Mosinnagant
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270 is able to drop just about every thin in North America.
Best all around hunting rifle?
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RaySendero
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I'd pick a Super Grade M70 Winchester in 270. Since its blued and wood stocked I'd figure out how to take care of it in bad weather.
Something like this:
Something like this:
christcorp
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Depends where you live, and your experiences. I have lived from New Jersey, to Texas, to Georgia, to New Mexico, to California, to Mississippi, and to Wyoming. I've seen the woods of Appalachia and East Texas, to the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and the Tetons. The open spaces of the prairies to the swamps of the gulf coast.
Best all around hunting rifle, would have to be qualified. Best for what. If I was told that forgetting local/state laws, and that I was only going to be allowed one rifle/caliber, but I would be allowed to hunt ANY POSSIBLE ANIMAL in the entire North America; from Florida to Alaska.... The answer would be easy.
7mm Remington Magnum.... With 110 grain bullets, you can shoot varmint, coyote, hogs, javalena, etc... you work you way up to shooting moose with 175 grain bullets. It has the flatness of shooting an Antelope or mountain goat at 400+ yards. There literally is not one animal in all of North America, that a 7mm magnum can't effectively shoot.
If you get into the 300 magnums and higher, then they are overkill for many small animals. If you get into the 270/280 and light power than the 7mm magnum, then you give up on the capability of either real long range or taking a very large animal like a Bull Moose. Some will say that there are better again moose; better brush guns; better antelope prairie guns; better all around calibers like 30-06 or 308. There are a lot of reasons to like all of these guns and calibers. And actually, I own just about all of them. But the question was best ALL AROUND hunting rifle. And if the original poster and others truly want the best ALL AROUND, then that has to include Alaska to Maine to Florida to Kansas to Wyoming etc... That would be the 7mm Remington Magnum. Any of the quality rifles in the caliber would be fine. If a person doesn't want to include certain states or certain animals in their hunt, then they can definitely argue a different caliber. But then, they wouldn't be describing the best "All Around". I love my Marlin and Winchester 30-30 lever actions. Excellent for deer hunting in east texas hill country. But that doesn't fall into the category of All Around. The 7mm magnum definitely does. Nothing too small and nothing too big. Not hunting on this continent.
Best all around hunting rifle, would have to be qualified. Best for what. If I was told that forgetting local/state laws, and that I was only going to be allowed one rifle/caliber, but I would be allowed to hunt ANY POSSIBLE ANIMAL in the entire North America; from Florida to Alaska.... The answer would be easy.
7mm Remington Magnum.... With 110 grain bullets, you can shoot varmint, coyote, hogs, javalena, etc... you work you way up to shooting moose with 175 grain bullets. It has the flatness of shooting an Antelope or mountain goat at 400+ yards. There literally is not one animal in all of North America, that a 7mm magnum can't effectively shoot.
If you get into the 300 magnums and higher, then they are overkill for many small animals. If you get into the 270/280 and light power than the 7mm magnum, then you give up on the capability of either real long range or taking a very large animal like a Bull Moose. Some will say that there are better again moose; better brush guns; better antelope prairie guns; better all around calibers like 30-06 or 308. There are a lot of reasons to like all of these guns and calibers. And actually, I own just about all of them. But the question was best ALL AROUND hunting rifle. And if the original poster and others truly want the best ALL AROUND, then that has to include Alaska to Maine to Florida to Kansas to Wyoming etc... That would be the 7mm Remington Magnum. Any of the quality rifles in the caliber would be fine. If a person doesn't want to include certain states or certain animals in their hunt, then they can definitely argue a different caliber. But then, they wouldn't be describing the best "All Around". I love my Marlin and Winchester 30-30 lever actions. Excellent for deer hunting in east texas hill country. But that doesn't fall into the category of All Around. The 7mm magnum definitely does. Nothing too small and nothing too big. Not hunting on this continent.
It may not be the "perfect" all-around hunting rifle, but I seriously doubt such a creature exists...
However, I do have a rifle that has actually done the tasks described in the OP...
It's a Kimber 84M Classic Select Grade in .260 Remington. Scope is a Redfield Revolution 3-9x40mm. Bullets are 140gr Serria Gamekings @ ~2775fps.
EDIT: It's worth adding that the 6.5x55 Swede (ballistic twin to the .260 Rem) has been used for decades for moose hunting in Europe with great success. I've heard wind of a study done by some wildlife management organization over there that it didn't matter if the moose was shot with a .375H&H, a 6.5x55 Swede, or anything in between; on average, the moose ran about 50 meters and promptly died.
However, I do have a rifle that has actually done the tasks described in the OP...
It's a Kimber 84M Classic Select Grade in .260 Remington. Scope is a Redfield Revolution 3-9x40mm. Bullets are 140gr Serria Gamekings @ ~2775fps.
