favorite all-purpose rifle/caliber?

7x57 is fun to load for.

Light varmint bullets up to heavy bonded bullets. for the larger critters.

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk 2
 
I remember reading Outdoor Life back in the day and Jack O'Conner seemed to take everything, even in Africa, with a .270. I also read about guys taking prairie dogs with .270 loaded with 90 gr. bullets. I have no experience but it seems like .270 would be an all-around caliber.
 
Given what you already have, I would lean toward either a lever gun in 30-30, or a bolt gun in either 7mm-08 or 260 Rem.

I personally think 7mm-08 is the ideal general purpose big game cartridge for North America. You can take deer size game out to the range limits of what any sane hunter would attempt (400+ yards), and big bull elk out to 200 yards.
 
Location is everything and good all purpose rifles change with location. I can tell you I really really try to like the .30-30 but every one I get goes down the road. While there is not much it can't get done and you "think" your shots will be 200 yards or less I've found that it just doesn't have the range I need. Same can be said for the .357 and .44 rifle/carbines.

A few years ago I decided to consolidate my guns and settled on the .243 for my location and hunting whims. 90% of my centerfire hunting is predator and varmint in open farm ground with 10% saved for bigger game if I choose. Put me out west and the .260 and 7mm-08 make a more sense and move me to a more wooded area in the east and the .30-30 regains some charm.

Still, there's not much if anything I'm gonna do ANYWHERE that a .243 won't get the job done to ranges as far as I should be shooting and I'll take it 10 fold over a .30-30.

LK
 
Location is everything and good all purpose rifles change with location. I can tell you I really really try to like the .30-30 but every one I get goes down the road. While there is not much it can't get done and you "think" your shots will be 200 yards or less I've found that it just doesn't have the range I need. Same can be said for the .357 and .44 rifle/carbines.

A few years ago I decided to consolidate my guns and settled on the .243 for my location and hunting whims. 90% of my centerfire hunting is predator and varmint in open farm ground with 10% saved for bigger game if I choose. Put me out west and the .260 and 7mm-08 make a more sense and move me to a more wooded area in the east and the .30-30 regains some charm.

Still, there's not much if anything I'm gonna do ANYWHERE that a .243 won't get the job done to ranges as far as I should be shooting and I'll take it 10 fold over a .30-30.
Click to expand...


Well said. I love my .243 Win but my real affinity is for the 7mm08 these days.
 
Really any caliber from .243 up to .30-06 will work as a general purpose round.
It's probably a better idea to look for a general purpose rifle. Imho start with a gun light enough to take on a long hike.
Savage has an ultra light 110 that weighs in at 5 1/2 pounds. That's where I'd start.
 
.308 bolt, carbine

You start talking GP rifle and you have to mention the scout rifle concept. The classic scout is .308 cal and comparitively light and portable.

Ruger's latest, and the Savage scout are factory examples. If the forward mounted "scout scope" doesn't trip your trigger, something like a Rem model 7 and a conventionally mounted compact scope, say 2-7x, is another candidate.

The .30-30 levers are portable and have just about sufficient power to qualify as well. These days I would have to put a scope on one to shoot it as well as I would like.

For GP, the .243 is a tad light, and the varmint .22 centerfires as well.
Anything bigger than .308 is likely too big. My thoughts anyhow.
 
.308 would be great, but how about the .358, no one ever mentions this caliber. you can get a blr lever action, and if you reload you can tailor the round to what you want. a great woods 75-150 yd cal. and great for med game with the extra umph for even larger game. forget the light/small caliber.
 
6.5x55 Swede. Half-way between .223 and .308, plus will take down most anything normal people hunt without all the recoil. Gives a little more oomph than a .243 when it's needed.

If you reload and like your 7mm, but just want less recoil or don't always need the range, something in 7mm-08 would be a good complement too. It also can take down anything the Swede can.
 
First thing I thought of when I saw this thread was 6.5x55. The Swedes got it right over a hundred years ago. And now, with updated steels and manufacturing processes, that cartridge can be loaded to even higher levels very safely. Small game, varmints, big game, do it all.

Alas, you buy European (CZ, Tikka, etc), build your own, or maybe special order as availability is not that good. Otherwise, .260 Rem.
 
4 guns.

1. .30-06 or similar bolt action for long range and general purpose hunting.
2. .30-30 or similar lever action for close range hunting and camping defense.
3. 5.56 or similar autoloader for self defense.
4. .22lr for EVERYTHING else.

Truthfully, the .30-30 and the AR overlap alot, especially if you pick a 6.8 spc. You could replace the first three with a good .308 autoloader if you wanted to, but what fun would that be.

If you don't have a .30-30 they are fairly inexpensive, practical, and alot of fun.
 
Another vote for the 6.5 X 55 Swedish Mauser.

Load it with light bullets for a long range varmint thumper, or go with 140gr bullets at around 2650fps for a deer killing machine. OR, load it on up with 160 gr pencil-looking round nose bullets and have a rifle that will probably shoot lengthwise through an elk. Sectional density out the wazoo..

Recoil is less than a .308. Slightly more than a .243. Very nice cartridge.
 
my favorite all purpose is my old winchester .30-30 pre 64 :D
DSC_0593.jpg
 
Of guns I have, another for the .30-30 Win 94 Pre 64 20" carbine (I'd also think a 26" round barrel 94 rifle would be just the ticket if cast out into the wilderness--another round or two in the tube is never a bad thing). Of ones I don't have, a 20-22" bolt in 7mm-08 with detach mag like a CZ or (now discontinued) Rem Mt Rifle DM would also be just the ticket. I've also always liked the Win 88 in .308 (also has detach mag) in the hypothetical "best all round" role, especially when medium-to-big game is included in the definition. Basically a lever operated bolt in actual operation, in.a pretty handy configuration. However, nothing beats the good ol' flat-slabbed 94 carbine for overall handiness, and the .30-30 is an underrated round IMO.
 
Last edited:
I also enjoy the Remington 7600 pump in 270WIN. Talk about a handy all around rifle its a real freezer filler.;)
 
I've got a 7-08 Savage mountain rifle that I'm going to put a heavy barrel on for long range.

The 7-08 is a popular caliber for this. Light recoiling, flat shooting, perfect for a lightweight mountain rifle.

I'm pretty surprised this one didn't come up yet...
 
Tobnpr said:
"I've got a 7-08 Savage mountain rifle that I'm going to put a heavy barrel on for long range.The 7-08 is a popular caliber for this. Light recoiling, flat shooting, perfect for a lightweight mountain rifle.I'm pretty surprised this one didn't come up yet..."

I did a few posts back :) - unless referring specifically to the Savage part.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top