What one caliber for North America?

I'm going to fall in line with most everyone else and go with the venerable .30-06. The 06 can and has taken every species of game in North America. Ammo is readily available at any wally world or back water bait shop.

Besides, when I needed a hunting rifle I went with the 06, so it must be the right choice. :)
 
I would pick a .338 Mag for big bears, moose, and elk and a 25-06 for everything else. If I could only pick one gun it would be a 30-06 CZ with classic Mauser action.
 
.30-06. But, I don't like the idea of hunting brown or polar bear with it. I'd prefer a .35 or .375 caliber for that, at least, and in forest, maybe a .416. If I were in griz country with only an '06, I'd also want a big fat N-frame with me.
 
30-06
its large enough with full house loads to handle anything on this continent, yet not so large that it precludes the use of cast bullets at the reloading bench.

110 -125 grain varmint work .. crimson mist and pudding
150 - 180 grain will handle deer through black bear
180 - 220 grain when it gets bigger than that

150 grain cast flat point and its suddenly the ideal squirrel rifle and bunny buster that'll put the fear of rust into any 22
200 grain cast with gas check can be driven reasonably close to the rifles full potential.
 
The only problem I see is that you said "big game."
I take that to mean elk, moose and the largest bears...

.30-06 is the do-all round.
However, if sticking to the eastern half of the country, .30 WCF is the choice. I haven't seen a .30-06 yet that is nearly as short, light and handy as a 16" barreled lever-action carbine. I just don't want to carry a bolt gun!
 
I shoot three rifles for hunting .280, .35 Rem and 22-250.

The last one to go would be the .280 hands down.

It has never let me down. Shoots flat and hits hard. (and does'nt kick my butt in the process)
 
I like to keep it simple...

.243 for my centerfire.

.45 for my muzzleloaders...
 
Picking a caliber for big game is like picking your favorite truck. Chevy, Ford or Dodge the argrument goes on forever. Oh, I forgot the rice burners. Anyway in my experience the rifle you shoot the best is the one to use. I've taken buck deer with everything from a 25-20 to a 45-70 plus a few with my prewar Colt SA 44 Special. Right now I'm shooting a Model 88 Win. 308. To coin a phrase " So many calibers, so little time."
 
Great thread! I agree with a lot of the thoughtful folks, that 30.06 is a fine caliber. I have owned many rifles of various caliber, but IMHO, 45.70 is the best choice. It has the ballistics of a freight train, can be loaded to take any animal from a deer to a t-rex, has the history of a military round, buffalo round, and the first 1 mile kill as a sniper rifle. For anything smaller than a deer, either ignore it or use a .22 handgun. Just a thought...
 
06 is the all-arounder.

I'd go further to say for the lower 48, the 7mm-08 is a good all-arounder too.

Not much can stand up to a well placed shot from just about anything you listed from .264 on up.

I hunt with a 6.5-06 and it's a freight train and a distance champion. Game goes down like it was hit by the hammer of Thor.
 
I'm one of those nuts who like a big cal to "do it all" of your list I'd snag a good stainless .338 mag and not look back.

I had a .338 once...but it wasn't big enough for me,so I now have a .375 H&H :D
 
I've hunted just about everyrthing 'BIG GAME" in NA with the exception of Brown/Grizz, Polar Bear and Ox. The largest caliber I have used in NA is 338 Wby Mag. For White Tail, Mules, 'Lopes, cats of all varieties I use either a Browning A Bolt or X Bolt in 270 Win (Favorite Caliber) or 30-06, all three loaded with Trophy Bonded bullets. It works for me, but I am comfortable taking a shot out to 400 - 600 yards and regularly practice out to those ramges. Big cats have been taken with as small a caliber as 204 Ruger (that I know of). I have taken game up to and including mule deer with the following, 308 Win, 303 Brit., 6.5 x 55 Swedish, 30/30, 270 Win, 30-06 Spr, 300 Wby Mag and 338 Wby Mag. My elk have been with 30-06 220 gr and the moose I took was with a 338 WM. Shoot what you shoot well and don't worry what someone else is shooting/what the "EXPERTS" shoot, within reason.

