(Which) one calibre to shoot them all????

[Labrador]

Hi,
please forgive the parody of the Lord of the Rings quote!
I wonder if the collective wisdom on this site could suggest a calibre suitable for shooting quarry from roe to wild boar?
Perhaps .308 or 30-06?
Mrs Labrador has forbidden me more than one rifle when I retire (& I have to sell my .410)!
Thanks,

Labrador

 

[bewsher500]

get one with two barrels then

 

[splash]

20x70RB Clean kills on everything that walks, crawls, flies or swims .

 

[EMcC]

In answer to your question the 30-06 would suit you fine.
The range of bullets available for this calibre would cover all UK game including Wild Boar.
It would also cover most, if not all, African Plains Game too, using the correct bullet.

 

[Muir]

Can't say first hand about the UK, but the 30-06 loaded with bullets from 90 grains to 220 grains will kill, and has killed, anything in North America.~Muir

 

[Tamus]

I've seen .308 do all that you've listed and I've seen .30-06 do it too.

If it's any answer, I have a .30-06 bolt action repeater and if push came to shove and I was left with it as my only rifle, I'd not be too unhappy about that.

I'm sure others will tell you, it's often not the differences between similar cartridges that's critical so much as finding a rifle you feel happy with.

Some countries won't let you hunt with either .308 or .30-06 so the best answer to your question has to satisfy the requirements of all your likely destinations as well as quarry, but a .30" (ish) calibre of some sort, with a decent case size, is a pretty useful general purpose tool.

How about 8x57 or 7x64?

 

[JabaliHunter]

I think that if you are retiring and want to carry on shooting into old age, of the 2 I'd go with the .308

 

[Kalahari]

The 30.06 may come of the French non, non list so may be a bit better bet than the 308 which I concede will do pretty well as much as a 30.06

David.

 

[flyingfisherman]

tell mrs labrador that if your only allowed one gun, shes only allowed one pair of shoes.. she wouldnt like to go to a ball in wellies like you wouldnt want to shoot roe with something capable of decking a boar!

 

[finnbear270]

Has to be one of them drilly thingies!

 

[Muir]

I think that if you are retiring and want to carry on shooting into old age, of the 2 I'd go with the .308

Nah! Drop the load to 308 levels. This is the kind of thing we reload for, right?~Muir

 

[JabaliHunter]

Better option!
I'm lucky - Mrs has no clue what's in the safe! Better still, rather than telling me to get rid of stuff, I've been told to build a man cave on the back of the garage to put it all in!

 

[User00003]

Better option!
I'm lucky - Mrs has no clue what's in the safe! Better still, rather than telling me to get rid of stuff, I've been told to build a man cave on the back of the garage to put it all in!

excellent, you can then also build one of those stag horn chandeliers for it! ..maybe just make it wall sconces mind..

 

[Labrador]

Thankyou one & all, looks like both calibres will suit as long as I use suitable bullet weights.

Unfortunately Mrs Labrador can't be swayed with the threat of no new shoes, she'd happily go out in her wellies, one of her many qualities is an intense dislike of shopping!

 

[mel]

Better option!
I'm lucky - Mrs has no clue what's in the safe! Better still, rather than telling me to get rid of stuff, I've been told to build a man cave on the back of the garage to put it all in!

I had a conversation with my missus this weekend - she wants an extension built on the house, new master bedroom with a big on-suite. I said fine, you can utilise all the spare space once the gun room is factored in

To the OP - Your Mrs isn't allowed to look in the gun safe. Buy two identical rifles on the same day in the calibres of your choice.... she'll never know.

 

[bewsher500]

the answer

For Sale: Steyr Luxus 30-06/.243

 

[The Seeker]

Isn't that what the gun safe is for? Not for keeping the rifles safe but stopping the missus knowing you've just spent another grand on a rifle

 

[pierred]

Has to be one of them drilly thingies!

Isn't that what the gun safe is for? Not for keeping the rifles safe but stopping the missus knowing you've just spent another grand on a rifle

You got it

 

[Brithunter]

Hi,
please forgive the parody of the Lord of the Rings quote!
I wonder if the collective wisdom on this site could suggest a calibre suitable for shooting quarry from roe to wild boar?
Perhaps .308 or 30-06?
Mrs Labrador has forbidden me more than one rifle when I retire (& I have to sell my .410)!
Thanks,

Labrador

Hmmm how much would divorce be?

Seriously I cannot see a relationship where such dictatorial views are held than can survive.

Meanwhile both you suggestions are .30 calibre. IF ................................................. if I had to come down to just one to do everything I am leaning towards 7mm/0.280" of which there are quite a few choices of cartridges in that calibre.

 

[flytie]

One gun to bring them all and in the darkness bind them (sic). MMMMMMMMMMmmmhhhhhhhh! Tricky.

If it was just for the UK, then .308. Our deer and plains-game too, then 30-06. Our deer and boar on the continent, then 7x64 now, maybe 30-06 soon.

I have a job to get past the .308 as the best all-round calibre for UK use, it's what I first applied for, and would be first out of my cabinet for nearly everything nowadays.

Simon