Help me decide: Minimum caliber for larger NA game

I really like my Browning X-bolt 7 RM. Same case as 300 WM, but shooting 180gn Berger is extremely accurate for its high velocity and effective on big game IMHO.
 
300 win mag....200 grain accubonds. Covers everything you're talking about. If kick is a little much for ya, put a brake on it. If you set it up right....you may just not need that 6.5 anymore....😉 good luck!
 
wkdwdg66 said:
Effective range for???? My vote is.308 all day, every day.
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Seemed only one person had mentioned it. I was just rambling, I realize there's no perfect cartridge. To throw into the discussion, I know I'm on Longrangehunting, but in reality: Very rarely going to shoot anything over 300yds, and if I do, no bigger than deer. I don't get to hunt the larger stuff very often, and I'm willing to accept that I don't have a gun that can shoot 600yd at a moose. I was thinking that the 6.5 can make do for longer range smaller game. And obviously a .308 is not a 600yd moose gun, but probably good enough for 300 and under?
 
30-06 or a 308 will do everything that walks in North America.Shooting 600 yards and beyond is just more than most folks will ever be able to do.If you want to shoot long range I hope you have #1 a place to do it.#2 buckets of money to spend on ammo.#3 Able to dedicate 3 or 4 days a week to shooting .#4 Have the money to take a dedicated course in long range shooting.#5 have time to run daily.#6 Have access to weight equipment 3 days a week.
Everybody has their own idea on what cartridge you need to shoot.Thats fine,but you have to remember when you are in the middle of a small rural area and you need ammo,you need some thing that every little gas station will carry.
There are no short cuts to being a good shot.No magical cartridge,caliber or bullet .What makes you a good shot is practice,practice,practice with what ever you use.By the way I have hunted Finland and Sweden where 6.5 and 308 cartridges do just fine on Moose.JMHO,Huntz
 
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dgascho said:
New guy here. Hear me out and throw your opinion in the ring. I own a Bergara B14 HMR in 6.5 Creed. Has been an excellent gun, exactly what I was looking for, zero issue. Casual weekend bench shooting, can also drop a deer.

Now I'm in the market for something bigger or a step up in being adequate for larger game. I don't plan on any thick-skinned African hunts in the near future, so assume just North America, probably nothing more than bear/moose.

Thoughts:
  • I already have a 6.5 Creed, so I don't really need something specifically to overlap with that. I'm good up to deer, possibly elk, and looking for something in the elk and up range. Maybe I'm just a wimp, but heavy recoil does take some of the enjoyment out of it for me. I prefer something that I can comfortably practice with, sight in, multiple shots, and never be already preparing myself for the slam when about to squeeze off a shot at game. For this I love the 6.5.
  • I am not turned off by the chassis/AR-style look of some modern rifles. I do appreciate the modularity/adjustability, and adjusting cheek weld or length of pull is a must. Function over traditional appearance for me.
  • To meet some of my recoil requirements and to not get into the heavy hitting rounds, I'm content to accept that energy will only be high enough for my larger game targets out to 3-400 yards. At some point down the road, it will probably get a suppressor, so overall optimum barrel length is a factor.

Question: Lightest recoiling caliber, available in a gun model that is somewhat adjustable, at least minimally capable of ethical moose/bear shot at 300 yds? For sake of argument, ignore cost (of ammo), ammo availability, and assume factory loads. Not looking to build anything at this time, so a factory option in gun model and ammo.

I realize all of these are giving up something in some area or another, but options I have researched:
  • 6.5 PRC – really that much better than 6.5 Creed? A lot of overlap with what I already have, borderline good enough for moose. I do really like the recoil, ballistics, and lots of gun options. I hear people shooting elk at 1000yd with them, and while not something I plan to do, does make me think a good shot at 300 would probably drop a moose.
  • .280 AI – Hard to find options chambered in this, can get an Xbolt
  • 6.8 Western – Really like what I'm hearing about this one, meets a lot of my requirements, hard to find a gun I like chambered in it, also available in xbolt. Doesn't bother me that it's a new fad, and ammo is available.
  • 28 Nosler or .300 PRC – Incredibly capable rounds, I doubt I would enjoy shooting it very often, considering recoil. Would give me some ability to tackle even larger game. Maybe I could get manageable with a brake?
  • Sig cross/.277 fury – I like the portability/adjustability of the rifle, and think the cartridge is intriguing, but probably not much more adequate than my 6.5 for bigger game? Big pro here is the ballistics out of a 16" barrel. Even with a suppressor, a very small/compact package, plus folding.
Props if you actually read this far. All opinions welcome.
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30-06 is a great caliber and does not have a lot of recoil. And has tons of bullet weight options.
 
