One caliber

[JG358]

6.5 Ackley Jordan

 

[HellsCanyon]

Well since you said one caliber, I'd have no problem rocking a 7mm RUM. Provided I can rebarrel it whenever I shoot out the first one... the 300 RUM is right up there with it for me though too. Though I could get everything done I really need with a 30-06 or my 280 AI.

Mike

 

[Matt Cashell]

7 mag, 300 RUM. Either will do for me.

Heck, I would be fine with 7-08.

 

[Yellowknife]

6.5 ackley jordan

HA! I actually have a 6.5x55 BJAI about half built on a small ring mauser. Not sure if it's every going to be a fully functional gun though.

This has got to be on of the most discussed topics on the web. Right up there with "what is the best gun for home defense?". I fall in the 30-06 camp and have used one or another on the majority of my hunts. The only reason I like the 30-06 is because it's a little more "shooter friendly" in the recoil and cost of ammo depts, and I like to shoot. Have taken game from ptarmigan to grizzlies with it, so its certainly proven it self to me as an "all-arounder".

I wouldn't even blink if it was a 7 mag or a .300 though. Or a .270 if I lived in the L48.

 

[robby denning]

7mm Remington Magnum

 

[fire arrow]

I have to throw in a 300 Win Mag. Only draw back to my 300 is the break. Well not a draw back to me, but was to my buddy that was to my 5 o'clock that was telling me to put his buck down that was gut shot and walking away from us. Told him to stand up and get behind me and to spot from there, but no one listens to me. But one day will have the funds to build a 6.5x284, this guys seems to get the job done no matter where it goes.

 

[squeekieslayer]

kind of off topic but do any of you guys have any info on the 7mm WSM? I love my 7mag, but my fiance thinks it kicks a bit hard. How would it be for an all around (Montana) rifle?

Joe

 

[Shrek]

Joe, the 7mm wsm is a great all purpose round. It has a bit less precieved recoil than a 7mm rem mag with almost duplicate performance. If you handload it is a fantastic round. Ammo can be hard to find if you don't load your own. In reality a 7mm-08 will kill most anything you want in the lower 48 and be much easier for a smaller framed person to shoot. If you don't handload now you should look into it. A lee kit is all you need to get started and unless you want to spend three or four times as much you can't buy better. Their dies are as good as you can get until you buy forster or redding comps.

 

[squeekieslayer]

Thanks, i know i need to get into reloading, i just only own one rifle and only shoot about 25-50 rounds a year with it. I bowhunt 99% of the time. I never thought about availability. I talked to another guy that thought that a 7mm rem mag that is ported would give the same performance with much less recoil. Then we could share loads and not have to worry about it.

Joe

 

[Shrek]

He is dead on about the recoil and a muzzel brake. Just be aware that muzzel brakes have their drawbacks. Mostly the horrible report. Nerver let her shoot it without hearing protection ! If you are at her side then you to and hold on to your hat. Oh , one more thing , when shooting from the prone position clear from around the muzzel or be prepared for a face full of dirt , dust , and leaves. Not a problem if you know its coming but if not...

 

[squeekieslayer]

haha, I will have to look into that. seems like it would be a great way to go, easier to find rounds/she can use the same as me, and a great caliber for just about anything

Joe

 

[HellsCanyon]

He is dead on about the recoil and a muzzel brake. Just be aware that muzzel brakes have their drawbacks. Mostly the horrible report. Nerver let her shoot it without hearing protection ! If you are at her side then you to and hold on to your hat. Oh , one more thing , when shooting from the prone position clear from around the muzzel or be prepared for a face full of dirt , dust , and leaves. Not a problem if you know its coming but if not...

Yep, and one reason why I will only shoot side ported brakes!
Also, the Lee reloading dies are horrible for precision stuff in my opinion. We've had two that will vary on seating depth up to .010" which is unacceptable. You can get by on cheaper components for sure, but dies are something that I will not skimp on. Just my .02

Mike

 

[Shrek]

A set of forster or redding comp dies are what I and most likely mike think of when we think of dies but as for the rest I think lee makes as good or better. Most certainly better than hornady.

