ipscshooter

Yes, but, this thread is not about "all types of deer and elk." It's about whitetails. As for your "all around gun opinion", I would venture to guess that the .30-06, the .308, the 7mm Rem Mag, and any of the various .300 Mags would fill that bill quite nicely.

Simp

Well, you're one of the 10%. My uncle uses a .243 as well and it'll put 'em down just like any other big "magnum" will. Of course he's shooting those skinny Florida deer though. All that is needed down there is a sling shot!

Pavomesa

I guess the best thing that ever happened to me years ago was I became a devout follower of P.O. Ackley. This made me totally immune to the Madison Avenue hype and magnum BS. The biggest gun I've ever hunted deer with was a 30/06. The smallest was a Marlin .357 Magnum shooting mostly 38 ammo and a 170 gr cast. No deer, mulie or whitetail ever took more than a dozen steps. America is the most over-gunned place on earth.[&o]

cjwink

I am not overgunned I am over prepared.. Different calibers with different stock/barrell lenght combinations..

22-250 for fun
6mm for long shots out of a shooting house
243 for long shots out of a ladder stand
Another 243 for long shots out of a climber
7mm-08 for walking thru the woods..
308 for short shots out of a climber.
444 Marlin for primative weapon..

salukipv1

Are you asking for something that'll be more appropriate up close yet will shoot 150yds? 300yds?

.30-30 in those close 30yd ranges would be great, and now with that hornady ammo it has become a 300yd gone. 150yds it certainly will do. This would be my 1st choice at 30yds i think, esp since I already own it.

.308 might be nice for that situation, or better yet, 7mm-08! I think I solved your dilema. haha.

I certainly wouldn't be using the .300 mags at 30yds.

If you really are taking way more at 30yds, I don't think you could do better than a .30-30, it'll do 150yds no prob, and 300yds can be done.

oldelkhunter

Really,, wow a 300 mag is needed for deer . I really think you didn't read entirely what I wrote and you enjoy arguing if so go for it.

trailer

So if you had a 30 yard shot present it self when deer hunting , you wouldn’t shoot with a 300...?

oldelkhunter

Did you even read my original post..? BTW i have takend deer at less then 30 yards with a 300 mag

ipscshooter

Of course it's not "needed" for deer. That's not what I said. The thread was about being overgunned for whitetails. I said I didn't buy into the magnum hype, and that I used a .243. You responded that some folks like to use one gun for hunting out west (for deer and elk). I took this as an inference that you didn't mind being "overgunned" for whitetails. You then made a statement that "there is no such thing as the all around gun in my opinion if one were to hunt in all types of terrain andon all types of Deer and Elk." I was simply offering an opinion that there are several cartridges that would work well as an "all-round" round (and left a number of other excellent cartridges off my list).

I wasn't trying to "argue"... just offering an opinon.

Maybe I misunderstood what you were saying. If so, sorry...

8mm/06

Out of all the rifles you mention many of them would serve you out to the 120 yards you mention is the normal long shot. However you metioned that you have had at least one 300 yard shot. So if you are going to settle on ONE rifle to do all your bidding you're stuck with one that you shoot well, has a decent flat trajectory, or at least one you know well enough to compensate for on long shots.
But since you own so many different rifles in different rounds I guess you're covered for different opportunties (as long you can predict which opportunities you're going to have!)
Me, ... if it was a matter of choosing just one I guess I'd go with the 280.