One caliber, two chamberings to cover everything hunting

[338 dude]

After my components thread and some members relaying that staying with a couple of calibers to simply component searches and purchases.

Is it plausible to choose one caliber and two or three chamberings to cover 100% of your hunting?

Full transparency, I have had several manbuns, hard to argue with cheap factory ammo, easy recoil and impressive accuracy over a broad range of factory offerings. Makes it easy for a parent to get a kiddo behind the rifle and develop some confidence.

I got curious about the 6.5 PRC, found a nice used X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed and while bedding the rifle and picatinny rail, I got to wondering about the subject of a single caliber covering all the bases.

Honestly, I could cover 95% of my hunting with a 22 Creedmoor, possibly a 223.

I got out my Gun Gack and a few other manuals and thought, the 6.5/.264 might be the perfect choice for the majority of hunters.

Some of the big 6.5 whizzums, like the 264 WM or 26 Nosler, 6.5/300 Weatherby, 6.5-280 Ackley, would offer a lot for bigger animals and then you could cover everything from varmints up to and including elk(within reason) with a Creedmoor. A Grendel would get you varmint, Prairie dogs and medium bodied Whitetail.

I said all that to ask, if you had to choose one caliber and two or three chamberings, what would you choose? What components would you choose to be able to use them in both or all three (if possible).

As much as I love my 280 Ackley, I honestly think a 6.5 Creedmoor and a 6.5-280 Ackley would cover everything I ever plan to chase.

I also know that there are plenty of y'all that use one cartridge for everything?

Have fun, but I am curious to see the selections and thought process/reasoning behind the choices.

Well, I agree with what you said there are many calibers that could fill this role for me. If I could only have one rifle and one caliber, I would choose a 300 win mag. The reason for this being you can get light bullets or heavy bullets for this caliber and 30 caliber bullets are usually very easily obtained.

 

[asd9055]

As a handloader, especially if you cast your own bullets, you can make the .375 H&H extremely versatile…..from small game to elephant, even out to moderately long range! It just doesn't get more versatile than that! memtb

I'd love to hear more about cast in 375h&h

 

[akdad]

Sorry guys I didn't mean to derail this thread!

 

[asd9055]

Sorry guys I didn't mean to derail this thread!

I am just as guilty....

 

[memtb]

I'd love to hear more about cast in 375h&h

I use a Lyman 285 grain, with my wheel weights it doesn't come out exactly 285. I use conventional bullet lube, and haven't yet but will do powfer coated bullets in the future! I load with standard primers, IMR 4198 and use a Dacron filler as there is a lot of unused space.

I didn't work hard on getting great groups, but 5 shot groups are easily under 2"" @ 100 yrds. I'm certain that I could get better with effort….but, these where just used for plinking and the occasional close range (under 100) varmint shoots!

There is a fairly lengthy discussion on 24hrcampfire in the cast bullet section pertaining to light loads in the H&H! memtb

 

[Mark37082]

I thought about this for a little while. I don't own a 6.5. I have owned several 7mm and 30 cal rifles. Looking at my current component supply I would go with .284. Chambers currently owned have quite a bit of overlap. The 7RM and 280AI are so close in performance. If I didn't have so much tied up in brass and dies, the 7RM would be going to different home. The only other 7mm I would want at this time is the 7SAUM with a 20" barrel. Ballistically it is not much different than the 280AI, but the shorter barrel would be handy in the thick stuff.

 

[choprzrul]

How about a 90gr Hammer Hunter to 3800+, 122gr Hammer HHT to 3400, and/or a 160gr Partition to 3100?

Varmints, deer, and elk/moose with just a 270 WSM? 3 loads, 1 rifle, pretty versatile?

.

 

[Pauleye]

I'm sure there a lot of posters that have many rifles with different calibers, me included. If I were limited to one caliber it would be a 308. It covers a lot of areas including Africa. A little tough on prarie dogs though.

 

[Calvin45]

Would these choices work for a couple hundred prairie dog shots per day?
Seems that recoil alone could be a factor.

That's tricky for sure…if we're limiting it to one bore diameter and two different cartridges that launch bullets of that diameter the ones that make sense for varminting absolutely do not make sense for truly big game, and if dangerous game is on the table that's a whole other matter. One caliber for truly everything is a tall order indeed.

At this point I must put in a word for my previously mentioned .358 Norma magnum, my pride and joy, a far more versatile round than meets the eye:

You can load 357" caliber pistol Bullets in this cartridge and either use a reduced load for plinking and varminting OR make them scream and vapourize things. A 125 grain 357" hollow point leaving in the vicinity of 4000 fps could be a hoot haha.

Woodleigh, who are indeed back in production but not fully back to capacity yet, also makes a 310 grain copper clad steel jacketed fmj round nose that my 12 twist will stabilize. A 310 grain .358 leaving at 2600-2700 fps will penetrate any bones on this planet in need of smashing, while it's below the legal minimum in some places absolutely you could brain an elephant with that. In every way superior to the standard 300 grain 375 h and h loading.

For everything in between exploding varmints and braining elephants there's the usual 200-280 grain bullets that work well.

True long range is its only weak point but even there something like the 275 grain hammer hunter would definitely be useable.

I actually don't know if too many if any cartridges that have this range of useful bullet weights, can be used on this range of animal species, and couples this blend of horsepower, decent trajectory (on par with a .30-06 just with bullets 100 grains heavier), and manageable recoil out of a reasonable weight rifle.

 

[Darryle]

Be specific about the range of snimals you want to hunt. I can't see myself going after a Grizzly or Brown Bear with a 6.5 regardless of the case used.

I was relating my observation based on the my experience. Whitetail, Mule Deer, Antelope and pigs are probably all I will ever be able to hunt, my medical issues won't allow me to push my body hard enough to get deep into the back country.

My question was, if you had to choose one caliber, what caliber and then what chamberings would you choose to cover 100% of your hunting.

 

[asd9055]

I was relating my observation based on the my experience. Whitetail, Mule Deer, Antelope and pigs are probably all I will ever be able to hunt, my medical issues won't allow me to push my body hard enough to get deep into the back country.

My question was, if you had to choose one caliber, what caliber and then what chamberings would you choose to cover 100% of your hunting.

Back to ytour question. I am not in grizzly country, nor prairie dog country. One caliber, .308, one chambering, 300WBY, I can shoot 110 grains to 210 grains easily. Can take elk easily. Thank God I do not have to choose.

 

[memtb]

I'm sure there a lot of posters that have many rifles with different calibers, me included. If I were limited to one caliber it would be a 308. It covers a lot of areas including Africa. A little tough on prarie dogs though.

If ya plan on eat them…..resist body shots! memtb

 

[akdad]

Actually I may change mine to a 6mm cm and a 240 weatherby

 

[Huntnpack]

I believe a person can achieve the same goal with One rifle, one chambering, & potentially 1 bullet choice. For sure 2 to 3 bullet choices.
This simplifies components, reloading, & overall operation & use of the system.
Coyotes, Deer, Black Bear, Antelope, & Elk.
For me I'm going to give the 7 SAUM & Hammer HHT the job. aka; "SAUM Hot Sauce".

Side note: I do have a Pre 64 Model 70 Featherweight in 270 Win & Hammer HHT
just in case.
aka; "Jack Hammer Slim".