Best Hunting Caliber

Really isn't enough info to make a judgement on what is best. Terrain, climate, amount of time hunting each type/size of animal, etc. I've never been able to fall in love with the .243 even though I've tried and I'm sure he'd be just fine with it. ME? I'll stick with the short action .25's and 6.5's. I don't want or need anything bigger and I worry about smaller on game over 100 lbs. Hares = rimfires unless you have monsters.

LK
 
I agree with the .308 or 30-06, even if there is a bit over kill on the varmints. To bad you could not get a bigger caliber for those needs, and then a varmint set up. But I know how the money is, things you would like just cost so much. I myself like the 06, but the .308 is a great caliber also I dont think you would go wrong with either one.
 
I'd say the .260 or 6.5x55 would be perfect. For a bit more 'power' go for a .25-06, and if more is wanted, go for a .270. But if I were hunting the game you mention, I'd get a .260. LIght bullets for the small game, and get a 140 gr for the hogs. Low recoil, and plenty enough power. The 6.5x55 would do the same thing, but there may be less ammo available.
 
M24 savage

Just to be different

A savage M24 in 30/30 and 20 gauge.

With the new Leverlution bullet the 30/30 can reach out to 300 yards and the the 20 gauge can handle the small game.
 
You're not going to find one cartridge that is suitable for hogs, coyotes, and rabbits. No such creature exists (except the 12ga shotgun, but it really limits a lot of your options).

Rabbits: .22 Long Rifle
Coyotes, Hogs, Deer, etc.: The .243 Win you mentioned will work nicely, as will the 7mm-08 Rem, and .308 Win. All depends on what you want.
 
There isn't an ideal caliber that is suited for both hares and boar.
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"Don't let *ideal* be the enemy of *good enough*."

A .243, 6mm, .257, .25-06, .260, .270, .280, 7x57, .308, or 30-06, properly handloaded for, would do either, and anything in between, very well. Some of those would be better at some things than others, but with proper loads (16 grains of SR4759 behind a 100 gr FMJ bullet in 30-06 would pot a rabbit rabbit just fine), most ballistic problems in hunting can be solved with one modern bolt action rifle in any of the above calibers. There are others that would work, too.

That said, if I were to buy a new rifle today, it'd be a .280 Remington. Tomorrow it might be a .260 Remington .....
 
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As for recoil, it is mostly subjective: One guy can think a gun really kicks, another guy won't be bothered by the same load in the same gun. If you think it will kick you, it will. 90% of it is how you feel about it. I dont even remember the gun kicking when I shoot deer...... I know it does, because I momentarily lose sight of the animal in the scope, and it is the same 150 grains of the same SGK bullet leaving the same rifle at the same 2900f/sec that whacks my shoulder when I sight the rifle in..... but I have other things occupying my attention.

I have shot hundreds of rounds of .270 Win (90, 100, and 110 gr @ 3000 f/sec) at prairie dogs in a single day ..... yeah, my shoulder was sore, but not until the shooting was done......
 
Of the two cartridges you mention, I'd personally opt for the .243 Win--given your application. However, were I to select only one rifle for all purposes, I'd have to give the nod to the the '06. But the .243 is a great intermediate round, not too big for varmints, but also big enough (with a good, controlled expansion bullet) for medium/large game.
 
ammo costs

If you plan on doing any volume shooting the 308, thanks to the military, is a lot cheaper than most the other calibers mentioned.
 
Really you need two calibers otherwise a 270 win

My first response was jokingly a M24 Savage, but after some thought a better answer came to mind.

If money was the driving issue and I could only have ONE rifle for North America I would break Elmer Keith's heart and go with Jack 270 OConner.
The rifle would be in a Savage 110 with a new Redfield 3X9

A 270 win with a good 130grn bullet will cleanly kill Coyotes to Elk without beat you up in the shoulder or the wallet.:)

That said I still believe....

Good rifles though not cheap they are affordable enough to have more than one. Figuring that most shooters/hunter have a 22Lr rifle and a shotgun already then what two rifle cartridge?

Big and small game? Long range and short range? Where you really hunt versus were you dream of hunting. Answer these question and the you will figure out what rifles you want/need

For me in Wyoming it is a 257 Weatherby and a 338 win mag

If I was back in Mississippi a 260 Remington and a 35 Remington


There is not perfect answer just some that may be a little better
 
Hogs and Varmints....

First thing that comes to mind is .243 Winchester.
It's plenty of gun, if you select the right bullet.

... And the .243 has factory ammo perfectly suited to both of your intended purposes, where many other cartridges require handloads to accomplish one of the duties.

My go-to rifle is a .270 Winchester, which is also my best jack-of-all-trades rifle. It'll do everything from small game, to varmints, to big game, to large big game; from short range, to long range. But.... I have to hand load for many of those applications. The factory ammo just doesn't exist, or is traveling at a velocity I don't like.

I will say; a 3,500 fps 100 gr Speer "Bucket Mouth" Hollow Point impacting prairie dogs, out of the .270 Winchester, is one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen. The only thing that beats it in Red Mist factor, is a 40 gr HP out of a .220 Swift. The .243 does fantastically well, but the high velocity .270 Win 100gr load is breath taking.
 
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+1 for the 25-06, but of the two you are thinking of i would say the .308. If i could only keep one rifle for protection and to feed my self with it would be the .308win.
 
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