What caliber would you buy?

[Varminterror]

Buying guns and ammo based only on what’s available at your Walmart is kinda like shopping for a wife at your family reunion. Sure, it gets the job done, but there are a lot of other fish in the sea.

 

[valnar]

Has anyone ever gone deer hunting, ran out of ammo before filling their tag(s) and then went to Wal-Mart to buy more?

I think the Walmart comment is not necessarily within the confines of hunting, but general ownership, practice and plinking. I'm not a reloader either, so I don't own any non-common calibers.

 

[gotboostvr]

If you've got to rely on back up ammo at Walmart you've gotta hope it's the same load you zeroed with or else you've got to find a way to verify before going out hunting anyways.

 

[bearcreek]

Our deer are kinda on the small side but some of the places he has 2 hunt you can stretch 1 out passed 500 yards

No one should be shooting at deer past 500 yards, especially someone who is unsure what cartridge they want to hunt with. That said, .308 would fit the bill.

 

[lightman]

Has anyone ever gone deer hunting, ran out of ammo before filling their tag(s) and then went to Wal-Mart to buy more?

Thats a good question. I expect more often it is lost or forgotten. I also expect it was a generic saying dealing with easy availability.

 

[lightman]

If your friend doesn't plan to reload I would suggest staying with the main stream calibers. 270, 7MM RemMag, 308, 30-06, ect. Personally I would stay away from the Noslers, the WSM's, the Weatherbys, and the newer 6 and 6.5 mm's.

People have mentioned Walmart. I expect thats a generic term meaning easy availability. I've been on Varmint hunts where guys had to go shopping for ammo. They were glad that they were looking for 223, 22-250, 220 Swift and not something more exotic!

 

[Howa 9700]

There are a lot of options, but if a guy can handle the recoil.....A#1 best option......given current state of things.......is 308 Wiin.

Not only does it get the desired job done but looking forward.........no gun of any kind matters if you can't find ammo for it. The very first box of anything that showed up on retail shelves around here was 308. Every outfit there is that sells guns or makes ammo has 308 covered.

If shooter ever did want to start reloading there are at least a dozen powders that can be used, brass and bullets in abundance. Not only that, but a 308 is able to do the same thing with 45 grains of powder as it takes 60 grains to do wiith a 30-06. Translates to 25% more loads from a pound of powder.....so makes rounds cheaper and stretches precious components further. Efficient, accurate and effective.

 

[Bartojc]

A rifle capable of deer, bear, and elk using off the shelf ammo ? Sounds like a 30-06 or a .308, possible a .270.

-Jeff

 

[.38 Special]

As has been noted by others, a guy who doesn't even own a rifle has absolutely no business asking "But what if I have to take a 500 yard shot?"

As to cartridge, it would be hard to find something inappropriate. Start with the .25 Bob and end with the .338 Remington. Anything in between should be fine - though if elk is a real possibility rather than a daydream, the choice probably ought to start with a "3".

 

[Seedy Character]

No, but we did have one guy show up with a 270 rifle and 30-06 cartridges. Took him a while to figure out why his bolt wouldn't close. Good thing it wasn't a 30-06 rifle and 270 ammo I guess.

We had a guy bring in his .270 Rem 700, he couldn't get the bolt open.
After finally getting the bolt open, found he had been to range, sighting in his .308 and .270. He put a .308 in .270 chamber and pulled the trigger.

 

[Rpod86]

I’ve seen a lot of post about the whole 500 yard shot thing it’s not that he can’t make the shot our range that is set up at his family farm we can shoot up 2 700 yard. We put quality glass and practice a lot I would have no problem saying he can make a ethical 500 yard shot.

 

[.38 Special]

Can he do it under time pressure, from a field position, out of breath, with a bit of buck fever, without knowing the exact distance?

No, he can't, because he doesn't even own a rifle. God love the internet.

 

[Varminterror]

Lots of non-sequitur sentiment flying around this one all of a sudden…

The knowledge of cartridge parameters and the understanding understanding of market dynamics and supply chain logistics are wholly independent of the skills required to actually shoot firearms.

Frankly, the fact the reverse is so commonly true is evidence that the two are independent; plenty of folks know a lot about cartridges and the retail market, but can’t shoot worth a damn. But I’ve known a lot of folks who are sufficiently skilled and equipped shooters which could reach 500yrds on game with ease, but beyond the 3 or 4 cartridges they own, they don’t know much of anything about the rest of the market.

 

[Varminterror]

We had a guy bring in his .270 Rem 700, he couldn't get the bolt open.
After finally getting the bolt open, found he had been to range, sighting in his .308 and .270. He put a .308 in .270 chamber and pulled the trigger.

