What caliber is best.....hmmmmmmmmm

[.30 HART]

This question is asked more on here than any question posted. The reality is really simple as certain calibers were designed for certain applications ie. .22 Hornet thru 22-250 were not designed for big game hunting just like 243-30-06 were not originally intended for large or dangerous game and all the "magnums" were designed to bridge the gap between themselves and the true big bores of the world.
This being said it doesnt mean a 30-06 wont do in the biggest bear in the woods if the shot is placed correctly nor does it mean that a 55gr 223 wont kill whitetails like lightning hit them either.
It boils down to choosing the best tool for the job. You wouldnt use a 15lb sledge hammer to roof a house with ....not that it wouldnt work it just wouldnt be the right tool for the job.Not to mention that here in South Carolina in the summer you would have a stroke attempting it....LOL
As you all know I am a full time hunting guide and my comment on calibers and which ones we choose is simple.....if you are efficient with the weapon you choose then by all means use it. I have realized over the years in hunting camps all over the world that there are three things that can never be agreed on in hunting camp...in order...which caliber is best....religion.....and lastly politics.
I know a man right now that only uses a 30-30 to hunt elk using 170gr Rem Core-Lokt ammo and has never lost one...why you ask...because he knows the limits of his equipment. I personally use a stainless Marlin bolt action 22 mag to cull hogs and have yet to lose one to a well placed winchester fmj to the ear...within 75yds....again staying within the limits of the round. One of my closest hunting buddies uses a Rem 788 in 22-250 to hunt deer and he always has since Ive known him. I give him **** as this 200.00 gun is outfitrted with a 650.00 Leupold but it works for him.
I have seen hundreds and hundreds of animals shot with many different calibers with mixed results at best. But every animal I have seen hit correctly has hung on my cleaning pole and been turned into burger cube steak sausage etc.
There is a Cape Buffalo in heaven that was dropped like a ton of .....well buffalo to a well placed 6.5X55 140 gr bullet. Was this the right tool for the job...no...but the shot was where it needed to be and that is all that matters in the end. I put it in his ear hole and flop he went.
No one can buy accuracy as it is something you must practice and practice religiously. SHOT PLACEMENT makes up for anything else.
Pick your calibers based on what you have faith in and practice practice practice until you are deadly with the weapon you choose
Oh yeah there is a 4th thing never agreed on in camp and that is which liquors and beers are best.....LOL yall have a goodun!!!!!!!!!

[yarnfly5]

This is one of the most logical posts I have seen on this site. With that being said 30-06 is the best caliber and I'll take a glass of Famous Grouse with light ice if you're buying.

[idahofish]

Well spoken, to say the least. Shoot what works, shoot what you prefer.

[Ruger Man]

Now thats a very good question looks like it could get ugly with so many different calibers out their. I would like to pick the 300 Weatherby you could load 125s for coyotes 165 for deer size game and 180/200 for elk, moose and bears and with lots of practice you could load 220gr solids for cape buffalo.

[CannedHeat]

We've got us a Hemingway of sorts. Nice work. But best? Here we go boys, pile on...

I hate to do it, but I have to follow suit with yarnfly.

The .30-06 was the first rifle (centerfire) I ever owned. My great-grandfather gave it to me. It's an Enfield Eddystone that still shoots some tight stinkin' groups. Had a Boyd's laminate stock done up for it and it's my pride and joy. Just the comments I got from several guys at the range makes me proud and I'm sure my gramps is up above with a grin from ear to ear. I now own 2 and just sold the third from my -06 arsenal. Very few offerings can match what the .30-06 has done in the world of firearms in conjunction with big game hunting. Sure, it was a military offshoot and it shares title that with the .308 and the .223, but if you look at the amount of ammo, the number of rifles, and the animals taken with a given round, I'd be willing to bet the .30-06 is in it's own league.

Here she is:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee126/CannedHeatpics/P2260016.jpg

[.30 HART]

LONG LIVE THE .30 HART!!!!!!!WOOOOOOO-HOOOOOO
Go ahead and shoot the 06 as it is a great round....it just isnt the right tool for my job....hehe

[Vaultman]

I do not know for sure that 30Hart is really looking for an answer with a certain caliber? Are ya? More of making a statement. And I agree. Use the right tool. And what is right for one guy may not be the best for the next guy.

