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Caliber

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scavaleru View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scavaleru Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Caliber
    Posted: November/01/2009 at 01:21
      I have to buy my first rifle.For the moment I have to buy just the one.The targets will be deer,moose,bear.
      The question is what caliber is proper to take to be OK with all of them.I understood that could be a grain difference for white tail/moose/bear.But with the caliber...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rjtfroggy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 05:30
 For all 3 with all the different loadings,  America's favorite 30-06.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Apostle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 06:00
.308 Winchester
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300S&W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 06:09
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trigger29 View Drop Down
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X = 180 Y = 90 (X+Pyro)+(Y-Pyro) = ?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trigger29 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 07:22
.300 Weatherby Vanguard Backcountry..........I'll sell you one.Bucky
 
I would say .300 Win., but might not be a good choice for a first rifle. I'm a 30-06 hater, so I don't know what to recommend. Maybe a 7mm Remington, but I don't know that that would be my first choice for bear. My first choice for bear would be something BIG though..........because they scare me.Big Smile

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote martin3175 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 07:38
You've really left it wide open for caliber choices ...308's ...30-06....7mm mag anything ....338 anything ...... 300 mag anything .....270 ...280.....whatever it takes ...
Do you have a budget in mind or make of rifle ? Is ammo cost and availability an issue? Will deer be the primary game of choice with a hope for something bigger in the future or will bear and moose be a regular item?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 07:49
 Also, what KIND of bears will determine suitability as well. I know that some guys figure a big black can approach a grizzly in size, but my recommendations for Kodiak brown or Polar bears would be significantly different than that for strictly black bears.
 Also brush country whitetails and open sage muleys have very different requirements in cartridge performance. You should probably narrow it down a bit for us.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Horsemany Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 07:55
Turdy ot six.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 09:53
Originally posted by scavaleru scavaleru wrote:

      I have to buy my first rifle.For the moment I have to buy just the one.The targets will be deer,moose,bear.
      The question is what caliber is proper to take to be OK with all of them.I understood that could be a grain difference for white tail/moose/bear.But with the caliber...


What kind of experience do you have shooting??

What area/terrain are you hunting?

Ronk already asked what type of bear(s).
“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scavaleru Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 10:05
       The first choice will be deer,moose is the second and bear(black) the third.The ammo for hunting has to be very precise(best in the market).But for training could be ordinary.
        Bears scare me,too.
        The area will be in Ontario-Canada.So,will be a lot of forest.I thing max.300 yd.
        I never was to hunting.But I am good to shot the targets.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 10:28
this is easy, 35whelen. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Horsemany Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 10:57
Originally posted by pyro6999 pyro6999 wrote:

this is easy, 35whelen. 
 
Yep.  That would be great choice.  35 Whelen hits a whitetail like the hammer of thor. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 11:33
You are very fortunate in that there are no shortages of good choices.  All of the recommendations made so far will work very well.  Basically, any big game cartridge from .308 Win class power on up will fit the bill.  I think your best choices for an "all around, general purpose" rifle are .30-06, any of the various 7mm magnums, and any of the various .300 magnums.  .35 Whelen would be great, but there are fewer rifles chambered for it, and ammo is harder to find if you don't reload.  Anything .338 would work well also, but all but the .338 Federal are a bit overkill if the majority of your hunting will be for whitetail.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 11:53
Depending on the size of the bear, get an 06 or a 7RM and be done with it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 14:19
9.3x62 easier to find factory ammo than the .35
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 14:21
.308 Win or .30-06 (leaning towards the '06 for larger animals). Both are widely available. There's probably no place you could go in North America and not be able to get .30-06 ammo.
Reaction time is a factor...
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Preston View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Preston Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 14:40
.300win mag or 30-06
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 17:33
45/70 would work well...
30-06 has about the best availability and widest range of loadings of any caliber.  Can also take any North American game, but would not be my first choice for bear.  It will do the job, I wouldn't hesitate to use it, but I believe the 45-70 is better.  45-70 is also very good for the other game you mentioned...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trigger29 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 17:51
I think one should ask what calibers you have shot, and how the recoil felt to you. It would be unfortunate to recommend a caliber to you, and have you not shoot it well, because of the recoil. I thought a .300 win mag would be a good choice, but the recoil can be a bit much for some. What calibers have you shot at targets?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/01/2009 at 17:52
I think Preston knew what I would say.  30-06 or 300 Win Mag would be very good choices.  Hunters in Alaska often use a 338 Win Mag which retains a lot of energy at distance.  Availibility of ammo for 30-06 and 300 WM is good but the 300 WM is quite a bit more expensive to get the same weight bullet pushed about 300 ft per sec faster.  If you are sensitive to recoil the 30-06 would be the better choice.  I would prefer the 300 WM myself.  I believe the rifles would be the same price for most of the calibers mentioned.  I have never had a 338 WM but I do  have a 375 H&H and it's plenty of gun for anything.  The 45-70 is  best used under 200 yds which is why I would only select if for heavy brush.
One of my friends uses a 270 Win to hunt Elk with very successfully.  I've always been told that 30-06 is the absolute minimum for bears.  The more dangerous something is the larger I want the rifle caliber to be  - Big Bear -BazookaBig Bullet.
 

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