# What caliber???



## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Is there such a thing as the perfect caliber gun?? I am thinking of expanding my horizons. I have in the past hunted deer and antelope in ND but only once so I used a borrowed 30-06 for both occassions. I normally deer hunt in MN so that is a slug zone. If you were just getting your first rifle, only to be used in ND for deer, speed goats, and also would like to use the same gun for critters and varmints like fox and yotes, what would you get? Or.... is it impossible to get a caliber for all three. I am a guy that really knows nothing about rifle calibers and have only shot a 30-06. I was very happy with the performance of the gun I used but I wanted some input and when you throws varmints into the occassion I don't believe that that is the right caliber. Thank you for your input.


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

A 25-06 would fit the bill of all of those animals nicely.

Others to consider are the 257 Roberts (a personal favorite) and the 6mm.

I am one that thinks the .243 is a bit light for deer, but maybe the new .243 WSSM would be worth checking out.

Just a few suggestions from my feeble mind.


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## cbass (Sep 9, 2003)

I will go with smalls on the 257 but i might put a mag behind it. Granted a 257 mag is a little to much gun for killing fox or yotes but if you use the right load i don't think it would be a problem shoting them and not leaving to big of a hole. I don't personally own one but know a few people who do and they swear by them.
If you check out the ballistics on it they are pretty unreal. And if you use 115 grain BT you will have plenty of knockdown power for dear at long ranges. I have seen deer go down out to 350 yards with that load and not even wiggle and when you skin them you understand why. They are not a cheap gun to shot ($40+/box of shells)but for its speed and accuracy i would say well worth it. 
Just my 2 pennies worth.
Good Luck to you!


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

This topic made me pull out the reloading manual (Hodgdons, an old one) and check a few specs as it has been a quite a while. With a 30/06 110gr slightly below max load you've got about 3300 fps. This load for deer was popular a long time back. The 06 can be loaded from 100gr to 220gr which is quite a spread, making it pretty versatile. A .243 with a 60gr bullet is in the 3700 fps range- 80gr about 3300 fps.

Interestingly enough I remember reading an old report from Montana Fish and Game that said more elk there are killed with a .243 than anything else. I suppose because so many people have them for deer hunting.


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## unahunt (Jan 10, 2003)

for what your planning on hunting, you would never go wrong on a
25-06. 115gr or 120gr noslers stoked with imr 4350,if you don't reload buy federal preiums, for varmits use 87gr hornady or 85gr noslers stoked
with re 19. honest 300yd rifle, and it really delivers the mail. also the 6mm rem is a good choice. good shooting to you.


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## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

I purchased a 25-06 for exactly the scenario that you are talking about. This was my first year hunting with it, and so far have got 1 coyote, 1 deer, and 1 moose with it.(It's a loooong story.) I was amazed at the bullet performance I got, and happy with the damage level on the mid body crossing shot on the yote. Rolled my doe right over on her back. That bullet is on my desk. Tom


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## Fetch (Mar 1, 2002)

If you want a gun that will kill anything & shells are the least expensive & you can buy them anywhere go with a 30-06 - 308 - or 270

I chose the 270 (in a Rem pump - cause I want to pump everything that kicks) after shooting a 870 for 30 yrs

Brush gun 30-30 (Marlin if you want a scope)

faster but smaller 243 (Had a sweet short Rem Mohawk)

I actually grew up with a old octagon 25-35 Winchester (Killed alot of deer with that)


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Man this subject is like FOrd or Chevy or Dodge. Personally I feel that down range energy loss in the .243 or.6mm and even the 257 Roberts and under just do not retain the knock down or penatration energy that larger deer may need. That is in the non-magnum rounds. Get a ballistics book and start looking at fp of energy at 200 yards and out it is amazing the drop off on many of these rounds.

I will agree that the 25-06 is a very good round and can be used for a variety of things from praire dogs to deer. The 270 win and 30-06 have more bullets choices and weights to chose from and ammunition is readily avalible at place that sells shells.

I talked to a freind that had a 264 and went to MO to deer hunt a few years back. He packed everything but his shells. He missed the first morning of his hunt because he could not find any ammo to use. Closest place was over 2 hours away.


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## Hunterda (Nov 19, 2003)

I like the .280 rem, all the bullet choices of the 7mm, with less kick. Took 2 deer last year ( nice buck and a doe) at 359 yds, dropped in their tracks.


