I can' t beleive a 30-30 was left off the list!

Conversely I can' t believe a great round like the 416 was left off of the list!
(416 Rem Mag, 416 Rigby, 416 Weatherby)

Never Go Undergunned

EKM

Looks like the mighty 338 is second only to the venerable 30-06.

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM

I think if I were to be limited to just one rifle, and with that, I had to hunt all big game the world over, it would be an impossible task to choose. Of course, if you are going to hunt Africa, which I have done, the minimum caliber in most countries for any of the big five is .375. Now, having said that, here is my short list of my favorite rifles.
For whitetailed deer-my Browning A-bolt hunter in .257 Roberts. At one time I had a string of 17 one-shot kills on deer with it.
For black bear-my Remington mountain rifle in .30-06.
For elk, moose and most African plains game-my .300 Weatherby (Vanguard).
For the big five-my Winchester model 70 Safari Express in .416 Rem. Mag.

Asking one to choose only one rifle is like asking your mechanic to use only one tool to repair your car. JMHO. Besides, I like to buy guns.

Patkyhntr,

You are right on beam with my thoughts. Best to match the tool to the job at hand -- little job, little tools -- big job, big tools. Seems completely logical to me -- but I haven' t seen it fly too well around here.

Seems like most folks definition of " big game" is hunting white tail deer in the local deer patch (which hardly qualifies as " big game" -- if you can drag it all by yourself, then its not very big) and then they get pretty puzzled and sometimes outright hostile when you won' t just NAME your ONE favorite big game (deer?) rifle.

Sounds like you " think outside the box" , hunt widely, are aware of the trade offs, and have some fine " size of animal" to " size of rifle" match ups there. Good job.

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM

I think Robert Ruark' s book, " USE ENOUGH GUN," says it best. I never try to drive a spike with a tack hammer. If you would like, email me at [email protected] and I will send a picture of my cape buffalo. It never would have dropped with a .30-30

i voted 338 because if i ever go after big game(elk,moose) that will be my gun.

TreeDog,

338 WinMag is a right fine caliber/cartridge and in my mind a very good choice for elk and moose.
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Just got a look at Patkyhntr' s Cape Buffalo and the story that goes with it -- kinda puts the whole need for matching caliber/cartidge vs game hunted right into focus -- wow!

The elk I love to hunt are worthy in their own right, but they are puny little critters compared to that thing -- makes it a little different ballgame when the quarry is huge, mean, and can (and did) hunt back! Definitely hardens ones steel a bit! [X(]

Thinking outta the box, gotta get over there, bank more money, bank more money.

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM

An old friend of mine used to say, " You done the easy part. You talked about it," EKM. I wanted to hunt in Africa since I was old enough to read the accounts in Outdoor Life and Field and Stream. I have hunted since I was old enough to pull back a bow and send an arrow on its way toward a rabbit. Africa was always a dream.
I knew that if I ever got there, I would have to take a gun big enough for the game I was hunting. My first choice would have been a nice double in say .500 Nitro or perhaps .505 Gibbs, but when Winchester came out with the Safari Express, I knew that was the gun I wanted. A bunch of research into calibers lead me to the conclusion that the .416 Rem. Mag was probably the best all around.
Chuck Hawks webpage seems to confirm that opinion. Check it out at:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/game_range_caliber.htm
My wife and I are going back in 2005. I would love to hunt Cape Buffalo again. This time, I would like a one-shot kill with no danger at all (LOL).

my vote is winchester 70 black shadow in 7mm