One rifle for North American big game?

[Ridge Runner]

Like most others I'll recommend the 30-06, as that is what I prefer to hunt with using 165 gr and 168 gr bullets.

But I also own a variety of weapons, and I am an avid muzzleloader so I'll through in 45 or 50 cal muzzleloader or 45-70. Had you included sheep and goat I would go with the 7mm Rem Mag., 270 Winchester, or 340 Weatherby.

 

[Saul]

There is just something about the .318 Westley Richards that says “the one rifle” to me. Some day I will own one.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

338 Win Mag! From Coues Deer to Polar Bear! There are many many cartridges that will get the job done! From 44Mag to 30-30 and from 270 and 30-06! Of course ther is the venerable 7mm REM Mag and the 300 Win Mag! But the best and most authoritative is the 338 Win Mag! I think this covers all the bases…

@CZDiesel
The good ol Whelen is a bit more authority.
Bob

 

[ldmay375]

The 35 Whelen would certainly work well.
But, I will stick with the 338 Winchester.
Maybe, I could go along with a one cartridge concept. But, way too far along in life for the one rifle approach. I like my rifles.

 

[Phil Giordano]

Late in this party, but I put my bet on 8x68S, my favourite caliber by far - mild recoil, flat enough, powerful enough, you can load it from 180 to 250 grs, still doable in a light rifle with a compact scope ... just like my Sauer 90

 

[Bowandarrowman]

Savage timberline in 300wsm.

 

[pilar]

@CZDiesel
The good ol Whelen is a bit more authority.
Bob

I stand with BoB , 35whelen would handle the job easily
same for 8mm Remington mag

 

[DLSJR]

You absolutely cannot go wrong with a .30-06. But, for me, it’s my .338 Win Mag.

If it’s gonna be one gun to do it all, these are the two I’d choose from.

 

[C.W. Richter]

300 WM or 30-06. Check out the 18.5" carbine model Rem 760/7600 Pump in 06 (it came in many other suitable calibers featuring the 06 case/action or 308 case/action, including 35W) but it'd be perfect for close quarters hunting in FL (and running shots at hogs-you never take your eye off the sight and the gun reloads itself upon recoil once broken in.) With a 1-5x and a trigger kit you can easily take hogs/antelope/deer/elk out to 300ish yds (I've gotten some of these longer shots in FL as many ranches have been converted into public hunting lands as part of the everglades restoration project). Ammo is also cheaper if you stick with the (pick your fav mfr's) "Whitetail" load (165 gr for me). I'd step up on bullet size for elk and bear (I like 200 gr Nos Partitions heavily handloaded as a combo do-it-all load.) Good luck. Enjoy.

 

[colorado]

500 Jeffery. They don't get up.

 

[Shotgun Coach]

If you ever plan on a Private Ranch or other like places a .300 Win, Mag is the smallest allowed. Back when I took my ELK.

 

[375Ruger416]

500 Jeffery. They don't get up.

Might not be ideal for a pronghorn hunt

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Late in this party, but I put my bet on 8x68S, my favourite caliber by far - mild recoil, flat enough, powerful enough, you can load it from 180 to 250 grs, still doable in a light rifle with a compact scope ... just like my Sauer 90

Yeah, you could just run into any little store in Wyoming or Utah or Georgia and pick up a box of ammo......oh, wait...

 

[Doug Hamilton]

300 WM or 30-06. Check out the 18.5" carbine model Rem 760/7600 Pump in 06 (it came in many other suitable calibers featuring the 06 case/action or 308 case/action, including 35W) but it'd be perfect for close quarters hunting in FL (and running shots at hogs-you never take your eye off the sight and the gun reloads itself upon recoil once broken in.) With a 1-5x and a trigger kit you can easily take hogs/antelope/deer/elk out to 300ish yds (I've gotten some of these longer shots in FL as many ranches have been converted into public hunting lands as part of the everglades restoration project). Ammo is also cheaper if you stick with the (pick your fav mfr's) "Whitetail" load (165 gr for me). I'd step up on bullet size for elk and bear (I like 200 gr Nos Partitions heavily handloaded as a combo do-it-all load.) Good luck. Enjoy.

Maybe if he wasted to restrict himself to the Eastern states of the US, or maybe the Yucatan (that's technically still in North America). Not a great choice for hunting the Western states with big canyons, sage brush and open flats though.

 

[Fatback]

I’ve had a lot of success with a 300 Win mag. From brown bears and moose all the way down to southern whitetails and pronghorns. 40 yards to 425 yards. Adjust ammo from 150 grain to 200 grain projectiles as situations dictate.

 

[KTEX]

What he said^^^^^

 

[R eight]

Original post was in 2018 and it’s still going strong . The contributor was last seen in 2019.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I’ve had a lot of success with a 300 Win mag. From brown bears and moose all the way down to southern whitetails and pronghorns. 40 yards to 425 yards. Adjust ammo from 150 grain to 200 grain projectiles as situations dictate.

I have too. In NA I've taken moose, mule deer, and black bear. In Zimbabwe I took nyala, waterbuck, bushbuck and impala. I haven't hunted any of the big bears, sheep or goats, but I have no doubt that the .300 WM would work just fine.

@Hunter-Habib
African grizzly bears???? Where do you hunt them
Bob

I was looking for an African grizzly on my last safari in Zimbabwe. We hunted pretty hard but I never saw a bear. Can't understand why...

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Original post was in 2018 and it’s still going strong . The contributor was last seen in 2019.

I wrote on Friday and asked the original what he had chosen after getting all this good advise for six years. He hasn't answered.

 

[steve white]

If a 300 mag, why not a Weatherby 340 mag?