# Best All purpose Caliber



## jlcrss (May 17, 2006)

I have a Thompson Prohunter muzzle loader and I am thinking of getting a rifled barrel for it. I was wondering what the best all purpose rifle caliber would be. I would be doing everything from shooting chucks to deer. I also want something that is cheap to shoot and accurate. Is there an all inclusive caliber?


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

If your not shooting anything larger than deer the .243 would be hard to beat for your needs. I used mine on chucks, coyotes and anything else in the varmint world with great success. Never used it on a deer but I wouldn't have been afraid to.


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## laterilus (Mar 18, 2006)

30/06.


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## jlcrss (May 17, 2006)

what about 308 or 7mm?


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## UPhiker (Jul 13, 2008)

7mm-08


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## Rustyaxecamp (Mar 1, 2005)

jlcrss said:


> I would be doing everything from shooting chucks to deer. I also want something that is cheap to shoot and accurate.


You're talking 3 pounds up to 200 pounds. Pretty big span. I would think 243 is as close as you will get to being "appropriate" for both. IMHO it is a little big for chucks and a little small for deer, but likely the best you will find to "cover" both. It is also the "cheapest" one you will find that comes close to doing it all too.


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## jlcrss (May 17, 2006)

Rustyaxecamp said:


> You're talking 3 pounds up to 200 pounds. Pretty big span. I would think 243 is as close as you will get to being "appropriate" for both. IMHO it is a little big for chucks and a little small for deer, but likely the best you will find to "cover" both. It is also the "cheapest" one you will find that comes close to doing it all too.


I kind of figured that. I am probably just gonna start small and get something for varmits like a 223 or 22-250. Then when I am able get a large caliber for deer and bear. The one thing that sucks is the barrels are pretty expensive for the encore. Not to mention once you purchase a scope you are in the 500 dollar range.


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## Violator22 (Nov 10, 2004)

7mm-08, then 250 Savage, all the rest are just overkill, those two calibers will kill anything in the Continental United States. Les


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## Johnnydeerhunt (Apr 27, 2005)

.270


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## Dist.866 (Jan 9, 2009)

The best all around caliber would be the .308 if you reload. You have alot of different choices of bullet wieghts from 110 grains to 240 grains, also different bullet styles.


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## MERGANZER (Aug 24, 2006)

.300 Win Mag although I do not beleive there is a all around versatile caliber out there. Get 2 guns if yu want varmints and deer. 204 ruger and a .300 win mag 

Ganzer


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## Sib (Jan 8, 2003)

Chevy! I mean Ford. :lol:

A lot to consider, imo. One thing to consider is cost per round of different calibers. Some calibers are much easier on the wallet, some are quite exotic with less bullet choice and higher costs. 

For versatility the .243 to .270 range is pretty good all the way around. .257 Roberts is in that size range, but it isn't as cheap to shoot as a .243. If you reload the difference may not be enough to worry about.


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## Rootsy (Nov 1, 2006)

7mm class would have you covered. You could load the 100 gr Hornady HP's for chucks... though there won't be much left of one and you can also load for deer and such.... Reloading your own makes any 7mm (.284) round very universal.

Same goes for the 243 and the 6.5 mm stuff... I've know a few 243's that have taken more deer than I can count... Plus you can get light explosive bullets for them that won't vaporize a chuck upon impact...


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## NATTY BUMPO (May 12, 2001)

30-06 3X

Has everything covered "from mice to moose"

Can you still buy the REM Accelerator loads??

NB


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## PA BUCK 2 (Oct 17, 2006)

I would agree that the .243, 7mm08 are pretty good choices. I would also look at the 25-06. I have used my .308, .270 and 30-06 on basically everything from chucks to deer too (actually to elk). 

Good luck and shoot straight whatever you get!


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## HTC (Oct 6, 2005)

If I could only have one barrel it would be a 257 Roberts. If you don't handload, then a 7mm-08 would be next in line. If neither of those look good to you maybea Lazzeroni in a .308 Warbird, that round should do nicely from chucks to deer.


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## CMR (Jul 25, 2003)

My vote is for the .30-06.