Class III
 
Class III said:
I've hunted just about everyrthing 'BIG GAME" in NA with the exception of Brown/Grizz, Polar Bear and Ox. The largest caliber I have used in NA is 338 Wby Mag. For White Tail, Mules, 'Lopes, cats of all varieties I use either a Browning A Bolt or X Bolt in 270 Win (Favorite Caliber) or 30-06, all three loaded with Trophy Bonded bullets. It works for me, but I am comfortable taking a shot out to 400 - 600 yards and regularly practice out to those ramges. Big cats have been taken with as small a caliber as 204 Ruger (that I know of). I have taken game up to and including mule deer with the following, 308 Win, 303 Brit., 6.5 x 55 Swedish, 30/30, 270 Win, 30-06 Spr, 300 Wby Mag and 338 Wby Mag. My elk have been with 30-06 220 gr and the moose I took was with a 338 WM. Shoot what you shoot well and don't worry what someone else is shooting/what the "EXPERTS" shoot, within reason.

Class III
Click to expand...


By .338 Wby., do you mean their .340? I know they share bullets with the .338 Winchester, but the ctg. is called a .340...if I understand you correctly.

I hear that both are shoulder thumpers.
 
I would suggest looking at a T/C Encore with a 25-06 barrel for accurate flat shooting and if you prefer something heavier also a barrel in 30-06 or 300 magnum. I like my 25-06 more than anything. It is flat shooting, not so big you blow up whatever you are shooting and just is great. I also have a .270 that is flat accurate and great. It is just a matter of what you like and spefically what you use it to hunt.
 
I never realized how great the 30/06 cartridge was until I bought a Browning 1895 lever rifle in 30/06 and started handloading for it. You can load a mild, cast lead handload for 50 yard varmints or plinking, a 150 grain jacketed soft point for deer size game out to 200 yards, or a 180-200 grain jacketed bullet for any bear or elk size game.

I am thinking of adding a 30/06 bolt rifle to my collection, would love to find a Winchester.....
 
Texas Star said:
By .338 Wby., do you mean their .340? I know they share bullets with the .338 Winchester, but the ctg. is called a .340...if I understand you correctly.

I hear that both are shoulder thumpers.
Click to expand...

You are correct about my mistake in calling the round the 338 Wby instead of the 340 Wby. As far as shoulder thumping goes, my favorite load for the 340 Wby is 81.1 gr of IMR 4831 and a 250 gr 338 cal Nosler Partition bullet, producing an average of 2901 fps useing Wby brass and Fed 215M primers in my Wby MkV through my crono. My listed load is not to bad as far as the shoulder goes, but still produces a good bruise after more than a few rounds down range. Sorry about the mistype and any confusion caused.

Class III
 
Easy, just like a bunch said, the old man of them all 30-06 will do it all. I have one of the old Smith & Wesson rifles in 30-06. But for deer I love my 7X57 lite and short and easy to carry.
 
One caliber for everything?

.308 definitely.

Ammo is always available everywhere and you can get it in some surprisingly heavy loads and lighter loads.

I have a savage .308 bolt action that I absolutely love and an older remington 742 .308 carbine.

So yeah, .308 or .30-06 are definitely the top two I would choose from.

Both are effective for everything from whitetail to hogs to elk to moose. Both have a very good range and are very accurate. Also, like I said ammo is always readily available from anywhere that sells ammo.

7mm rem mag is also another round that I really like and I have a howa (rem 700 replica) chambered in this round. Also, 7mm-08 is a .7mm(.284) bullet in a .308 case and it is a very very flat shooting round. While it is very flat shooting I'm not sure of it's effective range for the larger game.

Personally, I would keep it .30 caliber and up. Although I think .338 and some of the other 30plus caliber belted magnums are too much gun for game such as whitetail deer that can be killed all day with .22 calibers rounds such as a .223, .22-250, or .22 hornet.

If you do want to stick with something as powerful as a .338 then I'd learn to neck shoot any deer in which you want to keep the meat. The one's I've seen (even from .30-06) didn't leave much as far as front shoulders were concerned.
 
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