Versatile Caliber for Hunting

[benenglish]

6.5 g is truly a great cartridge for price per round.

Strong agreement here. I've often thought that if I wanted to use just one bottlenecked centerfire cartridge, rifle or pistol, that would be it.

A few straight-wall cartridges and some rimfires could fill in for other purposes.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

6.5 g is truly a great cartridge for price per round.

It is a fantastic cartridge but like all others it's not Magic!
I prefere the 260 over the Creed or any other actually when it comes down to nitty gritty. There are plenty of sources for brass.
Second is the Wildcat 6.5-06 pretty much for the same reason. Long or short action these two are a Gimme.

 

[Sam7sf]

It is a fantastic cartridge but like all others it's not Magic!
I prefere the 260 over the Creed or any other actually when it comes down to nitty gritty. There are plenty of sources for brass.
Second is the Wildcat 6.5-06 pretty much for the same reason. Long or short action these two are a Gimme.

After years of shooting, obviously still have to catch up to you, I ultimately decided most of my needs can be met with a 223 or 30-06.

 

[lonestardiver]

Second is the Wildcat 6.5-06 pretty much for the same reason. Long or short action these two are a Gimme.

If you are considering the 6.5-06, you might be just as happy with the 6.5x55 Swede. Brass is more available with lots of published data as well as dies.


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[baboon]

I have to wonder if the O.P. realize he will have no public lands to hunt on & the cost of a lease needs to be factored in?

 

[Lonesome Dove]

If you are considering the 6.5-06, you might be just as happy with the 6.5x55 Swede. Brass is more available with lots of published data as well as dies.


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Had one one and it is a great round. Though the 6.5-06 brass is available by reforming.
25-06.
270.
280.
30-06.
That pretty much beats the 6.5 swiss

 

[Lonesome Dove]

After years of shooting, obviously still have to catch up to you, I ultimately decided most of my needs can be met with a 223 or 30-06.

I've settled on the 243 for my go-to gun but I kept a couple others should that hunt of a lifetime come around.

 

[Sam7sf]

I've settled on the 243 for my go-to gun but I kept a couple others should that hunt of a lifetime come around.

A 243 is something I see myself converting to. It’s got such a wide range of loads.

 

[Hoji]

.243 & .270 are might common in Texas for hunting. Hearing protection is more or less a personal choice. You want to protect your hearing yes you want to hear whats going on around you. That would make noise application / cancelation phone a great idea, but that can be very annoying to wear. I seldom ever wear hearing protection & my hearing is fairly decent.

Or……..

 

[festering]

35 Whelen, in case a bear or moose walks in front of you while hunting.

 

[Pete]

I like 257 roberts

 

[TrailerparkTrash]

Hello,

I'm new to TX and gun ownership. I would also like to get my feet wet hunting. Reading over a lot of the regulatory information, but I'm also curious about hearing personal experience with different calibers.

I'm looking for something versatile: coyote up to elk (might be in Idaho in a few years). My initial thought is I'll need two rifles a .223/5.56 and maybe a 7.62. Also considering bolt action for the larger caliber. What do you think or recommend?

You nailed it with the two above. 5,56 and .30-06 (if you want elk). Close thread.

 

[Catherine1]

I would recommend a .308, but unless you want to buy a safe full then it's hard to go wrong with 30-06. My uncle hunted with the same Remington 700 in 30-06 for 60+ years harvesting everything from elk down. I ask him one time why he didn't have a 300wm or bigger. His response, nah never needed more than the old 06.

I think that your uncle is related to my Montana husband!

Especially when my husband hunts in different types of terrain.

His 30-06 REMINGTON 700 (BDL?) rifle is JUST about HIS top favorite hunting rifle even though he loves his last remaining CF rifles. IT is a beautiful rifle too.

HE told me that IT would most likely be the LAST CF RIFLE that he would KEEP since it is such a great shooter and can COVER ALL BASES! In various terrains here in Western Montana.

He has the same rifle as your uncle and it is an older one which was bought NIB from Bob Wards here in this town LONG, long before I knew him too. He always tells me that story and the now 'ancient' salesman who sold it to him FINALLY did retire totally several years ago. I can say 'ancient' because WE are old too. Grin.

He does use the beautiful and tack driving Made in CT MARLIN lever action rifles especially in another type of terrain when he hunts too.

45-70 Government

30-30 Winchester

THOSE are his top 3 CF caliber hunting rifles.

Old Lady Cate

PS: I do not hunt but IF I did hunt, I would choose what I USED to use for woods/wilderness protection. My former MADE IN CT MARLIN 336C in 30-30 Win. Beautiful walnut and blue steel.

My husband's MADE IN CT Marlin (30-30 Win.) is the 336 SS model. Black walnut and stainless steel.

 

[leVieux]

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In today’s World everyone needs a 5.56, and if TSHTF, a .308 w/ a GOOD Scope.

Those 2 cover all necessary bases.

Then a .22LR utility rifle, & maybe an AK.

A 9mm pistol or 3.

You likely need a good all-around 26” bbl 12GA repeating shotgun, too.

The above is a basic home “armory”.

Have a safe and plenty ammo for all.

However, remember that there is never too much ammo, most of our homes are very flammable, “bugging-out” is silly for most, and what we can carry is limited.

Welcome to TGT & the South !

leVieux

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[Roscoe]

I have a couple of .30-30's, but for 99% of my hunting I go with a .308. Handles anything I've run into in Texas.

 

[bigwojman]

Hello,

I'm new to TX and gun ownership. I would also like to get my feet wet hunting. Reading over a lot of the regulatory information, but I'm also curious about hearing personal experience with different calibers.

I'm looking for something versatile: coyote up to elk (might be in Idaho in a few years). My initial thought is I'll need two rifles a .223/5.56 and maybe a 7.62. Also considering bolt action for the larger caliber. What do you think or recommend?

Welcome to Texas! I was not born here but got here as soon as I could…great place!

Now onto your question…so difficult to get one answer as everyone has had different experiences and input. On this forum, most of it is going to be spot-on, so you will have to make a choice, given your constraints. For me, the 6.5 CM is a pretty versatile round; can find ammo for it that is not too pricey, is accurate for long range shooting, does not have considerable recoil (thinking kids here) and has decent stopping power. Not sure I would take it elk hunting, but probably okay for ethical kills for just about anything else in TX (some large exotics excluded).

I have a Browning X-bolt in 6.5 CM and it is a great deer / hog gun; my teenaged boys love it. It is a bolt-action. I also have an AR10 platform chambered in 6.5 CM and use it for long-range shooting. I put plenty of $$ into the barrel and optics but the fundamentals of the 6.5 CM round make it a solid choice. We were shooting at 1,200 yds this past weekend at our deer lease and I was able to hit a 16” steel plate three times in a row with factory ammo using the AR10 platform.

Optics are important…if I bought a $1,000 gun, I would plan on putting on a scope that is similar in cost. In the past I went cheaper on optics and have found that to be flawed logic.

Good luck!

 

[leVieux]

I have a couple of .30-30's, but for 99% of my hunting I go with a .308. Handles anything I've run into in Texas.

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Correct, No caliber is “perfect”, but .308’Win. is our best compromise if only one is possible; this is for many reasons.

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