Looking for best all around rifle caliber advice?

Sticking with the cals you listed. I would suggest the 30-06...light bullets for varments and 165s for everything else....but then you have to re-site the scope each time. Maybe just shoot the same bullet and get really comfortable with it.

I know many folks who just shoot a 30-06 and thats it...you can't go wrong there.

If they took away all my rifles and said choose one gun for all the rifle hunting, I would go with the 30-06...it is the "Jack of all trades"
 
With Elk on the list a 7mm-08 is a good starting point. If we stay away from Elk and we stop at Muleys and Whitetails then a .25 is a great choice (My favorite is the .257 Roberts. There are several rifles available on GunBroker. The Rugers are good choices. The Winchester Mdl 70 Featherweight is my favorite production rifle in .257R.
 
Thank you for all the helpful responses it is good to see different opinions. I am starting to take a look at some of the short actions as well as many have suggested. I am heading to the local gun store tomorrow to take some closer looks.
 
With elk in the picture, flip a coin on the 270,280,7MM mag. or 30-06. The .308 or 7-08 would be the minimum in the short actions. I have always been of the opinion to have a little more gun on elk. You might not hit just perfectly, and a bigger bullet will make for better chance of recovery. You should have a dedicated big game rifle, and a predator rifle in .223 or 22-250. You won't shoot the big bore as much, just because of the cost.
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgun260 Rem

90gr TNTs or 95 Vmax for yotes, 130TSX for elk.......

+ me too, I don't know if I was the 3rd or 4th in that line.
 
After doing some more ballistics research and reading all the responses I have realized that 1 rifle for all the different needs may be more than I need right now(and who wants just one rifle anyway?) As one person pointed out if I ever get the money together for an elk hunt I should have the money for a bigger rifle. A 270 or bigger for coyotes or deer is more gun than needed in most cases. It will be nice having a lower recoil rifle anyway once my kids get older and move up to a center fire from rim fires. So I am going to go with something for deer size or smaller. On paper it appears the 25-06 is a better choice and a few people pointed out some states require .25 or larger. So in the real world is the 25-06 a better choice? Thanks again for helping me through
 
Most states that im aware of the 243 was the minimum, not a 25. But several states including wyoming allow as small as 223 for deer and smaller.

Given the choice between 243 and 25-06, id take the 25 every time.

And then get a 30-06 for your elk trip.
 
And this may be a useless discussion if you plan on hunting in ohio. According to the dnr, no rifles for deer hunting, uless theyre muzzle loaders.

But you can shoot a crow with a 50bmg. Because apparently that makes sense.
 
I thought about this one topic about a month ago and came home with a .243. I already have a .257 Roberts and a .308 so it was a toss up between the 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem, and a .243 win. So the LRP in .243 came home.
 
Originally Posted By: Rock KnockerOriginally Posted By: 2muchgun260 Rem

90gr TNTs or 95 Vmax for yotes, 130TSX for elk.......

+ me too, I don't know if I was the 3rd or 4th in that line.

This sounds rather logical.
 
Originally Posted By: splithairs2OK! 1 vote for the 7x57. Good bullets to choose from, plenty of horse power.
Excellent suggestion!I think CZ chambers their 550 for it.
 
In Scandinavia over 200,000 moose are killed each year. The most popular caliber used is the 6.5mm (.260).

FWIW, my guess would be the 7x57 is second most popular cartridge used.

Given the 6.5s proven reliability on moose, that is why I figured it (the .260 Rem) to be a safe minimum for elk. And given the OPs original criteria, I do not see why anything larger than a 6.5 would make good sense.......
 
When I was a kid, everyone talked about having a good all around rifle from varmints to big game.. There were only a couple that got serious consideration: the .270 and .30-06.. For about ten years I used to 06 for all my varmint hunting and big game hunting.. Today, in your situation it would be a great choice, but maybe my first pick would be the .270 with a 24 in barrel..
 
I have a 7mm 08 that I have used from Pdogs to elk. I like the short action and lower recoil. With the right ammo the 08 is a fine elk caliber for out to about 300 yrds
 
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