The only thing better than a caliber thread or a poll thread is....

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

.....a caliber thread with a poll.

I keep going round and round in circles for my ONE primary all-purpose go-to, lightweight North American (Non-Alaska/Canada) hunting rifle & caliber (above .243 win), as a result of some unexpected acquisitions taken in trade - this has resulted in my getting back to too many calibers and hunting rifles (again), and something's got to go so I can just continue to try to get better & better at one main hunting rifle, and reload primarily for one (or two) rifles. But before I simply part with the obvious choices of the recent trade aquisitions, I thought I'd run caliber choice through the old High Road feedback algorithm one more time.

I'm keeping my .243, so this is the rifle one step up in power from that, but one step down in power from Canada/Alaska/Africa rifles in 9.3x62mm, .45-70, and 12 ga slug.

The calibers are in the poll, and are in my case obviously inseparable from the rifles I have chambered in these. But I want you to vote in the poll "in a vacuum" for caliber only, and then come in here and post if your answer as to which rifle/caliber combination I should choose, if it's different from your "caliber in a vacuum" poll selection.

In fact, I'm not going to post the rifle list until I get some votes on caliber, in a vacuum. I have definitely narrowed it to these however.

As you can see in the poll, here are the caliber choices:

.260 Rem (6.5mm-08)
6.5x55mm
7mm-08 Rem
.280 Rem

I'm very torn, as they all have their pluses and minuses, and all would be excellent choices.

 

[jpwilly]

Doc, I'd stick with something in the short action category if you want to keep it light. That would also mean getting a true short action rifle. I think the .260 or 7mm-08 would best fit your needs. I voted 7mm-08 BTW but it's really too close to call between those.

 

[Maverick223]

.260 Rem is very versatile cartridge for anything from long range varmint to moderate range deer/pig...I agree with jp, but went with the .260 due to the betterlong range ballistics and nearly identical short range capability.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

I like the .280 Rem. Works in a short[22 inch] barrel, every bullet weight/style available, and seems to be the optimum case capacity for 7MM. Little flatter shooting than a 06, but just as much punch.

 

[dom1104]

geez Tad, being that the world economy is going to crash like, next week, dont you think something a little more common might be in order?


In all the assault rifle threads, etc those calibers just look, archaic.

and yet refreshing. I would go with the 6.5 x 55.

 

[doc2rn]

Personally I like the Swiss 6.5 in milsurps. Really accurate rounds in my experience.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Well...let's see. 4oz. difference between a long and short action. Big whoop!

As for the calibers you list... there aint a spit of difference in killing authority in them...

As I tend to lean towards it's better to have the power and not need it than to need the power and not have it... I voted for the .280.

Hey, it works in Africa...lol hehehe

For real though... Stainless Synthetic 30-06...Any weather, any critter (within reason)
beat it, bang it wipe it off, put it away....

I do love the 7mm-08, have hunted with one for years...till my oldest daughter took it for her deerzeblatzen...

 

[Maverick223]

Location: Under Here...Mike did you crawl under the table for that post?

 

[mljdeckard]

No .308?

 

[longdayjake]

Cant go wrong with pretty much anything in 6.5

 

[P.B.Walsh]

I voted .260 Rem. because it's second best to a .308 Win.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Yea...I did! hehehe

What...??? lol

 

[Float Pilot]

Hmm, this is a cartridge poll, not caliber poll.

 

[bang_bang]

Ugh...I'm not voting...

Why? I have no experience with any of these calibers. With that said, I don't think you could go wrong with any of them. They all are great calibers, especially for deer, and all look extremely appealing when looking at ballistics.

I'm leaning for either the 6.5x55 or .280. I want a 6.5x55...and own a 7mm Rem Mag, which is just a hotter .280.

 

[rangerruck]

all purpose includes the small stuff, squirrels, pdogs, small varmints, etc.
you can download the 260 , with some light fast bullets, and get some laser fast trajectories out to 300 yds.

 

[Maverick223]

I voted .260 Rem. because it's second best to a .308 Win.

Keep dreaming...what does it do that the .260 can't...well other than have more recoil?

 

[rangerruck]

... assuming you are handloading, right. then def the 260. load some 160's for big , heavy long distance, or mulies and such, and some 100 grainers, or lighter if they are available, for a lights out varmint rig.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Handloading!!!
Well now...get yourself a Savage in 7mm-08!

Those short actions are sooooo loonnng that you'll be able to load Berger VLD's long and STILL get em' through the action.

then watch out....

 

[earlthegoat2]

I voted for 6.5x55.

But if 7x57 was an option that would be the one I would get.

 

[SeekHer]

What no, .257 Weatherby or Roberts, .250 Savage (.250/3000), .25/06, .264 Win, .270, .284, 7x57 and for the ones listed why no:
All of the Above
None of the Above...

What of the WSM, WSSM, RUM, RSUM calibers that came out?

I have at least one gun in each of the listed calibres although the .260s are configured for varmint shooting...

 

[Heck]

I voted for the 7mm 08 for only one reason. I have seen the ammo at Walmart.

 

[bkduckworth]

I threw a vote in for the 280. It bridges the gap better between your 243 and your heavy rifles. Since your handloading I'd venture to say you'll be able to get more out of it than the other three (I don't know how you load, so I could be wrong). I recently made this choice myself and wen't with a 30-06 (only because I don't handload). I think the 260 (while a great caliber) is too close to the 243. I'm not too familier with the 6.5 so I'll refrain from comments about that. My second choice would be the 7mm-08.

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

I voted for the 280, the most versatile of the bunch, but I think the 7mm-08 will win this poll since 280 rifles are getting scarce.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Interesting results so far.... 7mm08 is most popular.

beat it, bang it, wipe it off, put it away..

We ARE talking about guns here, right?

The rifles I either have or are considering for this poll are:
1. Win Featherweight, 7mm-08 (have)
2. Rem 700 "Mountain DM", .280 Rem (have)
3. CZ 550 FS, 6.5x55 (thinking of getting now in the classifieds from manofsteele)
4. Rem Model Seven, .260 Rem (don't have)

I guess the 550 FS doesn't really match up in terms of the lightweight criterion, so it's probably out. I just got the Win 70 FW though, and have heard a lot of mixed about accuracy problems - think it will be hard to get it shooting accurately? Unfortunately, this is not a new FN one - it's an older USRAC one.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I'll go with the .280. It spits out the same bullet as the 7mm-08 but with quiet a velocity difference. When properly handloaded, the .280 is nearly as fast as the 7 mag. Notice I said nearly. The only disadvantage is that ammo at times can be hard to find for the .280. If you handload, that wouldn't matter.