North America Big Game Rifle

[Leaky Waders]

For North America - a .22, a shotgun (pick your gauge), and a 30-06 is all you need imho.

When I was young...before there was an internet. I'd read about hunting large game successfully with the 30-06 - I believe, Teddy Roosevelt killed an elephant with one.

The 30-06 is widely available in all platforms of rifles - lever, auto, pump, bolt, and even double if you get the itch for one.

Of course there are many other fine calibers already recommended in this thread, but I think the classic answer is the 30-06. Every round recommended for all North American game will be compared to - the 30-06.

PS Don't tell my wife I only need 3 guns...I'm a little over the limit.

 

[JShirley]

I know that a self-defense shooting with a .22 happened some years ago. Hunting bear with a rimfire is illegal.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

.338
.375

.30-06 or .270 if you leave the bears out.

 

[Utah1]

If I could only have one rifle it would be a 30.06.

But why only have one rifle, get two, or three...

 

[Vern Humphrey]

As Colonel Townsend Whelen used to say, "The .30-06 is never a mistake." And in his day, without our modern powders and premium bullets, the .30-06 wasn't nearly as potent as it is today. And bears were bigger in his day, too.

That said, my "heavy" rifle is Bigfoot Wallace, a custom .35 Brown-Whelen (the most radical form of the Whelen.) My favorite load drives a 225 grain Nosler Partition Jacket an honest 2800 fps.

 

[bryank30]

.30/06 180 grain partition style bullet with so much powder its a compressed load and it will take anything out on the planet

 

[Bluenote]

There is no game animal in the Western Hemisphere of the planet Earth which justifies the use of a 375 Weatherby. Any animal on this continent (all of it) can be cleanly and quickly killed with a 270 (some say a 243, it IS the most popular polar bear round.......).

You can easily spot an idiot at your local rifle range. He's the one with the 300 magnum (or bigger) in his hand. He's also the one who's lucky to get 5 shots all on one single 14" x 14" standard size NRA target at 50 yards.

There are really only three choices here. There is the 30-06 (probably the favorite), the 45/70 (very, very, very, very close, maybe tied) and then the 270 (darkhorse). For North American game, the magnums serve the purpose of getting numbskulls to waste huge amounts of powder on shots they don't have the skill to make in the first place.

A magnum is like a 50 year old man with a huge-tired 4x4 or a Dodge Viper. It's his compensation for the fact that he's "smaller in other ways". With a big gun in his hand, he tries to imagine what it would be like to BE more manly......
...................................................................


What a crock of horse apples the above is. Got a lot of experience in Alaska do you there Jonny?

Yeah all those folks living bush , the trappers etc. totoing around their battered old .375s . .416 , .338s , .35 and .45-70s are a buncha sissies aren't they? Must all be vegetarians too 'cause if they shoot as badly as you say ( and you said so it must be right...right?) they t'ain't a eating much in the way of meat.

Best recognise something Jonny , shooting a bear from 200 yards with a .243 and a guide standing there to back your ass up ( probably with a .375 or .416........guess they're sissies too huh?) if you screw it up isn't remotely comparable to a DLP scenario where you've gotta stop the big bastard right NOW!!! and he's within swatting distance. For bear defense I carry either a .45-70 guide gun or a .375 rum along with a sidearm ( not that I much care what you think about it) and you're mistaken if you think I can't keep 'em on the paper.

Could I carry something smaller , sure I could , now if I yank the .22-250 A.I. out and carry it will that magically transform me into the kind of heman you are?

Horses for courses Jonny , and some courses require a bigger horse with more power , me I'm not shooting ground squirrels with the .375 ( weeeellll there was a time or two) and I sure as hell am not going after Moose or Bear with the .22-250s , my .243 or my favorite for long range deer sized game .257 roberts.

Oh and don't natter on at me about what .243 can do , the first damn Elk I ever shot was with a 99c in the caliber , long enough ago that I bought it new at Gibsons in Cheyenne.

This thread was about the theoretical 'do it all rifle' , not about folks testosterone levels or lack thereof. Some actual facets were getting discussed , then you roar in with your blanket indictment.

