Best all arould caliber

[Backwoods Runner]

Originally Posted by Dick284

To the OP; Those most likely being.
270Win
30/30Win
308Win
30'06
7mm Rem Mag
300 Win Mag
303Brit

Good luck

I can't believe Dick put 270win at the top of his list. I think he's starting to get a little soft. 270win definately has my vote.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Backwoods Runner

I can't believe Dick put 270win at the top of his list. I think he's starting to get a little soft. 270win definately has my vote.

It's obviously a RANDOM order becaus eht e .303 brit is at the bottom and not really complete because the 6.5X55 is not there!
Cat

[Sweetjimmy]

I agree on the 6.5 x55.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Sweetjimmy

I agree on the 6.5 x55.

My post was actually in jest, because for an all around cartridge, without handloading the 6.4X55 doesn't quite make it - this coming from someone who has been using them for longer than some have been alive, and will grab any of the three in my rack any time I want to go!
Not all of us hand load, and if you do not hand load, the 140 is about it, and some like a variety of bullet weights.

It's also can be hard to find +P loads for the 6.5X55 .
However, for modern hunting rifles in my rack at the moment are the 3 6.5X55's, a 7X57, 4 .303's, 6.5X284, 6.5/WSM, .260, 280REM.

I don't consider any of my 308 match rifles hunting guns but I sure could drop at deer with them at what some would consider stupid distances!
Cat

[leeelmer]

375h&h I hunt everything with mine from moose to yotes, just love it, I am in the process of ordering another one from Clay at PRF a Luxus Arms crack barrel, I have littlerly a ton of other guns in a multitude of cals from 223wssm to 450 3 1/4 nitro express and a bunch of black powders from 45cal t0 72cal. 280 rem best cal for most people but I like the 375 my self.

[mudbug]

30-06 is my vote for an all around choice

[Twisted Canuck]

I thought everyone knew the best all around vanilla flavor of the month calibre was 7mm-08. Ok, you can close the thread now mods......

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Backwoods Runner

I can't believe Dick put 270win at the top of his list. I think he's starting to get a little soft. 270win definately has my vote.

Geno...how do these come listed in a catalog or loading manual????????

[saskbooknut]

Dick284 has a pretty good list for factory cartridges, but way out of order IMHO

Here they are reordered.
The magnums are only down the list because most inexperienced shooters find the recoil interferes with their marksmanship.

30'06 - tops in versatility for the average shooter
270Win
308Win
303Brit
7mm Rem Mag
300 Win Mag
30/30Win

Lots of other cartridges can be added - for ease of obtaining cartridges (cheaply) and satisfactory performance on N American game this is a good list

[shortaction]

Tikka T-3 stainless synthetic in 270win

Browning x-bolt stainless synthetic in 270wsm

Take your pick!

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by shortaction

Tikka T-3 stainless synthetic in 270win

Browning x-bolt stainless synthetic in 270wsm

Take your pick!

I hate to say this, but as a Browning .270Win owner, if I had to do it over again, I'd probably got for the .270wsm. A lot more speed, ooomph, and flatness than the .270. Is the recoil that much greater? I'm asking because I've never shot one before, but I can't imagine we are talking about .300RUM levels of recoil.

[270WIN]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

I hate to say this, but as a Browning .270Win owner, if I had to do it over again, I'd probably got for the .270wsm. A lot more speed, ooomph, and flatness than the .270. Is the recoil that much greater? I'm asking because I've never shot one before, but I can't imagine we are talking about .300RUM levels of recoil.

I've never shot a 300RUM. I have, however, shot the 270win, the 270wsm and the 300win mag. It's just my perception but I would rank the 270wsm pretty much half way between the other two in terms of felt recoil.

[lone wolf]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

I hate to say this, but as a Browning .270Win owner, if I had to do it over again, I'd probably got for the .270wsm. A lot more speed, ooomph, and flatness than the .270. Is the recoil that much greater? I'm asking because I've never shot one before, but I can't imagine we are talking about .300RUM levels of recoil.

Haven't shot the 300RUM, although I have had both a 300 WBY and a 300 Win Mag. As the owner of both a vanilla .270Win and a .270WSM, I would rate the (felt) recoil of the WSM on par with the 7mm Rem Mag, but considerably less than the 300's

[270WIN]

If you google "Rifle Recoil Table" by Chuck Hawkes it shows relative recoil energies for a whole lot of calibers. It actually shows the 270 wsm as being just a bit higher than the 270win (shooting 130 gr bullets in both) and quite a bit lower than the 300 win mag (with 150 gr bullets).
And you're right, Lone Wolf. According to that table the 270wsm kicks just a shade less than the 7 rem mag.

[Tactical Lever]

Don't like the kick of your old .303? If it still has the old stock maybe it's time for an upgrade. Something straighter with a nice jell pad will really tame it. Save the old wood though!

Nothing wrong with the .303 British. Are you reloading for it? With one in good shape you can get .308 Win. energy out of it. They can be good shooters too after you figure out the bore diameter (as it varied quite a bit).

If you just really want a new rifle it's hard to beat a 30-06. For an all arounder in N.A. nothing really matches the old Springfield. It's an accurate cartridge with enough length to handle the heavy high B.C., high sectional density bullets. Something you'll be happy to have when you run into your monster bear. A 200 or 220 grain pill beats a 130 or 150 grain (no matter the speed) any day of the week when you're close to a big bruiser.

