best all around for north america
10-01-2009, 06:14 AM
#11
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WC FL
Posts: 26,323
10-01-2009, 11:06 AM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Titusville Florida
Posts: 1,727
Which barrel do you already have?
I generally recommend the .30-06 if you're going to have ONE caliber. You'll be overgunned for coyotes, slightly undergunned for brown bears (which most of us in the lower 48 will never hunt in the first place).
And, in all sincerity, many of us end up blinded by "big bears" when we're choosing a caliber. Chances are that if you can afford a guided brown bear hunt, you can also afford a dedicated brown bear rifle. Otherwise, encounters with bears are likely going to be blacks (which will fall to a .243), or grizzlies (which are considerably smaller here in elk country than they are in coastal Alaska/Canada - and will fall to a .30-06 or .300)
If you can have TWO calibers, I recommend the .243 on the low end for everything through deer-sized game, and something in the .338 class for elk and up. You'll be a shade overgunned for coyotes.
I generally recommend the .30-06 if you're going to have ONE caliber. You'll be overgunned for coyotes, slightly undergunned for brown bears (which most of us in the lower 48 will never hunt in the first place).
And, in all sincerity, many of us end up blinded by "big bears" when we're choosing a caliber. Chances are that if you can afford a guided brown bear hunt, you can also afford a dedicated brown bear rifle. Otherwise, encounters with bears are likely going to be blacks (which will fall to a .243), or grizzlies (which are considerably smaller here in elk country than they are in coastal Alaska/Canada - and will fall to a .30-06 or .300)
If you can have TWO calibers, I recommend the .243 on the low end for everything through deer-sized game, and something in the .338 class for elk and up. You'll be a shade overgunned for coyotes.
This is an excellent idea, it's what I would do. The .243 is a great caliber for coyote and deer, and the .338 for elk through brown bears.
10-02-2009, 11:16 AM
#14
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 13
No man should be forced to pick one gun/caliber to fill hunting needs.
Honey....I need the following:
.22 for squirrels, rabbits
.223 for coyotes, woodchucks
7mm-08 for whitetails
.270 for antelope
.300 for elk
.338 for moose, bear
Etc.
You get the point. LOL
Honey....I need the following:
.22 for squirrels, rabbits
.223 for coyotes, woodchucks
7mm-08 for whitetails
.270 for antelope
.300 for elk
.338 for moose, bear
Etc.
You get the point. LOL
10-02-2009, 12:24 PM
#15
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 24
.280 for all animals including large black bears. I think the 25-06 would be very fun for the coyotes. .280 rem is my favorite and have proven it deadly here on southern whitetails and on Canadian whitetails. Recently on a 6 1/2 foot Alaskan black bear. So far the bear was the only critter to take a step after impact, he only took 4 or 5 steps.
10-03-2009, 04:47 PM
#17
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 43
.22/squirrels, rabbits
.223/home protection
.308/whitetail
.270/antelope
7mm Rem/mule deer
.300 Win Mag/elk and bear
