One Caliber Fits All

[Bitswap]

Hello everone,

I started a thread a few weeks ago on 'How many calibers' to take game from rabbits to grizzlies and the responses were fantastic!

Now I'm going to up the ante and restrict this to one caliber, but the game now is between rabbits and deer.

The question now is: If you could choose only one caliber (including shotgun) for these game, still having a fair amount of meat left, what would it be? Consider the shooter to be advanced-intermediate capable of 2" groups at 150 yards.

I look forward to the results.

Thanks,
Bit

 

[Picknlittle]

I'll stand by my first answer. .35 Whelen. Load some light loads with 158 gr pistol bullets for bunny boppers and other small game and still handle everything from deer to elk and bear with 200 through 250 gr. loads.

Good all around caliber.

 

[krimmie]

Now I'm going to up the ante and restrict this to one caliber, but the game now is between rabbits and deer.

I would go with a .12 gauge shotgun given your parameters. You could buy a Mossberg 930 autoloader in 3", plus an extra slug barrel for under $600. Now you'd be able to take game from rabbit to dear AND include waterfowl and other flying yummies.

 

[stormspotter]

223/5.56

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The .30-06 or .35 Whelen (although mine is a .35 Brown-Whelen) with a Hammond Gamegetter. The latter is a cartridge case with an off-center "flash hole" which is really a chamber for a .22. You insert a nail-setting blank in that chamber and a sized buckshot in the case mouth (sizer included) and it makes a very nice small game cartridge.

 

[Alphazulu6]

Only one firearm that I know of can "realistically" take everything from a pigeon to a brown bear.... and POSSIBLY bigger if you can get the right slugs.

12 gauge shotgun.

 

[Clipper]

I would say you'd be safe with a .243, even though I personally would use a .257 Roberts...

 

[Nolo]

I'm gonna third the 12 gauge. There's nothing you can't do with a shotgun in this caliber with a 3 1/2 inch chamber. I loves me some 12 Gauge. Heck, I could see somebody (myself?) saboting a .223 projectile in a 12 gauge shell and getting the same performance as a 5.56mm. You're all welcome to try.
EDIT: If I'm gonna be shipped off to an alien planet and can only choose one weapon and one only, it'd be a 12 gauge shotgun. A Browning BPS with an 8-round magazine (and deer sights) to be specific. An extra barrel (rifled) would be nice, too.

 

[JesseL]

I'd say the most practical option for someone who wants to use factory ammo would be a 12- or 20-gauge shotgun, especially if you include a rifled slug barrel.

 

[Mr White]

.243

55 gr for rabbits and varmits
75 gr for coyotes
100 gr for deer

 

[koja48]

Gotta go with the 12 gauge.

 

[JimmerJammerMrK]

Now I'm going to up the ante and restrict this to one caliber, but the game now is between rabbits and deer.

I'd say .243 or .270, depending on where you'll be hunting.

 

[pmbiker]

.223/5.56

 

[GunTech]

12 gauge with interchangable chokes incluing a rifles one will definitely do everything. That being said, I don't hunt birds so a 308 or 30-06 would be my choice for a one gun, do everything rifle. with bullets from 110-240 gn and handloads, I believe you could cover anything. You can even get 22 caliber sabots and shoot 22 bullets if you wanted.

 

[browningguy]

I think there is already about 7,263 threads with the same subject. Who cares, just get 8-10 different calibers then you can be reasonably well covered.

 

[JesseL]

I'm curious how some of you folks are gonna use a .223/.243/.257/.270 on a rabbit and expect to have much edible meat left?

Are you counting on strictly head shots, or are you loading low-velocity cast bullet rounds?

 

[Clipper]

Unless you're in the habit of taking your rabbits from 300 yards, where else BUT the head are you shooting 'em with a centerfire???

 

[Strongbad]

I'm curious how some of you folks are gonna use a .223/.243/.257/.270 on a rabbit and expect to have much edible meat left?

Are you counting on strictly head shots, or are you loading low-velocity cast bullet rounds?

A: Solids (or even FMJ).

Put me down for the 243 as well.

 

[JesseL]

Unless you're in the habit of taking your rabbits from 300 yards, where else BUT the head are you shooting 'em with a centerfire???

They must hold still more for you than they do for me.

 

[mavracer]

while I dont think its the best choice (that would be a 243 or 250/3000 or the like) but I have used my marlin 1894 cowboy .357 for rabbits and dear with good success and its a joy to carry/shoot. anything from mouse fart 158 lead RNFP at 750fps to 180 hornaday xtps at 1800fps

 

[martinc64]

Well, you did not say "What is the best calibre" and there probably isn't a "best calibre" you just asked what I would choose.

I would choose a .243

 

[GunTech]

I don't see why you couldn't use 243 FMJ, or even hard cast lead bullets, loaded to very low velocity. Should keep meat damage down to a minimum (albeit probably not ideal)

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Slightly Different Perspective

Clearly I don't spend enough time over here in rifles.

I'm going with a .357 carbine.

Mine's a Marlin 1894C.

You can load down a .38 if you're worried about too much punch. I'm not sure which slug works best for rabbit, but I'm guessing something in JHP for headshot, FMJ for anything else.

You can load up a .357 for deer.

Actually, since the standard factory load on hard-cast lead will knock down a bison (from a revolver), there's probably little need to "load up" for deer.

I'm guessing that little "cowboy" gun could cover a whole range of game and git 'er done.

Remarks?

 

[22LongRifle]

The gauge that I've been using all of my life, 22lr!

A close second and legal 20 gauge!

22lr

 

[rangerruck]

easy, anything, in 6mm remington. much longer bbl life, more accurate than a 243, super fast 2to300 fps faster than a 243. hand load bullets down to frangible 55 grains for small stuff, and a nice fat factory loaded remington 100 grains power soft points, will drop a deer , like it was struck by lightening.

now that being said, if you can find an old, or a modern(european) rifle made for the Savage Hi-power, then this would clearly be the one. it is a 5.7 x 52 , cartridge, that is typically 70 or 75 grain bullets, loaded at about 32 to 3400fps.


Heck, this should have been the round our military was using, for the past 100 years.
short action, fast, flat shooting, mild recoil.