Best Hunting Caliber

crazyboi12321 · August 7, 2010, 01:47 AM

I have been shooting and hunting for a while (Handguns, Shotguns) and i dont have any rifles. I wanted to know what caliber would be best to hunt varmint (Hares, Coyote) and also be able to take down a boar. I would like one rifle to do both. I know .308 has the necessary power to take down a boar but i wanted to know how it is with recoil like how many shots before you dont even want to shoot anymore, also if it is just overkill for varmint. I dont need the hides from them. The other caliber i was thinking about was .243 but when i was doing research i was hearing that its not enough to take down a boar. Any opinions appreciated. Thanks

Hoskins · August 7, 2010, 02:02 AM

If I could only choose one it would be the reliable Springfield 30-06. It has been around forever, you can downgrade it to a varmint round or upgrade it to a light magnum.

Doyle · August 7, 2010, 07:46 AM

Yes, a .243 is fine on pigs. It might not drop them right away with a shoulder shot, but will do the job. I've seen many pigs kill with .223's. The pigs are just as dead as if they had been shot with a .416 Rigby.

Of course, with a smaller caliber you do have to worry more about shot placement and you don't always get the immediate stopping power you do with the heavier loads.

Art Eatman · August 7, 2010, 09:47 AM

Hares and coyotes won't give you all that many shots, for starters. You're not shooting from a benchrest, either. Recoil is thus much less of a problem compared to prairie-dogging or benchrest target shooting.

I started out with a 1917 '06, steel buttplate and all, as a skinny 16-year-old kid. Yeah, that buttplate got my attention, but it wasn't that big a deal. A Pachmyr buttpad on a Bishop stock cured the problem.

IOW, no big deal on the .308.

I'd bet that a .243 with good 100-grain bullets would work quite well on hogs, aside from those of the "el gigantico" sort. I doubt that you would get enough shots, day to day, that the cost of premium ammo would be all that big a deal.

doofus47 · August 7, 2010, 09:53 AM

I don't hunt hogs, but I have a friend who uses a 12 gauge slug when hog hunting. If you already have the shotgun and you don't mind the thump from firing a slug, your current shotgun might take care of your need for a "big-boar" gun.
Then you could get a .243 to take care of the rest of your wants. Also, although I haven't seen any reviews, I think that PTR makes an HK91 clone in .243. Maybe a semi-auto .243 could also bridge the gap (quick second shots on hogs; accurate enough for distance shooting at coyotes).

That said, I'm +1 with Hoskins and his 30-06 suggestion.

hooligan1 · August 7, 2010, 10:39 AM

For me I like the...............all around do-it-all,,,,,,,,,,,rabbits,coyotes,hogs, .270 win

There's too many to choose from

ya ya yaaaaaaa!

nate45 · August 7, 2010, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyboi12321

The other caliber i was thinking about was .243 but when i was doing research i was hearing that its not enough to take down a boar.

The .243 Winchester will kill wild boar fine, I saw my Grandpa kill a many of them with his and my Dad is often fond of using the 6 mm Remington(almost the same as a .243 Win) on deer and hogs. It will make a good first rifle, they are as a rule accurate and have a mild recoil.

Practice with it and next thing you know, you will be hitting those hogs in the eye.

Water-Man · August 7, 2010, 12:55 PM

There isn't an ideal caliber that is suited for both hares and boar.

GeauxTide · August 7, 2010, 08:09 PM

Ruger SS Compact in 260 Remington.

ZeroJunk · August 7, 2010, 08:24 PM

The 260 Rem or the 7mm/08 would both be a good choice and you can get them in a more compact short action if a bolt gun suits your fancy. May be a little easier to get ammo for the 7mm/08 and it is a fantastic cartridge.

BIG P · August 7, 2010, 09:15 PM

A 25-06 may be worth lookin at hogs deer yotes aint got a chance

JKump · August 8, 2010, 08:42 AM

Nothing is wrong with the 308. It will do everything you want. Every gun maker makes a rifle in 308 and it is very easy to find ammo for it. So you can't go wrong with a 308.

Toney D · August 8, 2010, 04:37 PM

270-win

mitchell koster · August 8, 2010, 07:11 PM

.243, although my father like .270win

IDAHO83501 · August 8, 2010, 07:34 PM

For shooting pigs, I would think a 223 or 243 would work fine with little to no felt recoil. If you end up hunting like a large deer or elk or bear then a .270,30-06, 7mm Rem. Mag., or a 300 win mag would be MUCH better.

tachunter · August 9, 2010, 01:27 AM

The 30-06 is tough to beat. I''ve been looking into the 7 wsm though and I like what I see.

BfloBill · August 10, 2010, 01:04 AM

I never hunted boars, but I can't figure out why you would consider stepping down in caliber to accomidate the varmint hunting. Get enough gun for the boars, and if thats overkill on the varmints, who cares? .308 or 30-06 gets my vote.