By the way I know a sweet young thing that shoots a nice MacMillan in .416 barrett , I've got a grand that says she outshoots you at *any* distance with your .243.

And hey she really * doesn't * 'have any testosterone.........chuckle.

 

[Alex23]

If a .243 or a .270 is a do everything rifle then I am Liberace.

Still, I get where Johnny is coming from. The press does push magnums and the push back comes from Johnny boys who say .243 or .270 will take out anything from varmints to King Kong with *proper shot placement*. It's a testosterone thing - 'I am a far better shot that you and anyway those magnums destroy all the meat'. BS snobbery based on nothing.

The only thing I don't like about my 7mm Mag and 300 mag is the price of the ammo but they're a lot more fun than my other rifles. Horses for courses.

 

[BusMaster007]

Good LAWD, this place is RIFE with OPINIONS...!!!

Here's mine:

When I discovered rifles in my late 30's, it was going to be a Remington 7400 .308 Carbine and a Winchester Model 70 Stainless in .375 H&H.

Everybody said get a Model 70 in .30-06.
I bought a Remington 700BDS-AS in 7mm Rem.Mag.
Still have that one.

Finally got a 7400 Carbine Synthetic in .30-06.
Sold a Pete Fountain gold-plated B-flat clarinet and bought a Browning BAR Mk II Safari w/BOSS in 7mm Rem.Mag.
Still have those.

Then, I decided to get a Remington 700BDL-DM in .338 Win.Mag.
I was very underwhelmed with that power level......so I sold it and bought a Remington 700BDL in .375 Remington ULTRA MAGNUM!
I was VERY happy with that level of power, but hesitated to shoot it for a few years because of internet chatter about 'recoil'.
SURPRISE. It isn't any worse than a 3" 12-ga. Mag. shotgun. Really.
Still have that one.

Somewhere along the line, a very gun-savvy co-worker told me that I could hunt everything in North America with just a .308 and a .45-70. Hmmm.
Tax return brought a Remington 700 POLICE in .308 and a Marlin 1895 in .45-70.
Still have both of those!

A very special edition of the ArmaLite AR10 appeared one day.
Still have THAT ONE!

So, I look back...I'll be 55 in January......and wonder what I would've done differently.

Don't really want to get rid of any of the ones I kept.
But, what ONE gun would I really want and keep for hunting EVERYTHING?

Without a doubt, a .375 H&H.
I do NOT have one of those yet.
I would go against my thoughtful purchases of the Remington 700's and probably get the Winchester Model 70 Stainless for ONE RIFLE.
If the .375 RUM won't kill me, the .375 H&H certainly won't.
AND, as for the .375 Wby.; it has been called the 'thinking Man's .375' for a reason.
It will chamber the .375 H&H and fireform the case to .375 Wby., in a pinch. So, you'd have a rifle capable of firing TWO cartridges.
It splits the difference ballistically between the H&H and RUM, sort of.
Either the H&H or Wby. in .375 would be an EXCELLENT CHOICE for having only one rifle.
The .375 H&H shoots about the same trajectory as a .30-06, so you'd have a 300+-yd. rifle with a BIGGER bullet for all the game in North America.

Man, did I just type all that?

 

[crslght]

Thanks to all who have responded. I didn't mean to triggeer a "masculinity" debate and feel I should probably explain a bit.

I had the opportunity to purchase a US Model 1917 Remington that have been rebarreled to a .375 WBY magnum. It also had a new stock and with the price being only $300.00, I just couldn't pass it up.

Once I made the decision to buy it, I started searching the internet for information on this caliber, etc. There was a wide variety of data posted including claims of separated shoulders and detached retinas from shooting this caliber. The largest caliber I've shot so far is a factory load .300 WIN MAG with 180 grain load.

I realize that a lot depends on one's self confidence when shooting such a powerfull round and not being timid when holding the weapon properly is essential. That said, having had surgery on both wrists and elbows plus a disk fusion in the cervical spine, I had to wonder if I might have purchased something that just might be too much gun.

