Lefty315
Active member
I’d have to agree with others and stick with a .30 cal here. A good .30-06 is hard to beat. If you reload then you’ve got the variety of bullets to go from mild to wild. Something in the .300 mag would be my next choice.
One gun/caliber to rule them all?
- Thread starter steveshuntn1
- Start date
Bullshot
Well-known member
Could easily get by in survival situation with a .22 LR. Maybe not eating as much backstrap (though occasionally still yes) but enjoying lots of squirrels and birds.Mayhaps in a SHTF situation, my cartridge choice for feeding the family would be something different altogether.
Probably the 22 Mag.
Good for squirrels, rabbits, grouse, turkeys. Still enough power to take game as large as deer.
Or so i've heard.
6mm Remington
Well-known member
280AI or 30-06
buffybr
Well-known member
The title of this thread is "One gun/caliber to rule them all?" and the OP asked the question "What’s your choice if you only had one caliber to hunt everything…bear, moose, pronghorn, hogs, prairie dogs, whitetails…etc?"
So the question is asking for your choice for a cartridge to hunt everythig, not just prairie dogs or just whitetail deer.
A .22 LR would probably make a good survival cartridge, but it definately would not be a good cartridge to hunt the big bears, moose, or buffalo.
Cartridges like the 6.5 Creedmore might be good for hunting whitetail deer, and if everything went perfectly, one could kill an Alaskan brown bear with one, but it definately would not be a good choice for hunting those bears.
In Africa I've killed a large variety of animals from 20 pound Steenboks and a jackal to the cape buffalo in my avatar with my .375 RUM, but in over 50 years of hunting here in North America the only hunt that I took that rifle on was one for a brown bear in Alaska.
I have a .22-250 and a couple of rifles chambered in .223 and IMO they are great varmint cartridges. I've also killed deer and pronghorn antelope with my .22-250, but I don't consider it a deer cartridge. I've had friends here in Montana that used their .22-250s or .220 Swift for deer, elk and black bears every year and I know of at least three American buffalo that they killed with them, but again, just because a certain cartridge can kill a large animal doesn't mean that it is a good cartridge for hunting them.
I did have an Eskimo guide tell me that he killed a polar bear with his .223 AR 15, but it was a life or death situation where the bear came at him and the only gun that he had was his AR.
I resisted getting a 7 mm Rem magnum rifle for many years because I had a .30-06 and the ballistics between these two cartridges are so close that I don't know of any animal that could tell which one the bullet that killed him came from. Now my 7 mm RM would be my second choice for an all around rifle.
A .30-06 was my first centerfire rifle, and for 10 years it was my only centerfire rifle. I loaded it with 150 grain bullets for deer and antelope, 180 gr bullets for elk, and 125 gr bullets for prairie dogs. I know of Alaskan residents that use their .30-06s for all of their Alaskan hunting, including moose and the big bears. I think that a .30-06 would be a good choice for an all around North American hunting rifle.
I no longer have a .30-06, but my favorite elk rifle now is my .300 Weatherby. I've mainly used mine in Africa for kudu and smaller game down to a 10 pound civet cat that I had loaded some 150 gr FMJ bullets for. Elgin Gates, a famous American big game hunter 40-50 years ago, hunted elephants and cape buffalo with his .300 Wby. I wouldnot hesitate to hunt any North American game animals with my .300 Weatherby.
So the question is asking for your choice for a cartridge to hunt everythig, not just prairie dogs or just whitetail deer.
A .22 LR would probably make a good survival cartridge, but it definately would not be a good cartridge to hunt the big bears, moose, or buffalo.
Cartridges like the 6.5 Creedmore might be good for hunting whitetail deer, and if everything went perfectly, one could kill an Alaskan brown bear with one, but it definately would not be a good choice for hunting those bears.
In Africa I've killed a large variety of animals from 20 pound Steenboks and a jackal to the cape buffalo in my avatar with my .375 RUM, but in over 50 years of hunting here in North America the only hunt that I took that rifle on was one for a brown bear in Alaska.
I have a .22-250 and a couple of rifles chambered in .223 and IMO they are great varmint cartridges. I've also killed deer and pronghorn antelope with my .22-250, but I don't consider it a deer cartridge. I've had friends here in Montana that used their .22-250s or .220 Swift for deer, elk and black bears every year and I know of at least three American buffalo that they killed with them, but again, just because a certain cartridge can kill a large animal doesn't mean that it is a good cartridge for hunting them.
I did have an Eskimo guide tell me that he killed a polar bear with his .223 AR 15, but it was a life or death situation where the bear came at him and the only gun that he had was his AR.
I resisted getting a 7 mm Rem magnum rifle for many years because I had a .30-06 and the ballistics between these two cartridges are so close that I don't know of any animal that could tell which one the bullet that killed him came from. Now my 7 mm RM would be my second choice for an all around rifle.
A .30-06 was my first centerfire rifle, and for 10 years it was my only centerfire rifle. I loaded it with 150 grain bullets for deer and antelope, 180 gr bullets for elk, and 125 gr bullets for prairie dogs. I know of Alaskan residents that use their .30-06s for all of their Alaskan hunting, including moose and the big bears. I think that a .30-06 would be a good choice for an all around North American hunting rifle.
I no longer have a .30-06, but my favorite elk rifle now is my .300 Weatherby. I've mainly used mine in Africa for kudu and smaller game down to a 10 pound civet cat that I had loaded some 150 gr FMJ bullets for. Elgin Gates, a famous American big game hunter 40-50 years ago, hunted elephants and cape buffalo with his .300 Wby. I wouldnot hesitate to hunt any North American game animals with my .300 Weatherby.
