date was by a Eskimo w/a 6.5/55 Mauser. Just my. 2 cents

 

[Litehiker]

Yep, I feel the .300 Win mag is just about the best "all around" cartridge. Zillions of .30 cal. bullets available bullets and a ton of load data.

I have two rifles in .300 Win mag:

1. HS Precision W/ stainless Rem action and stainless HS Precision fluted bull barrel for competition

2. Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker (black Teflon coated) with BOSS system muzzle brake adjustable for accuracy, like a micrometer. (Great hunting rifle W/adjustable trigger and "low-lift" 3 lug bolt. But that also describes my 22/250 Ruger American!)

HOWSOMEVER... I am now looking very seriously at the new .300 Norma mag for a soon-to-be-purchased Desert Tactical competition rifle.

It just may be that this cartridge is THE 30 magnum to have.