Next Caliber to choose

[KDS]

I have a Tikka T3 Hunter in 30-06 and I love the rifle and cartridge, so much so that I am going to buy a T3 Lite in stainless as my all weather gun. My question to you is, what caliber should it be? I want a caliber suitable for elk, deer, and hogs. I don't mind having the ability to take moose but it isn't required. I currently live in Florida where the deer are small and most hunting is close range, so I need a gun that works here. But I want a gun that is also at home for those trips north and west.

I want a caliber that is relatively easy to find in stores, but I plan to reload so price isn't a major issue. I was thinking 7mm-08, but before I pull the trigger, I thought I'd solicit some opinions from the membership here.

I guess I should also say that I enjoy shooting these rifles at the range so these rifles see a lot of use besides the occasional hunting trip if that makes any difference in your answer.

 

[Robert]

Why not regular .308? It would be easier and cheaper to find in almost any location one might find themselves. Not that I have anything against 7-08.

 

[1948CJ2A]

I want a caliber suitable for elk, deer, and hogs. I don't mind having the ability to take moose but it isn't required. I currently live in Florida where the deer are small and most hunting is close range, so I need a gun that works here. But I want a gun that is also at home for those trips north and west.

270 through 338 caliber would fit these requirements best. Particular cartridges in that range I would recommend include: 280 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, etc. I'd recommend those because as your OP requested, ammo is readily available.

 

[Gunnerboy]

6.5x55

 

[Salty1]

From my perspective you already have it with your 30-06, that gun will easily take any game found in North America. The Tikka is one of the most under rated rifles out there and I am surprised that more people have not noticed them. Since the 30-06 is one of the most popular cartridges you can find them anywhere, from Walmart to the mom and pop hardware stores out in the sticks. The 30-06 and 308 are so close in performance I doubt you would even notice a difference, all of the designer calibers tend to be hit or miss when looking for ammo.

 

[jmr40]

Your stainless all weather all purpose gun should be the 30-06. Nothing wrong with Two 30-06 rifles. If it were me I'd go that route and consider selling the Hunter model. After you buy the stainless/synthetic you'll never use the other one again anyway.

After selling the Hunter in 30-06 I might replace it with something like a 243. The 308 and 7-08 are not that much different from a 30-06 in the same size rifle and Tikka only offers a 1 size fits all gun. I own both 30-06 and 308, but my 308's are in very small compact rifles such as a Kimber The 30-06's are in larger, full size rifles.

 

[Kachok]

6.5x55

^ This without a doubt. I have a stainless T3 6.5x55 and it is my all time favorite rifle.

 

[wyohome]

What part of 'easily available in stores' does a 6.5x55 play?

 

[dprice3844444]

308,use the same powder and heads as 3006.

 

[Kachok]

I personally don't have any issue finding 6.5x55 ammo, there is a good variety even here in the backwards deep south, just not at wal-mart, any gun store worth going to should have plenty. Only thing that is hard for me to find locally is premo (Norma and Laoua) brass.

 

[Girodin]

When we say easily available in stores, do we mean walmart or gun stores. The Walmart I go to has .223, 7.62x39, 30-30, 308, 30-06 and I think that's it, perhaps .270.

The two closest gun stores, about 15-20 minutes away have everything that's been listed in this thread.

I don't see the point in getting a 308 if one has a 30'06. I do agree a 308 would nicely fit the criteria. If the whole point is just to have a gun that can take rough use and bad weather then one in 30-06 or 308 probably makes a lot of sense.

If it were me I would want to get a caliber that added something different. I think if I buy another hunting rifle (for deer and elk) it will be a 6.5x55.

 

[KDS]

When I say available in stores, I mean most gun and outdoor retail stores. Even my local Ace Hardware carries 6.5x55. truthfully, this caliber is in the running for me. I collect milsurps and a Swedish Mauser or two is on my list to aquire. So I will have that caliber on hand anyway.

 

[Kachok]

BTW not only do I not have any issue finding 6.5x55 ammo but before I started handloading it I got ammo cheaper then my 308 or 270. $13 a box for SP bullet while the same brand cost me $14.50 for my other calibers.

 

[KDS]

So from checking Tikka's website and the suggestions here, my choices are:

308 Win
6.5x55 Swede
7mm-08 Rem
270 Win


I think I want to stay away from magnum rounds at this point. I currrently don't own any rifles in these calibers but plan to buy an M1A and a couple of Swedish Mausers so 308 Win and 6.5 Swede are in the running from that standpoint.

