The 90% rifle

[Tundra Tiger]

Because you specified North America, I have a winner (for me): my Marlin MXLR in .338 Markin Express. It hits on every single criterion you listed. Every one. I have also used it to great effect on PG in Africa. Oh, and I live in SW Alaska so I know how it does up here.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

No rifle can be 100% just too much size difference between squirrels and moose. Any good centerfire from 26-30 is probably a 90% rifle. I doubt many people would want to hunt groundhogs and coyotes with a 375, and I feel fine using a 270 for elk.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

No rifle can be 100% just too much size difference between squirrels and moose. Any good centerfire from 26-30 is probably a 90% rifle. I doubt many people would want to hunt groundhogs and coyotes with a 375, and I feel fine using a 270 for elk.

My bad: I was meaning 100% for NA big game.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

My bad: I was meaning 100% for NA big game.

Gotcha!

 

[coreydb]

I have a bunch of 90%ers.....and I'm not done yet Seriously, recommend first criteria should include a common caliber for the US and Canada. Any .30cal - .375 HH can be hand loaded light to hot to fill the bill. If you want to go European, 8mm or 9.3x62 - 9,3x74R.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Gotcha!

The red squirrels up here? It'd work - honest! Just don't expect a meal or a nice piece of taxidermy after.

 

[Northern Shooter]

If talking NA big game I think the 338WM is just about the perfect choice.

Can be loaded 165gr to 300gr capable of taking anything from pronghorn to polar bear and bison.

165gr-210gr for thin skinned deer species.

Relatively flat shooting and suitable out to 400m+ with 225-230gr projectiles has all your mountain game covered. Elk, Caribou, Sheep & Goat.

250gr+ projectiles for the close up work on big bears, moose and bison.

Ammo is easy to come by and not as prohibitively priced compared to larger magnum cartridges.

 

[Muskox]

Then 10% would be long range sheep, goat, antelope hunts plus 300 yards.

The 10% would include things like small game, javelina predators.

For most Northen Rockies OTC elk tag every year kids it would be a 90% rifle. Would be a 90% rifle in most of Africa.

375 or 9.3 makes it legal for most African nations for all species.

Was a random thought I had several years ago back in 2013 and thought it was an interesting idea. I had read Elmar Keith's cartridges for large game recently, and was on that kind of a kick.

I am not a one cartridge guy. I could be a one rifle guy with my R8, but even then I find I'd rather have a variety of rifles. Even though I have been a R8 fan since my first one.

 

[dogcat1]

7mm Rem, .300 HH, .300 WM, 9.3x62 or .375 HH fit the bill as well as the .30-06

All are proven stars.

 

[WyoBull]

My Seven mm RUM would be a ninety percent’er!

 

[0002S]

300 PRC w/212 LXH

 

[Pole Pole]

The 30-06 can be used for squirrels. All you have to do is “bark’em”. Just shoot the limb they are on. They flying bark and concussion will kill them without any holes.

 

[shark_za]

Let me think, a 30 caliber that shoots 180gr bullets at around 30-06 velocities.

err.................

 

[rookhawk]

I had this idea about 10 years ago for a concept called the 90% rifle. Not really hung up on the name, but the idea was a cartridge that could do 90% of your hunting at reasonable ranges at any animal in North America.

At the time I was pretty hung up on the 400 Whelen, never built one but I now own 2 10,3x68 RWS barrels for the Blaser R8 similar beast, though more powerful.

My theory was a .30 caliber or large bullet at at least 30-06 speeds and carrying at minimum a 180 grain bullet. Ok medicine for brown bears when I lived in Alaska.

Peak 90% achieved at the 9.3 to .400 calibers and at least a 250-400 grain bullet.

5 key features.

Enough energy and trajectory to not be weird or weak at 300 yards.

Recoil tolerable for most people. So the 416's were kind of out.

Sub 10 pounds with a scope and sling.

Holds at least 4 in the rifle. 1 in the chamber and 3 in the magazine. In an R8 this is ideal as it has a decocker.

I think I had SD in mind in the old days. As I like things to die with two holes in them.

what do you think?

If Alaska is required, its the 375HH. If the lower-48, its the 7x57.

If you're asking for a rifle for all occasions, when you go past 7mm you're losing the option to use light weight projectiles for small critters. The 7x57 is about the smallest gun you can select that also packs significant punch with a 175gr bullet.

Don't believe me? The 318 Westley Richards is a storied caliber that uses a 250gr bullet standard. You'll note its obscurity showing how unpopular it is for the masses. (I love it, but I'm weird)

In the world of "I can do anything I want" calibers, its pretty hard to top the versatility of 257 Roberts, 6.5x55SE, 7x57, and 300HH. The options available for all of those are many and they all box above their weight class with the least possible recoil given what they can accomplish.

 

[ftrovato]

How about a 100% North American game rifle? Any cartridge that throws a .338 diameter bullet works for me.

HOWEVER, this is an African forum! With that I'd go as far to say that any .416 is a 100% in Afrrica.

Just my 2 cents to stir the pot a little bit! ;-)

 

[WI-2021]

The red squirrels up here? It'd work - honest! Just don't expect a meal or a nice piece of taxidermy after.

Just shoot one in the head and one in the a**, then sew them together, if you can find them. Easy peasy.

 

[Fatback]

I have done a majority of my North American hunting with a 300 Win Mag. I’ve used it on animals from pronghorn to moose and brown bear and everything in between. It has served me well. It offers quite a bit of flexibility with various bullets available from 150 grain on up. I’ve typically used 180 grain or 200 grain bullets depending on the situations and animal I was hunting.