Jack O'Conner · August 10, 2010, 09:06 PM

Europeans have their 6.5mm, 7mm, and 9.3mm rifles.

But top sellers in America have been 30 caliber.

Jack

Armed Citizen · August 11, 2010, 06:28 PM

I love my .30-06 for all-around, starting to really get into my new .270WSM though lately.

thekyrifleman · August 12, 2010, 09:56 AM

Oh Hell,

Why not the good old 7X57....It's certainly got seniority...over 100 years old...has killed everything from marmots to elephants and like the Energizer Bunny, just keeps on going!!!!

davlandrum · August 12, 2010, 11:07 AM

.257 Roberts

L_Killkenny · August 12, 2010, 01:46 PM

Really isn't enough info to make a judgement on what is best. Terrain, climate, amount of time hunting each type/size of animal, etc. I've never been able to fall in love with the .243 even though I've tried and I'm sure he'd be just fine with it. ME? I'll stick with the short action .25's and 6.5's. I don't want or need anything bigger and I worry about smaller on game over 100 lbs. Hares = rimfires unless you have monsters.

LK

Fat White Boy · August 12, 2010, 11:53 PM

+1 for the .270 Win. Mine's a Model 70...

James R. Burke · August 14, 2010, 01:23 PM

I agree with the .308 or 30-06, even if there is a bit over kill on the varmints. To bad you could not get a bigger caliber for those needs, and then a varmint set up. But I know how the money is, things you would like just cost so much. I myself like the 06, but the .308 is a great caliber also I dont think you would go wrong with either one.

imacanuk · August 16, 2010, 02:18 PM

I'd say the .260 or 6.5x55 would be perfect. For a bit more 'power' go for a .25-06, and if more is wanted, go for a .270. But if I were hunting the game you mention, I'd get a .260. LIght bullets for the small game, and get a 140 gr for the hogs. Low recoil, and plenty enough power. The 6.5x55 would do the same thing, but there may be less ammo available.

August 7, 2010, 01:47 AM	#1
crazyboi12321 Junior Member Join Date: August 7, 2010 Posts: 1	Best Hunting Caliber I have been shooting and hunting for a while (Handguns, Shotguns) and i dont have any rifles. I wanted to know what caliber would be best to hunt varmint (Hares, Coyote) and also be able to take down a boar. I would like one rifle to do both. I know .308 has the necessary power to take down a boar but i wanted to know how it is with recoil like how many shots before you dont even want to shoot anymore, also if it is just overkill for varmint. I dont need the hides from them. The other caliber i was thinking about was .243 but when i was doing research i was hearing that its not enough to take down a boar. Any opinions appreciated. Thanks

August 8, 2010, 08:42 AM	#12
JKump Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 1998 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 428	Nothing is wrong with the 308. It will do everything you want. Every gun maker makes a rifle in 308 and it is very easy to find ammo for it. So you can't go wrong with a 308. __________________ Live everyday as if it is your last! Because someday you will be right. "Everyone has a game plan until they get punched in the mouth".

August 8, 2010, 07:11 PM	#14
mitchell koster Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2010 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 211	.243, although my father like .270win __________________ The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on.

August 8, 2010, 07:34 PM	#15
IDAHO83501 Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2009 Location: Lewiston, Idaho Posts: 337	For shooting pigs, I would think a 223 or 243 would work fine with little to no felt recoil. If you end up hunting like a large deer or elk or bear then a .270,30-06, 7mm Rem. Mag., or a 300 win mag would be MUCH better. __________________ The next time someone asks you " What do you know ? " Respond with a smile and say " A frogs ass is water-tight."

August 10, 2010, 09:06 PM	#18
Jack O'Conner Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2005 Location: Manatee County, Florida Posts: 1,976	Europeans have their 6.5mm, 7mm, and 9.3mm rifles. But top sellers in America have been 30 caliber. Jack __________________ Fire up the grill! Deer hunting IS NOT catch and release.

August 7, 2010, 02:02 AM	#2
Hoskins Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2010 Posts: 240	If I could only choose one it would be the reliable Springfield 30-06. It has been around forever, you can downgrade it to a varmint round or upgrade it to a light magnum.

August 7, 2010, 07:46 AM	#3
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	Yes, a .243 is fine on pigs. It might not drop them right away with a shoulder shot, but will do the job. I've seen many pigs kill with .223's. The pigs are just as dead as if they had been shot with a .416 Rigby. Of course, with a smaller caliber you do have to worry more about shot placement and you don't always get the immediate stopping power you do with the heavier loads.