Keep on
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2021
- Messages
- 1,434
Beware the man who uses 1 rifle. I've never been that guy, not even remotely close.
If I were to choose 1 caliber for everything listed by the op and not big bears, I'd go 270 without reservations. As Jack O'Connor said, it will do anything a 7mm Rem will do but with less noise and recoil. I love carrying my Winchester 70 FW in 270. Light, accurate and fun to look at. I just don't carry it much because I try and keep it looking nice so find myself favoring synthetics most of the time.
If I were to choose 1 caliber for everything listed by the op and not big bears, I'd go 270 without reservations. As Jack O'Connor said, it will do anything a 7mm Rem will do but with less noise and recoil. I love carrying my Winchester 70 FW in 270. Light, accurate and fun to look at. I just don't carry it much because I try and keep it looking nice so find myself favoring synthetics most of the time.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Even though I don't have one, I've always thought the 280AI is near perfection if a person could only have one rifle for the rest of time.
I would say even a 7-08, but the 280AI just does a bit better with heavier bullets.
ImBillT
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2018
- Messages
- 3,896
For me it would be very difficult to choose between
Any 6.5 with a case capacity of 60-66gr H20. That’s from the 6.5x57(not 6.5Rob) up to 6.5-284/6.5-06
Or 280AI
Or 30-06AI
The 280AI is very difficult to beat for a number of reasons I won’t go into, but the simple version of the story is, it’s practically a 7Rem Mag, with longer barrel life, less recoil, and fewer decibels. No it won’t QUITE match a 7Mag in factory loadings, but it’s close enough not to matter(Federal factory loads with 168 Berger 2800fps vs 2860fps).
Any 6.5 with a case capacity of 60-66gr H20. That’s from the 6.5x57(not 6.5Rob) up to 6.5-284/6.5-06
Or 280AI
Or 30-06AI
The 280AI is very difficult to beat for a number of reasons I won’t go into, but the simple version of the story is, it’s practically a 7Rem Mag, with longer barrel life, less recoil, and fewer decibels. No it won’t QUITE match a 7Mag in factory loadings, but it’s close enough not to matter(Federal factory loads with 168 Berger 2800fps vs 2860fps).
Last edited:
Scott85
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2018
- Messages
- 3,004
The 30-06 will get it done but I don’t think is the end all be all. 
7mm Rem Mag for me…but I wouldn’t kick an ‘06 or WinMag out of bed either.
I just happen to like the 7’s…and I’ve thought about trying to figure out proper loads to get a 140gr. bullet down to 2750 fps enough times I should probably just get about doing it.
My 7mm Mag has gone all over African plains game (Steenbok to Eland) and then some more in the lower 48.
Truth is, I’ve spent more on guns and scopes than I care to admit. So much so that I bought a .308 this year to just “be done with all the madness”.
Which is absolutely hilarious to me on every level.
I just happen to like the 7’s…and I’ve thought about trying to figure out proper loads to get a 140gr. bullet down to 2750 fps enough times I should probably just get about doing it.
My 7mm Mag has gone all over African plains game (Steenbok to Eland) and then some more in the lower 48.
Truth is, I’ve spent more on guns and scopes than I care to admit. So much so that I bought a .308 this year to just “be done with all the madness”.
Which is absolutely hilarious to me on every level.
If I could only have one gun to do it all it would be a 12 gauge. Birdshot, buckshot, slugs, everything from squirrel to Griz. I don't know that there are any regulations against using it for things like Elk or Moose. Anybody on here ever actually use a slug gun to take big game?
steveshuntn1
Well-known member
I’ve killed a few whitetails with a 12 gauge single shot slug gun. It definitely got the job done!
L
longbow51
Guest
Question was legit, until prairie dogs. 300 Win Mag. Biggest bears, (OK, I have a .375 H&H too), also good for antelope.
Hammer changed the game on adequate cartridges. Look at their African safari results.
But no rancher wants me shooting .300 rounds off all day at PDs.
Hammer changed the game on adequate cartridges. Look at their African safari results.
But no rancher wants me shooting .300 rounds off all day at PDs.
I’m going on the premise this is geared toward a center fire rifle. I’m also thankful to live in a place that this isn’t a forced reality
If someone is serious about this plan I just don’t see how you’d go wrong with a quality rifle in something 30 caliber 30-06, 308, win mag or wsm if you need the extra horsepower.
Personally, if I can’t get it done with a 130 grain ttsx out of my 270 I probably just need to quit. A little less recoil, plenty of umph out to the distances I want to shoot and if you have one gun and multiple hunters pretty much anyone could shoot it. A 7-08 is right there on every point with a 270 except factory ammo availability and options
If someone is serious about this plan I just don’t see how you’d go wrong with a quality rifle in something 30 caliber 30-06, 308, win mag or wsm if you need the extra horsepower.
Personally, if I can’t get it done with a 130 grain ttsx out of my 270 I probably just need to quit. A little less recoil, plenty of umph out to the distances I want to shoot and if you have one gun and multiple hunters pretty much anyone could shoot it. A 7-08 is right there on every point with a 270 except factory ammo availability and options
Yep. mtmuley
Used a 20 Gauge for a few years on Whitetails in Missouri (slugs/ MZ only where I was hunting). For sure got the job done.
That'll burn a barrel out quick I bet lol
Nick87
Well-known member
Every year since I was 11.
steveshuntn1
Well-known member
Probably should have left the prairie dogs out! I think in the video Mr. Spomer has on YouTube it was geared more towards deer to moose, or big game. I guess the question should be one rifle for big game animals!
My 30-06 would be overkill for gray squirrel here in MS too!
