Best calibre/ammo combo
#23
Any specific reason other than it's just so common?
To answer the question. If I was limited to one I'd probably go the with the .30-06. You can buy ammo anywhere, and if you can't somebody near you probably has some extra in their truck.
-Jake
To answer the question. If I was limited to one I'd probably go the with the .30-06. You can buy ammo anywhere, and if you can't somebody near you probably has some extra in their truck.
-Jake
#24
Personally .308, five reasons, tried and proven, big enough for anything I hunt (up to Moose or Red Deer), acceptable recoil, if the SHTF it is a military caliber and something you may be able to scrounge on a battlefield and the vast majority of my shots are within 200 yards.
I've tried the magnums, kill in front cripple behind. Shooting one from a prone position can hurt. I sold my model 70 7MM mag. Only rifle I've owned that left me with a black and blue shoulder and scope eye.
I've tried the magnums, kill in front cripple behind. Shooting one from a prone position can hurt. I sold my model 70 7MM mag. Only rifle I've owned that left me with a black and blue shoulder and scope eye.
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: NE Kansas
Posts: 1,101
This is basically the question that I asked myself when I bought my rifle years ago as a starving college student. I went with the 30/06 as it gives many, many reloading options and you can buy ammo anywhere.
Over twenty years later, I'd only add this:
1.) A 300 win mag, as was said, might be better than a 30-06 if you're in a brown bear world. I'm not, and probably never will be. I could probably make the 30-06 do with a good handload, maybe a 220 grain bullet if I ever got the chance.
2.) My choice of a Savage 110/111 is still seeming to me the best choice of all the makes. Besides being one of the few makers that produce affordable left-handed guns for people like me, 110s offer the advantage of being easily rebarreled. You can get a 35 Whelan barrel and a gunsmith could put it on with his eyes closed. It would be like a mechanic doing a brake job in terms of difficulty, I'm guessing total cost of $300 or even less, and you have a real bear cartridge certainly useable for deer.
Over twenty years later, I'd only add this:
1.) A 300 win mag, as was said, might be better than a 30-06 if you're in a brown bear world. I'm not, and probably never will be. I could probably make the 30-06 do with a good handload, maybe a 220 grain bullet if I ever got the chance.
2.) My choice of a Savage 110/111 is still seeming to me the best choice of all the makes. Besides being one of the few makers that produce affordable left-handed guns for people like me, 110s offer the advantage of being easily rebarreled. You can get a 35 Whelan barrel and a gunsmith could put it on with his eyes closed. It would be like a mechanic doing a brake job in terms of difficulty, I'm guessing total cost of $300 or even less, and you have a real bear cartridge certainly useable for deer.
#26
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,079
I do not have experience with many of the calibers, especially the large ones and the magnums. The 30-06 will do anything that I need a rifle for. My second rifle would be a decent .22 if we can have two guns.