Hey guys im new to hunting (gone with friends a few times) and im looking to buy my first centerfire rifle but i am having some trouble deciding on a caliber. I plan on using it to hunt deer, maybe bear, and definitely coyote. I just basically need a good all around caliber. i was thinking 30/30 or 30-06 but thats a little big for coyote if i want to keep the pelts right?. also could i just use my .22lr for coyotes? cause then ide just get the 30/30 or 30-06. i also dont like how big most 30-06 rifles are (and they have an annoying amount of kick to me). i am currently leaning towards a marlin 336 in 30/30 i got to shoot one and loved it. any recommendations would be welcome. thanks in advance
What is the best caliber for medium to large game for a first timer??
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rcmodel
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Something like a .243 would fit the bill.
You can use light varmint bullets for coyotes, and heaver big game bullets for big game.
Recoil isn't enough to bother a second grader.
A 30-30 is somewhat limited on long range for coyote hunting.
Plus, you will be ricocheting big bullets across somebody's cow pasture or family dinner.
They won't just explode harmlessly when they hit the ground like a lightly constructed varmint bullet.
rc
You can use light varmint bullets for coyotes, and heaver big game bullets for big game.
Recoil isn't enough to bother a second grader.
A 30-30 is somewhat limited on long range for coyote hunting.
Plus, you will be ricocheting big bullets across somebody's cow pasture or family dinner.
They won't just explode harmlessly when they hit the ground like a lightly constructed varmint bullet.
rc
Don't know a lot about pelts n such but .308 or 30-06 would both be good for anything up to but not necessarily ruling out moose. I prefer .308 because it is shorter (for bolt throw when cycling....assuming you get a bolt action) and you can get surplus 7.62x51mm ammo for it.
I have heard of people using .22LR for coyote and it is probably fine with adequate shot placement but opinions on that may vary greatly.
I have heard of people using .22LR for coyote and it is probably fine with adequate shot placement but opinions on that may vary greatly.
Bobson
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Have you considered a rifle in .260 Remington, or .25-06? I think either one would be a good choice for the game you specified. Maybe a bit light for bear, but I wouldn't use a .243 for that job, either.
ColtPythonElite
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.30-06 will do it all.
AABEN
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308 you can find a lot of military ammo out there. There is a lot of used gun in that caliber and the 30.06 There is a ton of first shot brass to be reloaded that you can get at a good price Also some pulled bullets if you reload. I like the 243 my self but I have had a gun from a very young age and shoot my guns a lot this keeps me on my toes. Good Luck.
Frozen North
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.270 or 30-06 are pretty hard to call a mistake. Both are a bit heavy for coyote though. The bridge between varmint and bear is pretty long for one rifle to cover.
If you exclude bear, 243 would be a perfect choice.
If you exclude bear, 243 would be a perfect choice.
ColtPythonElite
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For a very long time, the only gun I used for both varmints and deer was the .30-06. Off-season groundhogging kept my deer season skills sharp. I'd guess my pet .30-06 has killed a dump truck load of groundhogs. I have never used it on a coyote, but wouldn't hesitate.
Hizzie
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30.06 Factory ammo is available from 125gr to 220gr. Nothing wrong with 30-30 as long as you understand it isn't a long range round. Be wary on any new production Marlin. QC is at an all time low.
T Bran
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30-06 You will never need more gun in the lower 48. I load 110 grain hot core bullets for smaller varmits and can shoot it for long periods of time with no pain. 150 grain takes care of the rest but has a bit more recoil. Funny thing about recoil is that you dont feel it when shooting at animals I'm normally so amped up I dont even notice.
Good Hunting
T
Good Hunting
T
sixgunner455
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One gun to rule them all, to do all things for you ... this is a long-asked question.
You have to accept that you will have to be compromising on something, somewhere.
First - yes, you can kill a coyote with a .22 LR. You can kill just about anything with a .22 LR. That does not mean that it is the optimal choice, however, and it will definitely limit your range.
What do you want to do with the rifle the most? If you want to hunt deer most, then you have to focus on capable deer rifle calibers. The .30-30 is a very capable deer rifle, but it does have limited range - 200 yards or so, for most people. If that is far enough for where you hunt, then it is a fine choice, and will easily take BLACK bears, too. Might not be enough for Brown or Grizzly or Polar bears, but then again, they have been killed with some oddly light calibers. ETA: Coyotes aren't a problem for the .30-30, either, within range.
If you want to hunt bears the most, then your rifle might kick a bit more than the .30-30, because you'll probably want something that hits a bit harder, like a .35 Rem, .444, or .45-70.
.30'06 is a fine cartridge, but it annoys me to shoot, too.
If you want it to be a capable deer AND coyote/groundhog rifle, then you are going to have to focus on another type of cartridge: the dual-purpose cartridge. They've been around for a long time, starting about with the .250 Savage, also called the .250-3000, because it was the first cartridge that would throw bullets 3000 fps. The 6mm/.243 through 6.5mm/.260 class is what I'm talking about. There are a lot of cartridges in this group, because there are a lot of people in the world who think like you do, that there should be a rifle cartridge that will do in a deer and then turn around and whack varmints and fur-bearers, no need for two rifles. Most of those cartridges, loaded right, should do in black bears, too.