Since I'm planning to go bear hunting in Canada next May, which was ultimately what prompted me to make the purchase, I thought it would be wise to see if there was a concensus on the best overall gun for North America. It would seem, as with most things, the best option is the one that works for you.

Again, thanks to all for their comments.

 

[BrocLuno]

BusMaster - Yup, and the reasoning ain't bad

crslght - I think you can work around this. Let's change the discussion to what bullet you want to launch?

Also, shoot with a tight sling from sitting if possible with a good shooting jacket or a sewn-on pad, maybe a limbsaver butt pad. You can add a recoil reducer tube in the stock. And if it's still nasty, try a muzzle break. There are lots of ways to tame a rifle. By the time you have put enough rounds through yours to know it's habits and feel for the hunt, you will either have it tamed or you'll be moving on.

 

[S. Hill]

Don't confuse the .375 Weatherby with the .378 Weatherby!!!!!!! They are 2 TOTALLY DIFFERENT CARTRIDGES!!!!!! The .375 Weatherby is an improved .375 H&H, blown out with the usual Weatherby shoulder. The .378 Weatherby is a larger diameter, and higher capacity round, similar to the .416 Rigby, or the .338 Lapua.

The .375 Weatherby will give you a couple hundred FPS speed increase over the .375 H&H, mainly due to loading it to a higher chamber pressure. There is minimal risk of a detached retina from that, unless you are shooting super-light rifles.

 

[Caribou96]

338-06

 

[JShirley]

Probably worth a reminder that the 1917 is one of the heaviest actions around. Hard to think of a better action for an Alaskan rifle- if you shoot the rifle well, you should probably consider some form of weatherproofing finish.

John

 

[BrocLuno]

Yeah, the more I think about this, the more I'm inclined to want to know about the hunt? Will you be walking longer distances? Will you get to the hunting ground by air and boat?

I have a couple of M1917 actions (still in 06) and they are "robust". If you can carry the weight, that's the easiest way to tame a rifle. Starting from where you are now, what sights? If scope, I'd be using steel rings and I would not be putting the lightest scope on. If you think it'll be raining or foggy and wet, I'd be looking at Bushnell as the "rain guard" coating will help once you pop the covers off?

 

[jkingrph]

How about the 9.3x62? Just asking. Where would it fall in the power range you guys are talking about?

Excellent choice. Even the smaller 9.3x57 would be adequate.

 

[Eb1]

8mm
9.3x62
9.3x57
7.62x57
.30-06
.303 British
7.62x54r


Pick one.

If it puts a projectile downrange at over 2500 fps that weighs 170 grains or more. You can pretty much consider it a 50 State gun IMO.

Heck. I even said my .25-06 would be a 50 State gun for me if the conditions were right.

 

[Skylerbone]

I would have concurred with a T/C Encore as was previously mentioned were it not for the speed of follow up shots at dangerous game.

Recoil management is the true key to making the caliber fit you the shooter. My 60+ year old dad shoots a .300 WM and doesn't flinch a lick. He actually put 60 rounds down range on Friday (ran out of ammo) and that was Hornady Superformance. Heavy rifle, recoil reducing stock, good recoil pad, shoulder shield pad and muzzle break. All of that because he has bad shoulders, elbows and back already. At least now he is none the worse for a long days practice.

I like that 2 rifle split idea nearly as much as 1 with multiple barrels but I would have to have a third in .22 lr for those tiniest of God's tasty creatures. Call me a simpleton but the other two might well be the 30-06 and a muzzleloader, heck the latter does come in different sizes and you'd have much better odds of taking a record animal with it. (muzzleloader record).

 

[Robert Wilson]

The .30-06/220 has taken its fair share of elk, moose, and bears. I'd cheerfully hunt big bears with one, but for stopping a charge I'd want something bigger. Granted, charging bears are pretty rare these days, but still...

I enjoy .300 Magnums, and the .300 H&H is one of my all-time favorites. I have to admit, though, that neither the increased power nor the flatter trajectory are terribly important. I'd still rather have something bigger for stopping inbound critters.

