In your opinions, what is the most versatile rifle caliber. if you were going to shoot all kinds of north american game, and you

[shane]

If you can't kill all NA game with a .30-06 (you have 200 and 220 grain bullets available), you need to learn to shoot better.

[streack]

.45-70, you can load it with so many different combinations of powder charges and bullet weights that it can be used to effectively kill any NA game animal without destroying meat.

[teufelhunden]

.300 ultra mag.

[CPT BRAD]

338 It'll kill anything walking N. America and most other continents.

[Beekeeper]

A 30/06 would be terribly hard to beat!

[shane]

the .45-70 can and has been used on everything everywhere, including the African Big Five.

[Reid Jones]

Yeah but wouldnt a .308 or a 300 win mag. do the same job as the 30-06? if not better.

[rocky d bashaw]

30-06 hands down

[Christian Emter]

30/06 or a 300. 308 are good they just don't reach out there at 300 yards on an elk.

[Anthony Sabella]

Been around since Warren Page was the most famous person in Chappaqua NY. I have rifles from .22 hornet to 45-70. If forced to pick only one, 30-06 would be it. Remember recoil may well be a factor for the casual hunter.

[rudyglove27]

Agree with Beekeeper answer above and A + 1 for you sir!!!

[ppjwb]

The Question was; "In your opinions, what is the most versatile rifle caliber. if you were going to shoot all kinds of north american game, and you could only have one rifle. what would you pick?"....My answer is....If you could have only one rifle for all North American game would be the 30.06 because you can buy 55gr bullets and 125 gr(Remington bullet ballistics chart) for varmints and small game up to medium game150gr bullets to 220gr bullets for heavy game.A 300 or 338 does not offer that type of versatility.sniper central.com says 30.06 is the most famous cartridge.so if you can have one rifle,it would be 30.06 .he asked which is the most versatile not the most powerful.do you really want to take small game with a 300 or 338,you can with 30.06 with a 55gr or 125gr bullet

[John Maurice McCormick]

Ruger 10/22.
1. Carry a lot more rounds extremely easily.
2. Lighter Weight.
3. Greater Chance of Survivability if in a "stranded" or "life or death" situation. Due to Lighter Weight and more rounds.
4. With a proper Head Shot there is not a species in North America that you can not kill with a "One Shot One Kill" Shot!
5. Very Easy to Service.
6. In an "Armageddon" scenario almost every gun owner in America could help by "sharing" or "selling" ammo.

There is no reason a Ruger 10/22 should not win out over a heavy caliber gun in this or any of these situations!!!

[Ryno6613]

25-06. Truly an under-rated caliber. It comes in a wide variety of weights. It's highly customizable if you load your own. It's fast, so it carries a high muzzle energy, a flat trajectory, and ultimately makes for a hard hitting, accurate round. It's also small so it won't demolish small game but still take down large game.

[John Ellis]

Ruger 10/22.
1. Carry a lot more rounds extremely easily.
2. Lighter Weight.
3. Greater Chance of Survivability if in a "stranded" or "life or death" situation. Due to Lighter Weight and more rounds.
4. With a proper Head Shot there is not a species in North America that you can not kill with a "One Shot One Kill" Shot!
5. Very Easy to Service.
6. In an "Armageddon" scenario almost every gun owner in America could help by "sharing" or "selling" ammo.

There is no reason a Ruger 10/22 should not win out over a heavy caliber gun in this or any of these situations!!!

The question is about hunting not self defense, and if you are hunting normally you don't want to shoot the game in the head.