So, in that class, you have the .243 Win, 6mm Rem, .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, .25-06, .260 Rem, 6.5 x 55mm Swede, and others. There are also Weatherby cartridges in the same diameters, but most people find them too expensive to feed, and the ones mentioned are standard cartridges that you can find ammo for in more places that will do whatever needs doing anyway.
If you go with a heavier caliber, like the .308, you will definitely be killing your deer and bears well (and anything else in North America), but it may be a bit heavy for coyotes and groundhogs and such, and such cartridges definitely kick harder than the dual-role cartridges I laid out above. Also, if you want to be able to keep hides, then you want a lighter caliber for coyotes, bobcats, and so forth.
Basically, you have to set your priorities, and use those priorities as guidelines for picking out your caliber.
My advice? If, as you stated, you want to do coyotes and deer as your primary game, and be able to buy off-the-shelf ammo just about anywhere, get a .243 or a .25-06 and practice shooting. Myself, in this class, I have a .243, and it's a great round.
You have to accept that you will have to be compromising on something, somewhere.
First - yes, you can kill a coyote with a .22 LR. You can kill just about anything with a .22 LR. That does not mean that it is the optimal choice, however, and it will definitely limit your range.
What do you want to do with the rifle the most? If you want to hunt deer most, then you have to focus on capable deer rifle calibers. The .30-30 is a very capable deer rifle, but it does have limited range - 200 yards or so, for most people. If that is far enough for where you hunt, then it is a fine choice, and will easily take BLACK bears, too. Might not be enough for Brown or Grizzly or Polar bears, but then again, they have been killed with some oddly light calibers. ETA: Coyotes aren't a problem for the .30-30, either, within range.
If you want to hunt bears the most, then your rifle might kick a bit more than the .30-30, because you'll probably want something that hits a bit harder, like a .35 Rem, .444, or .45-70.
.30'06 is a fine cartridge, but it annoys me to shoot, too.
If you want it to be a capable deer AND coyote/groundhog rifle, then you are going to have to focus on another type of cartridge: the dual-purpose cartridge. They've been around for a long time, starting about with the .250 Savage, also called the .250-3000, because it was the first cartridge that would throw bullets 3000 fps. The 6mm/.243 through 6.5mm/.260 class is what I'm talking about. There are a lot of cartridges in this group, because there are a lot of people in the world who think like you do, that there should be a rifle cartridge that will do in a deer and then turn around and whack varmints and fur-bearers, no need for two rifles. Most of those cartridges, loaded right, should do in black bears, too.
So, in that class, you have the .243 Win, 6mm Rem, .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, .25-06, .260 Rem, 6.5 x 55mm Swede, and others. There are also Weatherby cartridges in the same diameters, but most people find them too expensive to feed, and the ones mentioned are standard cartridges that you can find ammo for in more places that will do whatever needs doing anyway.
If you go with a heavier caliber, like the .308, you will definitely be killing your deer and bears well (and anything else in North America), but it may be a bit heavy for coyotes and groundhogs and such, and such cartridges definitely kick harder than the dual-role cartridges I laid out above. Also, if you want to be able to keep hides, then you want a lighter caliber for coyotes, bobcats, and so forth.
Basically, you have to set your priorities, and use those priorities as guidelines for picking out your caliber.
My advice? If, as you stated, you want to do coyotes and deer as your primary game, and be able to buy off-the-shelf ammo just about anywhere, get a .243 or a .25-06 and practice shooting. Myself, in this class, I have a .243, and it's a great round.
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Abel
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25-06!
H2oPumper
Member
30-06 is probably the best compromise for what you want to do. The 308 is a close second for me, but only because there are less choices of commercially available loads. If you had to have only one gun, the 30-06 will cover many scenarios. Another plus is that it does shoot relatively cheap, so you can shoot more often and know both your and the gun's capability.
tactikel
Member
IMHO for a first rifle for your stated needs a .243 is ideal. It is easy to shoot accurately, ammo is found eveywhere, and will take varmints and deer. If you really intend to hunt black bear a .30-06 would be a nice second rifle.
NYH1
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If I was going to own just one center fire hunting rifle I'd do one of two things. 1- If I was only going to use factory ammo, which I currently do, I'd get a 30-06 Spr. 2- If I hand loaded my own ammo or planned on doing it any time soon, I'd go with a 280 Rem. Just my $.02!
NYH1.
NYH1.
ColtPythonElite
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The OP already said "maybe" he will hunt bear. With that in mind, I don't see the thinking of getting a .243 now and then having to get a second gun later if bear come up...Buy one rifle and be done with it.
Furncliff
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If you like the Marlin 336 go for it. Lots and lots of ammo choices, especially the new Hornaday with the flex tip. That new bullet has breathed renewed life into this old cartridge. The rifles are Cheap to buy. Save up and buy a .243 later.
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