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## Asian Archer (Sep 15, 2003)

My vote the .243 I have one and I love it. I've shoot deer, yotes, chucks, you name it with it. All of the deer I have shot with it have either gone down there or within 50-70 yards with a 95 grain Winchester Supreme Ballistic Silvertip bullet. For yotes i use the Hornady 58 or 75 grain V-Max or up to the 80 grain Remington HP. I've even seen out west they use .243 for elk even. I think this is too light but I've seen alot of people put plenty of them down with this light cartridge. Good luck. OH and check out the 25-06 that would be my second choice.


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## The_Don (Apr 28, 2008)

out of curiosity what is the affective range on deer with the .243 ?


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## Zarathustra (Oct 5, 2005)

My advice:

There is no best caliber to cover all of those requirements, but you can cover them well with 2 calibers. 

Get a .223 for varmints up to and including coyotes. I am recommending that because you mentioned cheap ammo. (if ammo price was not a consideration, I would consider a .22-250)

Get a .30-06 for everything larger. (or a .270)


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## jlcrss (May 17, 2006)

What is the difference between the 308 marlin and the 308 winchester?


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## Asian Archer (Sep 15, 2003)

The Effective range on a .243 is 200-300 yards for deer sized game. For coyotes or smaller animals 400-500 yards if you can be accurate enough. Out beyond 300 yards I don't think the cartridge has enough KE for medium sized game


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## joe allen (Dec 23, 2008)

7mm-08 rem mlss. i have many others but thats useally what i grab.with a 3x9x50 burris. i have never fired factory ammo thru it but i get sub moa with 150grn nosler partions. low recoil=more practice. but those bullets are a buck a pc. at gander now!


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## Flash (Jan 17, 2006)

No such thing as a best all purpose caliber for all hunting - without limiting the game targeted by some parameters like "small game", "NA big game" or "African game" etc. Several rifle magazines have tried and essentially concluded that for North American game - the 30-06 was the most versatile and literally available everywhere. The .284 is a nearly perfect combination of ballistic potentials, but rounds are not readily available. There is a lot of truth that a minimum of 2 calibers are required for small game (chucks to deer) and big game (boars to bear). Of course a 30/30 will dispatch any of them.

A .223 for varmits, 6mm/.243 for deer/and 7mm/.284/30-06 for anything bigger pretty much covers it. But hey, why stop there. The experts have said that the 30-06 is the single most versatile IF ONLY ONE caliber is available.


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## Nick Adams (Mar 10, 2005)

jlcrss said:


> everything from shooting chucks to deer. I also want something that is cheap to shoot and accurate. Is there an all inclusive caliber?


If you narrow the application down to 'chucks to deer' most any of the cartridges in the range of 6mm to 7mm are good. 

If you are shooting a bolt gun the shorter cartridges in this range (243 Win, 260 Rem, 6.8 SPC, 7mm-08) will let you get away with a handier, short action rifle. If you are talking about a single shot, cartridge length really doesn't matter and you can add the following candidates: 6mm Rem, 257 Rbts, 25-06, 6.5x55, 270 Win, 280 Rem, 7mm Mauser.

I would stay in the range of 6.5mm(.264) to 7mm(.284) if it was going to be my primary deer rifle. My personal preference in this category is the 270 Win.

If you were only going to use it on deer and cheap to shoot was more important than shooting woodchucks, I would get a 30-30 or 308 Win.

-na


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## woodie slayer (Feb 25, 2006)

i bought the 22-250 then i picked up the 7mm-08.
natchezz is the ceapest place i found for pro hunter barrels (28 inch).there was a 25 buck rebate when i bought mine but that's over now.


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## jlcrss (May 17, 2006)

woodie slayer said:


> i bought the 22-250 then i picked up the 7mm-08.
> natchezz is the ceapest place i found for pro hunter barrels (28 inch).there was a 25 buck rebate when i bought mine but that's over now.


What scopes did you go with? Also did you only have to buy one forearm? They are less expensive than most. I was looking at E Arthur Brown Co. That maybe the two calibers that I go with. I was also thinking about the 308 for versatility and availability of ammo.


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