 

[Jager]

I rebarrelled a .270 to a .338/06 last year, it or any of the .338 choices about would be my pick.

 

[alibi]

22lr. Oops, for hoofed animals I would go with 30-06. It's been around a long time and its available everywhere.

 

[ckleeves]

I could be perfectly happy with any .300 magnum. Rum,wby,wsm,win,rsaum . If I had my choice RUM and second Wsm.

 

[akrdkill]

anything .30 great selection of bullets

 

[TwoTikkas]

Hmmm. Been down this road lots and lots of times. In fact just today. It's our bear season opener today,and I had some time to ponder these things. The peace and quiet on stand does this to me. I'm going to get down to one very nice,very practicle rifle some day soon. I've spent thousands on dozens of rifles the last 30+ years. Tinkering and loading and trading and buying. It's been fun and educational. Some rounds have found a permanent place in my heart. The 338 Win Mag. The 22/250 Rem. The 270 Winchester and it's sexy sister the 270 Weatherby. Of course the time honored 30/06 is there. The big .30s can't be denied their place in the taking of game. Pure performance. Numbers don't lie. But, I've grown tired of them.

I've crunched the numbers. I've let my nostalgic side have it's say. I've even let my macho side have a go at it. I hate compromise,but we can't have everything. I'm tempted to mary myself to the 340 Weatherby. I enjoy the Weatherby cartridges and the 340 is a superb one. It's little brother the 300 Weatherby makes more sense from a deer hunting standpoint. With overtones of elk thrown in. The afore mentioned 270 Weatherby is one I wish I hadn't traded off years back. A great round Roy's 270. But hey,we now have the 270 short mag. Lots of good things coming in small packages these days and the 270 WSM is damn near the king. It's been hitting the top of the list often in these ponderings.

Recently,there has been a shift in the way I view the ultimate "one rifle" quandry. To start with I have never been a .284 anything lover. Just couldn't drink enough cool aid to get the job done. Sick and tired of hearing about them actually. Until recently that is. A gun smith friend of mine convinced me to try a long action build on the 284 Winchester round. We did. The ice was broken. Very impressive round and a good introduction to the 7mm. Next came the 7 Rem Mag. An after thought as it was. Heck,the price was right and I now had a shelf full of .284 pills drawing dust. I tried not to like it. Necked down .338. Boring! Kinda slow with the bigger slugs. By todays standards anyway. But there was a connection. The damn thing worked! Well to boot. It was easy to load for. Easy to shoot well. A light weight rifle was a possibility as well. With deer weight bullets it really came into it's own. Moderate charge weights gave good velocity and the accuracy great. How in the world I came to this is beyond me. I still don't like the 7 Rem Mag. I'm still sick of hearing about it. Except that now I'm THE ONE TALKING ABOUT IT! I think the verdict is in. Make mine the 7mm Remmy. Make it no more than 8 lbs field ready with a Jewell trigger and I'm finally happy!

 

[Shrek]

I came to the 7mm party long ago with the 7mm-08. The 7mm rem mag is about as good as it gets for north american big game. I'm on the 7mm wsm wagon now but if I wasn't it would be a 7mm rem mag for me also. I only went through a half dozen rifles before I got hooked on 7mm.

 

[dotman]

I came to the 7mm party long ago with the 7mm-08. The 7mm rem mag is about as good as it gets for north american big game. I'm on the 7mm wsm wagon now but if I wasn't it would be a 7mm rem mag for me also. I only went through a half dozen rifles before I got hooked on 7mm.

Is there a big diff between 7mm and 7mm-08? Then how do they compare to the .308? I want to pick up a savage lite weight but my only choices are .270, 30-06, .308 and 7mm-08. I haven't rifle hunted in years and want a do all out of these cals, I'm pretty set on the little savage.