Large Bore Rifle Recommendations

[goalie]

30-06 will work on anything in North America just fine. Assuming you reload, you have anything from 150 grain deer-loads to 220 grain thumpers in the same package.

Just because something is common or "boring" doesn't mean it isn't the right choice. And you don't need to kill yourself with magnum recoil to have enough power downrange to kill effectively.

[yuppiejr]

.30.06 is a no-brainer. It can kill anything on the planet. You know that bull elephant have been taken by archery, right? Anybody who can't kill a moose with a 30-06 should have stayed home and practiced more. When the airline loses your 375 H&H ammo, or the guide's assistant drops it in 90ft. of ice-cold water getting off the float plane, good luck finding more on your dream hunt. Think about it. Every mom and pop store in North America outside of metro areas has a few boxes of 30-06 on a shelf somewhere. besides, somebody else mentioned Jack O'Connor. I always trust old people who have walked the walk. He was one of them.

iirc, Jack O'Conner was a devotee of the .270, not the .30-06.

More broadly, O'Conner was an advocate of good shot placement using the right tool for the job which includes the effect of recoil on the shooter... not just what the bullet does IF it hits what you're shooting at and happens to rip through something important... I think casting him as a "one caliber guy" is missing the more important message as a conservationist, while he advocated the .270 as a great, flat shooting all-around cartridge for most game throughout North America he actually admitted in private correspondence that the 30-06 was a more versatile cartridge.

[yuppiejr]

30-06 will work on anything in North America just fine. Assuming you reload, you have anything from 150 grain deer-loads to 220 grain thumpers in the same package.

Just because something is common or "boring" doesn't mean it isn't the right choice. And you don't need to kill yourself with magnum recoil to have enough power downrange to kill effectively.

You don't have to reload to take advantage of this capability in 30-06 either, there is a HUGE range of factory ammunition available using a variety of bullet weights, etc...

[goalie]

30-06 will work on anything in North America just fine. Assuming you reload, you have anything from 150 grain deer-loads to 220 grain thumpers in the same package.

Just because something is common or "boring" doesn't mean it isn't the right choice. And you don't need to kill yourself with magnum recoil to have enough power downrange to kill effectively.

You don't have to reload to take advantage of this capability in 30-06 either, there is a HUGE range of factory ammunition available using a variety of bullet weights, etc...

True, you can get the heavy stuff in good factory loading nowadays.

[SSBotanyBay]

Thanks for all of your replies and thoughts on the subject. The way it sounds, I will need to buy one of each caliber in order to decide. I will be taking a little closer look at the reloading manuals this week to try and see what performance I can get out of some of the more common cartridges. I found out that my dad will be coming along for this one so I really do get to buy 2 rifles for this expedition. One will likely be a 30-06 or 300 WSM but I am still undecided as to the other.

FWIW- We are driving out there so there are no airlines to worry about losing my gear nor is there any question about what is available in the stores. I might lose some of my crap, so I guess the question may be relevant.

[SSBotanyBay]

I was doing some research last night and thought about another horse in the race. Anyone have any experience or (informed) thoughts on the 325 WSM?

[rugersol]

FWIW, .325 WSM would probly do exceptionally well!

[SSBotanyBay]

FWIW, .325 WSM would probly do exceptionally well!

LOL...didn't catch that one!

[J33Nelson]

I love my .300 Weatherby so much that I bought my wife one!

[crbutler]

The .325 WSM is essentially a hot loaded 8mm mauser or a light loaded 8mm rem mag.

It will work just fine for what you are talking about, but the ammunition will be limited, especially if you don't reload it. If you do reload, the 8mm offerings are a pale shade of the .30's, 7mm's, and .338's; but I haven't heard anything negative about its field performance. My moose guide used a 8mm Rem mag for his backup gun- never got fired (which he was glad for as he can't find ammo for it in AK very easily.) He's killed more than a few grizzlys with that gun. Craig Boddington the hunting writer loves the 8mm Mag also.

Personally, I suspect this one is headed to the obsolescent caliber list as it seems us Americans can't stand anything 8mm collectively. Having said that, there is nothing at all wrong with it, just not a real barn burner for sales.

[SSBotanyBay]

Last week I picked up one of the two rifles for this trip. I grabbed a Vanguard in 7mm RemMag for my dad to hunt with and am currently on the prowl for some glass for it to get him started shooting. I figured this will make a nice all around hunting rifle which frees me up to get something a little more odd unique to hunt with myself. I am still kind of leaning toward a .325 but could probably be easily swayed if I found the right rifle in .300WSM. I did rule out the .375H&H though there is a pretty nice one up on Armslist. Realistically, I have 2 years to have the rifles and loads dialed in with enough trigger time in to be confident with them, so I don't need to be in a real hurry. That being said, it is pretty tough to tame the urge to buy new guns especially when you have proper justification for buying them.

[J33Nelson]

A Mark V in .300 Weatherby would go good with that Vanguard you picked up.

[gdubya]

If you are into the oddball, how about .358 Winchester? I LOVE my heirloom Model 88, and it was my Grandpa's favorite for everything from deer, to elk, to boar, and he even got a moose once.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/358Win_mystery.htm

[SSBotanyBay]

A bit of a thread resurrection here...I just picked up the second of two rifles for this trip (a Ruger tang safety M77 in .300 Win Mag). Next question...I know that everyone has there preference when it comes to hunting bullets but I would like to hear them. I am leaning towards a 175gr for the 7mm RM and to a 180 or 200gr for the 300WM.

What is your favorite/most effective hunting bullet?

[crbutler]

The .300 win Mag I would go with either a 165 or 180 grain Barnes Tipped TSX or a 200 grain Partition for the combination you are hunting. The Nosler accubond is supposed to be a replacement for the partition, but I have not had enough experience on game with them.

In the 7 mm I would stay with a 160 grain Barnes Tipped TSX or else a Swift A frame in 160 or 175 grains given moose on the list.

The TSX is my go to soft point bullet in African hunting. I would use it in anything over .30, but the tipped version opens more reliably on smaller calibers.

I use the Partition in slower guns (non magnum, generally), the A frame in faster for north America. I used to use ballistic tips and cup and core bullets for some stuff, but I wouldn't for any hunt I have to travel for now.