Anything But A .30-06.....

I like old school so 303 took every animal on earth. That is alive today. Not sure I want to stare down a Trex w one.

30-06 Hands Down! But if I can't choose it? 7mm-08 or 7×57 Mauser! They're good but they don't come close to the 06! Someone stated the the 300 WM, and if I lived-hunted Canada-B.C.-Yukon or even Elk Country, yes 300 WM for sure! But I'm to the 06 same way but lower end of spectrum. I load 30-30/06 loads, 308, and if needed 220gr in the 06 that'll compete with the 338! Can't beat the 30's!
Great thread with a lot of good thoughts!

4-5 years ago CDNN had Ruger 77 Hawkeyes on sale for $500. In .280 Rem and 30-06. I’d owned a few 06s and was just tired of um, I bought the .280. Studying ballistic charts the .280 on paper out performs the 06 and.270. My late friend and neighbor had a bunch of 280 brass and loaded up a lifetime supply for me. A Leupold scope tops it off.

LonewolfMcquade said:

Probably my favorite cartridge! My reloads are around 3400fps. Nosler 130gr Ballistic Tip, 65gr RL22 & FGM Large magnum primers.

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That sounds Legit. My load is 64.5 gr. RL19, Sierra 130 gr. Game King. Federal Brass, CCI magnum primer. Rifle is a Kimber 8400M. Would like to try some 130gr. Accubonds.

Isn’t the premise of the question that...

WrongHanded said:

Someone wants one rifle, chambered in one cartridge, to hunt all legal big game species in North America

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He doesn’t ask what someone might want for deer hunting because that’s all I hunt.

LonewolfMcquade said:

Probably my favorite cartridge! My reloads are around 3400fps. Nosler 130gr Ballistic Tip, 65gr RL22 & FGM Large magnum primers.

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We load my son’s 27” Lilja barreled Model 70 Super Shadow with Nosler 150 gr Ballistic Tips to 3200 FPS with MagPro.

Easy peasy....28 NOSLER!

There are several good alternatives to the 30-06. I like the 7-08. But None are better all around for everything.

DDDWho said:

4-5 years ago CDNN had Ruger 77 Hawkeyes on sale for $500. In .280 Rem and 30-06. I’d owned a few 06s and was just tired of um, I bought the .280. Studying ballistic charts the .280 on paper out performs the 06 and.270. My late friend and neighbor had a bunch of 280 brass and loaded up a lifetime supply for me. A Leupold scope tops it off. View attachment 1069286

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An excellent choice of cartridge and a great rifle to go with it.

Kicked myself for not buying one of those.

Got a great deal on a very good condtion Browning A-Bolt I in 280Rem with a Leopold and a good amount of reloading supplies though to make up for it.

If you're interested in many of the calibers that have been discussed here, check out www.cavalryammunition.com. They have quite a few in stock.

WrongHanded said:

Just for fun, and to challenge the idea of the .30-06 Springfield being the best "all-rounder" cartridge for big game in North American, let's see if we can narrow down an alternative.

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Using a .308 Winchester you aren't giving up much on the 30-06 Springfield and likewise the .270 Winchester, both are common off the shelf cartridges. A click up we can go with cartridges like the .300 Winchester Magnum or the 7mm Remington Magnum. Keeping it simple the 308 or 270.

Ron

.280 Remington