Two Hunting Rifles - Which Calibers?

Status
Not open for further replies.
My two choices, for North America only:

.223 or 22-250

and

.300 Win Mag or 9.3x62

That is assuming that a .22LR isn't included in your hunting rifle count, nor shotguns. I love the .22 for plinking and small game like rabbits and squirrels. If it was considered one of my choices then I'd have to say the .22LR and a .300 Win Mag or 9.3x62.

I'd rather have too much gun than not enough. The deciding factor for me will be where and what I plan to hunt mostly as my largest game animal. If I could have three guns I'd throw a .308 or 30-06 in to the selection.

BikerRN
 
Last edited:
Choices

I think that the ORIGINAL choices of the .223 and 30-06 are very good. Ammo availabilty for both is excellent and priced right.
I would prefer something with a little more range than a .22 for Yotes and the '06 can be handloaded to take the biggest moose or bear..

P.R.
 
I survived for 25 years with one rifle, a bolt action Rem 700 in .25-06. Good for just about anything you'd want to hunt in the US. Light bullets for varmint hunting and heavy bullets for game up to Elk.

After 25 years I added one more, a .300 Mag which allows me to hunt even larger game.

I'm kind of a believer in what Roy Weatherby suggested with owning .257 and .30 cal, great versatility. But this won't cover everything. Hunt in brushy country and you'd want a .30-30 or something else. That's why the safe now has a few more rifles now.
 
The .223 is certainly an acceptable varminting cartridge, but I would probably pick the .220 Swift or .22-250 as they are both arguably supperior in the long-range varminting role. The main "advantage" of the .223 is inexpensive ammo, but the sort of ammo that can usually be found at bargain prices is seldom the best choice for long-range varminting. Once you jump into premium ammo, the cost difference becomes less of an issue.

For the second choice, unless you honestly forsee going hunting for big, costal Brown Bears or Polar Bears, I don't think you could go wrong with the .30-06. Even for the largest and most dangerous NA big the .30-06 has certainly been used successfully in the past, although I would probably be a bit more comfortable with something bigger like the .338 Winchester Magnum. This round is really overkill for deer, antelope and sheep, though, unless you handload.

Just my my 2¢
 
I'm one of those who likes a little more than regular dead. When I sold all my guns, all I kept was a .358 Norma Mag and .264 Win Mag for all my hunting. I've since sold that particular .358, and have done all my hunting with a .264 (elk, deer, antelope) for the past couple of years. But I will build another .358 Norma.
 
I currently only have 2 hunting rifles, not including 22LR or shotguns.

I chose 260 Remington and 45-70.

The 260 for deer at range, and the 45-70 Guide Gun for hogs in brush. Debating a 300 WSM to fit in between the two, and either a 223 or 204 Ruger for varmints.
 
Id go 30 06 (or maybe 308 since I am tooled up for that already) and 22 lr. Kill the big stuff and the little stuff (and not splat them lol) AND plenty of practice.
 
I'd go with a .270 win 100gr. varmint, 130 gr. whitetails and 150gr. for the big stuff. If you prefer how 'bout an 8mm Rem Mag for CXP3 game.
 
I have been hunting for well over 45 years. I started with a Savage 110 in 30-06 and now have a 2nd rifle a Tikka T3 lite in 30-06. Biggest deer I dropped at about 85 to 100 yds approximately weighed 224 lbs dressed. It was a 12 pointer using 125 grain remington core-lokt. Have used this grain on coyote and mountain lions with exceptional accuracy past 225 to 250 yards. But I can consistantly hit milk jugs at 300 yards.

For elk I normally use 165 gr or 180 gr with great success but prefer 165 grain, less recoil.

My two choices would be a 22 long rifle and a 30-06.
 
A 30-06 and another 30-06 as backup just in case first one fails.
 
I've GOT to have a .22. That's just a must have for small game. My .308 will do everythign else, though I'm not selling off my other calibers. Recently, i've become enamored with a .50 caliber powered by 70 grains of 3F 777. :D I've also got a couple of Hawken rifles, this particular one, though, being a CVA inline with a scope.
 
Not a thing wrong with the .223 and the 30.06. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Lots of calibers and opinions, but those two calibers will do the job. Will other calibers be better or worse? You betcha, but always remember there will always be some different whiz banger that will do better, but at what cost? How much better would it be? Would the animal know any difference? Not a thing wrong with having a huge selection of guns and calibers. Sometimes it just makes it harder to decide what new toy we want to buy. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t want to try some different rifle or caliber, but in the end I must come to my senses and say what I already have will do the job. :)
 
Quote:
the .338 Winchester Magnum. This round is really overkill for deer, antelope and sheep, though, unless you handload.

yeah,but for some hunters regular dead just aint good enough.
Click to expand...

