What Caliber should my next Hunting rifle be?

[jimsmith80]

You guy chewed me up pretty good on a few of my last polls. First there was the lack of 22 LR thing, then the 22 Hornet in a list of big game calibers. I was thinking of making this new poll asking how many ways people could complain without looking at the intent. I know a bitch'en mall ninja is a happy mall ninja! I must be pretty freken happy cause I bitch about everything! Ok down to buisness, for this poll I am going to list some calibers off, I want you to pick the one or two that you think I need to own. I have an itch was may very well be VD, but I think it's the urge to buy a new hunting rifle.
Let me also clear some things up, the calibers that are going to be in this poll are ones that I have though I would like to own.Not this is better than that, yea I know but sometimes you like a caliber for other reasons. A good example is Bell's use of a .275 Rigby, for elephant. So mayby I just want a .275 Rigby because Bell owned one, that sort of thing.
Now I am going to give you a list of the calibers that I owe already

AR-15' M Style all in .223 Remington One of these rifles has a 18" SS wilson barrel, with Larue 12.0 rail system
Winchertsr M1894 .30-30
308 Winchester, 2 sako L579 1)deluxe 2)fullstock
FN Patrol XP 18" 308 winchester
Enterprise arms FAL 7.62x51mm NATO
Winchester M70 Classic Super Grade .338 win mag
Winchester M70 Classic Super Grade .300 win mag
H-S Precision 2000 .300 Win Short Mag.
CZ 550 F.S. 9.3x62mm Mauser
Ruger M77 Magnum .416 Rigby (this is a very neet one in that the serial number puts the production in 1988, this must have been a testing of gift rifle)

So now if you pick a caliber that you think will fill in viods in my hunting rifle collection.

 

[oregonhunter]

How bout a 25-06.

Nice collection BTW

 

[bang_bang]

Missing a few....

.270 Winchester
30-06
7mm Remington Magnum
6.5x55

A few more, but you seem to have all the bases covered...

 

[jimsmith80]

poll is now up

The question was up befor the poll. POLL IS NOW UP

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Wait a sec - you don't have ANY rimfires?

 

[John828]

Are those long winter nights getting to you? I did not vote because there was not a selection for the caliber I think you need--the illustrious, newfangled .22 caliber rimfire.

 

[MCgunner]

I've been reading this board for a while and it seems most believe there's only one caliber, .30-06, and you should use it for squirrels to African elephant. I like other calibers, too, and really prefer a .22 for squirrels, but I know nothing, it seems.

BTW, rimfires rule.

 

[Art Eatman]

I can't really help. I'm not oriented toward "having". Any gun, any cartridge, my interest is in what I'm going to USE it for. No different from my cars/trucks.

All that having something means is that you have less money after than you had before. Last I heard, that doesn't take a lot of talent.

 

[John828]

"A fool and his money..."

Ok, back on topic: The OP apparently has a true gap in his caliber collection. If he wants a new rifle, and does not want a .22 LR, then I guess I can honestly vote for something between his .223 and .30/30.

Let's see.....hmmm....7mm-08, perhaps. I am really stuck on this whole rimfire issue. I feel like I need the OP to inform me as to whether he owns a .22. Everyone needs a twenty-two.

 

[leathermanwave]

Everybody needs a 30-06. You could also use a nice 22-250.

 

[CoRoMo]

I chose .270 for you.

Do you despise the 30'06?
Why no option for it?

 

[Water-Man]

Get yourself a .45-70 lever gun. Light, fast handling and a real ass-kicker with the proper loads.

 

[jimsmith80]

Well Thanks everyone for telling me A) I'm a moron for wanting another gun not caring what they do, perhaps I should show that poster my recovered bulled collection, or pictures from my Bear hunting trip?? I degress.
The refrance to the 22 was about one of the other polls I had posted, I thought that I had made that clear. I do in fact own a 22, or five, so I think that maybe I be good on that one for the day.
Also the poster who added "a fool and his money are soon parted". Please tell me sir what you spend your money on? Guns I my hobby if I choose to have another it IS because of the differances, slight that they may be from the other guns in my collection. I am sure that your money is spent on things you enjoy, does that make you a fool? No, infact things like your post make you a fool, not spenging money.

 

[jem375]

Since you are in Alaska..... 35 Whelen, and how about a 375 JDJ in rifle or pistol.....also the new 375 Ruger...

 

[John828]

Relax my kind friend. That reference was not particularly pointed at you. I just thought of it when I read the prior post. I could remove it, if you'd like.

I am glad to hear you have a .22, and I will lay off the issue and participate in your poll as a good orderly forum member. I did concede the 7mm-08 afterall.

I do seriously think there is a gap in your collection, i.e., having no calibers between .22 and .30. If I were you, and I collected guns, I would give serious consideration to that gap.

And yes, you have the right to spend your money any way you so choose. Last I heard, this is a free country and we have retained that right thus far. But, see, we also have other rights. I have a right to speak my mind, and if you don't like it, tough. You have that right too. But I digress...

 

[the muleskinner]

Nice collection guy. I voted 7mm Rem Mag, and 6.5x55mm swede. Good calibers.

Do you have a .17hmr?

 

[~z]

My initial thought was to get a .22 lr or .22 mag but as you have one or five, I’d advise you purchase Spell Check
~z

 

[~z]

2x post, sorry

 

[John828]

Okay, enough is enough. We got to stop ragging on this fellow gun owner. Although ~z's post was hilarious, we got to help him and not run him off The High Road. I have never seen a Hunting thread locked, but man this one is slipping a little. I am at fault as well.

JimSmith, your questions are welcome. The answers may not always be to your liking, but we here at The High Road like to poke at each other a bit and give each other some ribbing, so stay and feel welcomed. If we did not like, we would not poke fun a bit.

ETA: Darn it, ~z, that post was so funny. I wanted to quote it for posterity, and maybe consider changing my signature.

My initial thought was to get a .22 lr or .22 mag but as you have one or five, I’d advise you purchase Spell Check
~z

 

[~z]

John, I'll sell it to you cheep, get it...cheep, that’s one spell check wont catch.
But seriously folks, just take a cursory look at what you have written before you post it. I’m not suggesting we convert this to a collection of literary masterpieces but could we rise above the lowest common denominator, it makes my eyes bleed.
~z

 

[fireman 9731]

I would say a 22-250 or 45-70, both at different ends of the spectrum, and both fun to shoot and reload for.

But I would also buy a 22 LR before any of those....

 

[John828]

Only the most grievous errors make my eyes bleed--everyone misses a letter hear and there. You are right about raising the standard somewhat, but a lot of people won't take the time or simply don't care, and that's alright too.

Back on topic though. JimSmith, have you decided on a caliber yet?

 

[MCgunner]

I cheat and use Mozilla Firefox. I still get in a hurry once in a while and don't see the little red underlines.

 

[NCsmitty]

You need a serious long range varmint round. I voted for the 243 in that role but a 22-250 would do it too. Both are superior to the 223. Of course the 243 serves dual roles too.

NCsmitty

 

[mavracer]

having a .308 and a .300 win mag eliminates the need for everything .270-.300 also a .338 and .416 pretty much covers Big Big game no need for 375 or 458. since you have rimfire covered.I'd say either a dedicated LR varmint or Big Bore lever.
I voted .243 but you wouldn't go wrong with a fast handeling 1895 45/70 or a lever 44mag.
PS if fun is a concideration a pistol cal. carbine WORKS.