Author Topic: Need help selecting caliber (Read 1412 times)

spy231 · « **on:** December 28, 2006, 05:14:33 AM »

First off, new to the forum so hello everybody.
I have an Encore .270 which I love very much. I am needing a back up rifle for me and a rifle for my dad to use when he gets a chance to go hunting with me. We will be hunting Texas,Wyoming,Wisconsin, and Kansas for Whitetail, Muledeer, and pigs. We get some pretty far shots in Texas and Wyoming where we hunt. I have decided that I am going to get a Tikka T3 Hunter, but am having a hard time deciding caliber. He needs to shoot something that has the recoil of a .270 or less because he has bad shoulders. I think the .243 is just a touch too small for the mule deer and bigger whitetails (I know a lot of people that will argue this, but I just think it is a touch too small) I was thinking about the 25-06 or even another .270. I am on the fence because I dont think I want the same caliber (what fun is that), but it is a great caliber. What do you guys think or do you have any opinions. I do not reload yet, but I am wanting to learn.
I know this subject is beat to death, but I am just giving us something to talk about!
One last thing.....I might hunt caribou or elk one day, but the .270 can handle that.

hardertr · « **Reply #1 on:** December 28, 2006, 05:53:35 AM »

Welcome to the forum!

I suggest the 7-08. It will do just about anything the 308 will do, but with recoil much closer to that of a 243.

I have an encore currently set up in 7-08 (encores are pretty light to begin with with the synthetic stock), and my buddy's 12 yr old son used it last year. He LOVED it!

3 years ago, I witnessed a perfect double-lung shot on a whitetail that we estimated somewhere between 280-300 yards with a Remington 700 in 7-08. The deer stumbled less than 50 yards, and it was down.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 28, 2006, 07:01:41 AM »

I would have to second the 7mm08. It is an awesome round and with work great on mule deer and bigger whitetail's. I had a 7mm08 set up in an Encore, It was a tack driver, my buddy likes the set up so much he bought the complete rifle and scope from me. I took him to West Virginia on my land and he got a deer the first day with it. He is very happy with the accuracy and the power of the 7mm08.

If I get another rifle for hunting it will be the 7mm08.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #3 on:** December 28, 2006, 08:12:20 AM »

The 7mm-08 would be a good choice but for what your talking about I'd look into a 6.5x55. Not sure what's avaliable in factory ammo for it, or much of anything else for that matter, but you mentioned concidering handloading. That put's the 6.5x55 in the 21st century!

WylieKy · « **Reply #4 on:** December 28, 2006, 08:26:39 AM »

Quote from: Redhawk1 on December 28, 2006, 07:01:41 AM

If I get another rifle for hunting it will be the 7mm08.

If............Is everything OK,Redhawk1.

WylieKy

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 28, 2006, 11:50:30 AM »

Quote from: WylieKy on December 28, 2006, 08:26:39 AM

Quote from: Redhawk1 on December 28, 2006, 07:01:41 AM
If I get another rifle for hunting it will be the 7mm08.

If............Is everything OK,Redhawk1.

WylieKy

OK OK, When I get another rifle. Is that better, I feel like an alcoholic admitting that I have a problem.

spy231 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2006, 02:36:28 PM »

If nobody else has an opinion it looks like the 7-08 wins!

hardertr · « **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2006, 05:42:25 AM »

You WON'T be dissappointed..... I would suggest you look in the pawn shops for a 7-08 and find a good used one for cheap just to see if you like it....but I forgot, NOBODY ever gets rid of them once they buy them.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #8 on:** January 01, 2007, 05:01:18 AM »

Quote from: hardertr on December 31, 2006, 05:42:25 AM

You WON'T be dissappointed..... I would suggest you look in the pawn shops for a 7-08 and find a good used one for cheap just to see if you like it....but I forgot, NOBODY ever gets rid of them once they buy them.

Do you mean to tell me that all those gun's I wish I had back that I traded for somethig better that wasn't are still sitting in my closet???

lewdogg21 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 01, 2007, 06:44:11 AM »

7mm is a great gun and good choice. I was going to suggest one of the .25 cal family but 7mm is probably going to be a lot easier to find.

Rev Buck · « **Reply #10 on:** January 01, 2007, 10:52:30 AM »

Hey spy,
I agree the 7-08 is a great round and you will surely be happy with it...but let me suggest something you might not have thought about. The T3 Hunter in .30-06 might have not much more recoil than your Encore in .270. I have a T3 hunter in .30-06 and the recoil is not as bad as other '06's I have shot. The design and overall weight of the rifle seems to distribute and handle recoil better. This Tikka is about my favorite rifle -- you will love it!
Good hunting,
Rev

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #11 on:** January 01, 2007, 01:08:11 PM »

[[/quote]

OK OK, When I get another rifle. Is that better, I feel like an alcoholic admitting that I have a problem.

[/quote]

That's okay redhawk you only have a problem if you admit to it in meetings.

Brithunter · « **Reply #12 on:** January 03, 2007, 04:49:32 AM »

Hmmm Tikka T3 then may I suggest the 6.5x55 Swedish cartridge

Light recoil and one heck of a wallop down range and used extensivly in Scandinavia on Whitetails (yep they have them there too

) and Moose. What more could one ask?

oso45-70 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 03, 2007, 01:10:55 PM »

spy231

You can't go wrong with the 7mm 08 but the Brithunter has a plan as the 6.5X55 is very hard to beat for any thing in the lower 48. It has been used in Africa on most of the big game with amazing results, And as far as accuracy goes the 6.5 can't be beat.....Joe..........

DURAMAXHAL · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2007, 05:39:13 AM »

Add a Limbsaver recoil pad on it and it will tame it even more!

LEO · « **Reply #15 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:42:21 AM »

I agree the 7mm-08 is a fine cartridge but I am going to go against the grain here and suggest another 270. You only have to stock brass, bullets and powder for one caliber, you only have to memorize one set of ballistic data (drop/drift) and if you get real lucky they might both like the same load well enough to be able to use the same ammo in the both rifles. But I admit while this is practical it is kind of boring and I don't follow my own advice, I currently load for 8 different rifle calibers from 22 hornet to 45-70

varmitbob · « **Reply #16 on:** January 13, 2007, 04:25:14 PM »

.308 is a nice round. Lots of selection, and even managed recoil loads. My daughters love their .308s with managed recoil loads. Their point of impact is only 1" below full loads.

spy231 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 13, 2007, 05:44:36 PM »

Thanks guys. I have a buddy that wants a new rifle and he has decided on the 7mm-08 so when he gets it I am going to shoot it a couple of times to see how I like it. Thanks for all the help!

beemanbeme · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2007, 05:21:16 AM »

If you want each of you to carry something different, get a 7-08 and a .260. Not to hi-jack Brits idea but the two cartridges would do everything you need. Load 'em up with 140's and you're set to go. The recoil of the .260 just doesn't compute and the 7-08 is a real pussycat. I think you'll find both of them gratifyingly accurate.

bucktales · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2007, 07:40:01 AM »

I shoot both the 6.5x55 and it's evil little twin, the .260 Rem. and love them both. The .260 is a fantastic low recoil round that just never caught on,but I imagine that those that own them, myself included, wouldn't give it up. Factory loadings are limited and I don't reload right now, but I have a die set as well as all my .260 brass just in case.