Very well said 30.

PS. Keep an eye out in the mail. Something coming you way....

[.30 HART]

Exactly Vaultman......we get on here and "argue" which is best when in reality there is no one best.
Speaking of Hemingway... I want everyone to know that my first magazine article was published this month in Boar Hunter magazine with a series of articles to come. The first one was on the 450 Marlin and its effectiveness on hogs. I will follow up by writing about the 444 45-70 etc
They want me to start a series called a guides life and tell the going on in hunting camps that I have seen. This should be fun.
V you peeked my interest what is it?

[pre6422hornet]

I agree that you must use what you are comfortable with. An animal hit in the boiler room with lets say a .270 ( my fav) is going to die a lot faster than one hit with a .375 H&H in the paunch.

As for Beer and Liquor... The beer not really sure. I think it depends on the situation. In an Irish Pub... Guiness. Eating Mexican food.... Dos Equis. In my basement spinning a yarn or two with friends... Miller Lite.

Liquor..... Anytime is a good time for Glenlivet 18.

[Lodiman]

Best all around...30.06. I don't even own one but if you had one rifle to do everything it wins hands down. Really too much for deer and varmints, and a little small for brown bear, but will be sufficient for everything in N.A., and can be used with 125's for varmints and other smaller game like pronghorns.

[chiefjefe]

I'll stick with just the liquor, won't get bombarded that way. Kettle One on the rocks with some olives, mmmm good.

[JimmyJ]

Hmmmmmmmmm,

Here's an interesting read. Agree to disagree. To each his own!

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/the_300_winchester.htm

[MikeNC]

I will go out on a limb and say. Whatever caliber is in my hands at the time is the best caliber at that time.

The best will change from situation to situation and animal to animal.

Nice indirect answer without an answer huh??

Mike Alford

[CannedHeat]

I forgot that part....

Anything Leinienkugel's besides the fruity #### and the Summer Shandy...

Or a good Jim Beam 'n Sour.

[tjen]

The reality is really simple as certain calibers were designed for certain applications ie. .22 Hornet thru 22-250 were not designed for big game hunting just like 243-30-06 were not originally intended for large or dangerous game and all the "magnums" were designed to bridge the gap between themselves and the true big bores of the world.

I beg to differ with just the last part of that statement. The and I am assuming you mean the 264 to 300 cal magniums. These were not designed to bridge the gap to the 40 cal and up only to do what they do best. And that is to add more range over the 06 and mouser class cartridges by increased muzzle velocties and the resualting flatter trajectories and increased down range power.

There is a misconception mainly do to marketing that at standard yardages the magniums kill better than the standard cartridges and untill the advent of tuff premium bullets they were ofton were less effective than the 30-06 for example. I would agree that the 257weatherby is better than stardard 257roberts on deer or something less than 200lbs but the big guys aren't impressed by inflated energy numbers due to high velocities by light bullets.

Some of there cartridges that were made to fill the gap are 338-06, 338win, 35whelen, 350 rem, and I presume some of the 33/9.3mm cartridges as well.

Its just my pet pea that some are lead to beleive that a 300 win mag would be a better killer of large big game than a 338/358/9.3mm loaded with the apropreate bullets between 250grs and 300grs. Bridging the gap is just that bridging the gap, by picking calibers between 308 and 400. Thats why a 338-06 is better than the 30-06, the 35whelen better than the 338-06, and the 375h&h better yet for turely large and tuff game. The 300/7mm mags do not come pare to the larger bore cals only with the other same caliber cartridges. Thats why I laugh when some one says there is no differance between the 30-30win and 35rem. Lets see a 200gr 358 cal at 2200 fps and a 170gr 308 cal at 2200fps and these are actual MZ from 20" barreled guns not factory round up spec's. Now which one would you want to shoot a eastern moose or black bear with? Just a hint but the 35 only 280fps less than the factory 358 win load at 2480fps from my 20.5" barreled gun!

I think we agree on the rest.

