ok, the long debated question...?

Question

about the most verstataile caliber to hunt in north america. i would use it to hunt whitetail, black bear, mule deer, and elk. also i want something that will reach out more than 200 yards and i can use it to shoot coyotes and groundhogs at my grandparents farm so they dont have to buy a .223. the ones im most considering are
.270
7mm
.30/06
.308
are there any others that would work good? i shoot 12 gauges a lot, so im not shy about recoil.
i would hunt in a mixed landscape. about 6 acres of woods, then about 17 acres of open soybean and corn fields. i would also hunt at my camp for whitetail and black bear. it is 95% thin woods, with some open hay fields. i dont know where i would hunt elk and mule deer now, but i will definetly be hunting them when i am older.
lots of details would be good and SERIOUS ANSWERS ONLY NO ANTI HUNTERS!

do the magnums (300winchester mag, 7mm mag, do too much damage to the meat though? ive thought about a 7mm magnum, but i dont want just hamburger from my game.

i dont mind if it blows the coyote or groundhog to peices, i just want them dead.

sorry not specific enough. not the 7mm magnum, the 7mm-08

Answer 1

The 30-06 has been around for over 100 years. And for good reasons too. It is very versitle. You can find cartriges for it any where ammo is sold. That is a big plus! For deer and smaller you can use 150 grain bullets. For black bears, moose or elk, you can use 180 grain bullets. And there use to be (and maybe still is) a factory loaded 200 grain bullet for the 30-06. If you are used to a 12 gauge, then the recoil from the '06 will be very managable.

Also, if you or your gun shoots the Hornady Light Magnum rounds well, you will be very close to the 300 mag energy and velosity.

Answer 2

Any of the calibers you are inquiring about will serve you well for what you want to do. If you mean the .7mm Remington mag, that and the .30-06 are a bit of an overkill especially for coyote, but they'll get the job done. If recoil is not a problem the .30-06 Springfield is the most versatile of the calibers you listed. On the .30-06 I'd use the 150 to 168 grain bullets for up to mule deer size game and 180+ for bear and elk. They shouldn't tear up too much meat on a clean shot.

Best.

H

Answer 3

Shooting groundhogs with a magnum will get old in a hurry. You needn't worry too much about meat damage if you stick to the appropriate (and expensive) bullets, but the magnums really don't offer much in addition to the standard cartridges. Nobody is going to criticize your pick if you go with 30-06, but any will do nicely, even if by "7mm" you meant 7x57 Mauser, which would be a perfect cartridge for what you are hunting, and will do for elk if you use a good 160 or 175 grain bullet.

Answer 4

The 7 mm mag would be the best. Big enough for any north American large game and not to big for deer or such.
It will shoot farther with more "knock down" power at longer ranges.

Any gun shot through "meat" will spoil the meat. When ever possible try to only shoot through the rib cage and if possible no more than one shoulder. This all depends on the angle.

I once shot a deer that was quartering to me with a 30-30 I found the bullet in the skin in the hind leg. completely through

Answer 5

All are very good cartridges, I can throw out .270 but 7mm, .30/06, and .308 are all qualified. I don't know what is the most versatile.

I use the .308 mainly because I own a lot of guns that use this bullet (or the military 7.62 x 51mm version).

It depends on personal preference, most hunters like 30/06 or .270 but I tend to go for the .308.

Answer 6

I personally use a Sako in .300 Winchester Magnum for all North American hunting. It is one of the best long-range cartridge and gun combos. It will reach out better than the ones you list. It also has more power for moose and elk or Kodiak bear. If I hunt them only, I use a .340 Weatherby, but for hunting situations where I might see deer or moose, I use the .300 WM. I flew to New Brunswick once and once to Quebec. I could not take shells on the plane, and I could not find Weatherby ammo, but Winchester calibers were available. As you see, my .300 Winchester Mag has power for most game, range for any hunting situation here and ammo is widely-available anywhere, so that is why I use it.

Answer 7

I like the 30/06 but I have a thing for 1903 Springfields.

Answer 8

30-06 or .308 would porbably, but elk may be a little hard with ANY of these calibers...trhought about an in-line muzzleloader yet? powerful and could probably rip apart a groundhog, and probably take down an elk

or the best choice would probably get a slug barrel for that 12 GA. or yours and shoot deer slugs would probably take down an elk with the right slug and shot placement, thats what we call a poor mans rifle!

Answer 9

Right now all I have is a .30-.30 that was passed down to me. But for versatile I'd go with the .308. That's my next purchase Remington 700 in .308

Answer 10

No debate here; to do that which you want to do look only at two calibers; the 30-06 and it's first cousin the 8mm Mauser. They will do anything you want and you can get surplus ammo so you can also plink with them and have some fun; they are the wheel and have yet to be reinvented.