I appreciate the suggestions to either buy another 30-06 or sell my Hunter and just get the Light in 30-06. I have to say I'll never sell my Hunter. First of all, I love the look and feel of a wood stock. This is just a personal preference. In nice weather, I will always take the Hunter over the Light (unless weight and terrain dictate otherwise). The only reason I want a synthetic stock is for poor weather conditions. The only reason I am considering a seperate caliber is that I am a tinkerer by nature and thought it would be fun to experiment with another caliber.

 

[jmr40]

In nice weather, I will always take the Hunter over the Light (unless weight and terrain dictate otherwise). The only reason I want a synthetic stock is for poor weather conditions.

That is what I said too. The poor old wood stocked guns got awful lonely when the synthetic stocks shot more accurately, more consistently and were much lighter and tougher. I bought my first aftermarket synthetic 30 years ago in 1982 with the exact thought. Other than a lever action I haven't hunted with a wood stock since 1982. Don't miss a thing and wouldn't go back. You'll find that

unless weight and terrain dictate otherwise

will be a factor more often than you think.

 

[valnar]

plan to buy an M1A and a couple of Swedish Mausers so 308 Win and 6.5 Swede are in the running from that standpoint.

I agree that a .308 would be an excellent choice, especially if you plan to buy some semi-autos that match the same caliber. If you didn't already have the .30-06, I'd say NOT to buy the .30-06.

The 6.5x55 is an excellent cartridge and one of my favorite to shoot. That being said, the .30-06 is probably better for Elk.

 

[Trent]

What is the 308 going to do that the 30-06 doesn't already do? They're close enough (ballistically) and identical on the terminal performance end of things.

Think about it - is the deer/elk/whatever going to CARE if that 308 dia bullet hits at +/- 150fps? I really don't think so.... To make THAT move (30-06 to 308) would be one more about splitting hairs.

If you're going to stick with 30-cal, a 300 Magnum of some variety would be a better option. Flatten out your ballistic curve and widen your range of projectile weigh choices.

If you're going to go LONG range, a 7mm magnum of some variety may be a better choice. Comparing similar cartridges a 7mm Mag will outperform a 300 Win Mag at ranges exceeding around 650 yards - better ballistic coefficient = more hitting power at longer ranges (at shorter ranges, the 300 win mag hits harder; at longer ranges, the 7mm, as it has less "drag" at similar projectile weights, being a slimmer, sleeker profile).

30-06 is a bit overkill for smaller game, so if you don't have something in the 223/6mm dia range, something in that area would be a great addition. That opens up options to do varminting (prairie dogs, coyote, etc), and game < 150ish lbs. 22-250, various 6mm's, are highly accurate and great for smaller game.

This being said.. what you have (30-06) is already an acceptable caliber for pretty much ANY game that North America has to offer. So.. consider one other option; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[mr.trooper]

If Walmart is your sole ammo source, then you are pretty much stuck with 30-06 and 7mm Mag for 'elk cartridges'.

 

[viking499]

I also have a Tikka 6.5x55 and love it. Also have a CZ and my son has a Howa, both in 6.5. Love the caliber.

 

[Kachok]

Go 6.5x55. Why? Because they only get so dead and recoil/muzzle blast are useless byproducts of "macho" cartrages There has never and will never be a deer or elk that can withstand a 140gr Partition through the lungs.
There is no hunting cartrage out there that can kill so effectively with such mild manners, virtualy no recoil, and it won't ring your ears like many high intensity cartrages will. I have yet to track anything shot with mine, the record "run" was about 12 feet from where I shot him, so I will vouch for their terminal performance.

 

[RPRNY]

+++ Kachok. The 6.5x55 has been a revelation for me. So much so that I have very little interest in my 30-06 now...

 

[doc2rn]

I love my Winchester 30-30, it compliments the Weatherby Vanguard 30-06 so well that if my favorite rifle wasnt my Ruger 77/22 Mk II I would not need to own anything else for hunting.

 

[Woodsie]

I also am a big fan of the 6.5x55. I got a CZ because I couldn't find a stainless Tikka, and I liked the CZ better than the Tikka Hunter. I was under the impression that they stopped importing the stainless Tikkas in that caliber. If there's any out there I'd really like to know where, I'd still love to have one.

 

[viking499]

I don't think that they have been imported for awhile, but I seem to remember reading somewhere recently that there is supposed to be some coming on the slow boat this fall........