toll_gate

What would you say would be a good all around caliber? I live in a shotgun state for deer, and I am going to start doing a few out of state trips. Texas, Alaska, Canada, Wyoming, ect. Is there a caliber that can cover the range from hog to elk without being to excessive on either end. Something with a good range of ammo? Thanks for your advice and opinions.

fastfire

You will get a lot replies to this but I would go with one of these 308,270,30-06 the 308& 270 are down there a little in alaska (bear)but the 06 would be ok.

m.t.hands

i would say the 308 or the 06 mainly because of bullet selection/weights you can get, really makes the .30 cal the most versitale. been a long time since i loaded any 30 cal stuff but i believe bullets go from 55gr.-220gr. best of luck.

oh yea, welcome to the forum

Aught Six

Welcome! I'd go with the .30-06 because it's enough gun without being too much gun. It's versatile, and you have a wide range of factory and custom loads for just about whatever game you want to hunt (in N. America). It'll take care of elk as long as you take care of shot placement.

Rangerlab

I would also agree with the 06.

TerryM

.3006 will handle everything short of dangerous game. So would a .270WSM or 7mm rem mag.

TeeJay

the 06 without a doubt for all the reasons listed above

frizzellr

Don't forget about the 7mm-08 Rem and the 280 Rem.

New York Hunter

Personally I wouldn't hunt anywhere there's a chance of running across the "GRIZ" with anything less then a 300 Remington Ultra Mag. And Brown Bears and Kodiak Bears are even bigger! Its a safety issue! Can you kill a big bear with a 30-06, you bet you can. You can also go to the dentist and have a tooth pulled without using Novocain, it just ain't the preferred way of doing it! The 300 RUM using 180 gr. bullet is getting 4200 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle and 3200 at 200 yards. I wouldn't use this cartridge to hunt big bears, I would use the cartridge to hunt where there are big bears. If I were to hunt any of the big bears I would pick the 338 Win Mag. as a minimum. It may not have the "hot ballistics" on paper that the 300 RUM has. But it has a really good selection of bullets that are made for "heavier game".

If your going to stay out of "bear country" then anything from a 308 Win., 270 Win., 280 Rem., 7mm Rem. Mag., 7mm RUM, 30-06, 300 Win. Mag., any of the Winchester WSM's will work just fine. So will some of the Weatherby cartridges such as the 270, 7mm, 300 Weatherby Mags.

broey1

I'd go with a 30 caliber for sure. 30-06 or one of the 300 magnums depending on your recoil tolerences. With Hornadys light magnum loads in 30-06, you can start to get very close to a 300 mag from the 30-06.