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Everyone has a "favorite" caliber. Many have been listed for you. However, my advice is to get one that you want, that you like to shoot and will keep. The old classic 30-06 cannot be beat and is also about the maximum (in recoil) that many can handle efficiently. It is always a good choice. The 270 (another classic) will suffice for your needs. My personal favorite is the 7x57. Mild recoil and has always done the job that I needed it to do. Back in the days when I was a "rifle hunter" (hunt strictly with handguns now), I had a "big" one made --- 338-06. It was my "hammer." Did not really need it, just wanted it. I still have it.
My father lived his life with only a model 94 Winchester in 30-30. He hunted with it and used it very effectively. If I described some of the shots that he made with it and that I personally witnessed, most of the readers of this forum would doubt my truthfulness.
There is no "magic" caliber. Choose one that appeals to you. I like the older "classic" calibers (I do not own a 243 -- mine is a 257 Roberts). Others prefer the "magnums." Etc. They will all work --- but only if you do your part.
My vote is for the .300 Win. Mag. It is housed in a 30-06 length action , you can load it down to .308 velocity . it will handle bullets above 180 GR. should the need arise . and it doesn't beat the snot out of you . A premium recoil pad is always a plus though ! My son has , over the last 16 years harvested every game animal in the Con. U.S. with his .300 Win Mag . The only one that required a second shot were do to marksmanship issues (as most are). He has a bunch of other rifles but the 300 has many more miles on it than all the others put together .
I live north of you and you already have what you need for the state. 243 is one of the most under rated guns out there. For shorter range like pig 30-30 is great. That said, I have 22-250, 223, 243, 270 and 25-06. I like the 243 for deer. 223 coyote and groung squirel. 270 for elk, pig and deer. 22-250 for prong horn. 25-06 for everything thats too far to shoot with everything else.
I would say 270. If you are thinking bigger find a friend with one and shot the gun first some people can't stop the flinch when shotting mag cal's.
Seems that nearly every favorite cartridge of evey person here that does or doesn't match your criteria has been covered a least several times over here. When several people choose the same cartridge, or firearm; i think that many people get to the same place for very different reasons.
Have you given any more thought to when and which way you are going to go, and "the why for"? Is this subject simering, setting on the back burner, or discarded all together?
So life got in the way for a minute. Had a kid, got a promotion, finally making that move up north. You know those things that seem to happen when you are making plans. OK so the purchase has been made. I stewed for many a month on this one. I was settled on the 270, then switched to the 7mmRM, I even had a week or two of considering a 260. Have a work associate who shoots competition with 260 out to 500yds, 100lb steel silhouette, and figured that might be the ticket. So I finally bought the 270. I figured it was a flat shooting round w/ enough knock down power for a longer shot, that wouldn't break the bank to reload and wouldn't tear my shoulder off if I spent a few hours at the range. Looked at a few manufacturers, but decided on the Rem. 700 CDL. OK now that I decided on the gun I now need to figure out the optics and accesories. It took me 8 months to decide on the gun, can't imagine how long it will take me to decide on a scope![:0]
It's hard to beat the 270. It might not be a 1000 yd paper puncher but as a hunting round it's fantastic. You didn't really want to limit yourself to only one more gun, did you?
Comments
THE BEST:6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser. End of discussion!!
I too have a 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser (Carl Gustaf M94) but don't want to end the discussion. [}:)]
Go with .300 WM[:p].
Can't go wrong with that one.[8)]
My father lived his life with only a model 94 Winchester in 30-30. He hunted with it and used it very effectively. If I described some of the shots that he made with it and that I personally witnessed, most of the readers of this forum would doubt my truthfulness.
There is no "magic" caliber. Choose one that appeals to you. I like the older "classic" calibers (I do not own a 243 -- mine is a 257 Roberts). Others prefer the "magnums." Etc. They will all work --- but only if you do your part.
quote:Originally posted by redhead71
30/06 or 308
Cant go wrong.
A 30/06 on a good platform is
all you realy need, the rest is
all talent[;)]
I would say 270. If you are thinking bigger find a friend with one and shot the gun first some people can't stop the flinch when shotting mag cal's.
Have you given any more thought to when and which way you are going to go, and "the why for"? Is this subject simering, setting on the back burner, or discarded all together?