Seems really unlikely, since 308 win shoulders are too wide for 270 win chamber bodies, so 270win bolts won’t close on 308 ammo. Purposeful design.

 

[Rpod86]

Can he do it under time pressure, from a field position, out of breath, with a bit of buck fever, without knowing the exact distance?

No, he can't, because he doesn't even own a rifle. God love the internet.

Not seen him take 1 at 500 exactly. Did see him shoot a doe at 420 something with my 300 rum last year .

 

[Seedy Character]

Seems really unlikely, since 308 win shoulders are too wide for 270 win chamber bodies, so 270win bolts won’t close on 308 ammo. Purposeful design.

It happened.
.308 win headstamp could be seen in the boltface and blown out brass in the chamber.

 

[bearcreek]

I’ve seen a lot of post about the whole 500 yard shot thing it’s not that he can’t make the shot our range that is set up at his family farm we can shoot up 2 700 yard. We put quality glass and practice a lot I would have no problem saying he can make a ethical 500 yard shot.

Doesn't matter if he's Chris Kyle. There's too much time between bullet departure and arrival. No one can shoot at game at 500+ yards ethically, IMO.

 

[Varminterror]

It happened.
.308 win headstamp could be seen in the boltface and blown out brass in the chamber.

Then the guy was a moron, because he hammered his bolt closed after it tried to stop over a half inch before it was in battery (0.573” is the interference length of a .308win cartridge in a .270win chamber), so then hammering it closed, he crush fit the diameter of the shoulder 10 thousandths to close…

 

[Varminterror]

Doesn't matter if he's Chris Kyle. There's too much time between bullet departure and arrival. No one can shoot at game at 500+ yards ethically, IMO.

Live within your own limits, but don’t preach them upon others.

500 yards with most hunting rifles is faster than 50yrds with most bows.

 

[BreechFace]

Doesn't matter if he's Chris Kyle. There's too much time between bullet departure and arrival. No one can shoot at game at 500+ yards ethically, IMO.

And yet there are plenty of game animals taken at over 500 yards every year. Flight time on a bullet that averages 2,400fps over it's flight is less than 1 second all the way out to 800 yards.

Long distance hunting on big game isn't my thing, but for those who have the skills and observe the animal to the point where they are confident said animal is established in it's position, I see nothing wrong ethically when operating within one's own skill set and equipment.

 

[Rpod86]

Doesn't matter if he's Chris Kyle. There's too much time between bullet departure and arrival. No one can shoot at game at 500+ yards ethically, IMO.

Everyone is has a right to their own opinion that being said I’ve seen him take a doe at 420 something, my personal longest shot was just a touch over 600 with my 300 rum, I’ve put a lot of time and money into my gun scope and tourrets on all my lr setups, and I know he will do the same with his new rifle

 

[bearcreek]

And yet there are plenty of game animals taken at over 500 yards every year. Flight time on a bullet that averages 2,400fps over it's flight is less than 1 second all the way out to 800 yards.

Long distance hunting on big game isn't my thing, but for those who have the skills and observe the animal to the point where they are confident said animal is established in it's position, I see nothing wrong ethically when operating within one's own skill set and equipment.

We'll have to agree to disagree I guess. An animal can move a long ways in less than 1 second, plenty far enough to turn good placement to bad. I have too much respect for them to consider that a good idea.

Anyway, hopefully we can at least agree that if someone needs advice from folks on an internet forum about their first rifle, that is not a person who should be considering shots at that range.

 

[9x56MS]

As has been noted by others, a guy who doesn't even own a rifle has absolutely no business asking "But what if I have to take a 500 yard shot?"

As to cartridge, it would be hard to find something inappropriate. Start with the .25 Bob and end with the .338 Remington. Anything in between should be fine - though if elk is a real possibility rather than a daydream, the choice probably ought to start with a "3".

A guy buying his first rifle wouldn’t be able to see a deer 500 yards away let alone shoot at it and hit it.

 

[ojibweindian]

So I have a buddy who has just got into hunting over this past year right now he is shooting a 284 of mine with reloaded ammo. He is wanting to buy his own rifle and ask me the question what should he get if he intends to hunt deer bear and maybe even a elk 1day. And he don’t want to have to do any reloading. What is your opinion for the best cal for him. My vote is 28 or 30 nosler

.30-06, .308, 7mm Rem Mag. All ubiquitous.

 

[FL-NC]

I am very happy with my 6.5 CM Ruger American, and it is what I use for deer and would use for bear. It may be on the light side for elk (don't know since I never hunted one) but if I was going to invest so much $ into a guided elk hunt, I would probably consider buying another rifle part of the cost. Or borrow one- assuming the outfitter told me the 6.5 wasn't enough.