Hunting Calibers

1878 Views 51 Replies 34 Participants Last post by LApm9, 8 mo ago

redrick

Discussion Starter · 9 mo ago

I am sitting on my back porch looking at the backfield this evening as the sun goes down . The air has that fall chill in the air , getting close to hunting season , well dove season is in now . It got me to thinking how many calibers rifles would I like to hunt anything that doesn’t fly in North American . Here’s my list . Let’s hear yours and it doesn’t have to be 4 calibers .

Small Game - .22 long rifle
Varmint / Predator - .223
Deer size - 6.5 cm
Large Game , up to moose and brown bear - .300 Win Mag

Reactions: 3

1 - 20 of 52 Posts

Big Bird

· #2 · 9 mo ago

.338 Win Mag for everything....

and if I had to pick a second a .270 Winchester.

Don't get me wrong...I have a bunch of rifles in all kinds of calibers. Even a few Creedmoors...6mm and 6.5. But they can't hold a candle to a .270 Win or even a .308 at any reasonable hunting distance.

Reactions: 4

MarkCO

· #3 · 9 mo ago

20g
.223
6.5CM
280AI
338-06

Those are the 5 I hunt with every year, at least once. But the .280AI is a new add. 😎😁

My bird hunting is 16g and 12g

Reactions: 4

Bren

· #4 · 9 mo ago

Big Bird said:
.338 Win Mag for everything....

Probably won't get much meat off of your squirrels and rabbits.

Reactions: 5

Sechott

· #5 · 9 mo ago

The tried and true 270 is a Win for me.

Reactions: 5

redrick

Discussion Starter · #6 · 9 mo ago

I wouldn’t want to shoot a squirrel or a rabbit with a .270 , or a .338 mag .

Reactions: 2

MarkCO

· #7 · 9 mo ago

redrick said:
I wouldn’t want to shoot a squirrel or a rabbit with a .270 , or a .338 mag .

I think they missed the key word in your OP...like. 😎

Reactions: 2

MarkCO

· #8 · 9 mo ago

Bren said:
Probably won't get much meat off of your squirrels and rabbits.

At some point, meals through a straw, so maybe he is just saving time and skipping the blender.

Reactions: 5

FullClip

· #9 · 9 mo ago

Just need a .22, 30-06 and a 12 Guage.

But I have much more for some reason.

Reactions: 5

Valmet

· #10 · 9 mo ago

I don’t hunt much anymore but friends and I have a deer camp in Southern VA that’s a mix of wooded timber and bean fields. More often than not I’ll hunt in the timber with my old .35 Remington (Model 8). Anything across a bean field I’ll usually use a .270 Wby Mag.

Reactions: 3

redrick

Discussion Starter · #11 · 9 mo ago (Edited)

The only shotgun that is a caliber that I know of is a 410 , rifles calibers only .

You might not hunt a certain animal class and I don’t hunt anything larger than a deer , but cover all size / classes of animals .

MarkCO

· #12 · 9 mo ago

redrick said:
The only shotgun that I know of is a 410 , rifles calibers only .

Killed my 1st bull Elk with a 12g slug, and a lot of deer and pigs. For some, the shotgun with slugs is THE big game getter.

Reactions: 3

warbow150

· #13 · 9 mo ago

.22
06
12 gauge

I’ve lost track of how many others I’ve owned and used, but those three will get it done cleanly for anything in the U.S.

Reactions: 4

redrick

Discussion Starter · #14 · 9 mo ago

MarkCO said:
Killed my 1st bull Elk with a 12g slug, and a lot of deer and pigs. For some, the shotgun with slugs is THE big game getter.

True , I mostly use a shogun . I live in a shotgun only county for deer . But this thread is about rifle calibers to cover every animal in North America , even if you don’t or haven’t hunted that class of animal , maybe a fantasy thread and not real life . Most of us will probably never hunt a elk , moose , or a brown bear .

Reactions: 1

papershoot

· #15 · 9 mo ago (Edited by Moderator)

I have 22 LR, 223/5.56, 30.06 and some pistol carbines. I'll need another safe if I buy more long guns.

Article reference and link removed-way off topic.

Reactions: 1

nugnuts

· #16 · 9 mo ago

22 lr, 9 mil, 10 mill

Reactions: 2

'Ol Grandad

· #17 · 9 mo ago

.30-'06 and .30-30 covers everything I will ever hunt on this continent.

Reactions: 1

BrentC

· #18 · 9 mo ago

Small Game - .22 long rifle or maybe 12 gauge
Varmint / Predator - 22-250, 22 lr or 300 BO
Deer size - 270 or 243
Large Game , up to moose and brown bear - .300 Win Mag or slug

Several of my mentioned guns are on the plan to buy list.

Reactions: 1

BrentC

· #19 · 9 mo ago

Anyone hunt with a 10 gauge? If so, hunt geese I suppose?? Heard of videos of people using 00 buck in 3 1/2 10 gauges to try to wipe out ferral pigs at a bait trap.

rfd339

· #20 · 9 mo ago

12ga
22lr
270win
Brush...7.62 in a scoped sks.

Reactions: 1

1 - 20 of 52 Posts

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