Hunting Forum

I guess I will take my 10-22 to Africa for my Ele hunt....just place the shot well....it would appear to me that "smaller" cals are the standard answers for folks who are afraid of big bores....I use a 7mmMag on Elk and Bear and many African PG but I use a .375RUM on bigger African game like Eland and Zebra and have used it on Kudu. I use a .416Rigby on Cape Buffalo and Hippo and will use it on Ele in May.
If I were White or Brown Bear hunting, I would probably use my .375RUM as it is stainless and syn stock. But my 5' 10" 140 lb buddy borrowed my .416Rigby for his B&C Brownie.
My question is why not use the biggest cal you can comfortably shoot on large animals?
Oh yeah, the answer is always shot placement-----I watched a Black Wildebeeste run 3/8 mile with a perfect 300 metre heart shot with blood squirting out with every heart beat----he ran til he bled himself dry! That was with a 175gr 7mmMag. When we opened up my first Cape Buffalo, he had no heart left and little lung-----took three 400 gr .416Rigbys and two .470 500gr bullets to put him down then I still had to walk around and finish the deal. Perfect shots do not always end in an animal dropping with chin and chest on ground and the four legs pointing outward.

i was talking about north american animals..you shoot a .375 mag in africa for bigger game there and thats a wise thing. but we don't got no elly-phants here so we don't need no .375 mag. i never suggested or condoned using any .22 rifle on big game. i clearly stated that imho all you need is a .270 or 30:06 for north american game.

it is a fact that the one of the biggest grizz ever killed was with a .22 long rifle and i clearly stated that i did not recommend that as being a good round. but it was done . i have no fear and am not afraid of the BIG BORES and have fired ,on the range, a whole whack of different magnums..i just don't like paying out big money to shoot them at north american game that can be taken with the 06' or .270. if you feel you just have to fire a magnum cannon at NORTH AMERICAN game , then please do.

I would not hunt Griz, White or Brown bears with anything smaller than my .375RUM. I might even use it Moose hunting. Everything else, in NA, I am quite happy with my 7Mag. BTW, the only Griz and Moose hunt I have gotten around to doing was with my trusty 7Mag.

In Alaska the law requires at least a 200 grain bullet with 3000 ft/lbs for bison. A 30/06 with Norma ammo is thus legal minimum. However, bison are significantly larger than Asian or African buffalo which most nations require a 375 or larger for. As you select, keep those numbers in mind

Actually the largest griz in Alberta was taken with a 22, the largest grizz, and brown bear, were taken in Alaska... I believe both with a -06

well one more reply and i'll quit this thread..as dirty harry (clint eastwood) stated in one of his earlier movies " a man has to know his limitations".i have never hunted the big ARRFFIRRICAA safariis and don't expect i'll ever be able to afford to do so. good hunting to you that can afford to.

but i hunt the big moose and grizz(when they was legal) and some damn tough big bull elk and decent size black bears....i never shot no "black wilderbeasties or cape "killer buffaloes"....we don't got none around here .....

but as too NORTH AMERICAN game animals i've killed them all ...big and small...with my .270...all i had and could afford...all i needed... as for for nerve...facing down a grizz over my elk kill...my daughters watching ...i gave him one fair round of warning out in front.. that hardly gave him a hiccup of consideration....ssssoooo as he continued his charge i aimed low in the front and let one go...he flinched and turned slightly ...so i gave him one in the neck...and the dispute over my elk ended...

my elk ..my kill...get over it mr. bear...so as clint says.."know your limitations " if your limited to being your best with magnum cannons ..have atter..i'll buy my first magnum cannon when i win the lottery and get to go to af-freak-a....good hunting to all

270 is a great caliber but I myself would be alittle hesitant to use it on Mr. griz. But in your situation better then a slingshot and glad you and your kids weren't lunch. Thats why a 45/70 is a great all around cal. as long as you keep your shots under 200yrds.

Atchesons had some "HOT DEALS" on Moose or Griz hunts-----they were around $17K......you can make at least two trips to RSA or Namibia for that and kill at least five animals on each trip----with your .270 !!
I made one trip to RSA when my two gun battery was a Ruger O/U 12 ga and a .22-250.

Think you all are missing the point. Poster, MAAD changed what he is planning to hunt:

"Thanks for the help, the bison and big bear are more of a pipe dream. Realistically would be mostly moose, elk, and hogs, think I might get the 300 mag."

So bison and bear are no longer a consideration. Thus, don't need no damn African safari guns. 30-06 is largest he could need and ammo is available everywhere and usually cheaper than any of the big gun bullets.

Yep!

Glad to see so many comments I don't have much experience with rifles other than .22s had a .222 for about two years. Sold it because was starting a family, now the kids are out of the house and have a little more time and money so I was hopping do more hunting. I was looking to buy one rifle that would work almost everything, but from the comments I think I will need to buy at least two. One for prairie-dogs to mule-deer probably mostly coyotes, and the other for large elk and moose and possibly larger game if I get the opportunity. Would like both rifles to be deadly out past 300 yards thanks for your help.

