Single All Around Cartridge?
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Kachok
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The 30-30 is no "all around" champ, but in the brush you will likely never find the need for a bigger harder kicking rifle. That is it's home turf and few can even compete with it there. With it's heavier bonded/partitioned 170gr bullets it is even very potent medicine even for elk, not many sissy kicking compact rifles can make that claim.
meanmrmustard
Member
For good reason.
Ole Humpback
Member
It would all depend on what I was hunting and the ranges I was hunting at.
For almost all deer species and varmints, I look no further than my 257 Roberts. Its got a great combination of range, power, and lack of recoil. Elk & Black Bear at 200yds would be tricky for it though. Anything bigger than that and I feel that the cartridge just doesn't have the umph needed.
A great "everything but brown bear" under 200yd round is the 30-30. Over 200yds goes to the 30-06.
If I wanted a under 200yd North America on one cartridge, it'd be the 358 Winchester. Over 200yds goes to the 300 H&H Mag.
I wanted one cartridge for life for anything on earth, I'd have a 375 H&H Mag.
pubthumper
Member
.30-06 has never let me down, I hunt mostly hogs/Russian boar and what pass for deer down here in the Gunshine state. Stepping up to a medium bore for a upcoming elk, moose and bear hunts- but to be honest for the antlered critters i'd be good with my '06. The bears, not so much. It'd do that work as well, just not quickly as, say, .338 Win Mag. Just my thoughs, hard to beat the good ol '06.
ErieLurker
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What conventional wisdom tells me: .30-06 Springfield (Good choice)
What my head tells me: .270 Winchester (The sweet spot)
What my heart tells me: 6.5x55 Swede (Gets them warm, fuzzy feelins goin')
What my gut tells me: .375 H&H Magnum (If ya just gotta, yuh know, kill it extra dead; to paraphrase Frederick the Great "It is not enough to kill Zombies, you also have to knock them down.")
What my head tells me: .270 Winchester (The sweet spot)
What my heart tells me: 6.5x55 Swede (Gets them warm, fuzzy feelins goin')
What my gut tells me: .375 H&H Magnum (If ya just gotta, yuh know, kill it extra dead; to paraphrase Frederick the Great "It is not enough to kill Zombies, you also have to knock them down.")
When one forces them self to be constrained to just one caliber, then they must accept the things that go with that. You can't pick something that is suitable for varmint shooting and also expect it to take down a polar bear with equal efficiency. You are going to either be a bit under powered to kill that bear with a warm and fuzzy feeling, or you are going to disintegrate the ground hog. You can't really get both. The goal then, if one is looking for a "do-all" round is to find one that does "everything" acceptably. Note, however, that it will do very little ideally. There are three cartridges that I have seen kill just about everything. The best three I have found are:
- .243--well known as an all around North East round, that can kill anything from ground hog, to deer to elk, and has been known to take a few bear as well. It is most at home as a medium range deer round, but when loaded properly, up or down, can effectively take some of the smallest game as well as large elk and even bear.
- 6.8SPC—while a newer round compared to many others, it is nevertheless a formidable cartridge. It also has the advantage of being designed to function in the AR platform of rifles. This makes it as suitable for hunting as it does for defense or home and hearth.
-30-30--In many parts, and for many years, it WAS the do-all cartridge. It is not a long distance 700+ yd shooting round, but everything gives up something It has been my experience that there is nothing on 4 legs in this hemisphere that it will not kill. I might have to get closer than I want to, to a large bear, but make no mistake, it will put one down.
Some of the same could go for the .22lr (poachers have been killing every animal known to man with it for years) but I am not about to go there.
- .243--well known as an all around North East round, that can kill anything from ground hog, to deer to elk, and has been known to take a few bear as well. It is most at home as a medium range deer round, but when loaded properly, up or down, can effectively take some of the smallest game as well as large elk and even bear.
- 6.8SPC—while a newer round compared to many others, it is nevertheless a formidable cartridge. It also has the advantage of being designed to function in the AR platform of rifles. This makes it as suitable for hunting as it does for defense or home and hearth.
-30-30--In many parts, and for many years, it WAS the do-all cartridge. It is not a long distance 700+ yd shooting round, but everything gives up something It has been my experience that there is nothing on 4 legs in this hemisphere that it will not kill. I might have to get closer than I want to, to a large bear, but make no mistake, it will put one down.
Some of the same could go for the .22lr (poachers have been killing every animal known to man with it for years) but I am not about to go there.
meanmrmustard
Member
Good response. Well written.
meanmrmustard
Member
This is all around, not just hunting. I hope most remember that. That includes SHTF.
BoilerUP
Member
Except SHTF wasn't mentioned anywhere by the OP.
If one is really, truly worried about SHTF the only weapon to own is a 223/5.56, because its not like the world is going to be swimming in 308/7.62 ammo.
I'll stick with my 260 thanks, and should circumstances lead to me NEEDING something else I'm sure there will be plenty available for me to pick up off the ground.
meanmrmustard
Member
True, but "all around" was. That to me means for shooting pert near everything that needs shooting. But, I see your point. Anything you'd hunt with would be good human medicine if necessary.
If SHTF, don't expect to find alot of 556. Something tells me military would horde it.
.260 rem is an excellent round.
longrange308
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The .303 British! I mean it has killed everything on every continent in the world. And Ruger still sees fit to offer it in their No. 1 platform. What I love about my No. 4 Mk 1 is that it is really accurate and it has a 10-Shot DBM. I have had mine for 17 years now, it was made by the Long Branch Armory in Canada in 1949, its one fine rifle.
Although, the trigger is S#!?
If someone would just design an adjustable trigger!
