One caliber to rule them all!!!

[MudRunner2005]

I currently have a 300 win mag that is my bench gun. I'm looking for a rifle to be my all around gun. Looking to use it from bench/silouette shooting to coyote and deer. Looking into the 22-250,243,25-06 or ? Must be ammo that I can pick up at the store as I don't reload as of yet.

That's an easy one......7mm Rem Mag is what I consider to truly be THE most versatile round ever created. You can lazer some 120-140gr bullets for coyotes and 160-180's for whitetails and long range.

 

[MudRunner2005]

no one mentioned the 257 weatherby. its expensive but a heck of a round.

I have one of those as well...It is an awesome round. But I don't think it rules them all. It is good on whitetails, great on plains game, like antelopes, speed goats, coyotes, etc... But the bullet selection is lacking IMO for long range characteristics...Which is not the caliber's fault, just that nobody has made any 130gr hybrid .257 bullets. I have been begging Berger to look into it for a while, because my .257 Wby is a 1:10 twist, and should be able to handle the extra length in the bearing surface to keep it stabilized. Same for my .25-06 A.I.

 

[Greyfox]

Given you are including bench shooting and your max game size is deer, I would opt for the 260 Reminton or the 308. The 308 would have the edge for factory ammo availability.

 

[valleyloader]

Given you are including bench shooting and your max game size is deer, I would opt for the 260 Reminton or the 308. The 308 would have the edge for factory ammo availability.

+1 but don't forget about the 243 win. I have a 300WM and hunt with it some mostly for bear, but when its deer season I find myself carrying the 243 a lot more than anything else. Good on deer out to beyond 600 yards, good on coyotes out as far as you can stretch it (1000+).

 

[TXshooter]

The 300 am is the one that rules them all. If you didn't include deer hunting in there I'd say the 22-250. IMO it's the best round ever made but unless ur going to go custom barrel to shoot the heavier grain bullets it's just not enough and I mean that I the normal hunting situation sense. Of course you could just shoot everything in the head. That aside the 300 wm does it all and you can't beat it. That said why not have both.

 

[etisll40]

Hard to beat the 30-06, I'd say 308 but ammunition at your typical retail in a pinch (Walmart) not available. The 30-06 seems to be everywhere. I don't even have one, but I'd agree, it's the end all caliber if you only have 1 firearm, that would be it. 2nd, 300 win mag

 

[Jud96]

For someone from WV, you are really smart! Must be cause your are close to PA. LOL.

One of my best friends lives in Rocky Fork. So hopefully, I can get away with a comment like that.

Have noticed your other post, you are right on.

Haha. Some of us may look dumb, do dumb things, but we West Virginians ain't stupid! Haha, the PA blood in me may help out but most of them Pennsylvanians around here are worst than most of us. Never seen more Northerners fly rebel flags and promote the rebels, funny thing is I don't think those ill-informed PA boys know which side they were on.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

300WM would be my vote.

Let me elaborate.

You already have one. As a reloader you can make ammunition for any purpose with this caliber. From reduced power plinker loads to 1000 yard game loads. Your 300WM can do it all.

or

You can be like me, crazy. Get one of everything 'just because'. A rifle for every day of the year........ Coolest gun on the range.

or

If you want something that will last forever, shoot very well and has load data going back 100 years.

30-06

I have no knowledge of sabot-ed projectiles for bolt action LRA (long range accurate) shooting but I am sure that you can find projectiles for 30 cal to do almost anything you want to and all will work in 30-06.

 

[375fan]

30-06 to rule them all. Can shoot as low a 55 grain sabot round or 220 grain round nose. Been the US standard since 1906.

Yep, couldn't say it any better, and this says it all.