Do all rifle???

[Jack300WSM]

With what your qualifications are, I would go with 6.5 PRC. Very accurate with factory ammo, short action, light recoil. Adequate for elk & perfect for long range deer or antelope. If it were primarily for elk I would go with 300 WSM to stay with a short action. Yes, I prefer the short action magnums If I have to walk much.

I have two 300wsm's. I've also owned a Rem 7Mag, 308 and 300WM. The two wsm's are the remaining big game rifles I have. With that being said I'm seriously looking at the 6.5 PRC as a build option later this year when components should start trickling back in stock. Just saw Lapua is going to release 6.5 PRC brass any day tells me something in itself. If Lapua thinks it has the stones to hang in there....that's good enough for me.

 

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

If you had to choose one rifle to hunt everything from antelope to elk, what would it be? This rifle must use components that are readily available. It must also be a caliber that is inherently accurate. No need to waste 600 rounds of 1000 round barrel life doing load development. I want to build a rifle but can't decide what to build.

I would build one that can do a switch barrel set up and one the the owner can do at home for main cal 6.5 PRC shoulder fit barrel or savage nut system then if you want add different cal barrels and bolt heads when you want at home or on the range in under 20 mins

 

[Mike Matteson]

Either a 300 Win Mag or 338 Win Mag. Ammo is easy to purchase over the counter, Bullet spread for weight very large. If you are every planning on hunting Africa or some of the larger animal in the US or Canada I would go to the 338 W.Mag. They all kick! 3 things I would do to the rifle. Muzzle brake, trigger changed out, action bedded. Scopes there a very wide range to choose from, and depending on your max range you are planning to shoot. The sky is the limit, but the pockets are short at times. If you stay with Lead Copper bullets no problem, but you shoot copper bullets, the twist rate will need to speed up some. So anymore there a wide range of choices out there. I would say the most of us, here are hand loaders, and working on achieving the tightest groups, and flat shooting bullets. Some hate belted mag. So more will fill your head with which way to go. This will be interesting!

 

[Lefty G-gear]

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[rbTanzan]

In a factory loaded cartridge......338 WM. Pretty darn efficient cartridge, recoil without a brake quite tolerable in a 9.0 pound package (scoped, loaded, slung), wide selection of components, easier on barrels than many of the "super" .338's, can easily be used out to 600+ yards. I know that my wife is pretty lethal with hers! It's her only rifle/cartridge, used for everything from Antelope thru moose/bear!

Most any big game cartridge can do the job. The .338 WM simply gives you greater flexibility. With good bullets, velocities, accuracy, component/ammo availability, long range performance, and capable of raking shots (with good bullets) on very large game (moose,elk, large bear) that should be passed on with lesser cartridges! JMO. memtb

Excellent choice.

My wife (110-lb) had to go up to 375Ruger for Africa, but she shoots my 338 in the US when wanting to simulate her Africa loads.

However, her hunting preference in US is a 270Win. Light rifle = Easy carry, long range with proper bullets, pretty effective take down with proper shot placement.

So there is a lot of latitude for good choices in US, which is in agreement with all the variations on 7mm and 300's above.

 

[jareese]

I just built my "One gun for everything" it's a 30 Sherman Magnum. Can shoot 300 PRC in a pinch (parent case and fire formed to 30 SM)
Can load lighter and faster or heavy and hard hitting.

