Let’s hear everyone’s opinions on the caliber choice for a all around rifle
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Hey everyone, I currently have a older 30-06 which I have been using on elk/moose around home. Shots have all been under 450 yards and currently have a lightweight 7mm-08 for my mountain sheep hunting rifle ( haven’t shot a sheep yet with it). Very light weight and compact with a 20” barrel, I have been contemplating getting a larger caliber but a lightweight rifle still and using a muzzle break. I sheep hunt in a very high grizzly density area so I am always worried with the 7mm-08 if it would be enough to stop a charging grizzly. I am considering getting a savage 110 ultralight in either the 300 wsm or a 280Ai. The 6.5 PRC seems a little to light for elk and moose? Hoping to have just one all around hunting rifle and still keeping it really light Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Get the 300 WSM
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I would go 280ai personally. But theres no real appreciable difference over the 06...never been a fan of the wsm my self. Seen lots of feeding issues with buddies guns as well as insane ammo prices and availability issues the last couple years...personally for an inside 400yd gun i could shoot a 308 and never be in want
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Given those options I would definitely pick the 280ai. With the right bullet choice it will take anything we can hunt around here. It will likely feed better than the wsm and you will gain some magazine capacity.
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Off the list of cartridges shown the 28 Nosler and 6.5 PRC would interest me the most but not sure how much fun an ultralight in 28 would be to spend rangetime with.
Too bad the rifle didn't come in 26 Nosler and the best "all round" cartridge available for Ab hunting, the 7mmRM |
7/08 will stop a bear
You just need to use the right bullets I killed my grizzly last year with a 6.5x284 Ecklund killed his with a 6.5 prc A do it all rifle is a rifle of compromise If you shooting a big bullet out of a ultra light It’s not going to be very friendly to shoot Personally, if your looking at an ultra light rifle for sheep hunting I would look at the Weatherby backcountry 2.0 in a 6.5 rpm Just like what mountainti bought It’s a step up from the prc and not quite at the hyper velocities of the 26 nosler and 6.5x300 I bought a 110 ultra light for my nephew It’s alright but it’s just a savage with a proof barrel |
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Right now it might be wise to make sure you can get the ammo first for whatever caliber you decide on...
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All around 30-06 is excellent, you can use a huge variety of bullet weights, ammo is more available and there are excellent light weight rifles chambered in 30-06. Sako 85 for example.
I'd avoid wsm and other obscure calibers because you most likely will have a hard time finding ammunition, if you look through the for sale ads lots of wsm rifles are up for sale, I wonder why? |
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In reality unless you want a new gun it’s hard to beat a 308 3006 300wm 300wsm etc… for an all around rifle. Personally I use a 308 with 165gr accubonds for everything. Plenty of griz in my country and I’ve never felt under gunned. |
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But you know it’s a savage when you shoot it |
Browning X Bolt Speed LR in 6.8 Western.
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The cartridge I choose for a hunting round has more to do with the rifle it is chambered in than the cartridge itself.
Realistically there are dozens of cartridges that overlap for any given animal or situation. That being said, my goto rifle for quite a few years has been chambered in.303 British, running a 150 grain bullet at 308 Winchester velocities. But I have hunted with others as well. This year I will start the season off shooting a drilling in 16x16x9.3x72R, just because I really love the gun! I don't care if an animal is too far to shoot , small ,large or record book , with this rifle my shots will be inside 100 yards. Cat |
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6.5, .284.,30.338, it doesn't matter so much the cartridge / caliber as the shot placement for the largest part as far as killing an animal goes we tend to fuss and worry far too much sometimes about stuff like that and not about our marksmanship Cat |
If by all around rifle you think you might practice with it lots Id still stay under the 30cal. 300wsm in 6ishlb rifle still might not be the most fun unless you like that kinda thing. Still a great cartridge especially since you have a .284 already. However my vote would be to the 280 AI.
Another note if weight isn't a huge issue I put a bell and carlson sporter stock on the 6.5creed ultralite I bought for the mrs. Got Rod to open up the barrel channel a bit for the proof barrel. Added maybe 3/4 lb but feels like a darn nice gun now other then the ugly 90 bolt lift. I did just find a light bolt handle extension and carbon fibre knob so going to see if that makes it feel bit better. 110 ultralite, B&C stock, gunwerks MB, talleys and vortex diamondback tactical it came out to 8.3lbs. |
I'm partial to the 6.5 PRC. 2 years back I was having this same debate, while I was already shooting a 300 wm.
The 6.5 PRC is way more polite to shoot, even without a break on it. I can watch my impacts way easier now. If you look at the ballistics they will give you the numbers, but it is all still about shot placement when you get out in the field to do the real work. |
I’d recommend having a very close study of ballistics for 6.5 PRC and ones you’ve mentioned. With 8” twist barrel and high BC bullets like Berger 156g EOLs it’s impressive. Hand loading is a must though. Winchester M70 with B&C stock, muzzle brake and factory ceracoat and nice scope you’ll be at 8lbs. Recoil is less than .270 and uses significantly less powder than other traditional calibres for equal or better ballistics. The downside currently is loading components and/or factory ammo is challenging to source.
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If I could wave my hands and turn my sons 300wsm and my 30-06 into 300 win mags, I would.
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Owned most of them at one point. 280 AI is my go to.
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These days I mostly use my 30R Blaser for hunting, it'll do what needs doing in a SxS rifle, because I really like the gun. I used to have a 338WM that I bought when hunting northern BC and the mountains here. I've hunted most of the same places, and shot more stuff, with a 7-08, and never really had any reason to feel "undergunned". 6.5 to 30cal in a 308 or 30-06 sized case is plenty good enough.
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7mm PRC was just released as well. Slots in between the 7mm Rem Mag and the 28 Nosler. If you reload that would be a good choice as well in a few months once dies and factory rifles come out.
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I’m on the 280AI boat recoils not bad, good range of bullets weights fairly easy to get components kills everything I shoot at
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.280AI if you reload.
.30-06 if you are a factory fodder kinda guy. |
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.257 Weatherby Ackley Nosler Government
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If that's the list then to me the .30-06 is clearly the choice.
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What I say to that is get a .30-06 for deer(and anything) and a .338WM (for anything else). The perfect tandem of cartridges, to my peanut sized brain. |
30-06 good for everything plus you probably have a bunch of ammo already. If you do or decide to reload it's "less components" between the two guns. That or 308 for a little less recoil and same sort of thought process with reloading.
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Everyone knows the 6.5 Creedmoor in the hands of a Power Engineer is the most dangerous combo out there…
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