new all around rifle

[steelheader14]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum. I'm looking in to purchasing a new hunting rifle. I currently own a remington 700 in .243 and an older remington model 788 in .308. Both are great rifles but I would like to get another. I've been looking at the 300 win mags and 338 win mags. Does anyone out there have any advise as to which is a better caliber. I mostly hunt for deer and coyotes. But I want to be able to hunt bear and elk and, if the opportunity arrises, moose and bighorn sheep. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!!

[Dan Jackson]

My choice for all around rifle would be the Rem in a 30-06 - I'm sure most of it's personal preference though. The 30-06 can be used on larger game animals though.

[Shadow]

I agree with Dan. the .30-06 is the most versitle round there is, and I am not an aught 6 fan. When I am picking a rifle I always ask myself a few questions.
1. What will the rifle be used for the majority of the time?
2. How often will it be employeed on other game?
3. What is the most practical caliber?
4. How far will my average shot be?
5. How much recoil am I willing to deal with?

Ok, from what I know about your situation, the .300 would probably be the best choice. If you were dead set between the .300 mag and the .338 mag. While he .338 is the best choice for elk and bear, it is a little much for deer, not to mention coyotes. The .300 will also be kinder on the shoulder. You can get 150 or 165 grain bullets to deer hunt with with the .300 and 220 grainers for the biggers stuff. With the .338 you will be stuck shooting heavy bullets. The .300 will also have more range, or at least be flatter shooting at practical ranges. I would use the .243 on coyotes, and leave the heavy artillery at home if I was hunting them exclusively. I shoot a few each year deer hunting with a 7 Mag, and there isn't much of a chest cavity left after a shot. The .30-06 will do exactly what you asked, be kinder on the pocket book, shoulder, and ammo is real easy to find. Of the two calibers you mentioned, my vote goes for the .300. The .338 is starting to get into the exclusive big game (elk size and larger) territory in my opinion.

[steelheader14]

Hey,

thanks for the input guys I really appreciate it.

[JimHewitt]

Just one other consideration -- if you find yourself flinching from the mag, you'd be better off with a .22 than with a rifle you can't hit anything with.

Sounds like elk are the one thing that makes the big difference here, unless you're talking brown/grizzly bears instead of blacks. I'd be willing to bet more elk have been taken with 30.06 than with any other caliber. You can even get those small caliber accelerator rounds for coyote and other varmints if you're interested.

[JimHewitt]

On the other hand, I notice now that I re-read your post that you "want to get another rifle."

That's justification for buying anything (unless you talk to my wife, but that's another story). Heck, buy yourself a .416 Rigby and use the .308 on elk and have a bearer carry the elephant gun just in case a wooly mammoth comes out of a glacier and runs over your ridgetop.

Even though you're not supposed to use a rifle for waterfowl hunting, it would be good to have that Rigby in case a pterodactyl escapes from the next Jurassic Park movie set, too. With everybody going to magnum size decoys, one is never quite sure just what might get attracted.

Hey, have fun with whatever you get! My guess is that you'll get advice anywhere from you don't need anything more than a .243 for elk and a .270 for grizzlies up to you need that .416 Rigby backed up by a .454 Casull handgun for prairie dogs!

[YoungOne]

Hunter 14,

I would have to say I think the rem. 30-06 is a good all around gun. The groomsmen from my wedding all went in together and surprised my with a new Rem. model 700 30-06, the mountain rifle style. I just got it sighted in and she works like a charm. I have been a 30-06 man the whole time I have been hunting, and only twice have I had an animal run off after shooting it. 99% of the time the drop where they are. The only other gun I would look at if I were you would be a Rem. Model 700 7mm mag. You get more that enough for whitetails and plenty of gun for anything else you hunt. Hope it helped.

Youngone

[willettm]

Two cents worth for free. Looks like the other guys have it all figured out, they are hard to argue with. I'm a .270 and .338 guy but I'm not Jack O'Connor and wouldn't argue against the -06 as an all around. I have used the .338 on elk and bear and little else. I could easilly have killed bear with my .270 (black) but wouldn't carry it on an elk hunt. It's been many years since I "needed" a new gun but I always "want" one, and it sounds to me like you could use what I want now. If I were you I'd look at that .300 mag in the new WSM short action version or even the new Remington short action 7MM mag or .300. Bolt throw lengths would be the same or similar on all of your rifles. Ballistic differences between the short action mags and the traditionals are insignificant. Shoot straight with whatever you end up with and enjoy it. :D

[EricB]

I love my 270 for deer, sheep, antelope, etc. But if I were in th market for a newall-around gun, I would have to seriously consider the new 300 WSM. It has the ballistics of a 300 win mag in a short action. This would be especially good for elk and large black bears and even moose under the right conditions with a 180 Nosler Partition.