All around big game rifle

J

jblomqui

New member
Question for you gun and ballistics guys. I am looking at picking up a solid all around North America big game rifle. Mostly for deer and the occasional elk. I have always had access to big game rifles through my dad and brother so i have never had to pick up one for myself. But i recently moved so i need my own. I was planning on just picking up the old reliable Remington 30-06. But after talking to a buddy at work he said he would seriously look into a Springfield semi auto 308 with the way things are going with gun laws right now. What are your opinions? I have a budget of around $1300 and was hoping to get a decent rifle and optic for that. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with the boring old .30-06 and ammo is everywhere for a decent price. Rifles in this caliber on the shelf in every gun store.
To me the .308 is a baby .30-06 with bullet weight limits. Not a bad choice.
Having all of these my favorite is the .300 Win Mag. Never too big for deer and plenty for elk. Flat, hard shooting, and not too much recoil.
 
Thanks for the info. The 300 was 2nd on my list, (only because of the ease and availabilty of finding 30-06 rounds) but after talking to the guy at work he had me second guessing myself.
 
I have had a a30-06 and currently use a 300 win Mag now..

If I had to start over, and get one that i can use for elk and deer.

I would personally get the 270. Its flat shooting and plenty for Elk.
My father and few friends have them and just about any store has the bullets sitting on the shelf all the time. I was even able to find them when there was a shortage of everything else.

I wouldn't use a 308 personally, it's fine, nothing wrong with it, just that i wouldn't do it.

As for not much kick. My 300 is light for hunting, and it kicks like a mule. It's the only weapon that i have ever used that has scope bit me. After about ten shots from this thing, I have had enough. But, then i usually only shoot it 3-5 times in a year. The 270 is more comfortable to shoot for me.
 
I'd look into a 7mag or a 270win. 308 will do what you want. I think I'd want more for elk though. I'm not a 30cal fan so my opinion is biased. All you get with 300 or 7rem mag is more recoil
 
When I think "big game" Brown Bears pop into my mind for some reason. Maybe cause the live in the same places, IDK. If I was looking for a big game rifle and need it to cover everything in North America, I would prolly look at a .308+ sized caliber in a Browning BLR. Fast follow up shots, plenty accurate, no bullet choice issues. My buddy has a .358 Win in a BLR and while it may not be a long range range rifle, it will shoot MOA out to 300 yards and has more then enough power to drop "big game"...
.308 win, .338 Federal, or .358 Win would all work nicely.

Read this: http://www.chuckhawks.com/358Win_mystery.htm
 
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300 win mag, 30-06, 308 they are all great calibers however if I had to pick just one do all rifle for everything except large bears I would go with a .270 win. Available ammo in every back country hardware store and when you reload you can varmint with a 90 gr bullet or load up to a 150 grain for the largest game. Sweet spot in the .270 though will always be the 130 gr.

Also very manageable recoil and especially for deer it just plain works!
 
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I asked the same thing a year or two ago. A .308, .30-06, .270, 7mmRM, 300WM will all be enough for NA game, up to and including bear and moose. But as with all calibers, shot placement is vital. I hate it when people say that to me but it is true. You can drop a moose with a .22WMR if you're 50ft away and drill him in the melon. Or a .300WM if you're 500yds area and double-lung him. My friends have taken monster elk/deer with anything from a .243 to 7mm-08 to a .308 to a .300WM.

What are your hunting conditions? Brush, plains, forest, 100yds, 600yds? If you want a Springfield M1A get one, but it's not something I'd take hunting, personally.
 
As they say "stick with your first thought" when taking a quiz- I would do the same in your case. Rem 700 30-06.
 
Being in a popular elk area all my life, many and all calibers get used legal or not. The most popular calibers seem to be .308,.30-06,.300 WM, .300WSM, .338 WM and 7mm Mag. All the others are present from .243 to .338-378 and fill in there.
This list has changed since I was a kid as noted by a couple hunting publications.
In todays hunting environment locally it is important to be a good shot with a big gun with good knockdown power. Not only because elk can be tough but you also need running shoes to tag it first.
 
I killed my first elk with a .308...I just bought a .270...but when I go out for elk now days, I am likely packing my .338 Win Mag.

The .308, 30-06, .270 7mmMag and others will all kill elk, I like the .338 for elk...if you have one rifle...cant go wrong with 30-06, .270, 7mmMag, 300 win, and others...but if you don't reload be sure you are ready for the sticker shock on the ammo for some of those cals. It can be very pricey.

I have two friends who just bought their hunting rifles...both got 30-06...the ammo availability and cost convinced them....
 
Thanks for all the input. I have been using a 270 short mag for probably the last 5 years on deer, and have bben taking them at an average of probably 200 yards. I like the 270 but the last two deer i shot with it took multiple shots to bring them down. And all shots were well placed. They were some big muleys, but it got me thinking i may need something that hits a little harder, especially if trying to bring down a big bull elk... But thats why i asked the question. Im by no means an expert. I've just always picked up the rifle, sighted it in, then off to hunting.
 
Shot placement has a lot to do with drt shots. Break them down with a shoulder shot if that's all your after. That said if I had to pick just one it'd be something vanilla like a '06 or a 7mag. Easy to find ammo for either one no matter where you are.
 
Without being there for the conversation, I'm just speculating but I would guess that your bud wasn't so much trying to talk you into a 308. I would guess that he was encouraging you to get a semi-auto, which is much easier to get in 308 than 30-06. While I love semi-auto 308s, I don't like to hunt with them and think that for what you're asking about, you'd be better severed with a bolt 30-06 like you originally wanted.
 
I would take a look at the weight of the SA they are fairly heavy guns to run up and mountains with, I grew up in Utah and hunted most of the State when I was younger (much younger), if I were to hunt that area now I would probably use a 7 mag.
 
I have owned all and 308 is my favorite from the ones listed. I never really was a fan of 30-06. I have taken many whitetail and elk also a moose with a 308. Pick the right bullet and shot placement is the main key.
 
The 270win will do what you need running Nosler partition.

If not, the old 30-06 is hard to beat. I don't like them personally but they work very well.

If I ever build another big game rifle it will likely be a 280 Rem. Just saying.
 
Its somewhat amazing how many variants or spin offs of the .30-06 there are and for over 100 years it still is a great round.
 
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