I would have no problem with having a 7mmMag for all you mentioned.
Probably started nudder "discussion"...

yep

Each person has his or her favorite cal. My rule of thumb is to be able to brake the shoulder down if needed. The problem is that most of the weapons mention 30-06, 270 308, 7mm mag are very close in their speed and distance. Bullet construction is the key as also placement. Lets not start a war over this but all weapons stated will take most north american game. Would I personally go hunt grizz with these hmmm well no. I would go to a larger cal. But that is just me. By the way if you handload the 308 will shoot the same bullets that a 30-06 will, just a lil slower not having the room for powder. Of the 4 weapons mention above I have 3 of the 4, missing the 7mm. I have the 300 win mag and the 308 norma mag the are my go to weapons if extended range is needed. Now that is a lil open but my intent is plus 500yds on game. ( which I try very hard not to shoot.) Before it starts, shooting 1000 yd targets has been done by all cals. with all these weapons BUT shocking power was low. This being said I have seen the lil whitetail deer take behind the shoulder hits and run, each animal has it's own will to live, from the 22-250 to the 375.some found some not, and one not found was with the 375 but that doesn't  mean it is not a good weapon. STUFF happens. If I had only one weapon it would be the 30-06 just because I could buy bullets from the lil accelerator to 220 grain bullets. The 270 is a necked down 30-06 and shooting 125 gr hi shock bullets it will do 3100 fps equal to the 270. So as you can see there isn't much diff in these cals. I have a lot of rifles so I choose one for the type of hunting I plan on doing and limit my range to the rifle i chose. Just my 2 cents tks

I say don't neck down the 30'06, but neck it up to 338 or better yet 358, then improve the shoulder angle to get the AO Improved 35 Whelen and 250 grain bonded or partition projectiles with decent BC and stopping/shock delivery.

I would say find what you can handle. Personally I would probably stay away from the magnums until you have been shooting more. just my opinion. If you havent shoot much lately with a 308 or similar kicking rifle then i would suggest to go out and start shooting with some friends that have the different calibers that you are looking at. Is the 308 enough. Yes it is with the correct shot placement. I would rather have a 308 than a 22 when it came to griz but there are better choices. It will all depend on what yoiu can handle for recoil along with what you are most comfortable with. If yoiu buy a gun and it is not comfortable in your hands then you wont shot it much. If all you will ever go and shot is elk and moose and you want a gun that doesnt kick much then i would probably go with a 308. That is my opinion and I know others will not agree. I also know that it will depend on where you go if the 308 is legal to shoot moose with let alone the other animals. That will be another issue that you will have to do your research on. Again everyone has their own little pet gun that they prefer and you will just need to find your pet and enjoy. Good luck to finding the gun that fits you and your situation.

ZGull

I don't have a pet gun, I just follow Ruark's advice....

I have never owned a 30-06 as my choice for the 30 calbiers has been the .308 and I finally broke down and built a .300 Win Mag outta of Yugo model 48 in 8 MM. I also have a Swedish Mauser in 6.5X55 that is the most accurate rifle I have ever shot or owned. My big caliber rifle is a NEF Handi Rifle in 45/70 and then I sent it back to them and had a .44 mag barrel fitted to match my .44 mag revolver. This battery of rifles will kill any North American game animal which is where I will most likely do all my hunting. Now where I going to Afreeca I would opt for the .375 Ruger or H&H as these have proven time and again that they will do the job. For hunting something that is both tough and can kill me I would opt like TIT and go with at the least the .416 as I would wish to return home ! For you revised list of animals the .308 will do the job and do it with a lot less punishment than the larger rounds.

First and  most important is shoot a rifle/caliber that you can handle and not flinch with. I have hunted moose with my 308 win and have taken a few with it but have since switched to a Model 70 300 win mag.. It gives you great confidence when you want to reach out at a bit of a distance. I've punched holes right through moose at 300 yards(using 180gr Nosler partition) and that would not have happened with the 308.

If I could have only one rifle to hunt North America with I would have to go with a 30-06.  Ammo is everywhere and it can be loaded up or down for all big game animals on this continent.  Not saying it would be the very best choice by any means for each species but with the proper load you shouldnt have any issues making a humane kill. 

Now, If i was going to go with a two rifles to handle everything from Praire Dogs up to Grizzlies then I would go with the 30-06 and either a .204 ruger or 22-250.  The .204 would be great on praire Dogs but I have heard mixed reviews on it for coyotes.  The 22-250 you could use for P-Dogs and Coyotes and down in texas I know alot guys killin whitetails with centerfire .22's. 

Personally, I own a .300 Win Mag and a 30-30.  I baught the .300 Win Mag for the moose hunt I want to take here in a few years.  Livin in texas for the last few years I have found that the deer are alot smaller then back home in the midwest.  I can still use my .300 with remington managed recoil rounds to Take deer with though.  The Managed recoil rounds bring the .300 winmag performance down to 30-06 performance levels.  Im goin on a hog hunt in south texas in june and I will be using the .300Winmag with 180gr bullets for that.