Although, the trigger is S#!?
If someone would just design an adjustable trigger!
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Sav .250
Member
"The all around"..........has changed over time. Early on maybe the Win 30-30. Then maybe the 06. Then the Mags. Now it seems like the AR`s in .223 cal are climbing to the top. J s/n.
longrange308
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Really, the AR in 223 the top all-around! It seems like the fact its in 223 would eliminate it from being an all-around caliber. Or, that's my $0.02.
longrange308
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No, the .303 British gets my vote! Go ahead, challenge me! "I'll give it to you good boy, I'll shoot one that way, and one that way, whoa boy!"--Shemp
meanmrmustard
Member
Thats actually a good addition to the list of possibles.
Kachok
Member
SOOOO much truth to that, I could make a really really good case for any of those, and I own all of the above except the 375, and they all do a wide range of work, but the Sweed goes hunting way more then the others.
In my younger years, I had a .30-06 for varmints and deer for about 10 years, but also had a .22 LR or two. Since getting a .270 Win, I think it's a better all-around cartridge for me, but not necessarily for everyone. I handload and can appreciate the lighter bullet loadings in the .270 for long-distance varmint hunting. The 90 grain Sierra HPs are wonderful for informal target shooting with mild loads.
The .270 Win sits in the gun safe most of the year; however, as would a .30-06, because I have a .22 WMR CZ, a .223 Rem Tikka and a .243 Win Remington 700, along with more .22 LRs than I ever thought necessary. Why? Because one rifle caliber or one rifle just isn't enough for most of us.
The .270 Win sits in the gun safe most of the year; however, as would a .30-06, because I have a .22 WMR CZ, a .223 Rem Tikka and a .243 Win Remington 700, along with more .22 LRs than I ever thought necessary. Why? Because one rifle caliber or one rifle just isn't enough for most of us.
mastiffhound
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OK, I'll bite. I was one that was told by good old Dad that .223 is for sissy's that can't handle the recoil of a real man's cartridge. It was always 30-06 or .308 that we hunted with when I was a kid. .30-30 was the least powerfull round that a man would need or use. It's what I believed for a long time too. I have since got good old Dad to reconsider his stance. Now that he has become an older gentlemen he has opened his mind a little.
I don't live in a place that has lots of long open range. It's hills and valleys that maybe could go 400 to 500 yards. I would say .223/5.56 NATO as my all around cartridge. You can go from 45 grain to 77 grain off of the store shelf. If you reload (I do ) then even heavier rounds are available. If I had to shoot more than 500 yards I would say .308 WIN., but for me it's .223. Everyone lives in different places, so everyone will have a different caliber that is best for their location.
I feel confident taking deer with heavy grain hollow point .223. Taking out coyotes, wolves, or fox to protect my chickens is a breeze. Two legged predators don't do well against it either. I feel that taking a black bear down is possible too. People have been experimenting with .223 for a long time now. It has become beyond popular. Just go to any store that sells ammo and you will have more selection for .223 than any other rifle caliber. This includes my town Walmart, Cabela's, and even the local gun shop. I'm just glad I don't actually have to pick one for real. Variety is the spice of life.
As a side note, if this was handgun cartridge I would go for .44 magnum, I read somewhere that it has been used to kill nearly every animal on the planet!
I don't live in a place that has lots of long open range. It's hills and valleys that maybe could go 400 to 500 yards. I would say .223/5.56 NATO as my all around cartridge. You can go from 45 grain to 77 grain off of the store shelf. If you reload (I do ) then even heavier rounds are available. If I had to shoot more than 500 yards I would say .308 WIN., but for me it's .223. Everyone lives in different places, so everyone will have a different caliber that is best for their location.
I feel confident taking deer with heavy grain hollow point .223. Taking out coyotes, wolves, or fox to protect my chickens is a breeze. Two legged predators don't do well against it either. I feel that taking a black bear down is possible too. People have been experimenting with .223 for a long time now. It has become beyond popular. Just go to any store that sells ammo and you will have more selection for .223 than any other rifle caliber. This includes my town Walmart, Cabela's, and even the local gun shop. I'm just glad I don't actually have to pick one for real. Variety is the spice of life.
As a side note, if this was handgun cartridge I would go for .44 magnum, I read somewhere that it has been used to kill nearly every animal on the planet!
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The Brits really did get this one right!
I also like this round. I think it might be the best in its class and the SMLE Mk. 4 is perhaps the best bolt action rifle ever built. If you have never handled one I can't possibly explain to you how slick the action is. The Canadian reserve forces are still issuing them to their troops and plan to through at least 2014 and maybe into 2020. In the days of semi auto assault rifles, it says something that any military, even Canada, is issuing a bolt action rifle en mas. It just works.
pubthumper
Member
I still say .30-06. For all around, that's just good sense. And .223? Seriously? Thats absurd.
Classics are Best Sellers
Even with the introduction of new cartridges and the WSM lineup, cartridges like the .30-06, .30-30 and .308 Winchester are still top sellers and usually rank in the top 5 or 10 of centerfire rifle cartridges. It's hard to argue with what's popular and what sells the most. My personal choice would be the .308 Winchester. I own a Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 and the 7.62x54r cartridge is similar, but is not as widely available as the .308 Winchester.
Even with the introduction of new cartridges and the WSM lineup, cartridges like the .30-06, .30-30 and .308 Winchester are still top sellers and usually rank in the top 5 or 10 of centerfire rifle cartridges. It's hard to argue with what's popular and what sells the most. My personal choice would be the .308 Winchester. I own a Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 and the 7.62x54r cartridge is similar, but is not as widely available as the .308 Winchester.
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