Minimum Caliber, Minimum Cartridge

[Smitty of the North]

Having been Inspired by 340wby's 1 Rifle 1 Cal 1 Knife? I've got one that I've considered many times.

Assuming you can have ONLY ONE RIFLE, for ALL uses, Emergencies, Hunting, Bar Protection, and Everything else,,,,, and EVERYTHING MUST BE kept to an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM,,,,,,

What is the Minimum Caliber for a Beeg Game Cartridge, and the Minimum Cartridge for that Caliber?

I myself would choose 6.5 caliber, and the cartridge would be something like the 6.5 Mannlicher Carcano, 6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer, or possibly the 260 Rem.

I don't have any 6.5mm rifles now, as I'm playin it safe with 7mm. BUT, I consider 6.5 as minimum, rejecting 25, 24, and 22 Calibers as minimally suitable for ALL Big Game.

On the OFF-CHANCE, Yeah Right, that someone might disagree with me on this, I'd like to hear your ideas.

Thanks for your indulgence.
Smitty of the North

[idahotrophyhunter]

With good shooting and proper bullets, i believe I could make it happen with a 270 and a good 150 bullet... Brownies included

[AlaskaCub]

For Alaska, I have settled on a .30 cal for everything I hunt, I chose the 300 WSM simply because I liked the package it came in...Kimber Montana!

[Smitty of the North]

For Alaska, I have settled on a .30 cal for everything I hunt, I chose the 300 WSM simply because I liked the package it came in...Kimber Montana!

OK, so are you saying that your minimum caliber for "ALL uses, Emergencies, Hunting, Bar Protection, and Everything else" is 30 Cal.

And, the 300 WSM is your mimimum cartridge. You wouldn't settle for a 308, or a 30-30? (Not as the best choice, other things considered, but AS MINIMUM)

Smitty of the North

[marshall]

Bar protection?

As in drinking establishment?

[pinehavensredrocket]

Having been Inspired by 340wby's 1 Rifle 1 Cal 1 Knife? I've got one that I've considered many times.

Assuming you can have ONLY ONE RIFLE, for ALL uses, Emergencies, Hunting, Bar Protection, and Everything else,,,,, and EVERYTHING MUST BE kept to an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM,,,,,,

What is the Minimum Caliber for a Beeg Game Cartridge, and the Minimum Cartridge for that Caliber?

I myself would choose 6.5 caliber, and the cartridge would be something like the 6.5 Mannlicher Carcano, 6.5 Mannlicher Schoenauer, or possibly the 260 Rem.

I don't have any 6.5mm rifles now, as I'm playin it safe with 7mm. BUT, I consider 6.5 as minimum, rejecting 25, 24, and 22 Calibers as minimally suitable for ALL Big Game.

On the OFF-CHANCE, Yeah Right, that someone might disagree with me on this, I'd like to hear your ideas.

Thanks for your indulgence.
Smitty of the North

hi smitty! well........it's easy to read something into this "minimum" but you said ONE RIFLE. that's easy. a bolt action 30-06. probably winchester, remington, or kimber.

[Amigo Will]

308 with 165 gr quaility bullet

[AlaskaCub]

OK, so are you saying that your minimum caliber for "ALL uses, Emergencies, Hunting, Bar Protection, and Everything else" is 30 Cal.

And, the 300 WSM is your mimimum cartridge. You wouldn't settle for a 308, or a 30-30? (Not as the best choice, other things considered, but AS MINIMUM)

Smitty of the North

Guess I dont know what your asking? I read it as what caliber and cartridge a guy would settle on for "Everything" you would hunt, if it were a one gun battery!

[brav01]

Well

While I like and have fired a lot of rifles and calibers. The term minimal calibers is never going to fly.
The suggested use of a small caliber rifles even with a heavy for caliber bullets on large animals like hippos, elephants, cape buffalo, lions and bears is something I wouldn't reccommend. If it doesn't retreat at the first sign of danger you become the victim of their rath. Under less than ideal conditions and perfect projectile performance, you can become the statistic and the hunter becomes the hunted. Even following a fatally wounded large game animal into dense cover with limited visability with a large bore rifle increases the pucker factor immensly; a small bore no-way.
There is no substitution for bullet mass at proper velocities for self deffense; providing you shoot the rifle well.
While some may consider it a large bore or a cannon, the middle of the road 375 H&H is a very versatile caliber with bullet weights that allow for a lot of hunting on varied terrains animal sizes. With a 270 Sierra gameking or 270gr Accubond it's ballistic flight path is on par with the 30-06 out to 500 yds. Yet it has almost twice as much terminal power at the same ranges.

[Smitty of the North]

Guess I dont know what your asking? I read it as what caliber and cartridge a guy would settle on for "Everything" you would hunt, if it were a one gun battery!

Here it is again.....

"Assuming you can have ONLY ONE RIFLE, for ALL uses, Emergencies, Hunting, Bar Protection, and Everything else,,,,, and EVERYTHING MUST BE kept to an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM,,,,,,"

"What is the Minimum Caliber for a Beeg Game Cartridge, and the Minimum Cartridge for that Caliber?"

I'm talking mimimum for your own personal use, for ALL purposes YOU could expect, not for everything in the world, like "hippos, elephants, cape buffalo, lions" as BravO1 mentioned. I don't expect to ever do one of those. (If you do, consider it.) I may run into a bear so I've considered that.

Also, not the BEST choice, or the most suitable, but the MINIMUM, or the smallest, you think you could get by with.

The minimum cartridge, you would choose? And what is the Caliber of that cartridge?

As an example, some folks say that the minimum caliber for their purposes is 30 Caliber. The next choice is which cartridge. 30-30, 300 Savage, 308, 30-06, 300 Mag. etc.

I chose 6.5, as the minimum caliber, and then 3 possible cartridges. Probably the 260 Remington is the most practical choice, due to availability, and modernization. I also said

"rejecting 25, 24, and 22 Calibers as minimally suitable for ALL Big Game".

Smitty of the North

[Water_Gremlin]

Frank Glaser killed most species of game in Alaska with a 220 Swift, including interior grizzlies. I wonder how many spare chonies he carried while in the field.

[Float Pilot]

I have killed everything in Alaska (except Bison) with a 7x57mm Mauser. (have 3)
It could also be done with a 6.5 Swede. (have 3)
However, I would prefer a 30-06 as the minimum Alaskan cartridge (now have 2)

[rbuck351]

I'm with FloatPilot on this one 7x57 or possibly 6.5 x55 would work fine for everything I'm going to run into in Ak. Both have excellent penetration using heavy for caliber bullets and although not first choice for big bears they would work.

[GrassLakeRon]

Just a thought

I noticed you said "rifle"....If I was going after small game, large game, and everything in between, a 12 gauge would fit. I admit, no long shots, you have to be close, but bird shot, buck shot and a slug can take down most game. Not the first choice for big bears, but everything else, including home defense.

Not trying to hijack, just a thought.....

Ron

[Jmurman]

I'd probably stick with a 30.06, 165 gr bullet.