Opinion Poll

[carpetman]

300 win mag---yea right. What does it do the 30-06 doesn't? First pick would be a 30-06 and second pick well it would be 30-06 too. .

[The Nyack Kid]

mmm this is a hard one 30-06 or 45-70 mmm
im going with the 45-70 for a few reasons
the 45-70 really shines with cast , it's probabley the most vesitile cartridge in the world for cast boolits .
it works great with blackpowder (that in theory one could make themselve) try that 30-06 .
the 45-70 is older and has that "western" flavor.
I do so love my 1886 japchester extra-light .

im on a 45-70 kick at the moment that may change when i get my 9.3x62 finnished.

[carpetman]

I changed my mind? Do we have that prerogative? I just asked so you could tell I can spell prerogative. I would select a .300Win mag because I could find someone that believes the old hit em anywhere and they go down and it quarters them too that I could swap with them for a wimmpy 30-06 and an air rifle.

[Dale53]

You fellers have the wrong idea. If your wives ever get aholt of yer statements, yer in a heap of trouble. What you REALLY want to do is put down all of your ideas why you need ANOTHER rifle or handgun (or both) not why you can get by with less. Oh my, oh my, you've gone and done it now....

Laughingly yours,
Dale53

[omgb]

30-06 for sure. It shoots flat for long shots, it is available world wide, it will kill the largest bear if needed and it can be used to take a turkey. It stops a man in his tracks, fits a wide variety of firearms, is accurate by nature and it takes an extreamly wide variety of bullets and powders.
R J Talley

[Buckshot]

................Ahhhhhhh God! Even THINKING about this makes my head hurt Why such a hard question, huh?

Okay, 30-06. But it'd make a crappy home defense thing.......... but other then that it fits the bill. Yeah, the '-06 THAT'S the ticket.

..................Buckshot

[imashooter2]

I must be the only city boy on the board. How are you guys going to CCW those .45-70's?

[IMR]

I'm really surprised at the number of votes for the venerable old '06. It has always been my favorite all around rifle caliber based on versatility, but I never thought there would be so many that agree. Makes me feel better about my values.
Again, thank you all for your responses.

IMR

[sundog]

My first choice was .22 RF. Second was a 12 ga. Third? Hands down 30-06. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Not amazing at all is that no one has even mentioned .223. Go to another board where there's lots of youngsters and you will not get the same response as here.

Pistol? Hands down, .45 acp. sundog

[The Nyack Kid]

I must be the only city boy on the board. How are you guys going to CCW those .45-70's?

I think i seen a derringer (sp?) chambered for 45-70 once .
It would break your wrist shooting full power loads but the 45-70 can be loaded way down for this .

[BFRmaster]

I'll have to go with the 45-70 crowd. I've used lots of different loads in it from 500-grain monsters to one and even TWO 147 grain round balls. Lots of fun for everyone! And my 45-70 is a handgun, so it's (almost) handy to carry!

[Shepherd2]

I haven't owned a .30-06 for well over 10 years but to me the most useful caliber has to be .30 cal. I have 4 other .30 cal. cartridges that I can load up or down to suit my needs. What other caliber has such a wide range of cast or j-word bullets available for it?

[9.3X62AL]

5-6 years ago, my answer would have been "30-06, in a bolt rifle". Having over 3 years of work with the 9.3 x 62.......and considering all types and weights of bullets/boolits.....I would have to vote for the 9.3 x 62 over the 30-06, due to its potential as a dangerous animal stopper at close quarters.

The 9.3 can launch a 286 grainer at the same velocity the 30-06 sends a 220 grain RN. To date, the Nosler 286's go into 1.25" at 100 yards consistently with 56 grains of IMR-4320. The rifle also shoots castings VERY well, and while I would hesitate to hunt deer with the 30-06 and #311291's, the MM 270 FN at 1700 FPS would knock them right over.

[MTWeatherman]

Well, I use a .300 Win and am tempted to vote for it...but I won't.

If I could only have one rifle, I'll say 30'06 and I don't currently own one. The 30'06 will do everything the .300 will...the .300 simply gives you an edge at long range and on large animals. I reload and in my part of the country, nearly any place that carries ammo will carry the .300 Win. However, I can be absolutely assured that if I do need ammo, I will find 30'06 about everywhere, and although far from an ideal cast bullet cartidge...it is better than the .300. I mainly use two rifles for big game hunting...a .300 Winchester and a .32 Special (cast). I've got rifles above and below the 30'06 on the trajectory and energy scale so wouldn't see much personal need for it for hunting. However, if I couldn't have those two...30'06 would be at the top of the list. Kind of like having a .44 Magnum and .357 Handgun (which I do), not much need for a .41 Magnum except to just have it.

The 30'06 is an accurate, versatile cartridge, that is manufactured in a huge variety of firearms...both domestic and foreign. Although rifles are not normally first choice for defensive weapons, they will work for most home defense.

If one wants versatility, 30 caliber it is, not because it is necessarily the best caliber, but because of bullet choice. That's just the way it is in the U.S.

You look at rifle and ammo sales...seems like the U.S. shooting community has already voted the 30'06 the most popular and versatile. However, if we were talking cast bullets only, I'd start voting for .45-70, .44 Mag, .358 Win, or .32 Special.

[robertbank]

.30-06 from 119 gr to 220 gr and every thing in between.

Stay Safe

[Ed Barrett]

Ithink the 45-70 for a rifle because you can always load it down. For pistol a modern frame 45 colt since you can load it up to ranges that would make the old guns fly apart and still load it down to mouse gun specs.

[Ricochet]

As for the magnums, I recall as an impressionable youth reading Frank Barnes' statement to the effect that the .300 Weatherby could be handloaded to cover everything from .30 Carbine ballistics to full magnum power, and there's something to be said for that. But that's stunt loading. It's really not that versatile. However, anywhere you can find .300 H&H Magnum ammo, you can fire it in the Weatherby and get .300 Weatherby cases. Weatherby used to make his by fireforming .300 H&H with blank charges. Does it have any real practical advantage over the .300 Winchester Magnum? Of course not. But it sure is a cooler looking cartridge.

[carpetman]

Ricochet---Hey Doc,in the Hornady Handbook(Third Edition)there is a warning about .300 Win Mag. "When using cases of this size,it is imperative that the reloader work with near maximum loads. Reduced loads with slow burning powder can produce dangerous hangfires and large muzzle flash".

[Urny]

12 bore pump gun. Failing that, a fast firing .22 LR rifle.

[SharpsShooter]

Naw!...there really are other calibers????

45-70 hands down choice