Favorite "Do it all" rifle caliber

[Herby]

For years I shot nothing but a 30-06 but recently got a plain old Axis in 7mm - 08, and I would have to go with this caliber. I flinch too much with the 30-06. Just plain not fun to shoot. The 7mm -08 shoots around 1.70 inches at 100 yards with a plain 4x scope from the bench. Shooting off had I can nail clay pigeons at 100 yards more often than not. I am more confident with this caliber then I ever was with the 30-06.

[ttexastom]

The 270 win would be my first pick. It has the reach and horsepower to get er done.
The 260 would be my second pick.

[ifithitu]

My Ruger Mini .30 7.62x39 would be my choice.:cool:

[JD42]

.308win. For most things big and small

[Robinhood]

Nobody likes the 284.

[mikeinco]

i'll start off by disagreeing with your opening statement.
while i own them they suck past 100 yards,i i shoot out to 2000 yards.
and the nit picky part..its a GAUGE, not a caliber

308/3006/300 win mag

to day each will nearly do what the the bigger did when new.


Pretty sure most everyone would agree that a 12 gauge shotgun would be the most versatile firearm ever created. Not much else that even comes close.
So I made this about rifle calibers.

When putting together a "Do it all" rifle to meet my needs for just kicking around the woods in and out of trucks, 4 wheelers, tractors, and just leaning in the corner at camp I chose a .308 and cut the rifle down into a carbine.
What's your favorite that covers most of your needs? Any specific reason why?

[Hammerhead]

6.5 Grendel AR. 18" barrel, compact, big enough to handle anything around here and accurate enough for head shots on small game if needed.

[Mike7.62]

I like the 30-06, and a one caliber "do-all" rifle. I'm just not sold on the idea that a wide variety of bullet weights is going to help me any. In my experience, most rifles don't like all bullet weights and even if it does, they do not all have the same POI. So it's not like I can load 220gr ammo in my rifle for elk and then switch to 100gr for coyote and expect to hit the dog at 200 yards. I'd probably miss unless I re-sight in my rifle. At which point, I would have been better off with having two different rifles. Sure, I can kill a coyote with a 220gr 30-06, but I may as well forget selling the hide. Not to mention that the recoil is quite stout for shooting small game. I guess what I'm saying is that a wide variety of bullet weights isn't as important to me as having the "correct" bullet weight. Correct meaning one that is accurate, heavy enough for the "larger" game of the intended area, and isn't going to punish my shoulder unnecessarily. I live in Washington state and JASmith has the right idea. Medium power and medium bore is about perfect for most animals in this area. Grizzly bear and moose being the exceptions but you aren't allowed to shoot those anyways (your only allowed one moose tag per person, per lifetime if you are lucky enough to draw a tag).

I hunt mostly in the south, mid TN, and like to have the ability to knock off various varmints such as racoons, groundhogs, etc. with my centerfire rifles. I have found the .30-06 to be a good cartridge for white tailed deer using a 165 gr Ballistic Tip, and a 180 gr Partition for mule deer and elk when I am fortunate enough to hunt out west. I also carry along a few 110 gr SP's loaded with SR 4759 to about 1800 f/s for the varmints. If you have a BDC scope you can use one of the other crosshairs for the lower velocity varmint bullet and maintain the zero for the deer bullet. If you hand load, it makes it easy enough to regulate the lighter bullets to a POI either on the BDC or on the lower post of a standard duplex reticle. I also have a .257 Roberts and I do the same with 60 gr .25-20 bullets. It is handy to have a nice range of bullets in a caliber. Cast bullets can also be used for this, if you are able to do so.

[pescarconganas]

Put me in the .270/.30-06 camp. Either cartridge will do what's asked of it and it's easy to find ammo. I think .308 Win and some of the 7mms (.280 Remington/AI, specifically) come real close too.

[JASmith]

6.5 Grendel AR. 18" barrel, compact, big enough to handle anything around here and accurate enough for head shots on small game if needed.
You be right!

...and bolt guns or single shots where AR’s are banished.

[tarbe]

I've loaded for, shot and hunted pretty much the whole range from 22 Hornet to 470 Nitro and 450 Dakota.

Excluding dangerous game (ie MOST hunting in the lower 48) I have to say 308 or any 30 cal from 308 to 300 Wby.

As soon as you start adding in stuff that can kill you without thinking about it, the answer has to change!

That's probably why there are three 308s in my safe (along with a 300 H&H, a 30-40 Krag, a 30-30 and a 300 Blackout...I guess I like 30 cal).

[flyer]

An AR in 6.8 SPC II loaded with Barnes solids will ruin pretty much anything's day within about 300 yards and still be pretty handy.

My Savage has a 31" 284 Winchester barrel and I'm hoping it will group well at 1,500 yards to a mile or more. It should be able to hit many more things than my 6.8 SPC but it's too long and heavy to really call it handy.

[Fuj']

This used to be my favorite in my younger years to keep
in the truck. DL Savage O/U .22 mag on top, 20 gage
below. Traded that for a pre Gettysburg .357 Black Hawk.
Traded that for the .41 Mag Black Hawk which still is in
use. If that is all I had, that would be all I need.

[yobuck]

The rifle caliber that meets most of my needs would be a 260 remington. I can form brass really easily if I'm in a pinch, can take it out to 1400 yards if need be, flat shooting, just does everything I need it to do. 6.5 Creedmoor would also be a another caliber I would go with.
Id consider a trip up there to watch for hits for you as you shoot it at 1400 sometime.

[Nahum]

When putting together a "Do it all" rifle to meet my needs for just kicking around the woods in and out of trucks, 4 wheelers, tractors, and just leaning in the corner at camp

My 30-30 Winchester does these for me.

https://i.imgur.com/VW3Ydxg.jpg?1