The moderate velocity keeps close range blow ups to a minimum, but you can still reach way out there. If you're reloading in a new rifle, you can get "light magnum" performance by recalculating pressure for modern standards. Also much cheaper to shoot than anything with the actual "magnum" moniker. You can load 100-250 grain bullets, but for most big game you'll be best served shooting the 165-200 grains.

[Pioneer2]

The 30-06 is never a mistake............Harold

[lawrence23cardinal]

my favorite all around gun would be my .308 its been through thick and thin. from dropping my first bear and deer too sniping coyotes all year long. in my eyes its a great gun but everyone has there favorites

[270WIN]

If I had to choose just one, I think a 300 mag (either win mag or wsm take your pick) would suit my needs best.

[Kurt505]

Out of the calibers I have, 243, 257wby, 6.5x55, 280, 308, 30-06, and a 300win, I'd have to say my favorite caliber, and one that I used for coyote, deer, elk, and moose is the .280. Now that I reload it's even better. It has close to 7mag performance without the magnum kick.

I'm not positive, but I think I heard the .280 in Europe is like the 30-06 of north America, popularity wise.

[jim-bo]

There is simply no "best all around caliber", there are some more cartridges where there is more versatility in regard to bullet choice.

One of my favorite rifles is a 243win, which is very versatile in its own respect, but not so much in regard to larger caliber cartridges such as its big brother the 308win; 55gr-105gr bullets vs. 110gr-220gr.

The 270win has impressive ballistics, and its bullet selection (although somewhat limited when compared to the .308's) also has good-great sectional densities. a 150gr. .277 bullet has a comprable SD to a 180 gr. .308.

Further, many more ammunition manufacturers are loading premium bullets, which is taking smaller bore rifles to new levels. I wouldn't hesitate to hit an elk or moose with a .277 130gr. TTSX or a 150gr. .308.

Although both the '06 and 270win were so similar, the 270win had an edge on speed and ballistics (hunting distances) with the '06 having the more versatile bullet selection and not far behind in regard to ballistics. What had settled me on the 270win was that it was more powerful than my 243win, it also had proven itself a very capable elk and moose cartridge, mild recoil, and tremendous availablity of ammuntion and loading components. What the '06 lacked was the "bigger" mentality, it was bigger than the 270win but so was a 300win & 338win, and honestly I could see myself going to one of the larger magnums for a dedicated elk & moose cartridge.

I did spend some considerable time swooning on the 270wsm, but despite a slight edge on the ballistics, it really didn't call to me as the 270win did. Like I said, I can see myself going to a larger magnum... just because

In terms of what I would be hunting, the 270win just fit so well, not that the '06 didn't, just that I say my self going bigger (338win or 358 Norma :P).

With your 303brit, you have a tremendous medium bore for medium range hunting, especially for timber shoots, perhaps not as powerful as an '06, but no slouch.

IMO, the 270win, being a touch flatter for longer shots, especially for deer and elk and certainly capable for moose, why not. You got a thumper with the 303 brit, let the 270win stretch out its legs... and the legs of the 270win have proven themselves in the praries, foothils and mountains.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by 270WIN

If I had to choose just one, I think a 300 mag (either win mag or wsm take your pick) would suit my needs best.

WTF????????? You almost had me sold on the .270wsm!!!!!! LOL

[270WIN]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

WTF????????? You almost had me sold on the .270wsm!!!!!! LOL

Well I don't think I actually said I liked the 270wsm better. Matter of fact I like all three of the calibers we were discussing a lot and I don't think anybody would be making a mistake by choosing any one of them as their "all around rifle". It's just that if, god forbid, I HAD to pick just one, I think it would be one of the 30 cal mags I mentioned.
Also, I've only used the 270wsm one season. Who knows, with a little more experience with it I might even change my mind. It does have the advantage of having lower recoil and as time goes on my old bones might appreciate that..
Hopefully the question will always be academic.

[Jonny Rossco]

I'm hearing a lot of the same old thing here eg. "just get a 30-06" and ".270 is all you'll ever need". Why not get what ever gets your juices flowing. There are so much cooler calibers out there that perform better than the old stand by pill sizes. Give a Short Mag a try. The 300wsm is a perfect example with slugs from 130grs up to 200grs available to satisfy any of your hunting needs.
My point is, if there is something that sparks your interest, don't let anybody tell you that it's not gonna do the trick...

[redranger15]

Originally Posted by shortaction

Tikka T-3 stainless synthetic in 270win

Browning x-bolt stainless synthetic in 270wsm

Take your pick!

This one.

[insurgus]

I shoot yotes, so for me it's a 22-250.

My old man swears by his 270, and with all the chatter on here about them, I may be picking one up.

[emailhot]

Originally Posted by thebuckshow

My vote is for 270 Win, light recoil, hits hard, can kill any animal you listed if you can put the bullet in the right spot. Also it's what I shoot, so it gets my vote.

+1 been my fav calibre for a long time.

[thebambibuster]

first thank you all for the tips and advice. it would be hard to get all this info with out AO and avid hunters/marskmen but after all this im leaning toward the 270win or im looking at the 270wsm ive heard really good things about both. any ideas?

[SonnyJ]

Originally Posted by thebambibuster

first thank you all for the tips and advice. it would be hard to get all this info with out AO and avid hunters/marskmen but after all this im leaning toward the 270win or im looking at the 270wsm ive heard really good things about both. any ideas?

Three pages and you still don't get it?

Oh my...

[trooper]

I have always been partial to the 30 calibers, .308 Win, 30-30, 30-06.
a good .223 Rem also gets my nod.

[Roughneck12]

.17 hmr.