Favorite caliber

[Neal Bloom]

What is your favorite caliber for the following:

1. Squirrels and chipmunks
2. Prairie dogs and groundhogs
3. Coyote
4. Javelina
5. Deer
6. Elk
7. Bear
8. really big bears

Just trying to get an idea of who uses what. Actually the thread on feral cats got me to thinking about this. Still chuckling over Art's 'misty' comment.

 

[natedog]

One caliber to do it all: .308 Winchester could kill all of those well except for really big bears. It would probably take excellent shot placement for a quick kill. But, in order of your list:

1: .22LR
2: .223
3: .223
4: 20 or 12 gauge with slugs and rifled barrel
5: .308
6: Dunno, .308?
7: Dunno, 45/70?
8: Dunno, 45/70?

 

[cratz2]

Hate to be picky again... but 'caliber' or 'cartridge'?

1. Squirrels and chipmunks - 22LR
2. Prairie dogs and groundhogs .243
3. Coyote - I guess .243 but .270, just as good.
4. Javelina - ??? .44 Magnum?
5. Deer - .243 or .270 if I could take them with a &@%^# centerfire rifle !!!
6. Elk - .7mm Rem Mag
7. Bear - Black - .270, brown - .45-70
8. really big bears - .45-70

 

[Mike Irwin]

Well, if I still hunted, and if I hunted some of the things that you have on the list...

1. Squirrels and chipmunks -- .22 LR or light loaded .300 Savage.

2. Prairie dogs and groundhogs -- Don't hunt PDs, used .243 or .300 Sav. for ground hogs.

3. Coyote -- Never hunted these, probably use .300 Sav. or .243.

4. Javelina -- Never hunted, probably use .243 or moderate .300 Sav. loads

5. Deer -- .300 Savage

6. Elk -- Close in, .300 Savage. Any kind of range, or the like, either 7mm Remington or .338 Win.

7. Bear -- Black bear? .300 Savage.

8. really big bears -- .375 H&H.

 

[Art Eatman]

1. Squirrels, .22LR; chipmunks? Too cute to shoot.
2. PDs, .220 Swift as a Ma Bell game.
3. Wiley, .223 or .243.
4. Pigelina, anything of .38 Special or above. After all, ten or fifteen yards isn't really a challenging shot. Once you spot a bunch of pigs, just walk upwind, quietly. If you're careful enough you can kick him in the butt.
5. Whitetail, .243 on up to '06; mule deer, 7mm08 to '06.
6. Elk, '06 180-grain.
7. "Little" bears, '06 180-grain
8. Keith's pets, .375, I imagine...

, Art

 

[s&w 24]

1) 22 lr
2) 22 hornet
3) whatever is handy
4) none here (frostbiten pork?)
5) 250 savage
6) 30-06
7) 30-06
8) I'd like to have a 405 win chambered rifle

curent choises 8 mm mauser or 8 mm mauser ( and I'm not crying over it)

 

[Zorro]

1. Squirrels and chipmunks - .22LR.
2. Prairie dogs and groundhogs - .223 Remington.
3. Coyote - .243 Winchester.
4. Javelina - .243 Winchester.
5. Deer - .30-06.
6. Elk - 7MM Remington Magnum.
7. Bear - .338 Winchester Magnum
8. Really big bears - .416 Rigby.

Having posted that .243 works fine for #2, #3, and #4.

.30-06 works fine for #3, #4, #5, and #6.

7MM and .300 Mags are Best when used against #6, work on the regular sized #7 too.

Bears and Pigs are in a special class and need extra killing, they can hunt you back.

#8 is a special case and need Extremely powerful guns.

 

[scotjute]

1. 22lr (12 gage if serious)
2. 223 ? (never hunted)
3. 6.5x55 or 12 gage
4. 6.5x55 ? (never hunted)
5. 6.5x55
6. 6.5x55 ?(never hunted/might prefer something bigger)
7. 6.5x55 ? (never hunted)
8. .375 H&H, .416 Rigby ? (never hunted)

And yes, my high-powered rifle selection is somewhat limited!

 

[Dave McCracken]

30-06....

 

[duckfoot]

22lr
or
.50cal