Hallo Guys.

The other night I was thinking:
-Pick ONE caliber to hunt EVERYTHING..

(I assume we RELOAD-, with all the wonderfull option this allows us.)

Of course it'd be an extreme compromise, but using creativity,- how about for example a:
.338 WM.,- or the good old .375 H&H Mag.?

-You can play the velocity up and down as you like, use any bullet construction you like,
(-incl. cast bullets), and pick any bullet-weight you like.

But you MUST stick with ONE rifle-caliber only..

-What's your choice then ?

(We're just being creative, maybe argueing a bit between us, having some fun with ideas.)

-We're men with a heart-felt HOBBY is all.

Take care you all.
chr.

I don't own a 7 Mag but if all I could have was one cartridge, that would be it.

Don't ask me why I don't have one because I don't know. Seems for some reason every one I've owned has had the barrel changed to something else. One day I'll have to buy one and leave it alone.

The 7mm Mag has been my "Go To" caliber for quite some time...everything from Antelope to Whitetails to Elk....also a great Plains Game round in Africa. These "One Rifle for Everything" threads are a bit meaningless...if you include African Dangerous Game, that mandates at least a 9.3 or 375.

I would choose either my Dakota 76-.338WM in it's Micky "Hill Country" synthetic stock, with custom work by Martini's, banded ramp and Euro. "Sourdough" front, Dakota-Talley mounts with Talley peep rear sight and a pair of Leupy VX-III Matte Heavy Duplex scopes in 1.75x6 OR my factory original Brno ZG-47 with Recknagel rear peep, irons, Talleys, Zeiss Conquest 4x and Satterlee safety in a Micky Edge MKX style stock, chambered 9.3x62.

Both of these rifles will put my loads with both the 250 and 286 NPs and Hornady SPs of the same weight into sub-moa groups and at EXACTLY the same p.o.i. They are light, handy, function flawlessly and with some good solids, would do for anything anywhere, IMHO.

I have dozens of other fine crf bolt big game rifles and two of these ARE .375H&H P-64-70s, but, the above two are what I would choose from if restricted to only one rifle for everything.

I live in BC, there are LOTS of Grizzlies here and I feel "safer" with a larger bullet and crf rifle, each to his own.

Right now I am down to one rifle. Financial pressures dictated that I sell all but one to pay bills.

Out of a 7mm-08, 280 Remongton & 8X57IS, the 8X57IS Mauser is the sole survivor.

Of course the fact that the 8X57 was the only chambering in a M98 had a lot to do W/it.

The other 2 were M700s, not my favorite. OK, but I like the CRF of the M98 better for hunting. I have fumbled & double stroked the M700 before W/the resultant lack of function that followed.

Almost impossible to flub up W/M98.

A .318 Westley Richards with a QD scope

.300 Weatherby!!! Good range of bullits.

So, one rifle for everything would need to cover:


1. Rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs and other small game
2. Bobcat, foxes, coyotes, and other varmints
3. Whitetail, blacktail, mule deer
4. Ibex, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep
5. Wild pigs and bears
6. Elk, moose, caribou, red deer
7. African plains game - tiny to huge
8. The big five


It doesn't seem practicable. We must take a pragmatic approach. I hunt rabbits with a shotgun, and I have no intention on chasing the Big Five. Therefore, I will concentrate on something that will handle numbers 3 through 6 above. That means a 7mm is a bit too little at the high end and a .338 is a bit too much at the low end. That leaves the .30 caliber but it would have to be a magnum - perhaps the 300H&H. Hey, I already have one of those. Is this a test?

Grenadier, you're right in your implication....there isn't one rifle that makes sense for all game, anywhere.

It is very hard to nail it down to just one cartridge, because animal sizes range from rabbits to elepehants. It is almost impossible to choose 1 cartridge for everything. The .375 H&H would be the choice that would make sense, but who wants to shoot that at rabbits or groundhogs? I guess you could go as low as 9.3X62 but that is too much for groundhogs and is minimal for elpehants. There is no logical answer to the question.

You can hunt all of North America with a .270 Winchester.

90gr Sierra HP's for prairie dogs.
150gr Bt/Partions for all your real hunting.

If you have enough money to got to Africa, you have enough money to buy a second rifle.

Oh gee, I thought this was going to be a 30-06 thread.

As mentioned, the "one size for all" approach can be somewhat sloppy when you try to use a motorcycle to do the job of a pickup truck, and vice-versa.

I have a friend that shoots a 340 WBY with 250 grn bullets at rabbits, coyotes, deer, and elk.
Good shot too. Me I like to have many choices.

quote:

But you MUST stick with ONE rifle-caliber only..

That's easy; .458 Winchester.

It will take every thing from ground squirrels to any elephants trampling your tomatoes.

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
So, one rifle for everything would need to cover:


1. Rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs and other small game
2. Bobcat, foxes, coyotes, and other varmints
3. Whitetail, blacktail, mule deer
4. Ibex, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep
5. Wild pigs and bears
6. Elk, moose, caribou, red deer
7. African plains game - tiny to huge
8. The big five


It doesn't seem practicable. We must take a pragmatic approach. I hunt rabbits with a shotgun, and I have no intention on chasing the Big Five. Therefore, I will concentrate on something that will handle numbers 3 through 6 above. That means a 7mm is a bit too little at the high end and a .338 is a bit too much at the low end. That leaves the .30 caliber but it would have to be a magnum - perhaps the 300H&H. Hey, I already have one of those. Is this a test?

If I had to cover that spectrum I would probably up the 8X57IS to an 8X68s.

Load .32 cal lead pistol bullets @ sub sonic velocity W/reduced/filler loads for the small stuff & increase the payload acordingly for the bigger stuff.