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## TURKEYMON (Jan 2, 2004)

:sniper: 30-06 hands down. Has more different factory loads than any other cal. Remington ammo starts at 55 grain and goes to 220 grain.
The remington accelerator (55 grain sabbot) has a muzzle velocity of 4080 fps.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

The 25-06 that people mentioned is a good caliber. If you want to shoot longer distance and want a better ballistic coefficient consider also the 260 remington. This is a necked down 308 the same as the 7mm-08 and the 243. It is also known as the 6.5mm and bullets of this diameter above 120 grains retain energy very well. In fact the 140 will retain nearly as much energy as the 30-06 at 400 to 500 yards. It isn't as flat as the 25-06, but if you know your range and the holdover required it will beat the 25-06. It is better suited to large game than the 25 caliber. I have heard rumors that Winchester may come out with a 260 WSM. Now there would be a fine long range rifle for deer size, and even elk. I know of a few elk that fell to the 260 remington, but a 260WSM would be comparable to the old 264 magnum, and that shot deer, elk, moose. The 6.5 mm is very popular in Europe, and has killed more moose in the Scandinavian countries than any other caliber. You know the old 6.5 X 55 Swedish.


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## lil_lee_hunter (Nov 28, 2003)

i dont think u can ever go wrong with the 308 or the 30/06 sure it might bang up a pelt a little but it will kill almost evering thing that u would be hunting. plus u can get them loaded for 125 grain bullets. those would be my choices


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## lil_lee_hunter (Nov 28, 2003)

turkymon< the accerater is illegal. the fbi couldnt trace it to a gun.


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## MADTRAPPER (Jan 14, 2004)

I use a 6MM for mule deer and find it works great for the long shots.


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## oldrosey1 (Mar 2, 2004)

madtrapper, what kind of round do ya shoot from the 6mm,


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

Hmmmmmm! Perfect caliber. Now, there's a subject that has never entered anyone's mind. No, there is no perfect caliber. I am a particular fan of 25-06 and in the process of building a custom rifle 25-06 on a mauser, but can't see myself lugging it around the swamps. Another personal favorite is the 358 win, man talk about retained energy within it's range limitations, but can't see shooting it much 250 yds. Bottom line is to look at what you are going to do with it and that will narrow down your choices. Another personal favorite topic of mine is interchangeable barrels. I have a 243 win by H&R, can get 25-06, 223, 45-70, 280 rem or 30-06 barrels for about $100 each. Personally have a bolt 30-30 that shoots real nice, 2 308's, and a new rem 710 in 30-06 (Sweet). But a perfect caliber? Good luck.


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## GregU (Jul 16, 2004)

30-06! As mentioned already, not only is ammo available everywhere in an unequalled variety of projectile choices, there is currently a huge amount of military surplus and foreign manufacture ammo at CHEAP prices, which means you can do a LOT of fun shooting for low $$$. And practice makes proficient, so you will hit your prey. 
Any of the calibers mentioned will probably do what you want if you hit the mark, it'll just cost you more to practice.


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## dlip (May 16, 2004)

here are my picks:
1. 7mm magnum 
2. 300 magnum (numbers 1 and 2 are not in any particular order)
3. 30/06
4. 270
5. 45/70

all of those have enough energy and knockdown power to down just about any big game animal from the praries of africa to the woods of north america, some i would prefer over others


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

I wouldnt trust a 270 on anything in africa


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## dlip (May 16, 2004)

> some i would prefer over others





> I wouldnt trust a 270 on anything in africa


like i said, i would prefer some of those over others, i know that there are deer sized game over there that the 270 would be adequate, but id carry more, because sometimes you come in contact with things you didnt plan on hunting


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## TANATA (Oct 31, 2003)

I would say 30/06 or .280. Both have plenty of power to take down a deer but can be loaded with smaller ammunition also for the critters.


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

Tiger, I'm not a great fan of the 270, myself. I know how popular it is, but I think anything it can do, the 280 can do just a little bit better. But to say you wouldn't trust it on anything in Africa? If you had said you wouldn't trust taking it to Africa because you might run into something too big for it, I'll accept that. But there are deer and antelope in Africa that make our Sitka deer look big. Compromise, Eh?


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