Picking a new caliber ?

[MooseontheLoose]

I’ve been using a .280 for almost 20 years and have been extremely happy with it.

Favorite all-around load for my gun has been the 140 gr. Core-Lokts. Great performance. When ammo was widely available, this was also one of the easiest loads to find for the caliber. I’m sure they’re not widely available now, but I shoot handloads so I haven’t checked for any current availability.

When I’m tinkering with new bullets/weights I like to test on big pigs with different shoulder shots. I’m currently running through a box of 140 gr. Accu Bonds and those have performed well. I’ve had good results with the 150 gr. Barnes TSXs.

I drew one of the Laguna rifle hunts a couple years ago and was going to shoot 160 gr. Accu Bonds at nilgai. I passed up a lot of whitetail but never had a good opportunity at a nilgai. I would be very comfortable shooting aoudad or the deer you listed with any of these loads. If I'm behind the gun I'm bumping up to the 160s for elk or nilgai though, just for that little extra umph.

[Traildust]

I like the .308. Big enough to take what you mentioned, good selection of different bullet weights and the ammo is normally easy to find.

.308 is the best round ever made

[Anteloper]

.308 is the best round ever made

Agreed

[TexasTK]

Been shooting my Rem 280 mountain rifle forever.
Killed truckloads of critters w it.
My gun likes the 150 gr Nosler Part w 54 gr of 4350.
Taking it as a backup gun to NW Territories for moose & caribou next month.

[AtTheWall]

.50 caliber AIR FORCE TEXAN - PCP Regulated Air Rifle - 350 Grain Hollow Point slug fired at 1100 fps = 150 yards anything in North America - drops.

I reload pistols and rifles, lotta different calibers.

Got into PCP REGULATED AIR GUNS recently - HORY SHEET MAN!

Silencer - 4500 psi tank - precision two stage target trigger - sub sonic and super sonic - you have the ability to change PSI charges - to match ballistics from various slug weights - distances and performance.


And you can shoot them inside the city limits cause - they are AIR RIFLES and fully legal.

If you want a challenge, and a change, with a weapon that will flat out knock trees down like a shot gun slug with precision - sub minute groups.


For those who have zero knowledge with AIR RIFLES TODAY - Here's that gun.

https://youtu.be/y5wYMwRpzLE

[tigerscowboy]

7 Rem Mag. Check those numbers

[cactusassjohn]

6.5 x 55 or the old stand by 30 06

[BayouCat]

I'm with everyone recommending the .308.

Plenty of ammo to be found in this caliber and at a reasonable price. Plus, you can use it on almost anything.

[big_smith]

I would be concerned w finding ammo in anything remotely obscure. I have acquired a 6.5prc that I absolutely cannot find ammo for and will not pay $5/round to shoot so not sure I will ever shoot it. I have a .280 Browning but honestly it draws blood on both ends. If it were me I would go w a more traditional caliber just for ammo availability.

[S-3 Ranch]

I'm with everyone recommending the .308.

Plenty of ammo to be found in this caliber and at a reasonable price. Plus, you can use it on almost anything.

Can I travel to foreign countries to hunt with a .308 ? Mexico, new zeland , Australia

[Matt_C]

I like the .308. Big enough to take what you mentioned, good selection of different bullet weights and the ammo is normally easy to find.

^^^^^ since you mentioned you would be shooting factory ammo.

[AtTheWall]

.45 and .50 Cal air guns, you can make your own and or buy custom rounds.

Barrels are rifled, no powder burn, and you don't clean them with petroleum products.

No cartridges, now gunpowder, no ammo shortages, plenty of air and electricity.

Lewis and Clark leaned on a 1760s Italian made air rile - when they made that famous trip. Put down everything they needed to eat. Air was compressed inside a full lead butt stock, and it was multi shot.

The difference between unregulated - each shot drains the psi and power

Regulated PCP modern air guns, charge upwards of 4000 to 4500 psi with multiple shots, all regulated to fire at a preset PSI, for consistent power, till the psi wanes below accuracy levels - outside the scope of your sight window or scoped settings.

