What one caliber for North America?

[earlthegoat2]

On the list: 338WM. Then you can handload it down for smaller critters and never be undergunned for the biggest critters.

In all honesty though probably the 30-06. Versatile and, once again, with handloading, it can be down and uploaded for differing critters.

Id go with a 6.5x55 or 7x57 myself.

 

[LeonCarr]

I really like the .308 and the .30-06, but for all North American hunting situations the .338 WM gets the nod.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[The Bushmaster]

.30-06

 

[Tomecek]

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool .25-06 shooter, and have seen it proven its salt time and again even up to elk. My Rem 700 BDL Varmint Special .25-06 is my baby, but that being said, I have a .30-'06 as well for the larger game that you mention.

So yes, I concur, .30-06, but maybe you should think about something for the smaller jobs and the bigger jobs, though I get wanting one cartridge. That .280 isn't a bad choice, either. I know one man who swears by it.

It also depends on your comfortability with the various calibers....have you shot all these? I'm a smaller man, so those big boys are out for me.

What recoil does just varies. One buddy of mine barely feels his .45-70 knock the hell out of him, but I don't dare more than a round or two. Grandpa was a spokesman for Sierra in the 1960s and a major hunter, but he never used a thing over .30-06 (mostly .222 Rem Mag, .22-250, and .25-06.....I did say I was dyed in the wool.)

 

[H&Hhunter]

.30-06 and if you are feeling under gunned forget the .300 mags and move right up to the .338. And I have to second the WSM comment earlier the only thing they do different is cost more, provide problematic feeding and reduce your magazine capacity by one or two.

WSM's are a joke.

 

[Owen]

.30-06

 

[KodiakBeer]

Definitely the 8x50R Lebel.





Or, you could go with the 30.06....

 

[Hangingrock]

If I were to resume hunting and that’s a big if with rifles on hand it would be either the 30-06, 30-30 or 22RF.

Now if it’s good enough for North Carolina I’m a thinking the 22RF. No! I’m being snide. We love North Carolina even thou we need to be more selective in our “Governors” and those that we send to the United States Senate.

I’d use the 30-06. While the 308Win is also versatile. The tipping point in favor of the 30-06 is 180gr and heaver bullet weights. In my opinion the 30-06 is under loaded potential wise.

 

[Robert]

30-06 or 35 Whelen

 

[CoRoMo]

I have an affection to the .270 Winchester that only Jack O'Connor can relate to.

Hoards of folks will say it is too light a round.

What about the brown bears! Polar bears! Bison? Moose?
You know Alaska has Musk Ox... it cayn't kill no musk ox! ​

I'd hunt all of this hemisphere with it, but I don't take shots I'm not sure about and I think that is key.

 

[Armored farmer]

I made my choice a few years back....


30-06

 

[amprecon]

Primary Choice - .30-06
Alternative Choice - .308

 

[retrieverman]

I can foresee hunting trips in the future for Black & White tail deer, Mule deer, Black and Brown bear, Elk, Caribou, Moose, Mountain lion and Boar. My next trip, this October, will be for Mule deer and Mountain lion.

With bear on your "to do" list, I would highly recommend a 300 WM or 338 WM. If you take bear off the list, any caliber around a 30-06 should fit the bill.

As a side note, if I were choosing and wasn't limited to the caliber selection for a certain gun, my choice for a "all around" North American caliber would be 9.3x62mm. I have 2 guns chambered in this cartridge and would be afraid to set out hunting the world with it.

 

[hadmanysons]

+1 30-06

 

[LeontheProfessional]

The reason that pretty much everyone is saying to go with the 30-06 is because there is 55gr rounds that are made for small game all the way up to 200gr rounds that are loaded for big bear. It really is the all purpose round.

 

[solvability]

Minority view - here - consider a 7.62x63 - very versatile and easy to load for.

 

[Guncollector1982]

nother vote for the 06

 

[Hangingrock]

Minority view - here - consider a 7.62x63 - very versatile and easy to load for.

Do you think we’re dummies here and don’t know metrics.

 

[stevelyn]

From mice to meese and everything in between .30-06.

 

[saturno_v]

...small game all the way up to 200gr rounds that .....

Make it " up to 240 gr."......

 

[saturno_v]

If you take bear off the list, any caliber around a 30-06 should fit the bill.

Nobody passed this message to the thousands of big bears sent to better life by the 30-06 during the decades...

 

[sonier]

if your bold with reloading like trail boss theres 85 grain-240 grain bullets for the good ole 30/06 you cant ask for much versatlity

 

[OYE]

30 06 Why ???
With a 190 Gr. boattail you can get near .300 mag (with a flat base bullet)perfornance out of it at 300 yds without overloading it.
Every grocery store and hardware store in the west have them in stock ( assuming they stock ammo).
Extremely long barrel life as compared to the magnums.
Wide range of bullets available to include the 55 gr. acelerators
Long brass life if you are a reloader ( a dozen times and more with moderate loads )
Most will shoot inside of an inch circle with very little tweaking if you can.
Even at 2010 prices you can still load them for less than 10.00
Factory ammo very reasonably priced as compared to Mags
Handle elk easily at 400 yds +
Won 2 world wars (and we ain't really won one since)

 

[The Bushmaster]

Very near 300 WinMag without the recoil...30.06. By now you should be on your way to your favorite gun store to get one...May I recommend Browning?

 

[jmorris]

I only have one and haven't shot it in years but everyone should have at least one 30-06. Maybe not the best at any one thing but it can do it all.