Some of us don't like the "overkill" on BOTH ends!

DM
 
Once again, even though the OP specifies bolt actions,
the subject line does not: "Two Hunting Rifles - Which Calibers?"

Refrain.

.22
.30-30
 
.30-06 and a .223, in bolt actions, I agree. The .22 or .17 or .22 Mag I'd have in a single shot handi-rifle for the lil stuff and for just plinking.

Maybe just the '06 in a bolt gun, a handi-rifle single shot, and use the remaining money for the other rifle on nice optics, or a reloading setup to get the most out of the '06.


LD
 
With a .22LR as a given...

1) 223 - you can use FMJs on small game to avoid mangling the carcass, and an assortment of controlled expansion pills on small deer. I WOULD recommend a 22-250 based on paper stats, but the sad fact is that most of them just don't have a fast enough twist to make them useful as a general purpose rifle. If you cant stabilize a 55 - 62 grain bullet properly, then the vast majority of 22 caliber bullet options are lost to you. The 223 does this very well.

2) 6.5 Swede / 257 Roberts / 30-40 Krag - All three of these sit in that wonderful rifle "sweet spot" where you have plenty of power for most tasks, but still maintain moderate recoil and muzzle blast. None of them are particularly over bored or under bored, and they are all very efficient.
 
The 260 for deer at range, and the 45-70 Guide Gun for hogs in brush
Click to expand...

The notion that any caliber is a better "brush bucker" is pure bovine excretion. No bullet, I don't care what caliber, well, short of a 105 maybe and the blast radius helps that one out, can "buck brush". A twig will destabilize a .45-70 OR a .260 OR a .30-30 or whatever enough that you ain't gonna hit squat after it hits the twig. If you do, it's pure luck, or the deer is 2 feet behind the twig. :rolleyes: You may like .45-70, but the .260 with the proper bullet will do ANYthing the .45-70 will do up to and including elk and do it at longer range. Brush? Either is about the same deal, but the main thing is to have the gun accurate so that you can shoot between the twigs.

I just sorta get tired of this "brush bucking" myth. Yes, it's a myth.
 
Quote:
The 260 for deer at range, and the 45-70 Guide Gun for hogs in brush

The notion that any caliber is a better "brush bucker" is pure bovine excretion. No bullet, I don't care what caliber, well, short of a 105 maybe and the blast radius helps that one out, can "buck brush". A twig will destabilize a .45-70 OR a .260 OR a .30-30 or whatever enough that you ain't gonna hit squat after it hits the twig. If you do, it's pure luck, or the deer is 2 feet behind the twig. You may like .45-70, but the .260 with the proper bullet will do ANYthing the .45-70 will do up to and including elk and do it at longer range. Brush? Either is about the same deal, but the main thing is to have the gun accurate so that you can shoot between the twigs.

I just sorta get tired of this "brush bucking" myth. Yes, it's a myth.
__________________
Click to expand...

FWIW I interpreted him saying that the 45-70 Guide Gun is a good choice for hunting in thick brush for hogs. Light weight, short easy to maneuver in tight areas. Really didn't get "Brush Bucking" bullet performance tilt from his posting...
 
I would forget about the .223 in favor of a good .22LR. Everyone needs a .22LR of some kind in thier battery. With the .22LR and 30-06 you will have all the bases covered.

My two most used rifles by far are my Marlin 30-30 and .22LR. With today's economy the way it is both cartridges make very good sense as they are very cost effective game cartridges. The .22LR is great for staying proficient in the off season and as we all know is a great small game/pest getter as well. Even in todays game fields where the deer are modified with kevlar hides the ol' .30-30 still gets it done.

It will even work on bigger things too as can be seen here. I guess he didn't get the memo that a 160gr bullet from a .30-30 is supposed to bounce off of his thick tough kevlar hide either. Or maybe he fell over dead from laughter at being hunted with such a antiquated cartridge. http://www.hornady.com/team-hornady/scrapbook/2010-hunting-pat
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

L
  • Locked
Walking Varmit/Hunting rifle
2
Replies
44
Views
2K
skinewmexico
S
S
  • Locked
why do I drive myself crazy wanting several more hunting rifles
2
Replies
33
Views
1K
Sheepdog1968
S
H&Hhunter
  • Locked
Updated caliber and FPE regulations for hunting African countries.
Replies
15
Views
41K
Lnf Crzr
L
L
  • Locked
Small game calibers
Replies
22
Views
2K
kennyboy
K
357smallbore
  • Locked
2 calibers than cover 90% of hunting situations
2 3 4
Replies
97
Views
5K
sarduy
sarduy
Back
Top