One caliber

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Jan 23, 2014
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Wisconsin
I am considering buying a rifle here in the next 6 months to use for big game hunting. I am looking for one gun in a caliber that would span all or the majority of North American animals, with different loads. The only caliber that I have been able to really come up with would be the 300 WM. I am thinking that max hunting range would be around 600 yds. I would shoot further for practice though. Is there a caliber that I am missing? I am not completely sold on the new 6.5s, I would like to hear about more game taken and its proven reliability.
 

EastMT

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Dec 19, 2016
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300 WM is probably the most popular here in AK. Can get everything from small deer to brown bear. With correct bullet selection to match you game it will do it all.
 

hodgeman

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Mar 4, 2012
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Delta Junction, AK
For the general run of N.American game, it's hard to think of a better "one gun" cartridge than a .300 of some flavor. You get range, power and portability in one package.

I love the 6.5, but it's outclassed for the upper end of the spectrum IMHO. On the top end you have moose, bison, and the great bears- all animals that can top 1000 pounds and for bison, 2000 and up is the norm.

It's easy to make a big gun do little things, not so easy to make a little gun do big things. The 6.5 is currently the darling of the hunting world, and I love mine for game up to deer and caribou and black bears. I might shoot a moose with the right range and opportunity but that's where it stops. For a one gun solution, you'll want a bigger one.
 

AlaskaEd

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Mar 13, 2017
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North Pole
Unless you are hunting bears in Alaska, I'd say a 270 or 30-06 would take care of anything and be lighter and cheaper than a magnum. Folks in AK have been killing the biggest moose in North America with all kinds of non-magnum calibers. 35 Whelen, 30-06, 308, 270, hell the biggest moose I've ever seen was plugged with a 300 savage.

With that said, I hunt moose with a 375wsm or H&H.
 

stevevan

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Mar 23, 2016
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300 WM and 30-06 are good choices. My personal favorite is the 7mm Rem. Mag. Used for everything from Coues deer to Alaska/Yukon moose with great results.
 

NDGuy

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30-06. Huge selection of ammo, accurate, reliable, and the recoil isn't atrocious. On top of that nearly every model of firearm is chambered in it so you have a large selection to choose from.

If you are really thinking about consistently shooting past 400 yards tho maybe go with the .300.

30-06 loses a lot of gas past 400 yards.
 

AXEL

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Jan 2, 2015
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Brit. Col.
My favourite, of about 150 rifles since 1964, many chamberings, is still the outstanding, superb .338WM and I have seven of them plus a bunch of others. It is perhaps more than really "needed" and does "kick" a mite, but, here in BC, the thump effect on Gbears and big Elk in steep country and dense cover is real handy.

I have two .300 Mags and have had others, but, for THE most practical combo, mucho better than only one rifle, I favour the .270Win-.338Win. in light CRF rifles. I am selling most of my rifles, age has caught up with me, will keep several, but, ALWAYS a .338WM.
 

GKPrice

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Sep 27, 2014
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My favourite, of about 150 rifles since 1964, many chamberings, is still the outstanding, superb .338WM and I have seven of them plus a bunch of others. It is perhaps more than really "needed" and does "kick" a mite, but, here in BC, the thump effect on Gbears and big Elk in steep country and dense cover is real handy.

I have two .300 Mags and have had others, but, for THE most practical combo, mucho better than only one rifle, I favour the .270Win-.338Win. in light CRF rifles. I am selling most of my rifles, age has caught up with me, will keep several, but, ALWAYS a .338WM.

Unless "something" has changed in AK the .338 Win Mag does (or should) rule - 30.06 is as versatile as it gets UNTIL you live and walk in Grizzly country - 338 WM, you can load it hot or you can load it down, you can go heavy or you can go light with bullets - it DOES NOT kick that bad at all with a proper fitting rifle with a Limbsaver recoil pad

600 yards ? as the world war 2 snipers on BOTH sides
 

Formidilosus

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Oct 22, 2014
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8,017
I am considering buying a rifle here in the next 6 months to use for big game hunting. I am looking for one gun in a caliber that would span all or the majority of North American animals, with different loads. The only caliber that I have been able to really come up with would be the 300 WM. I am thinking that max hunting range would be around 600 yds. I would shoot further for practice though. Is there a caliber that I am missing? I am not completely sold on the new 6.5s, I would like to hear about more game taken and its proven reliability.


As far as "calibers" people kill every animal on earth with a pointed stick.... a 223 with appropriate bullets is far more effective killer than an arrow....

How often are you (ever) going to hunt brown/grizzly bears?
 

N2TRKYS

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Apr 17, 2016
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If I were starting over and didn't own any rifles, I would buy a 30-06 and not lose a lick of sleep over it.
 

thinhorn_AK

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Jul 2, 2016
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Magnums are cool and all but Ive more or less moved on from them (other than a few 375HH's which are just for fun/nostalgia). I think the 30-06 would be a perfect 1 rifle caliber, you could load 200 or 220 gran loads if you needed something more powerful and youll find ammo everywhere. When I moved to Alaska, I was surprised how many people WERENT using huge magnums, lots of 270, 308 and 30-06.

Im lucky these days that I can get the guns I want but there was a point of about 10+ years where all I had was a 270 with a fixed 6x scope, I managed to use it for everything (never shot a bear with it) from deer, to elk up to moose and even audads and varmints and it worked fine. Using that gun for that long sort of made me realize that I really dont need a magnum to get the job done. Now days, I stick to 30-06 and 308.
 

1signguy

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Oct 6, 2016
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Prescott, AZ
I would consider the caliber you shoot the best. The size of the hole in the motor is less important than putting a hole in it.

Six hundred yards is a big shot no matter what you hear online from "all the guys doing it"... If that's your plan I would focus on your glass first- Then buy the biggest caliber you can consistently and honorably shoot.
 

awaldro7

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Oct 6, 2016
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I recently went through this debate and chose the 7mm rem mag for my do it all cartridge. I was dead set on getting a tikka t3x and I thought that the 300WM might be a bit much recoil for that rifle so I chose the 7. With that said I think that the 300WM is an excellent all around choice.
 

Kotaman

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Oct 12, 2012
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North Dakota
I've taken 23 of the 29 NA Big Game species with a combination of archery (10), muzzleloader (2) and ONE rifle(11): A .300 WSM. For the remaining 6, I'll be shooting the WSM. I recently picked up a .300 Ultra Mag and a 28 Nosler, but I'm not sure what I'll use them for! I opted for the WSM to keep it as light and as small as possible for mountain hunting. For extreme mountain hunting I really like a short action.
 
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