Best All-Round Rifle?

[JTEX]

Lots of good advice here and some that is a bit unusual......

Between your two I would do the .270 because it will prove to be more versatile. From 110 grain to 160 grain bullets, if you handload. Mostly in factory ammo the choices you will find are 130 grain and 150 grain. I notice you are in South Africa, I don't think your Dad will be able to have multiple rifles in the same caliber so matching his may be out of the question.

Where it me, and I know this wasn't on your list I would do the 30/06. Much wider selection of bullet weights up to 220 grain ( thinking up to Eland and Giraffe ) down to 150 grain are pretty common over there. If you do get into reloading it is a very common and versatile round and components and tools are readily available. I am almost certain that the rifle model you mentioned is available in this caliber. Very hard to beat the old '06.

The .270 WSM is a gonner, it is not gonna be around for too much longer and ammo or brass for handloading is gonna get tough to find and expensive, I would avoid that one.

Whatever you decide best of luck and good shooting.

 

[Petrus Geldenhuys]

If you want to hunt plains game up to a Eland in Africa i would suggest a .30-06 or .308 both these rifles are suitable for the bush and can be loaded for the open plains long shots as well.
But if you had to choose only one rifle to bring on a African Safari i would suggest the 375 H&H as that is the minimum caliber that can be used on big five loaded with a 300gr point. With a 200gr point you can reach speeds of 3000ft/s which is more than you will get out of the 30-06 and 308 with the same gr point, and in my opinion you can take a very long shot with the 200gr point at that speed

If i had to choose between the two options you posted ill take the 270 over the 243. Just think you can do a bit more when it comes to hunting in the bush.

 

[Petrus Geldenhuys]

As I'm searching and looking around on Google, people say that for springbok, blesbok, impala, etc. the .270 is too much gun. Well, it is nice to be sure of your shot, and let's say I go hunting in the flat Free State area, I would like to take only 1 gun - and if I am looking at a gemsbok etc., I wouldn't want to regret taking a too small caliber. It is getting a silencer, big scope etc. so it can do the long range shooting, with let's say 110gr bullets. For bigger game, the 150gr is actually more than enough. My gemsbok in my profile picture was taken with 139gr Hornady's - 1 shot clean kill, she dropped right in her tracks. So now, I am also looking at a .25-06, or a 6.5 Creedmoor. Any other affordable options under $800? The scope can go up to about $550, and the silencer would set me back about $200. Thanks!

if you only want to do Free State area hunting the 25-06 is a perfect calibre for those long shots and proves to be my favourite long distance gun after a hunting trip we did in the Kalahari this year, i took a 375m head shot on a springbuck and succeeded with no problems and we shot many Gemsbuck with that same calibre on this trip.

 

[Norwegianwoods]

Since you have no problems with your dads 375 and you want one with long range capacity, I recommend a 7mm Rem Mag.

I think the 270 win and also the 270 WSM are great cartridges and the 270 WSM is still a good choice if you reload your own ammo even if some think it is going away.
Cases will never be a problem.
But I still think the 7mm Rem Mag is the better choice for what you are after.

 

[Ruan Bouwer]

Thanks guys, appreciate it!

 

[Arno Koen]

Thanks guys, appreciate it!

Hi Ruan, nice to see you here.
What gun did you got at the end?

 

[CAustin]

Yes what did you get?

 

[IvW]

Neither as an all rounder. You would need to look at something bigger. 30-06 as a minimum and possibly a 300 magnum as a true all rounder for PG in Africa...

 

[flat8]

I really like the .243 Winchester. But to answer your question, go with a .270 Winchester and don’t look back!!

 

[tarbe]

In the original post, it was stated that target game was Kudu/Elk on down.

In that case, the .270 with premium bullets is absolutely deadly in the hands of a hunter who is good with his rifle.

Ruan - do not think that you have to get this completely 100% right on the first try. It isn't like you are getting married!!

Your needs will change over the years and you will acquire more and different rifles. Get that .270 (or whatever) and shoot the heck out of it in field positions until you are the most dangerous animal out there!

Have fun,


Tim

 

[tarbe]

Holy cow! This thread is four years old! lol

lvw - guilty of thread revival!

 

[Ridgewalker]

I too am curious what he has these days.

 

[JakeH]

I’m sure the original question has been long since answered, but I’ll always throw my hat into the ring for choosing both! I think a .243 and .270 pair very well together for medium game, as they both push appropriate-sized bullets at around 3000 FPS, giving you similar holdovers at distances most of us have any business shooting.

 

[Dr Ray]

For long range (whatever distance that is) to nail these sized animals I would suggest 300 win magnum with 180 grain Bullets.
If that’s not to your liking I suggest the 338 win magnum with either 225 or 250 grain Bullets.
The 243 and 270 I feel are too light for long distance and for the size of the target animals.
Buy quality and it will last you fir the rest of your life. Buy inferior and you’ll spend the rest of your life regretting!

 

[TERMINATOR]

Just get a .300 Win Mag and you can kill everything that doesn't want to stomp you to death and any range you ought to be shooting.

I love the .300 Wby and have a sentimental spot for .300 H&H but ammo is much easier to find for the .300 Win Mag

Do a Mag-Na-Port (not a muzzle break) and it will reduce recoil by about 5% and take the vertical lift out of the recoil.

If there ever was a "one gun do it all" caliber it is a .300 Magnum I don't even like shooting a .300 RUM but the .300 Win Mag, .300 H&H or a .300 WSM is all the gun a person ever needs for an non dangerous game anywhere and the recoil really isn't bad at all as long as you stay away from the .300 RUM

I have killed an awful lot of animals from Jackel and Coyote to Eland and Elk with my .300 Wby and think it is the best of the bunch but I tell people to get the .300 Win Mag because you can find ammo literly anywhere in the world in a pinch (opps...forgot my ammo)

 

[BWH]

You’re asking a group of people that probably own on average 10+ rifles each. And asking them to pick 1 all rounder.... if they believed in such they would not own 10+ each, an always in the market for a new addition to the family.

That being said.... I’d probably say 30.06.

 

[IvW]

Holy cow! This thread is four years old! lol

lvw - guilty of thread revival!

 

[tarbe]

I was just glad it wasn't me this time!

 

[spike.t]

OP doesn't appear to have been on a here since 2015...so you might be waiting for a while to find out what he went with......

 

[Bruce]

The 6,5 Creedmore is a good choice...ammo is available in Africa!!!
I sell it in my gun shop.low recoil and affordable in RSA!!!! ( HOWA)
Good luck with YOUR choice, Ryan!