Best All Around Caliber

[noname]

If you could only have one rifle to hunt all North American game from Prairie Dogs to Moose, and of course plinking what would you choose???

[mparks]

I picked the .270. 90gr bullets shoot great for me for chucks and 150gr for the big stuff. However, if I could a trip for something bigger than deer I could afford another rifle in something like .338 Win Mag.

[weatherby]

I like the 7mm mag if i only have 1 rifle

[Huntsman27]

You want to do a days PD shooting with any of those? I have with a 270 and 25-06 Not really a good idea because at the end of the day your pretty black and blue.
Now if you had said for deer sized game and up sure. Or varmints to deer [243 hands down]
However, if your wanting the one gun answer the 30-06 has so many types of ammo it would be the one. 100/110 for varmints and 220s for Moose
I am just glad I have a safe full and dont have to choose just one!

[anonymous21]

If your loading your own the 280 is a good round. also like the 6.5x55

[byronbaitskimmer]

270 wsm. i haven't had a chance to use on larger than deer game but the two deer i shot this year dropped on the spot. my ruger has tremendous accuracy and the magnum provides a bit more power for larger game when the opportunity arises

[Sib]

Had to go with Not Listed. All of the calibers listed are great big game calibers, but I think they're probably a bit large for an all around gun that will be used on smaller game, too. The .243 is a good choice, imo, since we're talking about a gun that can kill a larger animal and still have usable meat from smaller animals.

Heck in a survival situation I'll take a lowly .22 if I only had one choice. In the long run you're probably gonna get a lot more squirel size meals than deer meals and the .22 will leave lots of usable meat in a smaller animal, while still having the killing power on a deer with a well placed shot. Again just my choice in a survival situation, where getting a decent meal over-rides any ethical situations that hunters must weigh.

[Rupestris]

Another vote for .243.

.30-06, .308 or .300 WM if you roll your own and can put together some light rounds and still stay accurate.

[Violator22]

284 Winchester, I positively love this round, I can shoot Ground hogs and Prarie Poodles with it one day, and then go drop a moose with it the next day. JMHO, Les

[Bobcat]

7mm mag

[wJAKE19]

I like the 7-08
but if I had to choose one and only one, I think it would be the 30-06

[Waterwolf55]

I vote for the 300 Win Mag you can load it up or down for what ever job you want it to do and it is very accurate

[Mags]

Out of those calibers listed, I'd have to say the 30-06. Why? Because if you go strictly by factory loads listed for this caliber, it has by far the widest range of loadings to handle anything from varmints up to dangerous game like grizzlies and browns. When you start talking custom handloading, well, then that's a completely new and different ballgame, IMO.

[steelers fan]

300 win mag this caliber will do anything...I also like the 6.5x55, alittle small for some north american game but one hell of a deer rifle.

[Chrome steel]

I agree with what Sib had to say.

[tedshunter]

I like the 7mm-08,I have an old Remington model 788 and it has worked real well for me in the 20 plus years I have owned it.

[itsmyturtle]

I voted the 308. I can reload cheap from military brass. I can reload a 110 gr. bullet for coyote at around 3400fps and reload up to 168 gr. for elk or mule deer. I like a short action round. Add this cal. to a Remington 700 and you have a very accurate rifle right out of the box