I think the "big five" could be taken W/an 8X68S W/the proper bullets.

.30-06

If I only have enough cash for 1 gun I'm sure as hell not going to Africa

quote:

The other night I was thinking:
-Pick ONE caliber to hunt EVERYTHING

Not only impractical but no fun to do at all.

probably a .280 in the lower 48. Maybe even a 7 X 57. roger

Since 8x57 was my 1st hunter and I still have a 8x57 hunter, That would do it. It would be tough to decide till the day of reconing between that and 7mmRM, oh and 9.3x57, 6.5x55. OK I'll keep 4 + my CZ527 in .223 and a .22lr. This does not include shotguns or handguns I hope! A poor soul needs some toys.

I'll probably get flayed alive for saying this in the Medium Bore forum, but I have to say that if I could only have ONE rifle... it would have to be either a 22LR or 22WM.


Either are perfect for small game and birds.

And, IF YOU HAD TO...

You could get close enough for a brain shot on a deer with a 22LR. I know a guy who has killed many many deer with a 22LR as described above.

Rumor has it that an Elephant was killed with a carefully placed (between the ribs) lung shot.
Regardless, I know a couple old boys who used a 22WM on black bear and several deer (lung shots) with effect.


Ideal for deer sized game? absolutely not!!!
Will it work in a pinch? Yes!


I would rather have a 7x57 for deer sized game, a .375H&H for Elk to moose sized game, and a .450NE for anything bigger.

But If I could only have ONE rifled firearm, it would have to be either a 22LR or 22WM.

This one's easy: 30-06. 8x57JS would be my 2nd choice.

I hardly think anyone with only one rifle would have to consider the big five or what works best for a continent on the other side of the ocean. Unless you are in that continent already, in which case you'd be picking the rifle that would feed you best. Is that one elephant every six months or a couple rabits a week? For North America, there are several choices that fit. The question is would your rifle rack be in a Ford or a Chevy?

quote:

Originally posted by Sam:
I hardly think anyone with only one rifle would have to consider the big five or what works best for a continent on the other side of the ocean. Unless you are in that continent already, in which case you'd be picking the rifle that would feed you best. Is that one elephant every six months or a couple rabits a week? For North America, there are several choices that fit. The question is would your rifle rack be in a Ford or a Chevy?

Mopar!

Since this same post was also on the "Big Bore" forum, I'm thinkin' you're trolling, but my answer's still the same. My .416 Rem. Mag. Does a great job on deer and takes the head off a turkey too. With solids, works great on small plains game (don't shoot a warthog with a soft, it's ugly).

Future thread considerations:

What calibers would you choose for everything in the world if you could only have two dozen rifles?

If you were naked and stranded at sea which knife would you want to have and where would you keep it?

If you built a switch barrel rifle for all antlered game which single caliber would you barrel it in?

What is the ultimate shotgun bore size not counting the .410 or any of the 4,8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, or 32 gauges?

Which rimfire cartridge inserts would you get for the chambers of a 470NE double rifle?

The .25-06 will take care of anything I'll ever
hunt. Even though I have a couple 7mm's, the .25
caliber is more versatile, if I HAD to
live with only one.

Le's reload this one from the Big Bore thread and re-shoot it........375H&H.

I just love these hypothetical questions! Well I guess I will say my .375-Weatherby. It will certainly handle the big bears and smacks bull elk like the hammer of Thor. A great caliber for the dark continent as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Blue Dog:
I just love these hypothetical questions! Well I guess I will say my .375-Weatherby. It will certainly handle the big bears and smacks bull elk like the hammer of Thor. A great caliber for the dark continent as well.

+1

Just got my XCR II rechambered to 375 Weatherby. It weighs just 7 3/8 lbs with the Leupold VX-R 2x7 scope. Recoil is like a maiden's kiss.

I'd have to snuggle up with a sweet 338WM. That would keep me pretty damn happy.

I spent around 10 years with a Ruger m77mII 300winmag as my only big game rifle. It worked on coyotes and groundhogs too.

If I had to do it over again, I'd have gone with a 30-06, but the '06 seemed a little too generic at the time I was buying.

quote:

If I had to do it over again, I'd have gone with a 30-06, but the '06 seemed a little too generic at the time I was buying.

It's truly amazing how good the old .30-06 really is when one removes the prejudices we can develop over time!

If I could only have one it would be my Remington 7600 carbine in .30-06.

I would have to go with the 17 HMR or 16 HMS.

The HMR is perfect for the smallest of varmints and/or the HMS rocks for man-sized varmints.

As I have demonstrated by taking an American Bison at 300 yards with the HMR and Robert Wilde by killing a running moose at over 500 with his HMR, it's plenty for the biggest game!

P.S.

I think Robert loads his pretty hot.

P.SS.

Of course you have to have good shot placement.

quote:

16 HMS.

does this refer to the 16" guns of "her majesty's service ships?

"Oh gee, I thought this was going to be a 30-06 thread."


It will be when the reasonable majority get done with it.

Only "ONE rifle for EVERYTHING ?!"

That sounds like a Leftist Democrat plot to limit the number of guns that we can own.

However, like others have commented, for the lower 48 it would be hard to beat a .30-06. When I lived in Colorado, I used my .30-06 for everything from prarie dogs to elk. Certainly not the best choice for the lit'l dogs, but no slouch for mulies, antelope and elk.

I've been on hunts where I've shot a variety of game with only one rifle, but I'd rather match the gun to the game. And now that I'm older, and hopefully wiser, I have a safe full guns so that I don't have to use my .22-250 or my .375 RUM for elk.

To quote an ad on TV, "This is a free country, isn't it?"

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

16 HMS.

does this refer to the 16" guns of "her majesty's service ships?

Yes. With the HMS, shot placement is a secondary concern!