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Originally posted by Paul B:
Well, I picked the 30-06 as jack's choice based on the interview he gave Jim Carmichel shortly after he retired from Outdoor Life. Carmichel asked Jack what rifle and cartridge would he choose to hunt all of North America if he could only have one? Jack immediately said, "The 30-06." IIRC, it was in a 1970 issued of OL.
Paul B.

I also voted 30-06, because I had read that on more than one occasion. Jack used the 270 a lot, but also had a lot of experience with the 30-06 and often wrote that it was the best all round cartridge for NA

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I've read a lot of Jack O'Connor's work. I'm not sure he had a favorite caliber or would proclaim one as "best" in an overall way.

He said the 375H&H was the world's most useful cartridge and that was because with a 235 spitzer it was a flat shooter with good range. And with the right 300 grain it was a pretty fair cape buffalo round.

Jack was more focused on getting the job done.
He believed in properly constructed bullets, in the right place, at the right speed.

He believed in going for the best odds to get it done. He knew that smaller calibers with good bullets and good speed had high killing power. He used the 270 a lot because of this. He also
understood trajectory and knew that for ranging shots, you need flat trajectory. He knew that lower recoil helped get the job done, but would not hesitate to move to a larger caliber if called for. He knew how to manage recoil, if needed.

He wrote that the 30-30 was a competent deer round out to 200 yards, limited mainly by the rifle it was mostly commonly chambered for, the M94, and the ability of most shooters to judge distance and apply the 30-30's trajectory. He also said it was highly capable of killing larger stuff in the right hands.

If you want to KNOW what Jack O'Connor thought about various calibers, rifles, scopes, etc. then buy a copy of his book "The Hunting Rifle". If all rifle hunters would read this book every 5 years, they would be stay tuned up and be better hunters for it. Most hunters/shooters will also find it one of the most enjoyable books they will ever read. He has a chapter in this book about the 30-30 and also a chapter entitled, the 270, the 280, and the 284. There is a chapter on the 30-06. And there is a chapter on the 375H&H.

Again, Jack O'Connor loved rifles. All rifles. He called them the "Queen of weapons". He would
choose the one off of his rack for the job at hand. The bullet was his ultimate focus when it came to performance, much more than the rifle. He certainly believed in no magical caliber.

good hunting, good shooting, dxr

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