Do all rifle???

[Straight-Shot]

Do it all... most versatile.... My pick would be 7mm-08 with 162gr bullet. If you want to move up then .280 or .280 AI. The 280 AI if you feel you need more of a punch.

 

[SavageHunter11]

.280AI

^ This right here. 280AI is picking up speed with manufactures in the past few years. I wouldn't be surprised to see it as the long action equivalent of the 6.5 Creedmoor popularity-wise in the next 5 years.

 

[trhall]

If you had to choose one rifle to hunt everything from antelope to elk, what would it be? This rifle must use components that are readily available. It must also be a caliber that is inherently accurate. No need to waste 600 rounds of 1000 round barrel life doing load development. I want to build a rifle but can't decide what to build.

I'm a 300 WM with a 215 Berger fan boy and I live in the west and hunt those species with it every year. Never let me down in the past 15 years. Don't let anyone tell you a 300WM is "way too big for antelope". Yes, they are easy to kill but my 300 WM with a 215 berger doesn't waste anymore meat than a 243 would.

 

[StumpGrinder]

An interesting response. There are several reasons for having one "do it all" rifle/cartridge! Depending upon where and when you hunt, there could be game offered ranging from 125 or so pounds on the hoof to above 1000 pounds. Using your philosophy, some hunters would "carry" 3 or more rifles when in the field! Unless you have multiple gun bearers....that's not a real practical answer to the OP's question!

Also, many that come to this site are newbee's wanting to get opinions from others, that are possibly more versed on the subject! To those, we should offer a respectful answer.....even if it may not follow your philosophies! memtb

There is an old saying, beware of the man with one gun because he probably shoots it very well!

 

[chindits]

Well I've carried 22-250, 270, .308, 300wm, and 7RM on hunts all out west and mostly backpack hunts. If I was to pick one and only it would be the 7RM in a factory gun. You said do everything and for me that includes some unkind handling in the mountains and being thrown in a pickup or atv hunting yotes or cats. I don't need a precious treasure for any of that and my 7 mag is much more a carry gun then I could ever get my .300wm to be. I'm happy with a dressed out 8 LB gun that's gentle on the shoulder.

 

[memtb]

One rifle, that would be the .375 H&H magnum. It gets it done. For 500+ yards, or animals under 500 lbs, I've found it hard to beat the 270 WSM.

I used that philosophy, only went the AI version. Kills all game quite well, shoots pretty flat and legal to hunt "BIG" game on all continents that offer big game hunting! Pretty much....an all around rifle/cartridge! memtb

 

[jwbronco]

300 WM is hard to beat. If I were to start with one rifle it'd be a 300 WM with a 1:9 twist just for a bit more capability. I took a moose in 2020 with my tikka 300WM. I wouldn't hesitate to take it on any hunt with exception of Kodiak which I'd take my 338 or 375.

I have a titanium/carbon 7 RM but that's for sheep and hunts I want to keep weight down.

 

[DeanVosler]

.270, can find ammo everywhere and it will kill everything you wanted to hunt.

 

[11confederate]

If you had to choose one rifle to hunt everything from antelope to elk, what would it be? This rifle must use components that are readily available. It must also be a caliber that is inherently accurate. No need to waste 600 rounds of 1000 round barrel life doing load development. I want to build a rifle but can't decide what to build.

300 Rum. This can be loaded at three different power values
1. Low 30-06
2. Med 300 Win Mag
3. High 300 Rum

The neck is also longer than a 300 Win Mag which I prefer and bullets are the readily available 308/7.62.

 

[Lonehunter]

If you had to choose one rifle to hunt everything from antelope to elk, what would it be? This rifle must use components that are readily available. It must also be a caliber that is inherently accurate. No need to waste 600 rounds of 1000 round barrel life doing load development. I want to build a rifle but can't decide what to build.

Either a .270 win. Or a 7mm-08

 

[Bigdog425]

If you had to choose one rifle to hunt everything from antelope to elk, what would it be? This rifle must use components that are readily available. It must also be a caliber that is inherently accurate. No need to waste 600 rounds of 1000 round barrel life doing load development. I want to build a rifle but can't decide what to build.

Seems a (North American) "do all rifle" would include bear, moose, goat, sheep. Regardless of exact range, other than Jackie O, most people don't hunt all game equally. Hence, buying a goat/sheep and/or elk/moose capable gun that will shoot 90% deer/antelope will result in a gun with broad capability that will be not optimized or pleasant for 90% of its use.
If bear/elk and esp moose are rare usage, a 6.5 to 270 provides sufficient flat power and can take elk.
Analogously, buying a "do all" car that will be driven 90% of the time for short distances with no cargo, could result in a guy driving a 4x4 Sprinter van to pick up some eggs and milk.
Seems 2-3 guns needed to "do all" well and enjoyably...but then again, 10-20 guns can accomplish that even better
Best of luck in whatever you choose and happy hunting in a better 2021. Cheers

 

[Plowboy85]

I have a lot of love for a 7 SAUM.

 

[Turnbolt53]

...the true general purpose big-game cartridges in the country come in but two calibers, 30 and 7mm (the .270 Win. is merely a slightly aberrant 7mm whose bullets are .007 undersize)

American Rifleman, December 1986.

 

[emp1953]

If you had to choose one rifle to hunt everything from antelope to elk, what would it be? This rifle must use components that are readily available. It must also be a caliber that is inherently accurate. No need to waste 600 rounds of 1000 round barrel life doing load development. I want to build a rifle but can't decide what to build.

I know it's old school but my Rem700 in 30-06 has killed everything from groundhogs, to white tail, to mulies, to pronghorn, to elk, to moose, to wild & domestic pigs, to black bear. I wouldn't feel under gunned with a griz either. (Maybe with a 200gr Game King or the like). I finally settled on a load of 47.5gr IMR3031 pushing a 165gr Nosler Partition, That combo has worked on all the critters I mentioned and have made one shot kills at 600+ yds. The load is not hot like a magnum so the barrel has lasted and lasted. Recoil is very tolerable too. I've become real fond of my .270 as well. Ammo is (or was) always easy to find for both, as was components for reloading (at one time).