Debate time..... caliber selection

I'm going to throw a different spin on the debate. If your choosing best cartridge for a single gun, you're probably dollar conscious otherwise you will buy guns for specific traits. I would vote 308, for the cost of ammo and reloading supplies, you can purchase any make of rifle in a 308. Most are easily accurate. You also have great barrel life, allowing the single gun owner lots of rounds of practice on a single gun. Otherwise most rifle calibers 6.5 and bigger will serve well

fatjake said:

Here it goes. Another which caliber is best thread.



What's the best do all caliber in your opinion.

Here's the stipulation....if you choose to respond, you must provide a reasoning for your pick. You can't simply post a caliber and be done

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"Best" is subjective and should be accounted for on a per-situational basis. In other words, hunting coyotes with a .338 Edge just MIGHT be a bit overkill... Recommending a .25-06 or a .223 might make more sense.

Now, if you are asking about our opinions of the best large-game cartridges for North America, then I would have to go with my same old opinion as always...The main cartridge I have used for almost 16 years... The tried-and-true, long-proven, still extremely popular (for good reason), and the long-range capable... 7mm Remington Magnum.

It is capable on large game (whitetails all the way up to elk, moose, and caribou) from point-blank to 1000 yards. Very manageable recoil with and without muzzle brakes. Very large bullet, and factory ammo selection, and ammo can be bought just about everywhere ammo is sold. The cartridge is extremely efficient. High-quality brass can be found anywhere. Barrel life can be 1,500+ rounds if taken good care of and not overheated. Even lightweight pack rifles in 7mmRM have very manageable recoil.

KyCarl said:

You guys act like this is 1855! Who in their right mind would go on a hunting trip
without taking adequate ammo..Why would you need to "find it anywhere"
We are not Lewis and Clark! Anything you want is on the net with 2 day shipping to anywhere in North America...

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You do realize that when you travel with a rifle or pistol (airline travel, mostly) you cannot store your weapon and ammo together. Sometimes things get lost. Sometimes you never get them back thanks to the thieves at the TSA. When that happens and you're on a $10,000+ hunting trip, you have only ONE option left...Go find some ammo for your rifle. If you are in a very remote area, there might only be 1 or 2 mom & pop stores around, and the more common of a caliber you are shooting, the greater the likelihood of them them having some ammo to help you get through your hunt.

This is why everyone says "find it anywhere".

HARPERC said:

How many rifles/platforms would you need?

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Preferably two. A lightweight hunting gun 7lbs or less with scope and a heavier target gun lol

MudRunner2005 said:

"Best" is subjective and should be accounted for on a per-situational basis. In other words, hunting coyotes with a .338 Edge just MIGHT be a bit overkill...

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But it's still a blast!

I'm a big fan of the 338 super mags. In my experience, recoil is relative to the platform, and once a shooter applies the effort to learn a platform, then said shooter should be able to become proficient and consistent with shooting stamina and endurance. Muzzle blast is a different thing all together, but is negligible because of hearing protection. Can they be expensive? Yeah, I suppose. I see 338 LM ammo on shelves for $65-$80 per 20 rounds. Two years ago those same boxes would've been $120+. The RUMs are definitely cheaper. Really, though, if a person isn't rolling their own in this sector of shooting then they're doing their self a disservice.

The 6.5 craze hasn't hit me really. I've entertained something in the realm of a 6mm-6.5mm cartridge, but they can't do what a .30+ magnum can. It's a marketing thing, and I can't buy the manufacturers' sales line, especially when the 6.5s do perform at half the capability of larger super mags.

The 7mm magnums are great. I know lots of guys that shoot a 7RM. They love it, and they kill critters. They don't hit with the same force of some other rounds, but that can be compensated for with the right projectile for the job (which I think is something people overlook in their search for "best caliber" or "best cartridge").

