# best big game rifle



## coldskins (Sep 26, 2011)

what caliber rifle is best for all north American big game? most versatile?


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## eye fishing (Jan 9, 2012)

30-06, decent recoil, easy to find ammo, imho. I took mine to Alaska for moose last year, took my first buck with the same gun. ( thanks gpa ) .

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## BIG 30 (Sep 12, 2011)

270 or 30-06 but, I would use the 300 mag on the big ones in the lower 48.
300 mag can be downloaded too. 
So my vote is for the 30cal all the way around. A man cannot have enough rifles lying around! 

Most accurate factory rifle? Sako, Sauer, Browning A-Bolt
Best built factory rifle? Sauer(not SIG), Sako
Best bang for the buck rifle? Rem 700, Tikka


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## omalson (Dec 28, 2010)

Like the 300 win mag.. brown bear down to exploding small animals. 

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## G-Vac (Sep 20, 2004)

Hard to beat a .30/06, but remember their is no "best" only various compromises.


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## jmoser (Sep 11, 2002)

.308 or .30/06 will do 90% or more of anything you need but a .300 Win mag I think is the ultimate 'universal' North American hunting rifle.

Only thing left out is Big Brown Bears but unless you want to use a .416 on deer you will need another gun anyway . . .


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## mudpuppy1299 (Mar 19, 2011)

300 win. It can be loaded down to 30-06 performance for deer size game and loaded up for grizzlies. You also have to look at long-range performance. The 300 has less overall bullet and energy drop than any caliber in it's range, all while using less powder.


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## CMR (Jul 25, 2003)

Either .300 win mag or .338 win mag.

Sent from my LG-P925


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## Newcub (May 26, 2010)

.308 will do everything an 30.06 will do. Just 150 fps or less slower. As for the grizzlies I would step up to at least .300 win.

The best bang for a buck a Savage.


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## GladwinHunter777 (Jan 26, 2012)

300 win mag or 300 ultra mag


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## northlyon (Dec 27, 2009)

Who buys just one gun? Lol. But I'd vote 30-06....

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## lilsean95 (Mar 6, 2007)

.300 Win Mag. I bought mine last year and shot a deer in the LaBranch Area with it and getting ready for an Elk hunt this year and a Brown Bear hunt next year. THompson Center Encore .300WM


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

I get along fine with my 30/06. If I thought I needed bigger? .35 Whelen, or .338 Federal.

Good hunting!


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## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

.22 LR....practice, practice, practice.


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## coldskins (Sep 26, 2011)

KLR said:


> .22 LR....practice, practice, practice.


:lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## Dirty_Harry (Apr 25, 2012)

I would say the .30-06, because not everyone can load a .300 down to .30-06 levels. The .30-06 has more factory ammo choices.


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## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

I'd agree with the .30-06. It'll cover everything except brown bears. Lots of different loads and, in a pinch- you'll find ammo everywhere except the Moon (and if Armstrong was an '06 man you might even find some there). 

A .300 mag makes you marginal for brown bears but overgunned for a lot of other animals. We owe to the smaller critters not to be overly destructive on the meat and we owe it to the bears to carry enough gun if we hunt them. When I get enough nickels saved there's a .375 H&H in my gun safe for that trip! Thanks, Dad!!!

John


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## BIG 30 (Sep 12, 2011)

Beaverhunter2 said:


> I'd agree with the .30-06. It'll cover everything except brown bears. Lots of different loads and, in a pinch- you'll find ammo everywhere except the Moon (and if Armstrong was an '06 man you might even find some there).
> 
> A .300 mag makes you marginal for brown bears but overgunned for a lot of other animals. We owe to the smaller critters not to be overly destructive on the meat and we owe it to the bears to carry enough gun if we hunt them. When I get enough nickels saved there's a .375 H&H in my gun safe for that trip! Thanks, Dad!!!
> 
> John


You might want to re-iter on the 300 Win Mag. It is proven lethal medicine for everything except the most dangerous African game. And that is only because of the distances these animals are hunted. They can cover a short distance in a very rapid period of time before they EAT YOU! Large double rifles in thundering calibers are use to secure the animal Real Fast due to a matter of life and death for the hunter.
I quick human can run 100yds in little over 9 seconds. Think how fast a Big Cat can do it.

Here is an interesting example video






Never the less, I think the real deal here is how well can you shoot? Then do it under stress!
Without a doubt in the 40 yrs I have been hunting large game the "Shot Placement" was more a factor then caliber of any sort.
And I've seen the 300 mag take more large game then you can shake a stick at.


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## CPO RETIRED (Nov 18, 2008)

Winchester Westerner 26" Barrel Pre 64 Model 70 in .264 for open country.

Winchester Model 71 in 348 for the woods.


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## wadevb1 (Mar 25, 2008)

Agree with the 30-06.

If you gotta ask, I doubt you'll be chasing the big bears.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

The best big game rifle is the one that you can make clean and effective shots with.


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## Outdoorfan (May 14, 2012)

An 06, .300 winny, 7.62x54r on the cheap will harvest all NA game. Placement is key.


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