These new guns - are like powder fired weapons - without powder and the precision between shots, SUB MOA at it's full range. The shear weight of the projectiles - bunch thru everything - bones - shotgun slug on serious steroids with way more precision than any blackpowder and or shotgun.

As accurate as any rifle within it's zone and there are dudes making shots over 1000 yards with them now. 250 to 300 grains downrange with a thump and the weight, wind drift is reduced considerably.

I shoot one, it's sub moa and silent - the costs to feed and shoot - NOTHING and electric pump - fills it up with air. I can fill on 120 and 12 volt systems and not like a black powder, I can unload it, it still has a full charge, and it's ready to reload the next time you need it to be ready.

.280 would be my choice off of your list but I shoot a 270 Weatherby Magnum - and really don't need all those other calibers you have listed. Air gun and flat to 500 yards. Covered to knock down with the game you listed.

At one time, many hunted Nilgai with 270 Weatherby Magnums, and some still do.

HOYT WOULD BE MY CHOICE

[Lostacresranch]

Picking a new caliber ?

.45 and .50 Cal air guns, you can make your own and or buy custom rounds.

Barrels are rifled, no powder burn, and you don't clean them with petroleum products.

No cartridges, now gunpowder, no ammo shortages, plenty of air and electricity.

Lewis and Clark leaned on a 1760s Italian made air rile - when they made that famous trip. Put down everything they needed to eat. Air was compressed inside a full lead butt stock, and it was multi shot.

The difference between unregulated - each shot drains the psi and power

Regulated PCP modern air guns, charge upwards of 4000 to 4500 psi with multiple shots, all regulated to fire at a preset PSI, for consistent power, till the psi wanes below accuracy levels - outside the scope of your sight window or scoped settings.

These new guns - are like powder fired weapons - without powder and the precision between shots, SUB MOA at it's full range. The shear weight of the projectiles - bunch thru everything - bones - shotgun slug on serious steroids with way more precision than any blackpowder and or shotgun.

As accurate as any rifle within it's zone and there are dudes making shots over 1000 yards with them now. 250 to 300 grains downrange with a thump and the weight, wind drift is reduced considerably.

I shoot one, it's sub moa and silent - the costs to feed and shoot - NOTHING and electric pump - fills it up with air. I can fill on 120 and 12 volt systems and not like a black powder, I can unload it, it still has a full charge, and it's ready to reload the next time you need it to be ready.

.280 would be my choice off of your list but I shoot a 270 Weatherby Magnum - and really don't need all those other calibers you have listed. Air gun and flat to 500 yards. Covered to knock down with the game you listed.

At one time, many hunted Nilgai with 270 Weatherby Magnums, and some still do.

HOYT WOULD BE MY CHOICE

Air guns…Obviously you haven’t checked on the legality of using them in different countries…

[175gr7.62]

Never thought I would say it but I'd go 6.5 Creedmoor. Get ammo everywhere..... I've never seen a factory rifle that wasn't accurate and will kill everything you mentioned stone dead.

Regardless of what kae006 says, I've killed more elk with a 243 than most people on this site have ever seen. I know the 6.5 CM has more HP than the 243. That being said, I'm a pretty practical guy.

I don't have a ton of rifles. I don't like keeping up with different non-common calibers. I have a 375 H&H, 300WM, 308, -06, 30-30, 6.5CM, 257 Roberts, 243, 17HMR and a couple 22's. There is nothing walking the face of the earth that I can't handle. I take the 6.5 out 99% of the time unless I'm just walking the woods with my 30-30.

Keep it simple and own rifles you can buy ammo for. I reload 99% of my stuff but I still want the option to walk into a gunshop and buy stuff if I need to.

If you want something different....what about a 338 Win Mag?

Aside: I know the 257 Roberts is an outlier but it was given to me 30 years ago and I can't sell it.

[Lone_Wolf]

308 is great, but if you're not much of a shooter, I'd go with something a little flatter. When you starting taking longer pokes at critters a flatter caliber can make up for mistakes if your not dialed in on your ballistics, and with the expense of ammo now, and how much you'd burn through at the range to get your dope figure out on a 308. I thing the 280, maybe a 270 or 7 Rem Mag would be better.