EDIT: It's worth adding that the 6.5x55 Swede (ballistic twin to the .260 Rem) has been used for decades for moose hunting in Europe with great success. I've heard wind of a study done by some wildlife management organization over there that it didn't matter if the moose was shot with a .375H&H, a 6.5x55 Swede, or anything in between; on average, the moose ran about 50 meters and promptly died.
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I agree with CRISTCROP on caliber selection the 7mm Mag/300 Mag family of cartridges will get the job done.
The .308 is a really bad choice for moose and really not very good for elk either.
The 30/06 is ok as long as you use a proper bullet such as the 180 GR Barnes A-Frame or X-bullet but not a really good choice for moose.
If I could have only one caliber to hunt anything on the continent with out question I would choose the .375 H&H.With proper bullet selection excessive meat destruction is not a problem .If you are a reloader you can load the powder charge down for deer and use a 225 Gr.bullet and load full magnum charges for the big stuff like bears,moose and elk.
If I could have only one rifle it would be a T/C Encore with three barrels chambered in .243 , 7mm Mag , .375 H&H.
The .308 is a really bad choice for moose and really not very good for elk either.
The 30/06 is ok as long as you use a proper bullet such as the 180 GR Barnes A-Frame or X-bullet but not a really good choice for moose.
If I could have only one caliber to hunt anything on the continent with out question I would choose the .375 H&H.With proper bullet selection excessive meat destruction is not a problem .If you are a reloader you can load the powder charge down for deer and use a 225 Gr.bullet and load full magnum charges for the big stuff like bears,moose and elk.
If I could have only one rifle it would be a T/C Encore with three barrels chambered in .243 , 7mm Mag , .375 H&H.
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billnourse
New member
I have always said that if I was ABSOLUTELY limited to one rifle, it would be a 30/06. My favorite scope right now is the 3mm tube VX3 in 4.5x14x40. However, for moose and the big bears, I would really prefer my 338/06.
Bill
Bill
The absolute best all-round cartridge is the 30-06, made even better by handloading. I've loaded 125, 150, 165, and 180 grain bullets from various makers which will take crows/woodchucks, deer, elk, moose, and most bears very nicely.
A Remington 700 is my favorite medium to large game rifle, but being a better than average shot, choose the .270 Win for a bit better long-range trajectory with hot handloads.
I wouldn't go after browns or grizzlies with either caliber, but won't be doing that anyway.
A Remington 700 is my favorite medium to large game rifle, but being a better than average shot, choose the .270 Win for a bit better long-range trajectory with hot handloads.
I wouldn't go after browns or grizzlies with either caliber, but won't be doing that anyway.
Saltydog235
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I'll take my BSA Monarch in 30'06 along with a Ziess 3X9X40mm scope or something similar with a wide range of loads doped for the scope. Heck, I'd roll with that thing on 90+% of the African game too.
Northslope Nimrod
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Browning BAR for the platform. (I like the Rem 700 for a bolt)
I like the 30-06 - will handle anything you need unless you are really going into long range stuff.
For a little more flexibility, (more expensive bullets and more recoil) I would go with the 300 Win Mag.
I prefer 30 caliber rounds over the 7mm's of the world for broad application.
I like the 30-06 - will handle anything you need unless you are really going into long range stuff.
For a little more flexibility, (more expensive bullets and more recoil) I would go with the 300 Win Mag.
I prefer 30 caliber rounds over the 7mm's of the world for broad application.
+1 30-06
we raise bison and have had success harvesting them with a .357 mag to the head untill recently we had one that would not go down (under kill? odd bull with a wild hair crosswise?). I always bring the 30-06 on harvest days but have not had to use it untill this last time. 2 .357 hp's in the head just seemed to make him upset. one shot with the 06 behind the ear dropped him like a lead ballon. I would trust my life to this cartridge and trust me when you raise bison everytime you work with the animals you better trust what gun your carrying.
we raise bison and have had success harvesting them with a .357 mag to the head untill recently we had one that would not go down (under kill? odd bull with a wild hair crosswise?). I always bring the 30-06 on harvest days but have not had to use it untill this last time. 2 .357 hp's in the head just seemed to make him upset. one shot with the 06 behind the ear dropped him like a lead ballon. I would trust my life to this cartridge and trust me when you raise bison everytime you work with the animals you better trust what gun your carrying.
IDAHO83501
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7mm Rem/ 300 Win.
I would flip a coin between my 7mm Rem. mag Sako 75 stainless with a 4-16X50 Pentax, and my Weatherby Vanguard Stainless 300 Winchester Mag. with a Bushnell 3-9X50. Heads or tails either way the right choice would be made for me.
I would flip a coin between my 7mm Rem. mag Sako 75 stainless with a 4-16X50 Pentax, and my Weatherby Vanguard Stainless 300 Winchester Mag. with a Bushnell 3-9X50. Heads or tails either way the right choice would be made for me.
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