August 7, 2010, 09:47 AM	#4
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Hares and coyotes won't give you all that many shots, for starters. You're not shooting from a benchrest, either. Recoil is thus much less of a problem compared to prairie-dogging or benchrest target shooting. I started out with a 1917 '06, steel buttplate and all, as a skinny 16-year-old kid. Yeah, that buttplate got my attention, but it wasn't that big a deal. A Pachmyr buttpad on a Bishop stock cured the problem. IOW, no big deal on the .308. I'd bet that a .243 with good 100-grain bullets would work quite well on hogs, aside from those of the "el gigantico" sort. I doubt that you would get enough shots, day to day, that the cost of premium ammo would be all that big a deal.

August 7, 2010, 09:53 AM	#5
doofus47 Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: live in a in a house when i'm not in a tent Posts: 2,483	I don't hunt hogs, but I have a friend who uses a 12 gauge slug when hog hunting. If you already have the shotgun and you don't mind the thump from firing a slug, your current shotgun might take care of your need for a "big-boar" gun. Then you could get a .243 to take care of the rest of your wants. Also, although I haven't seen any reviews, I think that PTR makes an HK91 clone in .243. Maybe a semi-auto .243 could also bridge the gap (quick second shots on hogs; accurate enough for distance shooting at coyotes). That said, I'm +1 with Hoskins and his 30-06 suggestion.

August 7, 2010, 10:39 AM	#6
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	For me I like the...............all around do-it-all,,,,,,,,,,,rabbits,coyotes,hogs, .270 win There's too many to choose from ya ya yaaaaaaa!

August 7, 2010, 12:55 PM	#8
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 2,126	There isn't an ideal caliber that is suited for both hares and boar.

August 7, 2010, 08:09 PM	#9
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	Ruger SS Compact in 260 Remington.

August 7, 2010, 08:24 PM	#10
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,589	The 260 Rem or the 7mm/08 would both be a good choice and you can get them in a more compact short action if a bolt gun suits your fancy. May be a little easier to get ammo for the 7mm/08 and it is a fantastic cartridge.

August 7, 2010, 09:15 PM	#11
BIG P Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2010 Location: North Georgia Posts: 1,679	A 25-06 may be worth lookin at hogs deer yotes aint got a chance

August 8, 2010, 04:37 PM	#13
Toney D Junior member Join Date: August 4, 2010 Location: OK Posts: 55	270-win

August 9, 2010, 01:27 AM	#16
tachunter Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2009 Posts: 196	The 30-06 is tough to beat. I''ve been looking into the 7 wsm though and I like what I see.

August 10, 2010, 01:04 AM	#17
BfloBill Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2010 Location: Buffalo, N.Y. Posts: 457	I never hunted boars, but I can't figure out why you would consider stepping down in caliber to accomidate the varmint hunting. Get enough gun for the boars, and if thats overkill on the varmints, who cares? .308 or 30-06 gets my vote.

August 11, 2010, 06:28 PM	#19
Armed Citizen Member Join Date: December 30, 2008 Location: Near Detroit, MI Posts: 60	I love my .30-06 for all-around, starting to really get into my new .270WSM though lately. __________________ NRA Life Member MIGUNOWNERS.ORG

August 12, 2010, 09:56 AM	#20
thekyrifleman Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2007 Location: Northern Ky Posts: 254	Oh Hell, Why not the good old 7X57....It's certainly got seniority...over 100 years old...has killed everything from marmots to elephants and like the Energizer Bunny, just keeps on going!!!!

August 12, 2010, 11:07 AM	#21
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	.257 Roberts __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

August 12, 2010, 01:46 PM	#22
L_Killkenny Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,676	Really isn't enough info to make a judgement on what is best. Terrain, climate, amount of time hunting each type/size of animal, etc. I've never been able to fall in love with the .243 even though I've tried and I'm sure he'd be just fine with it. ME? I'll stick with the short action .25's and 6.5's. I don't want or need anything bigger and I worry about smaller on game over 100 lbs. Hares = rimfires unless you have monsters. LK

August 12, 2010, 11:53 PM	#23
Fat White Boy Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2005 Posts: 1,276	+1 for the .270 Win. Mine's a Model 70...

August 14, 2010, 01:23 PM	#24
James R. Burke Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2009 Location: U.P. of Mich/Quinnesec Posts: 1,897	I agree with the .308 or 30-06, even if there is a bit over kill on the varmints. To bad you could not get a bigger caliber for those needs, and then a varmint set up. But I know how the money is, things you would like just cost so much. I myself like the 06, but the .308 is a great caliber also I dont think you would go wrong with either one.

August 16, 2010, 02:18 PM	#25
imacanuk Member Join Date: September 2, 2009 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 98	I'd say the .260 or 6.5x55 would be perfect. For a bit more 'power' go for a .25-06, and if more is wanted, go for a .270. But if I were hunting the game you mention, I'd get a .260. LIght bullets for the small game, and get a 140 gr for the hogs. Low recoil, and plenty enough power. The 6.5x55 would do the same thing, but there may be less ammo available.