What would most of you guy's think is the best all around hunting cartridge?

[browningguy]

The most versatile in my opinion is the good old -06. I have everything from 5.7x28 to .458 Winchester, but one of the 06's is what I usually take hunting, even if I'm planning on using my 7x57/.243/300 Winny/.308 one of the -06's will usually go along as a backup.

 

[JRH6856]

I've been told by my father-in-law that 3000 fps is the magic number but do you really need all that blast and power to shoot a deer or animal that size for hunting in pennsylvania?espically since I have never had a shot at one over 200yrds.And would it be worth me going out to buy one since I already have a beautiful customised winchester model 70 with a 6.5x20 leuopold on it and is by far my most accurate rifle I own.Any In put would be greatly appreciated.

I can't find anything in there that says what caliber you already have or what caliber your FIL thinks you need to get 3,000fps.

 

[Mauser lover]

What is the Win Model 70 chambered in?

 

[303tom]

.30-06 Springfield.................

 

[hogshead]

308

 

[BigN]

Living where I live now it would have to be a 243

 

[nathan]

A 12 G shotgun with removable choke. Slug plus IC choke for deer at close range, this is a limitation but it will bring it down. 00 Bk plus IC choke for human zombies and birdshots plus modified choke for the upland and waterfowls.

 

[HKGuns]

30-06 or .308 Pick one.

 

[Archaic]

None of the deer I have killed with my 7mm-08 have ever complained about being dropped in their tracks with an under powered gun. I guess they would be just as dead if I shot them with the .06 or the .300 Win, but I kind of like the way the little model 7 moves through the woods.

 

[Beak50]

Sorry my model 70 custom is in 7RM Mag.It is by far my most prized rifle,extremely accurate and I load my own shell's Nosler all the way.I just got a Swiss K-31 7.5x55,very similar in performance to the .308 from what I gather but I have yet to scope it and am thinking of using it in the wood's since I'm afraid of dinging up my 7mag.Since I put so much $ in it.and being disabled a tree stand would be the best place for me to hunt anymore

 

[jnoble87]

I can't believe we're doing another one of these....

The consensus says the .30-06 is the king of calibers for hunting, all purpose of course. Sure I'd rather have a 7mm mag or a .300 mag for taking whatever 4 legged creature that crosses my path, at 500-600 yards out. But for everything closer, the 06 does it all.

Doesn't anyone ever use the search function on here?

 

[precisionrifle14]

Just to go against the norm, I'll go with my custom savage .243.

 

[mljdeckard]

All the reasons the military picked the .308 for a service rifle cartridge make it a good hunting cartridge as well. The .308 has a bit of a perceived advantage in being a short-action cartridge, but the '06 can push heavier bullets, in case you had to use one for something as big as a moose. For the vast majority of shooters and hunters, the difference is negligible, if any.

I don't see why a 3000 fps standard is effective. There's a heck of a difference between a 55 grain bullet going that speed and a 180 grain bullet that fast being fired from a magnum cartridge.

 

[Beak50]

Thank you all fo your in-put,It's really appreciated.That's why this forum is my favorite on the net.Thank's agian.Beak

 

[Elkins45]

I don't have to choose. One of the joys of gun ownership is buying specialty guns for real or imagined needs.

But it I did have to choose I would vote for 30/06. It's killed everything on the planet.

 

[RX-178]

Another vote for the 30-06

 

[Gunnerboy]

Well ill be the first, 6.5x55 is tied to the beloved 06 in my opinion.

 

[mdauben]

I've been told by my father-in-law that 3000 fps is the magic number but do you really need all that blast and power to shoot a deer or animal that size for hunting in pennsylvania?

Sounds like the F-I-L suffers from "magnumitis"!

As others have said, the .30-06 is widely considered the best "all around" hunting cartridge, yet it generally cracks 3000 fps only with varmint weight bullets (at least with factory ammo). Looking at other popular hunting cartridges, some pass the 3000 fps bar, but many don't so I don't think such an arbitrary minimum is really anything but personal preference.

 

[tnxdshooter]

.308


Sent from Droid Incredible on Verizon Wireless

 

[mgregg85]

My pick is the .30-06, it will put down any big game animal you can find on this continent and it works great as a light African rifle too. The only African big game I wouldn't try it on would be the elephant, cape buffalo. Do they still allow hunting rhino and hippo? If so I'd want a bigger caliber for them as well.

 

[HoboCoastie]

I'll add to the .308 crowd. I like things in my life that serve more than one purpose. I can hunt with a .308, and due to it's commonality, it makes a great zombie appocalypse round too.

 

[Smokey in PHX]

30-06. Does it all.

 

[xXxplosive]

IMO............the '06 is one teriffic caliber.....the .300 Win. Mag. is better.

 

[rori]

Best all around cartridge is the 375 h&h mag. For NA the 30/06. FRJ

 

[RevGeo]

I'm a big fan of the 30-40 cartridge, and a well sporterized Krag is truly a thing of beauty, but if I could only have one rifle for hunting it would be
a pre-'64 Winchester Mod 70 in 30-06.

George