If you could pick only one cartridge for all NA game except the big bears...

[FEENIX]

I'd go with 280 Rem or 7x64. Easy to shoot and 7mm pills tend to have a bit less drop that .30 Cal. Only issue is not as easy to find at 270W or .30-06

Come on mate, OP asked to pick only one cartridge.

Cheers!

 

[Scrumbag]

Come on mate, OP asked to pick only one cartridge.

Cheers!

Sorry, 7x64 and 280 Rem are so similar

('06 Length, 06 Boltface, 7mm, very similar case capacity...)

I'll go 7x64

 

[basinman]

A few months ago I would have said the 300 WSM but now I am spoiled to my 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[alcesgigas]

This year will be my 60th actually hunting with a firearm. During that time I've shot double digits deer, bear, caribou, moose, and a couple others I'm ashamed of shot in my youth. All with the 270 Winchester. However, I'll be the first to admit, when I have to go after problem griz it's the 375. Summation: 270 North America, 375 world.

 

[LDHunter]

20 years ago I would have said the 300WM but I got tired of the recoil and long actions.

15 years ago I would have said the 308 because of it's awesome versatility and ease of loading and finding brass, factory ammo, etc. (It's still my second favorite)

10 years ago I would have said the 300SAUM but a few years of shooting it made me tired of recoil (again) and I hankered for lighter bullets with the same BC.

Then 5 years ago I finally woke up and discovered the incredibly perfect 7mmSAUM and realized that there could be only one favorite. Brass is tough to find but I easily have a lifetime's supply.

However I'm starting to think that my next favorite will be the 6.5SAUM and hope to start having one built in the next year or so.

Anyone that doesn't agree with everything I've said above is a an uneducated knuckle dragger... LOL

 

[Strop66]

...what would it be?

And why?

300 RUM. I would even put it up against bears. Which I have. From 150gr to 220gr, it covers all my bases.

 

[NorsemanAlaska]

As an almost 35 year Alaska resident who has hunted all over this state, the lower 48 states and Africa I've used the 300 Win Mag for everything including bear for the last 20 years or so. At first I was enamored by the 338 Win Mag because I could load heavy and hard in case of bear encounters. But it really tore up the Kodiak Sitka Black-tail because I couldn't hand load as light a bullet as I wanted. So I switched to the 300 Win Mag because of bullet weight variance and power.
Thank you.

 

[ATH]

300WM. I shot everything with it until I accumulated specific rifles for everything and I do think it is one of the most versatile rounds out there. I've shot everything from varmints with 110gr vmax at 3800fps and 125gr BT at 3600 fps to antelope/deer/elk with 200gr AB at 2950.

 

[LONG RANGE 7MAG]

7MAG shooting the Eol 195 Bergers. Talk about off the chart B.C. I have killed mule deer out to 937yrds. with a 7MAG shooting the 180 VLD.

 

[Don A Parsons]

A plane old 30/06 with 150gr too harvest every thing up here in Western Canada.

Seen many critters fall from the 270 winchester's, so I'll do the same thing with old school.

It's all about shot placement for me now days.

We like 1700 ft-lbs for thick skins, 1300 ft-lbs for thins.

150gr round nose for the bears in life.
We like 165 too 180gr round nose for the heavy weight bruins.

Don

 

[stwhunter]

7mm STW. It is the best all around cartridge I have seen. I have been shooting a Sako M995 since 1994 and I have harvested dozens of Deer and Antelope using 140g bullets, and elk using 165g bullets. My neighbor, his son, and their hunting partner used his rifle to harvest three(3) bull Moose in the Brooks range in 90 seconds shooting 165g hand loads. It works at any range from 25 to 1000 yards, is supremely accurate with a variety of bullet weights and types, and the recoil is manageable.

 

[mustang58]

I actually like the 30-338 better than the 300WM but due to the fact that it is not available to purchase and the similarity to the Winchester I'd have to go with the 300WM.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

The 30-06.

It can be loaded for everything from small varmints to Moose. While not my first choice, it has taken brown bear.

Most of those loads can be had off the shelf.

 

[Danehunter]

.300 Win mag. (or maybe .300 WSM)

->HUGE availability of bullet weights and constructions in .30 caliber.
->excellent ballistics for most of the available bullets.
->Great selection of rifles.

Eric B.