If you were to get one rifle, which caliber would be most useful?

say i were to get a remington 700 or something similar. which caliber would you get? which would be most useful in most hunting situations that use a rifle. hogs, deer, coyotes, fox, etc...

243?, 270?, 308?, 30-06? etc...

Wow, this question is going to go for 20 pages!! I'll throw in on it and say that I love my 30-06 more than any of my guns. Take down large game (elk, etc), but can tear up some hogs or coyotes....IMHO

270, same reasons as Itus.

280 or 7rem mag both would cover anything in the northern hemisphere.

30-06 sir...

rick

.30-06 going to be your all around bullet that can take the biggest game in north america at long distances while holding phenomenal accuracy. Ammo is widely available (even durring the current run on ammo); and reasonably priced.

300Rum

Usually I'd say .30-06, but having just come the gun store I'll say .270. Only ammo they had in any quantity.

30-06.You can a wide range of ammo for hunting just about anything. 55gr sabot to 220gr solid & everything in between.

.270 Win or .30-06 for the game you state. Too many reasons to list.

Another vote for the .270

I would do 308 or 270 first

280 AI or 35 Whelen

257wby

Short action; .260 or 7mm-08

Long action; .280 or 7 Rem Mag

Tell I like 7mm bullets?

Boooooh
It says Weatherby behind the numbers.

That just means I like to cook my animals as I shoot them. At the very least I don't have to worry about ecoli : )

I'm tempted to build a 6.5 wby

Popcorn - Check
Beer - Check
Comfy Chair - Check

OK, Let 'er rip!!!

375 h&h

.257 AI Lapua Wby. Mag

In bolt gun, my vote would be 270, with consideration to 30-06 and 308. But if I could have one gun, and only one...12 guage shotgun. I hope it never comes down to that!

At least then you'd have some BC to go with all that powder.

If it had to be a Remington model 700, I would want to get none of the really rare, collectors calibers so that I could sell the thing and buy some other brand of rifle.

- In 30-06.

.308

I'm thinking 7-08 or 7mag. Probably 7mag because I don't think the 7-08 is quite up to the task of elk or bigger bears @ longer distances.

.270 of the ones you posted, .25-06 for the best all around thats a blast to shoot.

Add another.

Easy one. 25-06.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/why_25-06.htm

.308 or 30-06.

Thirty Ought Six!

For Texas the 30-06, for Alaska .300 WM., Africa .375 H&H.

Short action; .260rem or 7MM08
Long action: .280 or 30-06

9.3x62

30.06

For the critters you have listed (hogs, deer, coyotes, fox, etc...) and you did say "which caliber would you get".... My choice is 7mm-08.

However, if anything bigger were on the menu... i'd go 30-06.

firstshot

6.5x55mm Swedish

Low recoil, great accuracy with any loads, and great B.C.

...but its also hard to beat .30 Govt. '06

I was all set to get a .308, but the recent ammo situation has me reconsidering. I don't want to compete for ammo with all of the battle rifle guys.

I am going to stick to 30-06.

Model 70 in 375 h&h

In his post the OP doesn't restrict his hunting to Texas or even North America.

So, here's another vote for the .375 Holland. Mine is a Whitworth, but any bolt gun with CRF should do nicely.

30-06

300 Win mag. Good for everything up to dangerous game.

.270 ...... 7mm.rem. 30/06 is about 10th on my list. Never been a fan...

30-06. Wizard article addressing the question in Peterson's Hunting Mag last month ed. settled on same cal as best all round hunting rifle. As that's my favorite rifle in safe, have to agree with him. Though it really tuff on those squirrels!

Could be wrong but I don't think their is any animal in Alaska that could take a .30-06 to a vital area and live. My .02 cents.

308

6.5 grendal

For me, without a doubt would be my .30-06

.270

You're completely right.