[Vaultman]

Exactly Vaultman......we get on here and "argue" which is best when in reality there is no one best.
Speaking of Hemingway... I want everyone to know that my first magazine article was published this month in Boar Hunter magazine with a series of articles to come. The first one was on the 450 Marlin and its effectiveness on hogs. I will follow up by writing about the 444 45-70 etc
They want me to start a series called a guides life and tell the going on in hunting camps that I have seen. This should be fun.
V you peeked my interest what is it?

Just a thank you.

[MOhunter]

45-70 or 44-40 rifle pistol

i like blackpowder loads and coboy action (the 30-06 doesn't work everywere)

beer: schafly oatmeal stout ok it's astout not technicly a beer (barley, hops, water, yeast) but it's dam good

JD you can get all fancy and such but JD is my go to whisky (it's like the 30-06 of wiskey)

[yarnfly5]

This could turn into a fun thread. Lose the caliber talk and discuss the drink of choice while not hunting. Anyone else like Famous Grouse? Free the Bird! LOL

[.30 HART]

Best liquor drink to me has to be my big Marine Corps mug filled 3/4 way with finely crushed ice and about 3-4 shots (depending on mood...lol) of Jim Beam,Southern Comfort, Goerge Dickel etc a splash of water and fill the rest with sour mix. Makes me want one now!!!
A 1/2 gal of liquor will last me a year but it sure is good going down.
Heres to the whole Cabelas crew.....CHEERS!!!!

[tjen]

Depends on the time of day, if its late evening a well poured glass of Grande Marnier' or a good 20yr old Port by a fire works for me.

[.30 HART]

Incidentally my favorite all time caliber would have to be 6.5X55 Swede

[beretzs]

Best liquor drink to me has to be my big Marine Corps mug filled 3/4 way with finely crushed ice and about 3-4 shots (depending on mood...lol) of Jim Beam,Southern Comfort, Goerge Dickel etc a splash of water and fill the rest with sour mix. Makes me want one now!!!
A 1/2 gal of liquor will last me a year but it sure is good going down.
Heres to the whole Cabelas crew.....CHEERS!!!!

Man, that sounds pretty good right now! It has been a long trip. I will have to add that to the things to do once I get home! Scotty

[kdog]

I must say I agree with .30 Hart all the way up untill he said what he did about the liquor. Give me a glass of Glenfiddich 12 year single malt scotch ( my favorite) or a glass of Lagavulin single malt scotch with a few cubes of ice and a splash of water............Man now im thirsty!

[whittsend]

For the morning, a nice Clamato / Absolute Peppar bloody mary seasoned with Excalibur Prime Rib Rub, celery salt, and a healthy dose of horseradish. If you want a meal, go ahead and add celery, olives, asparagus, a venison stick and you might as well roll up slice of genoa around that pickle.

For the evening, that all depends on what season it is and what kind of homebrew I happen to have on tap at the time. Currently, its your choice of an Octane IPA, German Alt, and Coriander Weiss.... Hefeweisen in the fermenter right now, and cologne Kolsh on deck... If you'd rather have homebrew wine or "champagne", I've got that too.

Oh, was this a gun thread too??? "I want an official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time" (Quote from the Christmas Story)

:)

Whittsend

[C. Schutte]

I must say I agree with .30 Hart all the way up untill he said what he did about the liquor. Give me a glass of Glenfiddich 12 year single malt scotch ( my favorite) or a glass of Lagavulin single malt scotch with a few cubes of ice and a splash of water............Man now im thirsty!



You can't tell me that 18 year old Chivas poured over clear ice cubes and slowly stirred until frosty does not stir the old taste buds. Of course, equally good is a glass of The Glenlivet presented in the same mannor. Lets face it, anything with the word 'Glen' in the front ain't too bad. It would be my honor to share a glass of some with you one day. chs


ps. I'm also partial to Johnnie Walker, any color...................chs

[bakdon]

Best caliber .......... don't know.

Caliber I carry.......30 06.

Best Licker.......Glenlivet, over ice, shared with best friends.

[sammyd95]

270 winchester ,doubble shot of Green lable Jack,and a nicely cooked ribeye!!!! mm good

[Lodiman]

I like the swede too, but actually like my 6.5 06 better, but it's a close toss up.