And I don't feel foolish hitting smaller game animals with cannons. Obviously the .375s and above are unnecessary for mule deer - but they work! Remember that the world record stone sheep was taken with a .404 Jeffery...

If I were utterly forced to hunt the whole continent with a single rifle I would take a very hard look at the .340 Weatherby. The trajectory is flat enough for anything and it hits hard enough for anything too. The only downside, IMO, is big-time recoil. I suspect that most shooters can master it, but only with real effort.

 

[jeepguy]

i would think a .308 in an auto loader like an m1a, plus a scope would take care of anything in na. 20 rounds of 168;s-175's, a low powered scope maybe 1-5, and a good muzzle break would be a nice combo for anything coyote size or bigger. i know its a little light for brown bear but with 20rds and a low powered scope, i think sufficient.

 

[Skylerbone]

And I don't feel foolish hitting smaller game animals with cannons.

Its not humane to harvest squirrel or rabbit with a .375 H&H nor is it terribly productive 8<{

 

[BusMaster007]

The OP didn't mention 'rabbit or squirrel'.
He said 'grizzly to deer'.

Someone once said that with the .375 H&H, you could "eat all the way to the bullet hole".
Can't remember who it was, but I think Craig Boddington is the one who quoted the quote...

 

[db_tanker]

one of the great things skylerbone about the encore...not only can you do rifles but shotguns and BP rifles as well.

As for follow-up shots...I know this is a moot point with a charging Grizzly sow really upset at her feeding time or, even worse, you coming close to her cubs...but you have to realize that IMO when you hunt with a single shot something happens to the shooter.

You will make that shot count.
You will NOT take a risky shot. That charging sow will give you a second shot, IF you are far enough away, even with a single shot...and I have seen single shots in 416 Rigby, 458 WinMag and Lott, 460 Weatherby, 450, 470 and 500 NE...I have personally shot a Rigbly, Lott and 460 Weatherby...recoil was brisk and I would not suggest a full range session with a few boxes of ammo...even the "mild" reloads I was shooting...and then you come to the reloading aspect...by far cheaper on the shooter due to the Encore being so much easier on the brass. Cost of the actual rifle is minor compared to the bolt rifles chambered in these calibers. And bolt rifles, in my experience, tend to be persnickety with reloading compared to a single shot. NOT that much more but I AM somewhat anal about certain things. Neck sizing is a bit more easy for the shooter and hard-cast gas-checked bullets have proven to be able to take most game around the world...so N America would be a non-issue.


I am in the camp that thinks single shot hunters tend to be more responsible shooters...I still love my lever and bolt guns, but a single shot puts the hunt back into a totally different category, IMO.

 

[Skylerbone]

tanker, the .300 WM I referenced above is indeed an Encore Pro Hunter (with .50 cal., .223 Rem. and .300 WM barrels to date). I've had no reason to question my father's ability as a shooter (ex-military/LEO for 40 yrs.) but a charging bear turns hunter into prey and that is a game changer. For Canadian hunts you won't have the option of strapping a sidearm on for backup, at best you'll have a guide close by. SD must be a consideration for dangerous game.

Bus, just keeping it lighthearted in hopes of explaining to some who feel differently that NO single rifle does everything and that in my opinion none satisfy the spectrum between deer and grizzly except in anecdotal quotes. Always exceptions, but they do not rewrite the rules (I believe JS pointed this out some number of posts ago with the .22 scenario).

"What one man can do, another man can do." was a great mantra in the movie "The Edge" but in the end only one man walked out of the woods, best I can do for examples right now (sad, I know; ).

 

[db_tanker]

skylerbone,

I wasn't too clear on that...wasn't meaning any disrespect on that post, just making an argument for the single-shot. As for the SD, I wholeheartedly agree with that. Any of the more available calibers I listed such as the 458/460 and 416 have bullets available from Swift, Barnes, Woodleigh and others all with excellent sectional density and the kind of results you need on a critter with big fangs and a sour disposition...