Savhmr Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 "Beware the man with one rifle" used to be the saying, implying that we get carried away with the next "must have" cal or pick the wrong tools for the job and end up chopping and changing, becoming the jack of all cals and the master of none. If you had to choose just one CF calibre to cover all needs from pest control stalking and range work, or some practice on steel and could re-load for it, what would you pick and why? The reality is that you're unlikely to be granted anything larger than .243 for vermin control, so several rifles usually end up in the cabinets for reasons of suitability, practicality and best suited to specific tasks. However,as an exercise only, you have to now choose just one cal. Personally, despite it's ultra LR shortcomings, I still think that .308 Winchester or 30-06 Springfield tick all boxes well even today as do some of the 7mm rounds. For purely UK work, if you discount Boar, the 6.5's join that list (any of them). One almost forgotten round that is vastly under-estimated but probably tops the lot is 284 Winchester, which I think would be my choice if I could only have just one rifle to choose from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 I took many a months on my choice of deer rifle. 25-06 for me. The Rem .260 was a close contender. The high BC makes the 25-06 hit like a lightning strike on deer even at range. I've shot a lot of deer and I have absolute confidence in it, moderate recoil, high end terminal ballistics. Can be reloaded lighter for foxing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fen tiger Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Another for the .2506 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 I took many a months on my choice of deer rifle. 25-06 for me. The Rem .260 was a close contender. The high BC makes the 25-06 hit like a lightning strike on deer even at range. I've shot a lot of deer and I have absolute confidence in it, moderate recoil, high end terminal ballistics. Can be reloaded lighter for foxing. Great choice and I had almost forgotten that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesj Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 It would have to be .243 for me, It COULD do all I need but others will make a better job of some things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Great choice and I had almost forgotten that one! It's odd really, new people I meet they seem fascinated with the calibre, but have a 'size' problem with it. Unless it's just my rifle, it's inherently accurate, the drop charts make it so easy to shoot. Just don't use ballistic tips.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpy22 Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 It would have to be .243 for me, It COULD do all I need but others will make a better job of some things same here. a bit of a boring choice but does everything i need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesj Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 same here. a bit of a boring choice but does everything i need May be a boring choice but I don't think there is any thing else that can give you the wide choose of bullets the .243 does. Ok I only use 2 of them 55gr ballistics and 95gr soft points Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 May be a boring choice but I don't think there is any thing else that can give you the wide choose of bullets the .243 does. Ok I only use 2 of them 55gr ballistics and 95gr soft points Parent case 308 gives a wider choice ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 7mm-08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 7mm-08 Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Because it's halfway twix 6.18 and 7.62 (.243 and .308) It seems to have the flatter characteristics of the .243 but with the harder hitting power of the .308. Wanted to buy one a few years ago but couldn't find one, and as I still had all my .308 dies etc I went out and bought another .308 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 I had 1 cf for a fair while and a 308 win did everything, not an ideal foxing rifle but my 110 grain reloads killed them cleanly and they never complained and deer seemed happy to fall over in front of it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) This is what Terminal Ballistic Research has to say about the 7mm-08: Whilst I can't reproduce it word for word due to Copyright, the gist is this: 7mm-08 uses the 308 case necked down for 7mm bullets. Whilst it'soften touted as a flatter shooting version ofthe 308 using the advantage of higher BC bullets, it is often taken out of context regarding performance. These days, 308 also has a large number of high BC bullets (such as the Berger VLD or the Sierra TMK versions and of course Amax and newer equivalents). The 308 remains the more flexible calibre due to the large number of bullets available, especially the heavier bullets for use with larger animals. The 7mm-08 shooting 140gr bullets is flatter shooting than the 308 shooting 150gr bullets. It's main advantage is as a medium and light/medium game cartridge shooting factory loaded ammunition. It can handle some heavier bullets but then all advantages of reduced recoil vanish, especially as most 7mm-08 rifles produced tend to be lightweight sporter profile hunting rifles, and if loaded fast for very flat trajectories with medium weight bullets, there is no less recoil than experienced with typical 308 hunting loads and it can indeed feel worse. The real advantage then seems to be shooting light to medium game with light to medium weight bullets when not loaded too hot, so very similar to the 6.5 Swede in that respect. The hydrostatic shock close in on medium game combined with good penetration makes for a very effective hunting round to around 150 to180 yards up to which point clean and very rapid kills are assured. As velocity drops, that advantage is lost, although good penetration remains out to about 300 yards. The real advantage though seems to be as a closer quarters hunting round in a lightweight stalking/hunting package. 284 Winchester allows for more flexibility and retains a fast and flat shooting performance with medium weight (up to 150gr) bullets. It's real advantage over the 7mm-08 is that it can drive the high BC 160gr bullets, hand loaded to 2800 fps and the parent case is slightly bigger all round than the short case of the 7mm-08. The only reason it seems that the 284 hasn't become more popular is that we seem to have a preference for short action rifles in the UK, hence the 308 has remained king for so many years, although the 270 has its devotees (rightly so) as does the 30-06. Edited October 6, 2017 by Savhmr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Interesting..........but the original question was If you could pick just one calibre for a rifle.... And that was my choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 6.5x55 is my caliber of choice these days.. Great on deer/fox So much so my 243 will be going soon.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Think mine would be .243 Win or .223 ,but if I was only allowed one rifle calibre it would be the .22RF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sako7mm Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 6BR for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scobydog Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 243. don't own one , have used 1 , pretty much as good as it gets as an all rounder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) Sorry but it seems a daft question to me. As you say....... "several rifles usually end up in the cabinets for reasons of suitability, practicality and best suited to specific tasks." Exactly, ONE rifle will not solve all the issues out there, for instance, which ONE rifle stops the pigeons in the warehouse or the Boar in the forest? Totally pointless thread! Why didn't you just ask... "What is your favourite calibre, or which do you think is the most versatile calibre?" Edited October 6, 2017 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Bad day Deks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Bad day Deks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 If it's such a pointless thread, why did you waste your time, and mine, by posting such a sh*tty response? Point missed I think. The question was the question, because I am genuinely interested in what people would choose IF they were ONLY GIVEN one choice. I conceded that it's probably impractical given that several cals do a wide range of jobs better, but we all know that don't we? I'm the one who's (really) having a bad day so apologies in advance if the response doesn't seem to suffer fools gladly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) If it's such a pointless thread, why did you waste your time, and mine, by posting such a sh*tty response? Point missed I think. The question was the question, because I am genuinely interested in what people would choose IF they were ONLY GIVEN one choice. I conceded that it's probably impractical given that several cals do a wide range of jobs better, but we all know that don't we? I'm the one who's (really) having a bad day so apologies in advance if the response doesn't seem to suffer fools gladly, Perhaps I misinterpreted to an extent or perhaps you just worded it badly, I think the question would have been much better as .................. "What is your favourite calibre, or which do you think is the most versatile calibre?" Anyway...hope your day improves! Edited October 6, 2017 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Hi My choice of caliber if only permitted one rifle would have to be 7/57 Rigby Why good for anything that a centre fire is needed for historically proven capable of dispatching anything on the planet And a mild shooting rifle Hope you're days improved All the best Of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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