What caliber for new rifle?

[beerslurpy]

Does the 7mm rem mag have cooties this week? That is plenty of gun for elk or deer, at pretty much any range you can see them.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Does the 7mm rem mag have cooties this week? That is plenty of gun for elk or deer, at pretty much any range you can see them.

Yep - plenty of gun. My problem is mine never gets out into the field -- I find I'm always grabbing my 6.5 Swede, my pre-64 Model 70 in .30-06, or Bigfoot Wallace, my custom '03 Springfield in .35 Brown Whelen.

 

[adaman04]

Those are some different calibers. Not that there is anything wrong with any of them, but for sheer versatility the .300 Win Mag is hard to beat. It is enough for elk, etc., and still isn't a bad deer round.

Geeze, this thread is old. He has probably gotten 3 new guns since this thread.

 

[SDM]

Vern Humphrey,

I like the way you think.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

There is no truth to the rumor that I was the model for Pat MacManus' character, "Crazy Eddie Muldoon."

 

[Carpe Cerevisi]

i was surprised nobody mentioned the .270 or 7mm mag. Personally for deer i have a .308 which with the proper load will take out a deer within 500-600 yards but ive never taken a shot that exceeds 150 yards. For elk, there are .308 loads that claim they can be used on elk but im sure the shot placement must be close to precise to accomplish this. For elk id stick with a .270 or .338. The upper .270 loads can take out elk when used in the right hands without it being overkill for deer. The 338 will easily take out an elk but will be a little bit more power than needed for deer. Id take the .270 but thats because my shot placement im proud to say is near flawless. The reason people mostly have 308 and 30-06 is the mass ammo making it cheaper to practice with. So i would choose a caliber where the ammo wont break your wallet.

 

[Skoghund]

I shot a Älg "Moose" with my 7x57R three weeks ago. One shot, one dead moose. Norma Oryx is a great round recovered the bullet from under the skin on the far side of the animal with over 85% weight retention.

 

[canon6]

one more for the 6.5X55 with 140 Nosler partitions it fine Doug

 

[Domino]

6.5X55 w/140g Barnes all the way!!!!

 

[mrb302]

I just bought a M77 MkII in stainless/synthetic 7mm Rem Mag yesterday. I have not shot it yet... I'm working on mounting the scope and doing a thourogh cleaning/lube. It'll get shot soon.

My decision process was based on a lot of research for which caliber to get it in. I already have a 30-06 bolt, but I wanted something that falls under the "one gun" arguement. Yeah the -06 will kill just about any game, but why not go MAGNUM!

Load light with 145's and go varmiting, load heavy w/ 175's shoot a moose. Just about anything else I've ever dreamed of shooting will fall in between these two ranges, and the deer around here will get a taste of it too. Pretty versatile, IMO.