What round for an all around rifle?

[M14AMU]

What's best? Blondes, brunettes, or redheads?? ??? ???

 

[JDMock]

I would opt for the 6.5 x 47. Good shooting....James

 

[jonbearman]

I am a proponent for the 30-06,308,7-08 as being more than adequate. If you go with a 7-08 get the faster twist to be able to shoot the heavies.

 

[bheadboy]

ok my 2ct worth,

any you mentioned will do, personally I lean towards the 6.5 and 7mm rounds for deer / hogs / bear which you have in your area, etc and out west for elk when you can go.

that said I have tried 6.5 with 130's and 140's and they were ok, however, when I went to the 7mm and 140's with 120/150/160 possible, that is where I settled, now the 7mm will handle 120's really well so the simple answer to me is th 7-08

for fun, consider this, my last build in this area is a 7-08 AI and I am in love, fast 140's 3000+, accurate .300's and what else do you need

Bob

 

[K22]

Keep it simple - 243 is the definition of an all round rifle - ghogs to deer, it works, not necessary the best for either but as an all round rifle is excels.


No need to for special wildcats here - go for the 243. I have four, just love them. I've been shooting the 243 since the late sixties - shot ghogs a ton, deer, predators, it works and it a commercially available cartridge. Simple to load with a lot of excellent components available.

 

[miamigunsinc]

In Gun Shop you have buy rifle .

 

[dkhunt14]

One vote for the 6.5x47, easy peasy. If you're in to self abuse, exercises in futility and fruitless experimentation, go for the 6x47.

Pretty much why I haven't built one. I've heard to many stories of lack luster performance. At our matches, there is a few guys that have them and they never set the world on fire.

I do have a 6.5x47L and I think it's easier to load for than my 6br.

I have seen a lot of 6x47 guns show up for 1000 yards. It seems most struggle to get the accuracy required for winning. They seem to also have trouble with brass. There are a few 6.5x47 guns and they seem to do well. The Dasher dominates in the accuracy department. I heard they can be picky on feeding. Matt

 

[ryanjay11]

In Gun Shop you have buy rifle .

Another spammer/scammer on the forum?

To the OP, I'm thinking about doing a similar build in the near future. I'm likely going to go with a 260, using the Wyatt's extended internal box magazine. I'll do a 24-26" light palma barrel and one of Manner's EH1 stocks. I'm still debating on the action. It will be topped with a 4-16 F1 ATACR.

 

[GSRswapandslow]

if money is better by the time i build this, or a decent bonus is dropped in my lap.....then i plan on going with a Stiller Predator action.

I am still up in the air on the Xray chassis vs a manners t4, though. I haven't handled a manners before....but my best friend has a few rifles built on the xray. (i'd be temped to just buy a 260 CTR and put it in an xray...he has that setup and it's pretty sweet, I just don't care for the 260)

 

[boltfluter]

6.5x47 for the win. Very easy to load for, fits a magazine w/vld bullets easily, and great brass. What's not to like. ;D

Regards, Paul

www.boltfluting.com

Group buy going on now. ;D

 

[johnfred1965]

the 7mm-08 is my favorite deer cartridge, but for all around use my 6.5 lapua is tops. it is a piece of cake to load, so drop in a barnes X for deer, a nosler B-tip for those pesky g-hogs, and when you want to ring steel or punch long range targets, the berger hybrid is fantastic.

 

[savagedasher]

308 It shoots from 110 gr to 175 gr my Grand daughter Killed a 1700 Lb water buff with one shot using 165 gr Barns TSX .It is very accurate with all the bullet weights. if I had just one gun to use it would be my choice.
Larry

 

[XTR]

I switched from 308 to 7-08 for deer several yrs ago.

When the choice was mine to make, I went with a 7-08. I shoot 140s for pretty much anything I need or want to shoot.

 

[hogan]

308 It shoots from 110 gr to 175 gr my Grand daughter Killed a 1700 Lb water buff with one shot using 165 gr Barns TSX .It is very accurate with all the bullet weights. if I had just one gun to use it would be my choice.
Larry

Water buffalo, huh?

For an all-around rifle in a semi-auto, like an AR-10 then sure! For lower 48 and maybe close-in for elk; maybe... But, doesn't the .30-06, especially the AI'd version rule that roost???

I live in rural Alaska. I have NO USE for a .308win as walkabout rifle; UNLESS AR-10 loaded with 180gr Grand Slam bullets and 20rd magazine. Big Bear, Big Moose can be Big Trouble. Don't think I would choose to shoot a water buf in its element (like from a small boat) with a .308win, no matter how good I think a custom bullet is... Hunting is not same as having-to shoot. Shooting the buff from shore and then hauling dead carcass out of the water; still would think twice...

Lower 48 rifle; no worries! But... a .30-06 AI loaded with 220gr rn is about the ballistic equivalent of a .300win mag. Maybe the AI isn't everything the guys at the range expect with lighter bullets, but it will shoot them, and deliver fine results with standard .30-06 ammunition.

Did have a match barreled .308win AI for a while. Bench contour barrel @ 22", in a rem 700 LA action and mounted in a H-S Tactical stock w/adj lop buttstock. Was a bit heavy at 10lbs with scope, but it would shoot and the LA meant heavy bullets were doable. Yet, it had nothing on .30-06 AI for performance. It was a fun project to see through. Short barrel was great handling in the woods.

Still have a .338-06 I am about to ream to Improved. 22" barrel, Shilen match stainless. Have a 286gr rn bullet mold that is spectacular for knockdown and penetration. I cast straight wheelweight alloy. Have a bunch of Nosler and Barnes 225 & 230gr primo bullets and 250gr Grand Slams. Still, its no magnum with 75gr of magnum powder... It is a nice gun though.

All-around where I live means able to handle 750lb bear and 1500lb moose. I'd rather not trust to luck...



Really, the All-Around thing is more a function of your cartridge's versatility and bullet weight is primary element defining that.

.338 diameter has more bullet variety and recently pioneered designs than any other bore since it has come on so strongly for longrange application in the past 15yrs.

.308 diameter has the greatest bullet latitude in terms of weight, but can't compare to .338 for large game application. Of course, targets don't bleed so unless there is a BC gain of significant magnitude, lighter weight bullets will perform with less recoil.

Guess there are "all-around" paper punching applications. That is what the Tubb 2000 with 6mm XC is supposed to solve. Who could ask for anything more, unless going over 1200yds; then you want a 6.5/284. Going a mile or more? Back to the .338s and the Edge will outperform the Lapua.

I guess its what you're around that determines your all-around needs...

 

[JRS]

I spit a mouthful of beer on my keyboard when I read "1700 LB water buffalo" with the 308

 

[22BRGUY]

I spit a mouthful of beer on my keyboard when I read "1700 LB water buffalo" with the 308

Gotta get em in the eye.

 

[normmatzen]

A few years ago I put the 30-06 into the safe and built a light general purpose hunting rifle from a VZ24 action and WWII 7X57 barrel. This cartridge will safely kill any North American game and will not punish you in the process. 140 gr TTSX does the job at 2900 fps and for longer range and slightly different expansion the 162 gr A-MAX will reach out there at around 2650-2700 fps with excellent ballistics almost as good as my 284 WIN long range BR gun.
I would say the 7-08 would duplicate my results and add a little higher max Breech pressure to the mix. It is hard to beat 7mm ballistics and you have a great selection of bullets for every application. And, barrel life is a plus! Heck, my military barrel is almost as old as I am! Still good for 1 MOA with the right loading.