best western states all-around cartridge
 

What do you think is the best all around cartrige for hunting anything from antelope to bull elk in Wyoming? The 300 win mag, the 7mm rem mag, the 30-06, or the 270 win?

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

YES

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

It makes a difference if you reload. I've found my .300 win mag to be the most all around gun. I have a 130gr load up to a 220gr load. I can do the same with the 30-06 but with less velocity but I can't do it with my 7 rem mag.

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

I chose the 280. Its never failed me and performs well better than its ballistics on paper might indicate. One shot is all its ever needed to make on a critter. I would like to try the 270 WSM but it may be a while. To many other Irons in the fire.

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

.300 Win. Mag. Good luck.

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

There are literally dozens of "bests," take your pick! Mine is the 7MM RM.

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

My vote would be for the 300 Win.

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

What ever your personal choice would be of the four. All of them are all around calibers with the right load.

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

Of the cartridges you listed I would choose the 300 Winchester Magnum. It's a wonderfully accurate round and it has a plethora of factory ammo availble for it. I would say the 300 could possibly the best all around cartridge for all North American game animals. I say this because even if you choose to hunt the large bears the Barnes X will do a number on them. Flat trajectory plenty of energy and manageable recoil for most shooters. Also, if you reload you can load down to 30-06 velocity for practice and plinking and load heavy loads for elk, moose, & bear. This is only my opinion of course.

RE: best western states all-around cartridge
 

The .300WM and the .30-06 are going to give field performance so similar, you'll likely NEVER notice the difference in the two (other than recoil). The .270win is limited a little bit since it's stuck with lighter bullets than the .30 bores, it's a great round, but it is what it is, it's a downsized .30-06, and can handle game accordingly. The 7mm's are basically in the same boat, but they'll kick like hell to get the same results of the more mild .30-06, and they'll still be throwing light bullets when it comes to big game.

I'm going to throw .45-70 into the mix, great all around cartridge, a little heavy for light varmints, but I don't take that to be the basis of this thread anyway.