All-Purpose Rifle

B

bamiller

New member
I want to obtain one all-purpose rifle/caliber to use on my future bucket list hunts. I live in Ohio where rifle hunting is restrictive for bigger game hunting, namely deer, so I know next to nothing about rifles. I would want something that would do an efficient job at killing deer, wild boar, coyote, elk, moose, bear, antelope, mountain lion. Thanks in advance for any help.
 
I'll start with an odd suggestion. Borrow a reloading manual. They all have one page descriptions of each caliber that is reasonably objective. That said, 7mm-08, .270. 30-06, .308, 7mm Mag are readily available and will all do the job. If you're used to shooting slugs, I will say that the nastiest recoiling firearm I own is a Rem 870. It's worse with heavy slug loads, in perception at least, than my .338 WM. So I'm guessing you won't be buffaloed by recoil. You know you can hunt coyotes here in Ohio with a rifle. Those rounds are not exactly optimum for 'yotes, but you can get some hunting experience here. Rifles, pick one that feels good. There are so many available now. Personal experience with Winchester M70, Remington 700, Ruger M77, and Savage 116 is all good. Enjoy!
 
It is hard to beat a 30-06 or 308 Win as a do it all rifle for North America.

If you handload it is only that much better. Personally the 30-06 gets the nod because it can handle the heavier bullets just a tad better than the 308 Win, but really not enough to make a difference to any animal you listed.

Find a rifle that fits you well, and get used to it. Caliber is much less important than fit and "shootability."

Jimro
 
you got 2 very good responses above... I can't add much... if you pull Moose out of the mix, the sub 30 calibers are all great, & you may even go a bit lighter, maybe soming like .243... but keeping Moose in the mix, I agree with JIMRO... probably the '06

I personally like a good bolt action for hunting, I have several, ranging from Ruger 77's to Remington 700's, & a Winchester model 70, to Browning Stainless Stalkers, but more & more hunters are starting to use semi autos, so that's more a personal preference of the shooter
 
I would take a look at 2 timeless classics, the 6.5x55 SE or the 7x57 Mauser. These are two cartridges that can truly be loaded up and down depending on game. The only problem is that there are very few new rifles in these two calibers (Ruger No. 1 for 7mm Mauser and CZ for 6.5x55 SE).
 
Last edited:
Big fan of the 6.5x55 and 7mm-08 here, absolutely remarkable all around calibers, but if elk is on the menu even I will step up to a 30 caliber. The 30-06 is the real standout for all around CXP2-CXP3 hunting. My smaller calibers certainly can kill elk/moose class game but if you can handle the recoil accurately a 30-06 with 180gr Partitions is good insurance.
 
Another vote for the 30-06. It's ability to handle a wide range of bullet weights and shoot them all well makes it second to none for a one gun shooter.
 
There's not an animal in North America that can't be cleanly killed under almost any hunting circumstance with a 7mm-08.

For North American hunting of everything from woodchucks to bear, you don't need any more than a .22-250 (or .204Ruger), a .243Win and a 7mm-08. If you wanted to, bad enough, the .243 could be left out.
 
30-06, t/c encore...then you can change out the barrels, if you handload the sky is the limit, you can go with 20 vartarg for varimints, 6.5 jdj for deer, and a 338 jdj for grizzly, oh and theres that 22 bench rest, 257 roberts ai, 6 mm rem, 7mm bullberry, .....
 
Thanks for all the replies thus far. I'm liking the sound of that 7mm-08. I don't reload rifle so is store bought ammo readily available? Looked at a Ruger American and seemed like decent quality at a decent price but again I don't know rifles. Thoughts on the American or other suggestions?
 
You really cant beat the old 30-06 for an all around game rifle. That is why most people compare the other cartridges to it. It has been around for a long time and will remain so. Ammunition for it is inexpensive and can be found almost anywhere. If you cant find it on the shelf, its because it is sold out. Simply go to the next shop and you should find a box or two.

Reloading really opens up the possibilities of the cartridge. Factory ammunition for it is usually loaded at the lower pressures, but quite adequate for most hunting applications.
 
7mm-08 ammo is readily available I saw some at Wal-Mart the other day, and ANY decent gun store will have a variety. You can get very inexpensive ammo too through Prvi. Never owned a Ruger American but they have a respectable reputation for a cheap gun. Savage and Tikka both make high quality highly accurate rifles for a reasonable price and I have loads of experience with them. If you ever do start handloading the 7mm-08 can become extremely versatile, you can load 120gr Ballistic Tip at 25-06 speed/trajectory for thin skinned game, 140-150gr makes a solid all around weight for thick bodied deer species, 160-175gr bullets are suitable (though not quite ideal) for our large game to include elk and moose. I have a friend that lives in Alaska and hunts everything with a 7mm-08 and it's old ballistic twin the 7x57.
 
30-06 or .243win. Either one will serve you well and when you cant find ammo for a 7mm-08 you will be able to get it in 30-06 or .243.
 
I don't reload rifle so is store bought ammo readily available?
Click to expand...

The most available of those listed will be the 30-06 or the 308. After that you will find the 270 Remington the next available in stores. The Ruger American from what I can tell has a fine reputation and should be a good choice. I have a personal preference for Savage rifles. But, go with one that you like the most.

Jim
 
AP rifle

Thinking you need to pick caliber first, then a launcher.

Since you list moose, that is a pretty big critter, and I read they can soak up a bullet surprisingly well sometimes. And an elk is a pretty big critter too, not that I've ever shot either, or otherwise get the chance.

But for big critters like that (heck a big bull might go what...1200 lbs plus, Wiki says 1500!!!) I'd want .30 cal, and that means '06 or .308. In the field, the two are almost indistinguishable and performance one v. the other can come down to individual rifles. If I were to assail a moose I'd shoot some type of space bullet at it, one of the mono alloys, or minimally bonded or partitoned Nosler/Swift. If I had to go traditional cup/core, I'd shoot a 180 gr +.

Its all words though, 'cause I sure don't see a moose or elk hunt in my future.

I sure plan to shoot a bunch more whitetails, some hogs (maybe lots, that seems like it could be arranged) . For that a .30 is a bit much but has been getting the job done for years. I like the .308, and I like the scout rifle concept as a GP tool. Ammo is plentiful, the .308 is efficient from shorter tubes, and the short action family might tote a bit easier afoot. I might set one up with the option of scoutscope/dot and a more conventional higher X count scope if I were to wander onto more open country for a hunt, and heaven forbid were limited to one rifle.
 
It comes down to what you are realistically going to hunt & at what distances.
7mm08 is versatile for everything short of Moose or large Elk ( and will even work on those at closer ranges). Beyond that you get into 30-06 territory, the.308 is a good cartridge but is not even close to the 06 with heavier bullets such as 180gr.
 
All the elk and mule deer I have shot in Idaho and Oregon have been with an old Remington 721, the predecessor to the 700, in 30-06. I got most of them with a 150gr Nosler Partition bullet and have not had one get away yet.

I have seen .308 and 7mm along with .25-06 wound deer and elk I helped track for others years ago. The group I went with mostly used the 30-06 but one went to a .300 Weatherby magnum and one like the shorter action with the .308.

I would stick to .30 caliber or higher and 150gr. premium bullet of your choice.

FWIW my three sons hunt also... one with a .308 and the other two with 30-06.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top