 

[MontanaJack]

How far do you want to be able to shoot and complete an ethical kill? There's a pretty good consensus that you need 1500 ft-lb of energy at impact distance to put down an elk or moose and 1000 ft-lb of energy for deer / antilope. I'm an old fart, so I've acquired options over the years. All around good rounds are the ole 30-06 or 308. However, many years ago, I shot a bull elk @ 400 yards with my 30-06. I was hunting in deep snow on a steep grade. It took me an hour to get to the animal. With 3 shots behind the front shoulder, he was laying there head erect when I got to him. I went to a 300 Win Mag for elk after that and have been much more humane in harvesting those magnificent animals ever since. My go to deer rifle was a 25-06. It is still my favorite although I have a 257 WB, 6.5 CM, 6.5-284, and 6.5-06AI in the works. The 6.5CM is a great deer gun. Personal opinion from lots of experience, 6.5 is too small for elk and moose. Have seen wounded elk lost when shot with 6.5x50, 270Win, 7mm Mag. Never lost an elk with the 300 Win Mag. Smaller calibers are OK with perfect shot placement within effective range, but hunting is about getting a shot off in seconds and sometimes shot placement is not perfect. My current 300 Win Mag is too heavy to pack all day, but I can't do that anymore. It is a custom that doesn't punish me with recoil. I've sold 300 WSM, 300 Win Mags, and 300 WB because of recoil. Recoil will wear on you, so my advice is not to get seduced into +30 cal. Some guys can shoot them all day, so they say. However, most can't and don't. Good luck with your selection.

 

[BrentM]

6.5-284
280ai

 

[bikerbowhunter]

Your post seems to imply easily available factory ammo, long range ability to take down elk, and long barrel life. If those are all true, then I would say first choice 300 Win Mag, and second choice .308 Win. With a good brake.

 

[TexasSportsman]

If you had to choose one rifle to hunt everything from antelope to elk, what would it be? This rifle must use components that are readily available. It must also be a caliber that is inherently accurate. No need to waste 600 rounds of 1000 round barrel life doing load development. I want to build a rifle but can't decide what to build.

This is an easy one for me. It would be the .30-06 with OTC ammo its lethal out to 400 to 450 yards. With Hornady ELD-X its lethal out to 850 yards. Pre scamdemic, reloading components for this caliber were readily available and its recoil is much easier to manage than the magnum calibers.

Be realistic about the range you really intend to shoot. I know a man that shoots consistently out to and beyond 2 miles. I have no desire to shoot any further than 1000 yards. Most OTC components will achieve that distance with the right rifle/scope/caliber combination without the expense of a custom build.

 

[TxHeartShot]

If you had to choose one rifle to hunt everything from antelope to elk, what would it be? This rifle must use components that are readily available. It must also be a caliber that is inherently accurate. No need to waste 600 rounds of 1000 round barrel life doing load development. I want to build a rifle but can't decide what to build.

How about a 300 H&H magnum...mine shoots everything from Barnes 130 gr TTX (antelope, deer) to 220 gr Woodleigh Weldcores and solids (big biters). All the bullets in the 30 cal lineup plus factory loads available. The cartridge is very accurate, easy to load and looks sexy! What more could you want.

 

[kolob10]

270 Win for the recoil shy and 300WM for those long shots on bull elk. I have hunted whitetail, muley's, antelope and elk. The key is hunt with what you have the most confidence. That will be the one you shoot best. Remember, the harvesting of game is the destination but for me the journey is more enjoyable. Listen to the voices of experience in your quest for the do all rifle but enjoy the journey in finding it. I am yet looking. Good shooting!

 

[Bullmark]

I would go with a 280ai......If you are like me and quite sensitive to recoil. In the field it's never a problem, but at the range it can mess with the quality and amount of practice. This spills over into confidence and confidence is very important, for me at least.
Whatever you choose, commit to a decent amount of practice. The .280ai allows me to shoot a fair amount with minimal recoil, and is flexible enough to go after coyotes to elk. Currently shooting a 168gr Berger VLD and could go up or down a little without issue.
Before you commit to one of the big thumpers, I'd shoot one and see if you can imagine practicing regularly without the "kick" being a problem.

 

[MPNCC]

Seriously. Just one? I'm thinking one isn't enough!!

First I give my serious answer, then I agree about how many times have we had this same argument and now I'm closing with this.
Grow some balls and have more than one rifle. Man was not made to have only one rifle. Instead of one for all things, try 2 for each individual animal that you may shoot one day.