Picking a rifle cartridge

[BigBore44]

well I just ordered a savage axis left hand 243 and the reason I did as I shoot and hunt deer here in Oklahoma with my Winchester 94 30-30 as its just about right for deer here in this state but as for the 243 in this same state I wanted it on these powerline right of ways or long clearings as sometimes the deer are way past the range of my 30-30 so with the 243 I can reach further to make a clean kill shot! so the moral of the point is its better if one can to have more than one gun so you can cover most situations! like this rifle I ordered at Walmart it was only $308 for the left hand version and they had the right hand version right there for $269 but I am a left handed shooter so the little difference was worth it to me! but I do plan on also ordering later on as I charged this rifle on my Walmart card and once paid off I plan on getting the marlin 45-70 model 1895gbl as I like this for the idea someday hoping to get to go to either Colorado or Montana etc, for the larger game there, so if possible its best to have a few options!

You get that 45-70 and you'll find that your 30-30 will spend a little more time in the safe. And not because you'll take more trips to Colorado and Montana.

 

[jmr40]

If forced to only have one rifle for every animal world wide it'd be a 375, and I'd probably pick the newer 375 Ruger over the traditional 375 H&H. It is acceptable on even the biggest stuff and with lighter bullets will work for deer up to elk with flat enough trajectory for 300+ yard shots. Recoil is fairly manageable even in relatively lighter rifles.

But fantasy aside, I'll never hunt anything where a gun that big is justified. There are only 3-4 animals on the planet that really need that much power. The biggest bear in North America will fall to a 30-06 cartridge and I consider it bigger than 90% of hunters really need.

For me I could do everything I need to do with two, at most three cartridges. I like a 223 for varmints up to deer under ideal conditions. For an all around rifle for everything from deer to moose just about anything in 26-30 caliber works. I like 308 and the 6.5 Creedmoor. But honestly, all of them kill stuff, pick the one or two you like. The bullet you shoot, and where you put it is far more important than the caliber or bullet weight.

 

[entropy]

Until you get serious with your specifications, boyscout, I won't with my recommendation, so .22 LR it is. I hear folk down your way even use it on alligator.

 

[midland man]

243 with 100gr bullets here in America will do most needed, put in the neck up and it will fall down!!

 

[Milt1]

Don't overlook the Winchester .338 Mag as it can be loaded up or down with different bullet weights depending upon if you are after antelope or Brown bear.

 

[olkowsr]

I've got a 300 Win Mag, I like it.

But if it had to be another caliber than the one I've already got... 30.06.... Its taken more game than almost any other two cartridges combined in north america...

 

[GAF]

I will go with the 30 06 because during the last shortage the only common ammo left on the shelves was 30 06, 30 30 . 270 was hit or miss most of the time. 308 disappeared completely from store shelves in my area for 4 to 6 months.

So think about the ammo availability in choosing your choice rifle, but if you reload i guess it is a moot point

 

[Offfhand]

But if it had to be another caliber than the one I've already got... 30.06.... Its taken more game than almost any other two cartridges combined in north america...

Don't forget the .30/30 and all the years it was the primary big game caliber. And when you say North America, that includes Canada and the .303 British they've been hunting with for over a century.

 

[olkowsr]

Don't forget the .30/30 and all the years it was the primary big game caliber. And when you say North America, that includes Canada and the .303 British they've been hunting with for over a century.

I'll Be honest, I'm not 100% of that quote, but below is an article that is related to this topic.
http://www.offthegridnews.com/survival-hunting/the-4-very-best-calibers-for-hunting-big-game/

 

[F250GUY]

My main go to caliber is the .30-06. I can drop anything I need to drop here in the Main 48 states. I have 4 of them to pick from, 3 bolt actions and a semi auto M-1 Garand.