One caliber, two chamberings to cover everything hunting

[Calvin45]

IMO there isn't enough difference between 30.06 and 300 Win Mag to select those two. Seems like a lot of overlap.

Agreed.

 

[Ken61]

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

How about a 6.5- 223 for prairie dogs?

 

[Philward]

"Whitetail, Mule Deer, Antelope and pigs are probably all I will ever be able to hunt"

I would like to nominate the 257 Roberts and the 257 Weatherby cousins...

I have that combo covered already and I thought about it. Thought it too light for elk if I was hunting elk with rifle.

 

[Calvin45]

I have that combo covered already and I thought about it. Thought it too light for elk if I was hunting elk with rifle.

I have the .257 wby. With copper monos it's definitely an elk-capable round BUT…there are better choices, I agree with you. To be honest they're about the same energy level but personally id absolutely choose a .270 Winchester over a .257 bee for Elk hunting. Many guides and outfitters have cited the .270 wcf as their minimum recommended cartridge for elk and moose and I think that's wise. You could technically kill them with a .22. But from .270 and up just makes a lot more sense.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Great concept!

Reading thru this thread it strikes me that there isn't much love (yet) for .257 I could see pairing the .250-3000 (I'd go with a Sav 99 thank you very much!) with either the .25-06 or .257 Roy for a great single bore-size combo. A quick search showed only up to 127-128 gr. bullets, so the upper end of the NA game spectrum would be suspect, but the low end and all of the middle would be well covered.

If we turned it around and said SA only, same bolt face (AKA Switch Barrel) I'd go with .243AI and .308 Win. If I wanted/needed more on the upper end I'm sure that somewhere out there someone has made a wildcat .308 bore, SA length chamber based on the .284 case. I just don't happen to know what it's called.

Well, 257 wasn't in my list, but I have 3 25-06 rifles, a 257AI and a 257 Weatherby. I had 5 25-06 rifles at one time, and sold the 2 least accurate, being a Classic Kimber 8400 and a Select Kimber 8400…kicking myself over selling them. Very difficult to find here now.
I thought hard about selecting the 25 cal, but it doesn't quite fill the full gamut of game we have here and our laws relegate 25 cal to our smallest deer species only.

Cheers.

 

[Allen Kitts]

I have that combo covered already and I thought about it. Thought it too light for elk if I was hunting elk with rifle.

I was on a whitetail deer hunt the day after Thanksgiving about 15 years ago. We were on horseback and from the trail I could see animals moving all over the hillside in front of us but it was snowing to hard to tell what they were. Once we got closer we climbed the ridge across from them staying out of sight and when we crested the ridge there were at least three hundred elk on the hillside. All I had was my 257 Bee with 100 grain Barnes TTSX. The shot was 405 yards and he went down in ten yards from the shot. 100 grains of hot copper at 3500 FPS will do the trick just fine if you hit the boiler room. I have also killed a couple of cow elk with the same rifle with no issues. Just happened to be the rifle I was carrying when we ran into them. Took another really nice bull at 300 yards with my 25-06 and 87 grain Hornady bullets. The 25's will do the trick, wouldn't be my first choice but i surely wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on one inside 400 yards either. You have to make a good shot though.

 

[Roughrice]

As said in another previous post... 30 cal, one rifle can handle it, like 30-06 or 300 WM.
Load light or load heavy.
Have you ever seen a 110 Varmagedden hit a wild dog at 3400+ fps? Looks like you dropped an un-pinned hand grenade in it's shirt pocket.
Same rifle can punch through much bigger with 165-200 grain bullets.

With that said... two chamberings?... probably small and large case 6.5 or 7.

 

[ntsqd]

What's the ideal twist for a sabot?

 

[GuntherRLII]

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.

I suppose it's possible, but why would you do that to yourself?

 

[Darryle]

I suppose it's possible, but why would you do that to yourself?

I am not saying that we should, it was a friendly discussion to see how everyone would come to their decision.

I have a variety of everything from a 22lr to a 450 Marlin.

But, if a member was on a budget, this thread might show them that they could invest in 2 rifles within one caliber and cover the majority of his hunting.

Saying that, I thought about it more and while most agree that the 6.5 is marginal, but think the 7mm is better suited to accomplish my original question.

I was looking at data, it's possible that the 7 SAUM and 28 Nosler would probably be great choices. I don't know, it's just a discussion and I am enjoying everyone's replies.

 

[ntsqd]

In 7's I'd be looking at 7-08AI and either 7 WSM, 7 RM, or 7 SAUM depending on whether I was wanting to stay with all one action size and brass availability.

 

[sesauk]

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.

I'm starting to get older now and I have been looking towards the future. Already having two 264 Win Mag and knowing what I can do with them that is the size I am going to stick with. I am also going to pick up a 6.5 PRC so I can cut down on my inventory. Being able too concentrate and on my mind just in case things start going wonky. I can actually do everything with the 264WM out past 1000+ but it is always nice to have something to fall back on. Good Luck on your endeavors, I believe you are looking in the correct place.

 

[GUNNNN]

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.

I'm just glad I don't have to pick but I live in TN and I guess a 6.5 would be the most logical pick for here but a well placed .22 cal will get the job done and I'd sure hate to give up my 7mms

 

[Kiowa Cowboy]

I would consider two options.

First 30.06 and 25.06. You can use the same components except for the bullets. 25.06 is my favorite caliber so I am biased. I have been hunting with it for 30 years. 2 elk killed with it. No problem. It would not be my first choice for elk and I would not use it over 300 yds or so. Powder and components for 30.06 are abundant and cheap. I like to shoot at critters like coyotes and parie dogs and pigs. I don't like recoil. I like to see where I hit the anima. That is why I use the 25.06. You can spend all day shooting with no problem.
Second 308 and 243. Both are great cartridges. Again they share components except for bullets. Bullet choices are excellent and cheap. People in Canada and Alaska use 308 on moose every year. Both have low recoil. Both have excellent ballistics. They are still excellent despite what people today are saying. So what if you have to turn your scope nob a few more clicks? Big deal! The new cartridges may be great for paper punching. They are not better for hunting applications, just new and different. Again I like shooting so I like cartridges with abundant easy-to-find components and bullet choices. I love the new cartridges and choices, but for now, I am sticking with my oldies but goodies.