Gidday Guys,

I love my 6.5s but its gotta be the 30-06.

Hell has to be one rifle only.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

I would have to give the nod to a 270, based on the "someday might go elk hunting". The 270 is great on deer and will kill any hog you put in front of it.

Here in SD, many an elk has fallen to the 270 since our tags are basically once in a lifetime. Lifelong deer hunters just load up some 150's and put elk on the ground.

I put the 270 in that same boring category as the 30-06. It just plain works.

Three friends of mine went to Colorado for a late season cow elk hunt last year. They showed up with two 270's and one 30-06.
The comment the rancher had was "finally some riflemen show up" this after dealing with the magnumitis nimrods all season.

708 or 358.
then again, there aint 2 porks difference from the 708 to the 300 win, in terms of killing power, if the bullet is in the right place

jeffe

I lived with just one rifle many years for some reasons out of my control and that one was 338 win mag with hand loads between 160 and 300 gr pills it saw all and destroyed all now that I have 60 long guns is still go to the 338 and the right hand load whenever I can and they have shells at every wallmart and most 7/11 in big game country 30-06 might be more available but it is not any better for me.

That would be like asking everyone in America to pick one President for the rest of their life. It isn’t happening!

The 30-06 is very versatile and if you plan to shoot varmints and bigger NA game it would be a good choice. If you mainly plan to hunt deer and bigger game I give my vote to the 9.3x62!

quote:

"It is every free-born American's right to purchase a rifle chambered for some caliber other than the .30/'06. But it is no great tribute to his intelligence if he does!"

El Deguello,
It should be changed in "It is every free-born man's right ..........'
It is universal IMHO

Ok boys and girls now that we know what everyone likes let's dispell some commonly held myths . The .30-06 will do a ton, it's hardly perfect for most of what it will actually do. The "podunk gas station" scenario is BS, really how many of you go hunting-especially a rare hunt and have no ammo? Yes .30-06 is available at many of these places, usually 180 PSP type loads stocked on price not quality of components. One simply isn't going to find .30-06 varmint loads at "Bubba's outback general store". With all the companies loading ammo these days and this very internet a .257 Roberts would be a great choice for this lad, one click to Nosler ammo and he has varmint to elk loadings, 87 grain BT's to 120 partitions, to include 110 accubonds and 100 BT's. Yet here again it's not perfect for all described, yet perhaps a "better" choice for the intended usage. Superior will custom load for nearly anything. Ammo simply isn't a problem given a minor amount of prior planning. Heck the kid likes the .25-06 he's shot, what's wrong with .25-06? A ton of ammo of fantastic quality out there easily available, low recoil and muzzle blast and it is certainly effective and popular for all his intended purposes. I would tend to place a premium on a rifle he will shoot alot and well over high HP for a possible in the future hunt. This to me means something between .257 Roberts+P and 7mm Rem mag in power. so .257R, .25-06, 260 Rem, 6.5x55,.270 Win, 7mm-08, 7x57, .280 Rem, .308 Win, .30-06, 8x57, .358 Win etc. would all be excellent choices based on your bias.

.30/06 due to availability of ammo and different bullet weights anything up to 220g's this cartridge will do it all, coming in second would be the .308Win.

RLI

30,06 .270 or .308.
I think I would go for somthing other than a mountain rifle though.
I agree the 7mm08 is a great cartridge. But I don't see any advantage over the .308. If you shoot a model 7 remington, or some featherweight type rifle the lighter recoil might have some value, but as far as trajectory there about equal.
.270 would be a good choice. ...tj3006

quote:

I think I would go for somthing other than a mountain rifle though

Why?? I have never owned one. To be exact I have never owned (just worked on various friends for loads bedding etc)a 700. So I have no real first hand experience. Is it the light barrel or other issues?

I have hunted for 30+ oops over 40 years and have never had to try and find ammo on the trip.

One Gun???

The .30-06. Period.

quote:

Originally posted by Jay Johnson:
That would be like asking everyone in America to pick one President for the rest of their life. It isn’t happening!

But DAMN!!! that's so EASY!!!!

Theodore Roosevelt of course!

And while the 30-06 will work (sorta...)
for anything I agree that it doesn't work well at many things...



AllanD

Given your prejudices [edited: well perhaps _my_ prejudices ]... 270. Moose on down it's a great gun.

One additional point: I don't know if price is an issue for him--certainly was for me at his age!--but if it is, 30-06, 308 and 270 are _much_ more reasonable to feed on a regular basis than a number of more offbeat calibers.

Check the Cabela's bulk prices for example:

.270 -- 64.99/100
(.308 and 30-06 in same range of course)

7mm Mag -- 89.99/100

7mm/08, .280, 7x57 etc. etc. etc. -- not available in bulk.

270 or 3006,ammo anywhere and a great choice in loads. Both will get the job done, no nonsense calibers. I don't have either at this time but want them both because I've owned them before and miss em.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
My brother-in-law is thinking about getting a rifle for his son for his 16th birthday coming up. This will more than likely (at least for the foreseeable future) a person that will only have one rifle. He does some deer hunting in MO as well has hogs here in TX. He might at sometime do an Elk hunt in the future. I don't see anything bigger than that and that is a "maybe". He nor his dad handload. He has fired a couple of my magnums. While he handled it I think something lighter would be better.

He has seen the Rem 700 Mtn DM and like the looks and feel. I was thinking of suggesting a 280. Near term I can load for him for a 280. But, never having a 30-06 I might be just a little prejudice.

What do you guys think? A 280 or 30-06? Something else non magnum?

Go with the 30-06. Why? Bigger diameter! Bullet selection. Go into ANY store selling ammo and there will be 30-06 ammo!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Sambar 9.3:
If he doesn't handload, then 270 Win, 308 Win or 30-06, for the almost universal availability of a wide variety of factory loads.

Agreed, except if elk stay in the equation I'd downplay the .270 even though its my favourite. Carrying any of those three he'll always be able to scrounge a box of ammo anywhere he hunts.

Although I might pick the 30-06, and have, if the boy likes the 25-06, I'd split the distance and pick the .270 Win. It is flat shooting, ammo is still available everywhere, recoil is mild, and for that "maybe" elk hunt some 150 gr. premium factory loads will do all that needs doing when put in the boiler room up to, and including, moose.

As far as the choice of rifle, I'd try to find one of the last Winchester Model 70 Featherweights, "The Rifleman's Rifle". My 30-06 Featherweight, that I bought lask Novemeber before the sad announcement, came with a Decellerator recoil pad, "real" glass bedding, and pretty nice looking wood.

One more vote for the 30-06 I started shooting my first 06 when I was 14 ( too long ago ) I think it can't be beat for american game,( not grizzly) African plains game ( my new 06 will be my African PG Cal. Aug. 1 ) let us know what he ends up with please.

Well just got the word that his dad gave him a CZ 550 american in 270. Said he liked the fit better.

Being the great uncle I'm going to load him up a couple 100 rds. He will be set for years. If he does make it after elk a 150 will work fine.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Hard to go to far wrong with either the 270 or 06.

It's all been said, just everybody hasn't said it yet. .30-06 or .270 Lots of good choices, but these two reign supreme. Back when I only had one it was a .308win which might be a good choice too if he takes a liking to short actions.

Terry

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hunt-ducks:
30-06 or 308 either would be my choice.



+1