308 opens up a bunch of gun model options. I'll even make people roll their eyes at another controversial topic, I can get a sig cross in 308. compact, short barrel for suppressor, etc. 6.8 western is still high on my list, just not a lot of gun options. .280 AI is up there as well, just have to decide if I want to move on up to a .300 win mag and be good to go for a lot of things (plenty of gun options as well).
 
As far as gun weight, I'm content with a heavier gun to help with recoil. While certainly not the same as a 10+ mile hike through the mountains, I regularly lug my b14 hmr for a couple miles a day for deer and don't think much about it.
 
You already have the ultimate cartridge!!! The 6.5 creedmore was all but touted as the best cartridge in the ultimate 30 caliber thread so it should more than fill your needs. It also has the plus of being able to reload bullets fired beyond 1000 yards because they aren't traveling fast enough to deform.
 
dgascho said:
New guy here. Hear me out and throw your opinion in the ring. I own a Bergara B14 HMR in 6.5 Creed. Has been an excellent gun, exactly what I was looking for, zero issue. Casual weekend bench shooting, can also drop a deer.

Now I'm in the market for something bigger or a step up in being adequate for larger game. I don't plan on any thick-skinned African hunts in the near future, so assume just North America, probably nothing more than bear/moose.

Thoughts:
  • I already have a 6.5 Creed, so I don't really need something specifically to overlap with that. I'm good up to deer, possibly elk, and looking for something in the elk and up range. Maybe I'm just a wimp, but heavy recoil does take some of the enjoyment out of it for me. I prefer something that I can comfortably practice with, sight in, multiple shots, and never be already preparing myself for the slam when about to squeeze off a shot at game. For this I love the 6.5.
  • I am not turned off by the chassis/AR-style look of some modern rifles. I do appreciate the modularity/adjustability, and adjusting cheek weld or length of pull is a must. Function over traditional appearance for me.
  • To meet some of my recoil requirements and to not get into the heavy hitting rounds, I'm content to accept that energy will only be high enough for my larger game targets out to 3-400 yards. At some point down the road, it will probably get a suppressor, so overall optimum barrel length is a factor.

Question: Lightest recoiling caliber, available in a gun model that is somewhat adjustable, at least minimally capable of ethical moose/bear shot at 300 yds? For sake of argument, ignore cost (of ammo), ammo availability, and assume factory loads. Not looking to build anything at this time, so a factory option in gun model and ammo.

I realize all of these are giving up something in some area or another, but options I have researched:
  • 6.5 PRC – really that much better than 6.5 Creed? A lot of overlap with what I already have, borderline good enough for moose. I do really like the recoil, ballistics, and lots of gun options. I hear people shooting elk at 1000yd with them, and while not something I plan to do, does make me think a good shot at 300 would probably drop a moose.
  • .280 AI – Hard to find options chambered in this, can get an Xbolt
  • 6.8 Western – Really like what I'm hearing about this one, meets a lot of my requirements, hard to find a gun I like chambered in it, also available in xbolt. Doesn't bother me that it's a new fad, and ammo is available.
  • 28 Nosler or .300 PRC – Incredibly capable rounds, I doubt I would enjoy shooting it very often, considering recoil. Would give me some ability to tackle even larger game. Maybe I could get manageable with a brake?
  • Sig cross/.277 fury – I like the portability/adjustability of the rifle, and think the cartridge is intriguing, but probably not much more adequate than my 6.5 for bigger game? Big pro here is the ballistics out of a 16" barrel. Even with a suppressor, a very small/compact package, plus folding.
Props if you actually read this far. All opinions welcome.
Click to expand...
270 -30-06 should take care of all North American Game. You should be able to get well within 100 yards of a bear or any other game.

As far as Africa, guided as a matter of safety you won't be using a bolt pump or auto more then likely a double gun chambered in a large caliber. You don't work your bolt, or a jam or malfunction occurs in a pump or auto you may have gone on your last hunt.

I have a 6.5 creed as well. I've killed deer with a 270 grave yard deer 500 to 600 yards and with a 30 cal up to 900 yards. Nobody toted a bullet.
 

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