...which rifle/caliber would you choose as your "do all" tool? I am talking about big game hunting. Varmint hunting is a whole new ball game.

My choice would be my Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08. For all my big game hunting needs I feel it fits the bill perfectly. I have taken elk, deer(whitetail and mule), black bear, and antelope with this rifle/caliber. Luckily I hand load so I can get the best bang for my buck.

What say the rest of you?

why limit yourself to just one? I wouldn't want to live where I'm restricted to one

,340 Weatherby is my GO TO gun.

I have been super happy with my .300 win mag it has killed moose, elk, black bear, and deer. Before that my 30-06 did the trick.

I use my ancient 8 Mag wildcat .. (323 Hollis) for all of my big game hunting (except for countries that I couldn't bring it in for various reasons .. or for the buffs and jumbos..)... I love that rifle !!

Ouch!! I gotta back axle on this issue. But for the sake of the thread, I'll say my 9.3x64.

another vote 340 wby looks like a landslide

7mm-08 ----- You refer to Big Game hunting and then say the 7mm08 is your rifle. My Big Game and yours must be different, my hunting in Alaska and other places require something with a little more heft to it. I shoot the following three extensively that I could depend on for my only rifle. A .338 Lapua, .340 Wby or .358 STA. With any of these I would be comfortable hunting 90% of the Big Game in the world. Good shooting.

Phurley, the big game I was referring to was the animals mentioned in the post. I think if I was hunting in Alaska for the larger bears or moose I would definatley go to something bigger ...say a .338 win mag.

I say I like the caliber and own one, only in a Browning A-bolt micro-hunter(?).
That said, I can't answer why I own three 30-06's....(old school?)
Then again, there are the.....I give. It's too hard to pick one...they are all fun at one time or another.

For the Game you listed my .300 Win. Mag. with a 165gr. TSX

For any other Game on this Continent & several others my .338 Win. Mag. 210 or 225gr. X Bullets.

If I were going to spend a lot of time in bear country probably a 338 win mag or 340 WBY.
If I weren't going to be in bear country 280, 7x57, 7mm mag, 30-06, 300 win mag something like that.

My Sako m75SS 300WM with 180gr Accubonds. My Tikka T3 LS 270WSM with 140gr Accubonds is sure impressive too.

7mm STW

338-06

Been using the old 7MM Rem. Mag for 35 years and haven't found a reason to change.
Grizz

Well the question was "what would YOU choose for a do all rifle/caliber.
MY answer will be for me and what I hunt.
As i never have and most likely never will hunt in Alaska or hunt the GREAT bears, I will not need a shoulder cannon.

I have a 30/06 but have never hunted with it. It is however often described as an "all around cartridge" and for good reason. That was going to be my choice at first. I have a Rem. pump in .35 whelen that would do. And I have a Savage 99 in .300 sav. that would do (maybe just a tad light for moose and long range shooting)

But I recently came into posession of a Win. M100 in .284 win. It comes up to the shoulder and points like a "bird gun". It should be a fine fast handling "in the bush" gun. The .284 should be capable of good "long range" accuracy and energy. Time will tell if it becomes my new all round go to gun.
(I have used a Win. M70 in .264 win. mag. for most of my big game hunting for a lot of years)

Robin in Rocky

For Saskatchewan my Gaillard built M70 in 7 STW. For the world one of my .375s.

For the game listed I would certainly use my favorite do all caliber. 7mm08

.338 Win Mag

If I only had to have one.........
The 45-70 would probably win out.

Hmmmm, for a do-all cal, "7mm-08" recommends the 7mm-08...

SHOCKING!

Why didn't you just say "stroke the 7mm-08, it is the do-all cal."

303carbine's advice about the .45-70 is probably the best I've read. Surprising, bc I don't own a .45-70.....

Thankfully, there isn't a "do-all" cal. Period.

When I was still in Europe I used my 9.3x62 for almost everything. I find that I grab the .300WM more nowadays, because the distances just seem to be larger, the hunting more active, and the scope on the .300WM less bulky. In fact, I have equiped the 9.3 with a peep sight, and use it when I'm tracking cougar, and during scouting in the off-season. Choose one over the other...? Please don't make me.

Frans

quote:

Originally posted by phurley5:
7mm-08 ----- You refer to Big Game hunting and then say the 7mm08 is your rifle. My Big Game and yours must be different, my hunting in Alaska and other places require something with a little more heft to it. I shoot the following three extensively that I could depend on for my only rifle. A .338 Lapua, .340 Wby or .358 STA. With any of these I would be comfortable hunting 90% of the Big Game in the world. Good shooting.

The 7-08 is entirely adequate for moose & black bear. If you hit the animal where it should be shot. If not, a .600 nitro won't help you . Here's my wife with a 7-08 killed AK moose. http://hometown.aol.com/brayhaven/myhomepage/huntfish.html She's taken everything from AK to S. FL with that rifle. I have one too that I'd take back to AK if I go again. Some are afflicted with the "mag mentality" but I never was (50 yrs hunting) & never felt under-gunned . Most people will shoot a moderate caliber rifle better than a heavy one as well, IME (as a gunsmith). This might make that gun even more effective than the "big boomer" for them.

.375 H&H

Had mark Bansner build me a 375 Ultra mag about 6 years ago when they first came out. It is a killing machine and has taken everything from Whitetails to Polar Bears. It was built to be my "world gun", meaning one gun to take anywhere and it is light weight and SS with a Ti-K coating. I've had him build me a 300 win and a 458 Lott since then but I always seem to grab the 375. I have its' ballistics imprinted in my brain. Has one shot kills on a Brownie at 25 yards and Elk at 322 yards. Granted it does feel like too much sometimes but it has never felt too small. The variety of bullets for any of the 375 calibers is vast and allows you to get pretty creative. My 375 really likes the factory 270 grain Hornady soft points so that is what I mainly shoot. I think alot of caliber choice comes down to whether or not you live where you are hunting or if you have to travel to get there. Most of the Inuit hunt Polar Bears with 223 but I can't imagine anyone paying money and traveling there with one. I have friends out west that hunt elk with 243 but if I am paying money and taking time to go the distance, I'm bringing not just a rifle that I am proficient with, but one that can reach out and touch something.

quote:

Originally posted by NimrodRx:
Hmmmm, for a do-all cal, "7mm-08" recommends the 7mm-08...

SHOCKING!

Why didn't you just say "stroke the 7mm-08, it is the do-all cal."

This was my choice of caliber if I could only choose one...not saying it was the only one everyone should choose. If you prefer something else, thats your right. If you have a bone to pick or a hidden adjenda, try someone else. This was just a question to see what responses others would offer.

Blaser R-93 in .300WM

.300 Ultra Mag/168 TSX's.

300 xxx mag

Lwr 48 USA: 300 WSM, 165 TSX or 130 MRX

World & Alaska: 375 H&H