Good all around caliber for North East Big Game

Which caliber do you prefer for NE big game?

  • .270 Winchester

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • .308 Winchester

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • .30-06 Springfield

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • .300 Win Mag

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
They will all do the trick. Get which ever one is easiest to get ammo for in your area and stock up.

I don't know about where you live but here in Calif. all ammo is in short supply.

You have people standing in line at Wally World when they open to buy the few boxes that came in. 9MM, 40 cal, 45 acp, 223, 308, and 22lr are especially hard to get. It took me 2 months to get 22lr.

The Walmarts here don't get cases it comes in a couple boxes at a time and it is gone within the hr. It got so bad that Walmart has a six box limit. Even the local gun shops were comming to Walmart to get ammo to sell.
 
30-06...one of...if not the most versitile calibers


150gr for whitetail & 180-220gr for larger game...black bear & even elk
 
I live in a shotgun only area for whitetails so my preference is for the 20 gauge. Winchester Platinum tip slugs are what I use. Great penetration and knock down power.
Scott
 
waveman said:
I'd have to second the 45-70. If one chooses a bullet appropriate for the task at hand and stays within the the effective range of the cartridge/bullet there is no game animal the round can't put down.
Click to expand...

Cool!

Connecticut has a buffalo season now...




:D
 
I don't have any experience with many other calibers but I sure do enjoy my .30-06 Ruger M77 Mark II.
 
+++ on the 30.06.....with just three different grains you can take any North American big animal....I use mine for deer, elk, and trying to get picked for black bear the fall!!!!!!!!
 
I voted for the 300 win mag before I notice you specified for nort east. I tought you ment overall North America that the reason I said 300. I worked at a gun shop in college and was given the oprtunity tho have a custom rifle built for me there. When I asked the gunsmith his opinion on which to build he said the 300. His reason was it could be loaded up or down to take anything on the continent. Thats what I did and have been very pleased. Most of my game is whitetails. I shoot a mild load toped with a 150 grain gameking bullet. It is about like shooting a 30-06. With that all being said we have a local eye doctor that has take every big game species and sub specied regonized by Safari Club whith a Remengton 700 ADL 30-06. He even wrote a book called "One Man One Rifle One Continent". Either of these are good picks. Also to factory ammo out there for both and both being 30 cal alot of reloading components out there also.
 
I suppose I'd vote the 30-06, but shot placement has a lot to do with what you pick. I used to be just a shotgun man, but I snagged a .3030 about a year ago and this weekend I was pluggin 3 shot 1/2 in groups at 80 yards from a kneel while sighting in a new scope. Not that I would "want" to go bear hunting with it, but when it first came out, the .3030 was THE magnum and was used to take all the game that North America has to offer.
 
.257 WBY.mag.for mulies and blacktail,it's what we have in Oregon.Then I would go with a .338 Win.mag for elk and bear.
 
In my opinion, any of them will work. I said .308 because I hunt with a 7mm-08 which is very similar and I would be comfortable taking anything up to and including elk (200 yards) and black bear. Another great cartridge for Michigan where I hunt is the .44 Mag in a lever gun. My Marlin 1894 produces excellent groups at 100 yards with HS halo sights and I would not hesitate to shoot at anything under 150 yards. A lever gun allows you bring a rifle through brush that would normally be difficult with a large or heavy bolt rifle with a scope.
 
It's already been said but I voted 30-06 in the poll. Very versatile cartridge.
 
I think the .300 is overkill for blackies and deer, not that that is necessarily a problem, just possibly unnecessary expense.

I'd go with any of the first three. I own a lot of stuff in .308, but you could easily achieve your goals with a .270, or, of course, a .30-06.

As a general rule, I think that any time you start to worry you are not using enough gun, what you need is more practise time on an even smaller gun! Combat aside, having "enough gun" is overrated IMO. My dad took grizzlies with a 30/30 back in the 1950s, traded up to a .303 british after a while, and finally ended up with a Remington 721 in .30-06. He has never seen one fail to drop promptly after the first shot, with any of his rifles. They have also done for moose, elk, deer, mountain goats and bighorn sheep.

He only owns 3 centerfire rifles...the same Lee Enfield .303 from the 1950s, the same .30-06 from the 60s, and an M14 I got for him last year.

Everything he has hunted in his entire life has fallen to those guns. If you are a good shooter, you do not need any sort of death ray! Although big guns are fun, they are only worth having for either the fun factor or if you like to shoot at extreme ranges. I would consider a .300 winmag if I ever get to the point where I want to hunt at around 800m. At this point I would not be comfortable taking shots past about 400m, so I have a long way to go before I outgrow my .308s.
 
Yet another vote for .30-06... I like Federal Premium 165 gr. BTSP
I had shoulder problems a couple of years ago and had to shoot the 125 gr. Remington Reduced Recoil ammo, I killed a few deer and hogs with no problem; all of my shots were under 150 yards.
Now that my shoulder healed, I use a Marlin .45-70 with Buffalo Bore 300gr.+P; now that's a hog thumper!
 
I say .30/06 because of its long, satisfactory record. You could be just as happy with a .308, though.

Heck, I tend to download all my .30/06 reloads to .308 strength, anyhow.

You will only be hurtin if you compete in some outlandish long range shooting events, against guys with super expensive custom rifles. And how often does that come up for you?

Buy something you like and can shoot straight, and git out an hunt.

CHEERS
 
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