Best All Around Rifle for Versatile Use

[Bob33]

Since you mention deer as the largest big game I would consider the 270 Winchester. If you plan to ever hunt larger game I would consider the most powerful 30 caliber you can confidently shoot without flinching. A flinch will pretty much negate any advantage of a more powerful cartridge.

My favorite all around big game cartridge is the 300 WSM.

[Stein]

Said it before, all those Army sniper confirmed K’s can’t be wrong. Love my .308.

We have the 30-06 to thank for the opportunity to make those .308 shots.

Ballistically, they are very similar, my 30-06 hunting load probably chronos pretty close to a .308 since my barrel likes them a bit slower than max.

Short action could be helpful in some situations, but it's really a toss up.  30-06 gives you a bit heavier bullet options but not much.

Ammo is available and everybody and their brother makes a huge range of .308 bullets, known powder combinations, what's not to like for normal range shots?

Plus, the old cranky guys at the range tend to take it easy on you when they see you are shooting 30-06 and don't make fun of you behind your back like the trendy new stuff.   

Tons of great options out there, pick something that has the punch to knock down the biggest thing you want to shoot and get good at shooting it.  I think a lot of guys are way over gunned these days, judging from the targets at the range at hunter sight in day, they aren't even getting the advantages of faster, heavier bullets.

[idaho guy]

I own one hunting rifle and it’s a 30-06.  Never needed anything else.


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  I dont even ever shoot my 30-06 anymore but I killed everything with one growing up in montana. I have a real soft spot for the 30-06. The different loads available even as factory ammo is enormous. We even had some down to 65 grain factory bullets back in the day. I have shot my 300 win mag the most hunting the last few years. You will have to get a 22lr for small game if you want to salvage much  . I still think the 30-06 is the most versatile big game hunting rifle. I would also be very comfortable having a 30-06 for home defense

[huntingfool7]

Just like the previous topic I posted on "Best All Around Carry Pistol for Versatile Use" I've run into another question much like it. This one comes from someone wondering what would be the best all around rifle to own (if you could only own one) for the following purposes:

   - coyote/small game hunting
   - deer hunting
   - shooting sports (target)

   - home defense (optional)

I've added home defense just because I know that there's multiple options with an AR-style rifle that many friends use to both hunt with and serve as a back up for home defense. But, at the same time, I'm more of a shotgun guy who'd prefer to use a pump-shot gun for the home defense. So, it's not absolutely necessary.

Thoughts?

Anyone that asks a question like this is unlikely to be looking at competitive target sports.  If down the road they decide to compete in some discipline, that sport will dictate their second firearm choice.

For informal plinking/target, coyotes and deer a .243 will cover those basis nicely.  Throwing in home defense is a monkey wrench.  A rifle for the original parameters will likely have sighting equipment ill suited to inside the home distances in the dark.  If home defense must be considered in this scenario, I would suggest a Remington pump action .243 with a scope in a QD mount so the open sights could be utilized.  I'd also add a light on a rail.

FWIW- I would add a light under the barrel of the shotgun.  A light mounted under the barrel will allow you to point and shoot a shotgun as if it were daylight with the barrel easily visible for reference pointing.

[ctwiggs1]

A gun for every occasion is always the right answer in my book

.223 for coyote
.22 LR for small game
darn near any centerfire for deer

[Fl0und3rz]

I don't want to derail an excellent discussion, and turn it into an argument, but I've always been curious why someone would chose .308 Winchester over the .30-'06.  A comparison of both might be a positive contribution here.

I've never owned a 308 and I've had, and still have, more than a couple 30/06 rifles, but I'd guess the reason why is the 308 recoils less, and still pretty much works just as well as the 30/06.

Weight.

[Igor]

I don't want to derail an excellent discussion, and turn it into an argument, but I've always been curious why someone would chose .308 Winchester over the .30-'06.  A comparison of both might be a positive contribution here.

I've never owned a 308 and I've had, and still have, more than a couple 30/06 rifles, but I'd guess the reason why is the 308 recoils less, and still pretty much works just as well as the 30/06.

Weight.

I would guess that the difference in weight between the two calibers in the same rifle isn't much of a consideration.  A Winchester Featherweight in .30-'06 weighs 4 oz. more than the same rifle in .308.

[greenhead_killer]

7mm, hands down. everyone else who thinks differently is flat wrong and should not be taken seriously for any other issue...ever

[thinkingman]

Toyota Tacoma.
Flawless and anyone who disagrees is a moron and will be subjected to the Cancel Culture!

[Fl0und3rz]

I don't want to derail an excellent discussion, and turn it into an argument, but I've always been curious why someone would chose .308 Winchester over the .30-'06.  A comparison of both might be a positive contribution here.

I've never owned a 308 and I've had, and still have, more than a couple 30/06 rifles, but I'd guess the reason why is the 308 recoils less, and still pretty much works just as well as the 30/06.

Weight.

I would guess that the difference in weight between the two calibers in the same rifle isn't much of a consideration.  A Winchester Featherweight in .30-'06 weighs 4 oz. more than the same rifle in .308.

Depends on the manufacturer and trim, I suppose.  Difference between .30-'06 weighs nearly a half pound more than the same rifle in .308 for the Ruger Hawkeye Hunter.  If you go to the Compact, which they don't offer in the .30-'06, you are looking at about a pound and a half savings.

[Platensek-po]

Toyota Tacoma.
Flawless and anyone who disagrees is a moron and will be subjected to the Cancel Culture!

Wow just wow. You need help man. Your obsession about this is unhealthy

[greenhead_killer]

Toyota Tacoma.
Flawless and anyone who disagrees is a moron and will be subjected to the Cancel Culture!

[thinkingman]

Toyota Tacoma.
Flawless and anyone who disagrees is a moron and will be subjected to the Cancel Culture!

Wow just wow. You need help man. Your obsession about this is unhealthy

[konradcountry]

I would guess that the difference in weight between the two calibers in the same rifle isn't much of a consideration.  A Winchester Featherweight in .30-'06 weighs 4 oz. more than the same rifle in .308.

It depends on the rifle.

I've seen zero difference and I've seen a half pound difference.

[Igor]

I would guess that the difference in weight between the two calibers in the same rifle isn't much of a consideration.  A Winchester Featherweight in .30-'06 weighs 4 oz. more than the same rifle in .308.

It depends on the rifle.

I've seen zero difference and I've seen a half pound difference.

Yep.  My original point was a response to the post that someone might pick a .308 over a .30-'06 due to the difference in weight.  My opinion is that, in general the weight savings is minimal, but there are exceptions.