The only thing better than a caliber thread or a poll thread is....

All-purpose hunting caliber

  • .260 Rem

    Votes: 17 12.9%

  • 6.5x55mm

    Votes: 35 26.5%

  • 7mm-08 Rem

    Votes: 49 37.1%

  • .280 Rem

    Votes: 31 23.5%
  • Total voters
    132
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7mm-08.
I do not own one, however a friend owns one as his only center-fire rifle and he has never had anything 'run away'.
Shooting it is easy - no recoil - less powder for the reload - why not be normal.
 
I'd prefer a .30-06 for an all around North America or even light African rifle but if that wasn't available I'd try a 6.5x55, I've never used it but I've heard good things.
 
I love the Swedish Mauser round. I have seen tests done with 140 grain fmj vs a .30-06 165 gr fmj... and the Swedish Mauser round went through double sand bags when the '06 did not. Thinner cross section did the trick. Highly accurate, and handloads can be made that will shoot very "flat" compared to the .308 out to 1000 yards. It's a good poor-man's 1000 yard round.

LD
 
Dr. Tad,

I'd go with choices 1 or 2. I'd say that probably the .280 is the best choice as its a little bit better choice for elk, but all are great deer cartridges. But why, may I ask, can't you have them all? Those are nice rifles, I wouldn't get rid of them. Someday, I'd like to own a 6.5x55 and a .260, and a .280. I already have a 7mm-08 (two actually, ones a model 7 youth) and a 30-06, so I really don't need them.

Also, before hunting season starts, I have seen ammo in all the calibers you have listed at Walmart.
 
I have a stainless/synthetic stocked Rem 700 in 260 Rem. for deer hunting up here in the soggy Northeast. It's a tack driver and will readily dispatch a whitetail out to 300 yards. Not that I can ever see anywhere near that far in the woods.

I did not vote because I wouldn't call the 260 Rem or any of the other listed calibers an all purpose round. You need something heavier for elk or moose. I would say you need a .30-06 at a minimum to be "all purpose."
 
These are all great caliber but only one was deemed accurate enough for Olympic competition, the 6.5X55!

I have hunted with it for over 30 years and could not be happier!
 
Okay, okay, these are 'cartridges', not 'calibers' - got it; you knew what I meant! :)

Man I wish that the magazine on the Rem 700 Mountain DM had a "halfway in" notch. I'm leaning toward this one in .280 Rem. The Win 70 featherweight (pristine/like new) in 7mm-08 is in fact up for sale in a sale thread of mine right now - haven't bumped it in several days, but it's in there. It's a great candidate, but I think I like the Rem 700 Mountain in .280 as the best all-around choice of both caliber and rifle features. Fairly lightweight, good recoil pad, nice looking, 22" bbl, all-around caliber, Rem quality (some would argue that's a bad thing) & accuracy, and detachable mag keeps you legal but ready when vehicle carrying.

The 550 FS is a dark horse, since I don't actually own it yet, and I *want* it to be my choice, as it's the classiest, but it's a bit on the heavy side, and I dunno if the short 20" bbl can wring out of the 6.5x55 any more than you could get from a 20" .260 rem.

I should mention that I do also have a .30-06 but it's a beautiful NIB T/C Icon Classic, but I want to keep it pristine and unused for the foreseeable future, for some unknown gawd-forsaken reason. Just cannot bear to hunt with this beeyoot.
 
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I think you'd be hard pressed to find any practical difference between these cartridges within 300 yards on any type of game, provided you chose a good hunting bullet. I voted .260 because it's a great all-around cartridge and the 6.5's have been proven on big game in Europe for 100 years. However, if you already have a .243, there would be some overlap. In that light, the 7-08 might be a better choice to have more complementary than overlapping rifles.

In the .30-06 case, the .280 Remington is a great choice, but you could go .284 Winchester (ie, the .284 of 6.5-284 fame) for an alternative.
 
I have a 280 and a 7mm-08. The 7mm has a Hart 26" barrel and will make anyone look good. My 308 will be turned into a 260 this winter. The 7mm started out life as a 243.

Over lap is good.
 
Don't care about those. I perfer my ammo to be on the shelves.
Click to expand...
Funny you mention that...all of the shelves around here have .25-06, 7mm-08, .257 Roberts, et cetera...but no .223/5.56, .308, 9mm, and .45...12Ga. is still readily available OTOH. :)
 
7mm-08 I have personal experience with and love it.

The 6.5x55 is probably the most under rated cartridge out there for big game.
 
I voted 6.5x55. Never even seen one but I just think it would be cool to have a round that not every one in deer camp has. And the guys who hunt with it seem to like it. That and it would make a sweet coyote rifle for the times when I don't want to pack an 11 pound AR.
 
Well pretty clearly, I'm a maverick who likes to be different, and doesn't mind reloading or paying the extra for ammo. I also like the SDs and BCs of both the 6.5 and 7.0mm rounds, and the massive choices of the 7mm bullets. If the Rem 700 Mountian DM in .280 I ended up with will shoot under 1.0-1.25 MOA without too much effort, then I'm sticking with that gun. It's lightweight, nice to look at, nice recoil pad, and has a scope I like on it already. Thanks all very much. The Win Featherweight with Leupold VX-2 3-9x40 is up for sale. It's a like new / pristine one - check the classifieds if you want this one in 7mm-08.
 
Someone already said it, but if you want all around performance in a light package, get the 280 in a Rem700 Mountain Rifle. Mine is an older model with the drop plate. I just spent some time loading up some rounds this evening for it. Some elk loads to try out, some deer loads that have proven themselves several time over on big Alberta Mulies, and a lighter varmint round. If that isn't versatile and all around, I don't know what is! My gun weighs 7.4 lbs empty wearing a leupold vx-II 3-9x40. Nice and light! The only thing is that you must take time to let the barrell cool at the range. The slim contour barrell heats up quick!
 
Yeah, I notice that that is ONE lightweight pencil barrel on my 700 Mountain DM, so I'd imagine some cooling time is in order. Set up a rimfire on the next bench and shoot 10 or 20 rimfires between each centerfire shot when sighting/testing. I have to agree, it's one super-versatile combo! 139/140s for deer, and 160/162/175s for big big game. More versatile on the low end than .30-06 and MUCH more versatile on the high end than .270 win.

Going to the range this Saturday (finally!) for some testing....

Hey what was your Alberta mulie load? Thanks.
 
Well, I voted 7mm-08 because the .260 Rem is too close to the .243 you already have and really know about the other two rounds. I always see the 7mm-08 on the shelves when my cartridges are sold out, so I figured at least you would always have bullets. I see you decided to sell the one of my choice, so my vote didn't count anyway.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Mikey!
 
Just get the 6.5 x 55 and be done with it, sooner or later you end up with one anyway. :D If you want a light weight one get it in a Tikka T3 if you want a well made good looking classic style get the CZ.

I bought a Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08 years ago. It a good lightweight rifle but it mostly sits in the safe. Just doesn't seem to do much for me compared to pulling out a good old 6.5 x 55.
 
We ARE talking about guns here, right?
Click to expand...

There are guns...and then, there are guns...! The latter often considered a mere 'tool'...if you will...!

You should see some of the battle axes that come through the door....man, I think some guys use their guns for jack handles...or wheel chocks.

I'm just as guilty... I have pieces that when I have them in the wood, I cringe every time a limb slaps it... then there are the working meatzeeblastins I own... used when the going may be, or might happen to, or could get nasty! hhehehe
 
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