Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles which caliber for North America

We could take some historical perspective, FWIW,and look at some well traveled hunters from the present and years past to see what went hunting and what "worked" from a one-rifle standpoint. I'd have no problem myself with a 7mm for most stuff, and a 375 for the brown bear, which is the only reason I know of for going bigger,but in truth many are happier with a 30 cal (including brown bear).

That said,the majority of guys used a 30 caliber..

Elgin Gates-300 Weatherby

Herb Kline- 300 Weatherby

OU76 (who used to post here)and has taken all 26(?) NA big game animals three times....300 Weatherby,30/06.He used a 338 caliber for a couple of the big bears (he has taken 19 browns , grizzlies, and polar bears) but dropped it early on for the 375H&H.He is finishing off his third round of all species with a 7mm Mashburn Super and 175 TBBC.

Warren Page-7mm Mashburn and 375 Weatherby.

Jay Mellon- 300 Winchester Magnum.

Truth is a 30 caliber (likely a belted case of some type),or something very close to it,rules the roost in a "one-rifle", go anywhere-do anything combo among guys who travel all over and shoot everything.

No 338's present....

A lot of great things to think about ....I appreciate all the thoughts. I'm not in a rush, I will look around hard before buying. Probably some range time with a few of these calibers would be a help.

I would strongly urge two rifles. One suited to deer, black bear, hogs and the other for big bears. The two rifles would have some overlap for elk and moose.

If you like the one rifle system, buy two very similar rifles. You don't have to buy them at the same time. But if you were to buy, say two M70's and have the triggers tuned the same it would be easy to switch between them.

Maybe a 270 and a 338wm.

The light rifle would be comfortable to shoot, easier to carry and cheap to feed. frankly it would be great for everything except the biggest of bears.

When you go to hunt the big bears, the cost for the hunt will be enough that buying the second rifle will be cheap in comparison.

Now, just add that third rifle to the "similar system" and get a varmint gun in .223, 22-250 or 220 Swift and you are set.

30.06 or 300wsm.

Also, I've seen hundreds of guns for sale here or on GB that read;

"I built/bought this for an XXXXXXX trip that never happened or never will and I'm just not going to use it".......

Build something that works spendidly for 90% of the hunting that you do today and is adequate for the stuff that you "might do" one day.

I would go with the 30-06, but any caliber from 270 Win through 338 Win should work.

Whichever one makes you put the bullet in the right spot.

Like others have said i dont see it partical to own a medium bore rifle if most of your hunting is gonna be whitetails.

A 270,280,30-06.308 all will take everything you want to hunt including the big bears.If your going to hunt in Alaska for bears you'll need a guide and he'll have the larger cal. to back you up incase things go wrong.

If you hand load that gives you more options,you can down load some of magnums to use whitetail hunting.If you dont hand load see what ammo is availible in your area. How do you handle recoil? All factors that you need to take into consideration.

good luck with your dissicion.

You obviously need a .300 Weatherby Magnum. Load 168 Grain TTSX's and let the games begin.

+1 with a slight preference for a 300 WSM for a sporter weight (less than 8 lbs with scope) rifle with a LimbSaver recoil pad.

Yep.

BTW, in a pinch one can use 300Win and or 300 H&H ammo in a 300WBY chamber and rifle. Not internet theory or hearsay I have had clients and or myself do this with good success. One of the reasons I consider it to be one of the finest, if not THE best of the 30 cal bunch. If you look hard enough, you might locate a model 70 Super Grade so chambered and with that in hand you would be all set, IMO.

I did what you said.

and I have a 338WM MGA rifle.

the problem is it will make it hard to find one you like as well again.

Snake

.338-06 you can load it with 160gr up to 250gr bullets

I'd suggest a 45-70 running about 405 grain slugs. The build can be on anything you want, but a Ruger #1 would be good and a Shiloh running black powder even better. Your present deer unit will likely handle everything else in the lower 48.

If one wanted one cartridge suitable to do it all from brown bear to antelope it could be the .338 Win Mag.

You can even do it well with factory ammo.

The 180 Accubond load for lighter stuff.

A 210 or 225 premium for elk and moose.

A 250 NPT for the brown bear.

Or you could load 225gr for everything and vary the bullet.

A .300 mag or the '06 might do it too. I just like the idea of a .338/.35 Whelen or .375 Ruger-H&H to poke a brownie with.

Check out the photos in this thread . . .

http://24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/6052995/1

It's very hard to improve on the .30-06 as a do everything rifle.

Ken

Call me crazy, but I'd hunt anything in North America with a 7mm-08.

Mike

30-06. If you can ever afford a brown bear hunt you should be able to afford an new rifle if you want to go bigger.

Or just take the '06 and some 200 gr NPTs....