The Best Overall Rifle Caliber

[Justin]

.223 for competition*, varmint hunting, defense, and plinking around. Recoil is low, ammunition and components are readily available for a reasonable cost in a mind-boggling array of configurations, and there are many, many guns available chambered for the round.

.30-06 for big game hunting. I remain unimpressed with the magnum cartridges. Heavy recoil and less accurate for a marginal gain in bullet drop.



*where allowed and advantageous

 

[skiking]

All of the below cartridges properly ZERO'd will not fall outside an 8" kill zone point blanking it for a 300yd shot. Beyond 300 it doesn't mater what cartridge you use you HAVE to know the ballistics and range at which point energy starts to become a primary factor

243 win/ 100grn Hornady BTSP- ------4.90" (deer load)
25-06/ 100grn Federal Nosler B-tip ----5.0" (deer load)
260 rem/ 100grn Federal B-tip-------- -6.18" (deer load)
270win/ 100grn Federal Barnes TSX----5.28" (deer load)
7mm08/ 120grn Nosler B-tip-----------6.52" (deer load)
308win/ 125grn Nosler B-tip-----------6.27" (deer load)
30-06/ 150grn Federal Nosler B-tip-----6.36" (deer load)

How does a .243 bullet with a BC of 0.405 moving at 3100 fps have less drop at 300 than a .270 bullet with a BC of 0.377 moving at 3400 fps when properly zero'd? What is properly zero'd to you? If you could elaborate, it would ease my headache.

 

[Maverick223]

How does a .243 bullet with a BC of 0.405 moving at 3100 fps have less drop at 300 than a .270 bullet with a BC of 0.377 moving at 3400 fps when properly zero'd? What is properly zero'd to you? If you could elaborate, it would ease my headache.

You have the velocities backwards...the .270Win. is about 3100fps, the .243Win. being a bit faster at roughly 3400fps.

 

[skiking]

You have the velocities backwards...the .270Win. is about 3100fps, the .243Win. being a bit faster at roughly 3400fps.

I checked velocities given by Hornady(old box of .243 100 gr btsp LT Mag) and Federal(website), if I got it wrong, please tell me how I can push a .243 100 gr bullet to 3400 fps without blowing up my gun.

 

[Art Eatman]

skiking, I suggest not worrying about it. The drop figures are plenty enough close to reality so as to be reliable. They fit in with what I've observed for many and many a decade.

I've always zeroed at 200 yards. I've killed Bambi all the way out to 350 and 450 yards, although around 200 or less was far more common. I've used .243, .270 and '06. The bullet holes were always within an inch or two of what I intended, regardless of distance.

For that matter, prairie dogging out to 300 yards with a .223, I used the same old 6" holdover that I've used with the '06 or .270 at 300 yards. Works.

As near as I can tell from experience, aerodynamics and drag don't really become important until you're getting on out beyond 300 yards. 400 and 500? Whole different deal.

 

[stubbicatt]

I chose 308. It was close between 30-06 and 308 for me, but a quick review of the contents of my gunsafe and I realized that I had more in 308, so I guess I subconsciously like it better.

That said, the '06 will take a wider variety of bullets and shoot them better.

 

[Maverick223]

I checked velocities given by Hornady(old box of .243 100 gr btsp LT Mag) and Federal(website), if I got it wrong, please tell me how I can push a .243 100 gr bullet to 3400 fps without blowing up my gun.

You are right, I failed to account for the very heavy .243Win. and the light .270Win. projectile, I recant my previous statement.

 

[skiking]

skiking, I suggest not worrying about it. The drop figures are plenty enough close to reality so as to be reliable. They fit in with what I've observed for many and many a decade.

I will let it rest, little things like that keep me awake at night. It isn't healthy.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Just to clarify the above list I compiled was based on manufacturers numbers for the flattest shooting loading suitable for deer sized game for that cartridge as per the iPhone "ballistic" app.

However I did purposely omit "light magnum" type loads for 30-06

The drop figures are based on a 200yd ZERO to 300yds, correctly zeroed refers to the fact that with the mentioned loads such a ZERO would allow for a MPBR of over 300yds keeping bullet impacts inside an 8" kill zone within that distance

 

[paducahrider]

Howdy!
To Wickens:
Although I voted for the 30-06, I am not surprised by the .308 as second choice and I'll bet you really wouldn't want a round from a .308 "falling out of the sky" in your direction, if you stopped and thought about it.
After all, it's been used as a pretty effective long range sniper round.
It was intended to be a shorter version of the 30-06, and is, in fact, only marginally less flexible, due to the shorter case.
I still like the old '06 a bit better.
Thanks for your time.

 

[Hammerhead6814]

Of the 216 people who have voted in this poll as of 3/28/10, 140 are insane. Otherwise they'd have voted .308 Winchester.

 

[Old Time Hunter]

.45-70 you can load it from mild to an elephant killer.

 

[SwampWolf]

Watch out groundhogs.

 

[ChefJeff1]

I voted .270. You can use bullets from 90 gr varmint to 160 elk slayers.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I think the answer is .260 Rem or 7mm-08, neither of which are on your poll.

