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I don't see a "the best" either. Even the "all-around / do all" caliber is dependent upon the multiple localities, game animals, hunting methods / conditions, and distances.
My favorite do-all / compromise caliber and cartridge is the 338 Winchester magnum. It would cover anything in North America satisfactorily at the distances that I shoot. It would be my choice of the-best for me, for a single caliber / cartridge. It is my default caliber / cartridge.
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Trying to get info about the best all around big game cartridge is far to complicated so I have opted to reduce the available argument down to the best all around caliber!
My guess is that the 7 will get the most votes however the big 30 might have a chance to dethrone the 7.
Or has the mighty 6.5 dethrowned them ALL? I think not
When results are in and the campfire has chosen a caliber, let's start a new thread to determine the campfires opinion of which cartridge would best suit the caliber.
Trystan Best CALIBER? 30 caliber hands down ..... In the right cartridge the 30 caliber bullets available nowadays can take down anything in the world ...... yeah yeah yeah many African countries will not allow 30 caliber cartridges for dangerous game. P.S. there is some serious reading comprehension inadequacies shown by some responders. Caliber DOES NOT equal cartridge. The OP was clear about talking about caliber.
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Another vote for 338. From the little Federal on up to Lapua you can find bullets for just about anything. I carry my 338Fed more than anything else. An Africa hunt would have me taking a 338WM. If I were limited to one rifle it would be a 338WM. I could load it with 185gr bonded or all copper bullets for deer and 225s for elk and bears. It is just as versatile as any 30cal but with more umph.
Last edited by himmelrr; 12/07/22.
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Joined: Dec 2019
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Campfire Tracker
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Trying to get info about the best all around big game cartridge is far to complicated so I have opted to reduce the available argument down to the best all around caliber!
My guess is that the 7 will get the most votes however the big 30 might have a chance to dethrone the 7.
Or has the mighty 6.5 dethrowned them ALL? I think not
When results are in and the campfire has chosen a caliber, let's start a new thread to determine the campfires opinion of which cartridge would best suit the caliber.
Trystan Best CALIBER? 30 caliber hands down .... more specifically the standard .308 diameter projectiles. In the right CARTRIDGE the .308 CALIBER bullets available nowadays can take down anything in the world ...... yeah yeah yeah many African countries will not allow .308 caliber cartridges for dangerous game. P.S. there is some serious reading comprehension inadequacies shown by some responders. Caliber DOES NOT equal cartridge. The OP was clear about talking about caliber. Or folks are responding with the cartridges that make the caliber the best and assuming you know which cartridges belong to which caliber...
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Another vote for 338. From the little Federal on up to Lapua you can find bullets for just about anything. I carry my 338Fed more than anything else. An Africa hunt would have me taking a 338WM. If I were limited to one rifle it would be a 338WM. I could load it with 185gr bonded or all copper bullets for deer and 225s for elk and bears. It is just as versatile as any 30cal but with more umph. I love the .338 as well, but I've been using 7mm (.284/28 caliber) more and more lately..
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Trying to get info about the best all around big game cartridge is far to complicated so I have opted to reduce the available argument down to the best all around caliber! Define "big game." Where? Including what animals? No matter those answers, there is no settled/consensus "ultimate", merely opinions. Also, bore diameter (caliber) isn't very useful taken out of context, you also need to consider bullet weight and velocity.
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
Here be dragons ...
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Best all around caliber? No question it’s .308 for me. Figured that out for myself about 40yrs ago.
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I guess hunting season is over in the OP's neck of the woods? It's typically winter before we result to these discussions.
😃
Last edited by DropTyne; 12/07/22.
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I guess hunting season is over in the OP's neck of the woods? It's typically winter before we result to these discussions.
😃 It's inflation!
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Campfire Regular
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.338
I just don't want to shoot one anymore.
Give me a non- magnum 7mm, please. Same here, 7-08, 280, 7x57. A little extra juice needed 7mm Rem Mag or 7 WSM
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"all around" encompasses a LOT of animals so I'll go with the 375 H&H, Jorge is right again. Doesn't HAVE to be H&H but it's never the wrong answer.
I am continually astounded at how quickly people make up their minds on little evidence or none at all.
Jack O'Connor
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I guess all around includes big bears. So 30-06.
Why? Just because.
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I prefer classic.
Semper Fi
I used to run with the hare. Now I'm envious of the tortoise and I do my own stunts but rarely intentionally
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Your Every Liberal vote promotes Socialism and is an
attack on the Second Amendment. You will suffer the consequences.
GOA,Idaho2AIAlliance,AmericanFirearmsAssociation,IdahoTrappersAssociation,FoundationForWildlifeManagement ID and MT.
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OP
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I guess all around includes big bears. So 30-06.
Why? Just because. I have never tried it but have heard that the 30/06 with a 220 grain partition is deadly on dangerous critters Trystan
Good bullets properly placed always work, but not everyone knows what good bullets are, or can reliably place them in the field
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Simply doesn’t get any better than the 400 Whelen.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
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I guess all around includes big bears. So 30-06.
Why? Just because. I have never tried it but have heard that the 30/06 with a 220 grain partition is deadly on dangerous critters Trystan When I suggest a “do it all - all around” ……I always neglect those using different bullet types and weights from various cartridges. I guess that I’m just a “simpleton”! After 55 years of hand loading for various cartridges, for my hunting cartridge I went with the KISS method….. one bullet, one load, one zero. And, I always consider large, potentially dangerous game, and/or longer shots in my “do it all - all around” cartridge selection. Consequently with this philosophy, I chose cartridges a bit larger than the majority of you folks would choose/select! memtb
Last edited by memtb; 12/07/22.
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
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Best all around caliber? No question it’s .308 for me. Figured that out for myself about 40yrs ago. LMAO
Your Every Liberal vote promotes Socialism and is an
attack on the Second Amendment. You will suffer the consequences.
GOA,Idaho2AIAlliance,AmericanFirearmsAssociation,IdahoTrappersAssociation,FoundationForWildlifeManagement ID and MT.
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30/06 is the best all around. But 270 is a close
Second.
If you reload, split the difference 280 AI
Deer and target 6 or 6.5 CM
If you’re a size queen than the magnum is for you
Last edited by Dre; 12/07/22.
All of them do something better than the 30-06, but none of them do everything as well.
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