I know my logic sounds like the bigger the better! The truth is that a person needs to pick the best caliber, cartridge, AND PROJECTILE for their situation/needs. Some things won't be as "practical". It's not "practical" to shoot prairie dogs with a 338LM, but I still do it. Just like it's not "practical" to shoot a buck mule deer at 420yds with a 62gr core-lokt out of a .223, but I still did it.

I operate with the perspective that there are different tools for different situations, and therefore, I have rifles for different scenarios. It could be different for somebody else. So, run with what does and what will work for you.

For me, 6.5 cal is all that I need. I have used a 6.5x55 (loaded to 58K psi) to take out pest rats in our bird pens, up to boar and cow elk. There are so many bullet choices for 6.5-cal, it's a "do all" for everything that I am likely to encounter in the mid-atlantic and New England. I would have no issue using it for even our largest black bear (in PA and Northern NJ, they push 600+ lbs.), not as a defensive round mind you, but as a hunting round. For rats, squirrel, rabbits, fox, coyote, and raccoon, I use a 100-grain Hornady. For meat hunting, I use a Barnes 127 LRX (including elk, keeping in mind that I will be within 300 yds of POI). If I were going to go for black bear or moose, I would use a Hornady 160 RN or a Norma 156 Oryx.

For reference, I use a Mauser 98 purpose-built hunting rifle made pre-WWI, and a Tikka T3 Sporter.

My other favorite cartridge is the .284 Win, loaded as a long action cartridge. In some ways, a 6.5-284 would be an intermediate between the two, but it would really be overkill for my requirements. 6.5x55 is so inexpensive to load for and the barrel life considerable (relative to many other cartridges), that the modest cost of ownership and mild recoil allows me to fire as much as I can fit time in for, building marksmanship skills. If I only had one cartridge to hunt the rest of my days with, then it would be the Swede... with my hand loads.

I love these debates. I agree with every ones statements they all make sense and most have their own caliber of choice, lol.

Joefrazell said:

Preferably two. A lightweight hunting gun 7lbs or less with scope and a heavier target gun lol

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My desire for a Garand, and a BAR, kind of makes mine a 30-06. It could be had in the 7lb sheep rifle, or heavier LRH rifle.

For caliber, I am torn. 7mm or .308. I have used several rifles in several different calibers and cartridges over the years. What I have found is that I keep going back to two... the 300 win mag and the .280 rem. Which one is best? I don't know. But they both suit their purpose well. The .280 is light weight, accurate, and kills anything that I shoot at within moderate distances. The 300 is a little heavier, accurate, and kills everything that I put my cross-hairs on out a little further.

right tool, right job

I just like listening to these. So I post stuff when I get bored. Sorry guys.

I'm well equipped in the rifle dept but I'm lacking something in 6mm and 7mm

I have (4) 700 action guns with quality barrels ( a shilen, a krieger and 2 Bartlein)
One in 223, a 6.5 creedmoor, a 6.5x284 and a 300win

Among a ton of other standard rifles

I'm thinking I need a 243ai for some stupid reason

How about a 6x284? You can adapt the brass. Or a 6XC? Longer barrel life than the .243 (standard or AI), MV not too far off the .243 Win (if not the same).

If I had to choose one round for everything, 300WM. In addition to the bigger hole it has greater bullet options than 7mm. For a good number of years this was my only centerfire rifle and I ran everything from 200AB long range on elk to 110gr vmax at 3800fps on coyotes and pdogs.

Second choice would be 30-06.

fatjake said:

I just like listening to these. So I post stuff when I get bored. Sorry guys.

I'm well equipped in the rifle dept but I'm lacking something in 6mm and 7mm

I have (4) 700 action guns with quality barrels ( a shilen, a krieger and 2 Bartlein)
One in 223, a 6.5 creedmoor, a 6.5x284 and a 300win

Among a ton of other standard rifles

I'm thinking I need a 243ai for some stupid reason

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Which do u prefer, 6.5 creedmoor or 6.5x284?