Among those on the poll, .280 rem, 6.8 spc stand out, considering all criteria, as does .270 win.

 

[jkingrph]

i

would have voted for .260 Remington if you had that option. instead i voted for 6.5 grendel, with .308 being a close second. a 139 grain Scenar in the 6.5G would be preference out of the ones you have listed.

I have been playing with a couple of 6.5 Grendels for about a year now, but had to vote for the 30-06.

Honestly, it can do things the Grendel can never do, on the side of larger game. It can push heavier bullets 220-250 gr at respectable velocities for closer range work. With sone of the 190-200 gr match boattails it will reach very long ranges. Throw a 110-130 grain pellet in there and you are good for varmits. I would much rather have an '06 than the Grendel if trying to deal with something that might eat or stomp me any day.

Now I can go back to playing with my Grendel, it's a fun little cartridge in my AR platforms, very accurate and very mild recoil. I am considering having one of the little CZ carbines rebarreled to the Grendel.

 

[swiftak]

.308
where was the 30-30?
I guess a flat shooting caliber is important if the deer are further away than 30 yards.

 

[Guiding101]

I have long been a lobbyist for the .308 and it got my vote. The little guns work. I have several 06's and enjoy them as well. I usually find factory .308 plinking rounds quite a bit cheaper than I do for the 06'. Both great guns. I own a .300 Win mag, and while I have hunted with them, they really don't impress me anymore than a 7mm Rem Mag, which I generally find factory ammo cheaper for. One gun not on your list that I am a big fan of is the .35 Whelen. That's my do it all cartridge of choice.

 

[eddism]

I chose the 308. For distance and accurancy, the 308 can take down most anything with a well-placed shot.

As far as hunting purposes around the world. The H&H375 is the minimum legal bullet for hunting large dangerous game.

So, if the question was asked which would be your choice of hunting large dangerous game anywhere in the world. The H&H375 ought to be the correct legal starting point.

 

[BushyGuy]

i voted for others - i think 30-30 win is best overall in penetration ,cost ,self-defense, fun shooting, no punishing recoil, lightweight to carry and more punch then a .223 rem.


best caliber for long range is the 7mm Rem Magnum out of the bunch said.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Oh yeah, the .30-30 deserves to be in the running, too, now that you mention it.

 

[federalfarmer]

I voted .270 with 140 grain pills it shoots flat and anchors everything I've shot.

One best cailber? Has to be a a long action standard caliber. ( And I may have been influenced by things I read growing up!)

 

[bpl]

I'm just wondering what the opinions are out there on the best overall rifle caliber; things to consider:
* Best Overall Hunting Capability (widest range of game to hunt)
* Accuracy
* Widest Range of Ammunition
* Home Defense Applications
* Possible Military Applications
* Manageable Recoil
* Ballistic Charactersitics
* Cost of Ammunition

Some have voted for their favorite pet cartridges (as is to be expected on a forum of rifle enthusiasts, I guess), but I think the best answers have been reflected in the poll results. The 30-06 and .308 are the best answers when considering these criteria. No other cartridges even come close to fulfilling all of these criteria as well as those two. Sure, other cartridges may have a small advantage in velocity or energy or MPBR or 1000 yard sniping, etc., but they still don't fulfill the other criteria as well. Its sort of a spin on the one rifle question, the answer to which is 30-06 if you are more of a big game hunter and .308 if you are more of a target/tactical/range shooter.

 

[Bullnettles]

No one for the .408 CheyTac? Near perfect BC? Stopping power a la mode? Besides taking squirrels, I'd say it is the best cartridge to date for ANY game.

 

[Wickens]

I'm back! Happy to get some great comments on on the difference calibers. If you really sit down and think about it and you could only have one rifle---think---keep thinking---How many Deer, elk,Moose, bear,cape buffalo, are you going to shoot? You only have one rifle to for the rest of your life. Please give me hell if I'm wrong but-223-222-22-250? Remember above every else bullet placement is everything, If the heart lungs don't work nothing works! It's called the Engine room. From a guy that has seen 100's of animals go down--- Don't tell my friends they think I'm big bore man. Mister 8mm Mag. In most of the trucks back Windows the rifles for year around in this area #1 is 22-250 after that 243-25-06-223-I don't want say how many Elk these rifles take--- but with the locals it's quit a few, especially the 25-06, this round is gaining more popularity by the day. I'm trying not to make any waves this time--God forbid anyone that would bad mouth the 30-06-------sooooooo sorry! PS to howdy Wickens of course the 308 is a sniper round it's a military cartridge they use what they are issued Now they are using the 338 Lapua--and 50ca. I have a nephew in special forces in Afghanistan as we speak. talk about military rounds all you want the 45-70 was the 1000 yard shooter in it's day and the 6 BR has shoot 4" groups at 1000 yds. The great thing is you get to pick your own and look at what is the very best for you and where you live. It's OK to think outside of the box--you might get reprimanded like me but it's OK!