The Best Overall Rifle Caliber

[xanderzuk]

I voted other - While my natural tendency typically would've been to choose 30-06, I think the .22 LR or .22 Magnum are the most versital cartridges out there. While I was in Maine I was told by a Master Guide that more Moose have been killed or poached with a .22 Magnum than any other round, ever. We certainly know what this round can do to the little critters.

While this term is completely over used, I think that it is one of those cases where if "you do your part" it will be very effective. Try shooting a squirrel with a .308

Just my opinion - if you had to have 1 rifle, period.

 

[Dookie]

Hard question, but I went with other.

12 gauge. Itty bitty birdshot, to 3.5" long range goose loads, slugs, sabot rounds for longer range deer hunting or "tactical" shooting, buckshot for short range defense. Plus, a good reliable Remington or Mossberg will not set you back to much. You can have very nice sights or mount a red dot or scope. Ammo is relatively cheap and easily re-loadable. Plus, super plentiful.

 

[Mr. T]

I really do appreciate all the input. I know there were other calibers that were not listed, like the .45-70, .260 or the .25-06, or even the .243 or .30-30 --point being the Main question was what was the best overall rifle caliber in your opinion given the criteria listed. It appears as though the .30-06 has edged out the .308 very narrowly; personally I figured that it would come down to these two rounds and they are both very good utility rounds doing a wide range of jobs. It was good reading everyone's thoughts as well. Good discussion!

 

[CoRoMo]

Caliber wars...

I'm obsessed with the .270 Winchester cartridge.

 

[millertyme]

105mm howitzer. Hands down the most effective rifle caliber. Kills any animal with just one shot along with any next of kin in the surrounding area. Dead nutz accurate, manageable recoil from an M-109, can be loaded with tungsten sabots and GPS guided projos and can be fired from far enough away that not even the best of hearing could perceive what's coming. The ultimate in home defense.

Seriously, though. A 30-06 is about as multi-use pratical as it gets. As for the 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendel, I would take a 7mm-08 or a .260 for the high BC 140gr HPBT projos.

 

[mljdeckard]

I give the edge to the .308 because of wider availability. You can take any North American game with it, even if it's not ideal for very large or very small game, you can load it heavy or light, you can use one 240 belt for a long time if you have to.

 

[Dr T]

It is interesting that cartridge cases derived from the 30-06 garnered about 83% of the vote:

30-06
308 Win (a shortened 30-06)
25-06 (30-06 necked down to .25 caliber)
270 Win (30-06 necked down to .277)
280 Rem (30-06 necked down to .284 or 7 mm)

 

[R.W.Dale]

It is interesting that cartridge cases derived from the 7.92x57 or 7.65x53mmMauser garnered about 83% of the vote:

30-06
308 Win
25-06 (30-06 necked down to .25 caliber)
270 Win (30-06 necked down to .277)
280 Rem (30-06 necked down to .284 or 7 mm)

I fixed eet! Folks like to forget the 30-06 was not the invention of the .473" case head. We were still using single shot 45/70's when the two cartridges in red were introduced

 

[Dr T]

Thanks for the elaboration. I remembered after I posted that the case head of the '06 was the same size as the 7 mm and 8mm Mauser (but did not know about the 7.65 x53 mm Mauser case).

I do find it curious that the 6.5 x 55 Mauser has a different case head size, however.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Thanks for the elaboration. I remembered after I posted that the case head of the '06 was the same size as the 7 mm and 8mm Mauser (but did not know about the 7.65 x53 mm Mauser case).

I do find it curious that the 6.5 x 55 Mauser has a different case head size, however.

I mention the 7.92 and 7.65 together because some sources put one before the other and I haven't nailed down which one was first

 

[Dr T]

Understandable. They were developed in parallel. Some sources state that the 7.92 x 57 was adopted by the Germans in 1888 and others state that the 7.65 x53 was adopted by Belgium in 1889. Given military contracting processes, it is likely to be impossible to tell which was first without going into Mauser's engineering notes...

Maybe we should conduct a seance and ask Paul directly...

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I was bebating before I voted between the .308 and the .30-06. I went for the .308 because of shorter receiver and lower weight on the weapon. I find it interesting that 75% have chosen between these two choices. Jeff Cooper has written a fair bit in his Art of the Rifle and other books. It's worth reading. He chose the .308 for which to build a rilfe around.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I'd say, the wrenches thrown in are varmints (widest range of game to hunt), low cost, and self-defense. But again, in light of all factors, I'd rate them in this order, to delve a little deeper:

1. .260 Rem (tie)
1. 7mm-08 (tie)

3. .308 win (cheaper than the first two, and still quite versatile, though not AS versatile)

4. .30-30 win (not as versatile, but really low cost and good for defense - quicker follow up)

5. 6.8 SPC (this one and the next two are really good defense and all-purpose rounds, being your heavier tweener /intermediate rounds)
6. 6.5 Grendel

7. 7.62x39mm

8. .270 Win
9. .280 Rem
10. 6.5x55mm
11. 7x57 mauser
12. .257 Bob
13. .30-'06
14. .50 Beowulf and similar
15. .243 Win

...then others

There's a reason why my DPMS LR-260L in .260 Rem would be the last centerfire I'd part with. With its very tight twist and a 160+ grainer and a brain shot, I could take down an African elephant. With 100 gr bullets or lighter, it's a fine varminter. With 120s-140s, it's a great all-purpose long, medium, and short range hunter. Downloaded a smidge, with 120s-130s, it's a great light-recoiling self-defense round.

7mm-08 is in essence just as good; arguably better.

A very solid case for being the best can be made for my #3 and #4 as well.

#5 and #6 - not quite as good of a case, but will do it all except really large game.

 

[Legionnaire]

Much as I like the .308, I'd give the edge to the .30-06 due to its versatility on the high end. For a reloader, either cartridge can be loaded down.

 

[DRM]

Whichever one that I'm trying to justify to myself at any given time......

 

[SwampWolf]

A quandry that can get pretty darn expensive. Ask me how I know...

 

[leadcounsel]

.300 win mag for home defense??

The OP left out the obvious choice which is 7.62x39. Light, affordable, and the best overall for home defense, hunting and combat... (assuming you had to pick just one round for all jobs; which is a silly exercise).

 

[Mr. T]

The .30-06 and .308 have it by a landslide. I really enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts on this. Some of you questioned the question itself in particular areas where other "specialized" calibers definitely hold the edge over the .30-06 and the .308; however this was the "Decathlon" of rifle calibers question. Which caliber is the most versatile? I think the two leaders here are where the real debate is at and given how close it really is, I don't know as that there's a definitive answer to that debate. I personally own the .30-06, but I do not own the .308. Therefore I can't speak to which one's better because I only own one of them. I do really enjoy my .30-06 though and I bought that particular caliber because when I was a college kid all I could afford was one rifle and the ammo was plentiful and inexpensive. As a much older man now I still can not find one instance where I thought I didn't have enough gun with my .30-06 and the same holds true with regard to the ammunition as well. Definitely not the "master", but I think you could classify it as the "jack of all trades caliber".

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I'd have to go with 30-06 for anything in the lower 48, it can be very accurate with good loads and match bullets.

 

[glockman19]

For me it came down to the .308 v. .30-06 and I picked the .30-06 because it is more versatile to load.

Between my Remington 700 P (.308) and 700 CDL (.30-06) it's hard to choose. both place every round where you want them to be.

 

[SpeedAKL]

I selected .308 simply because it is the best compromise when taking into account all of those factors.