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Need Help Choosing Caliber for New Rifle

DMTJAGER said:
This coming from a guy who owns bolt and lever action rifles made by Remington (M700's) Ruger (M77) Savage (116's & 10"s) Browning (A-Bolt"s) Mauser (98 & 96) Marlins (X7 and 336c) and Tikka and reloads for them all.
My advice buy once cry once
Buy a stainless steel synthetic stock Tikka hands down the most accurate rifle I havecever owned or been fasrer and easier to find an accurate load for and is very very well made with excellent QC.
You will not be sorry if you buy a Tikka
If wood stock is your thing then Tikka makes both straight and laminate wood stocked rifles. In most people's opinions there is no better production factory rifle under $800 than a Tikka
As far as which caliber that's tougher than the rifle choice these days.
If your not recoil shy then I'd suggest 30/06 as every body makes great big game ammo in all the latest and greatest bullets in 30/06 and it will be on shelves in every last place that sells ammo
If recoil is an issue I'd suggest something like a one of the newer 6.5 calibers like the Creedmoor or the 7mm/08 is a great all around caliber just remember the lower powered non magnum calibers will have limits on how far you can take a shot on big boned big heavy game animals Ike Elk and moose
Others will disagree but I wouldn't if given a choice want to hunt and elk and moose with smaller calibers like a 243 yes if I for some strange set of circumstances had to choose to either elk hunt with a 243 or 25/06 or not hunt I would hunt with the 243 or 25/06 but if my choice were a 243, 30/06 or 300wm I grab the 300wm every time.
I know plenty of elk are killed and have been killed with 243s and 25/06 but the advantages a 180 to 205 grain bullet traveling at over 2500fps when it unexpectedly encounters an elk shoulder joint vs a 105-120 grain bullet speak for themselves.
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Your bolt gun choices are very similar to mine, LOL. You seem to have left one off, with such a wide spectrum of nice rifles, you didn’t mention the Win M70. There should always be room in a safe for one. Just giving you a hassle my friend!
 
I've got a Howa 1500 (Weatherby Vanguard) in 7 Rem Mag, and an Encore with .30-06 and 7RM barrels. Can't go wrong with either. But check out the 280 Remington. Isn't all that much slower than a 7RM with the same bullets, kicks less, longer barrel life etc. And down the road if you start handloading you can ream it out to 280 Rem Ackley Improved (AI) which splits the difference between 280 Rem and 7RM. I've got a P17 Enfield receiver that will one day grow up to be a 280Rem AI.
 
fbwguy said:
Your bolt gun choices are very similar to mine, LOL. You seem to have left one off, with such a wide spectrum of nice rifles, you didn’t mention the Win M70. There should always be room in a safe for one. Just giving you a hassle my friend!
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I’ve owned or shot many different manufacturers makes of bolt guns. My favorite so far is my CZ. It is just a 17 hornet and not a deer hunting caliber. The gun looks great, shoots better and has a great trigger right out of the box. It is a single set trigger that i have set around 2 1/2 pounds when unset and ounces when set. Don’t rule out a CZ.


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