king' s outdoor world - Index

king' s outdoor world - Hunting Illustrated - October/November 2007 - Index

A s
hunting season is upon us,
I thought it would be good to
talk about some game-specific
cartridges that are available today
as well as a checklist of things to
prepare for before heading out on a
big game hunt this fall.
The following article will
stir up some arguments from readers.
Why? Everyone I talk to tells me
that they have the perfect rifle set
up, in the perfect caliber that will
kill anything they shoot at. I listen
to appease them, but all the while
28 HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com
SHOOTING
The Best Rifl e for Your Hunt
Is there life beyond the .30-06?
I'm thinking, "Yeah, whatever.? From
my previous articles and for those who
know me, I am not a one-gun-does-it-all
kind of guy. Traditionally, the 30-06 has
been the most popular cartridge used in
big game hunting. Why? The 30-06
fans like the vast selection of ammo and
bullet weights available. This facet of
the 30-06 leads them to believe that it
is the perfect do-all caliber. I call BS.
I am not, nor have I ever been, a fan of
the 30-06. It's a do-all caliber that does
nothing really well. Now hold on 30-
06ers. Before you tear out this section
Size of game, distance, and conditions in the field should all
be considered while choosing the best rifle for your hunt
5SHOOTING5
Carl Hermansen
and flush it down the toilet you're
sitting on, hear me out. All cartridges
are designed and perform best
within narrow bullet weight ranges.
Generally, the optimal bullet weight
range varies just ten to thirty grains
depending on the caliber. Therefore,
shooting 110-grain varmint bullets
from the same gun you launch 220grain
"fence posts? through yields
mediocre results. So, now that I've
trashed the 30-06, I will give you my
take on a few better choices for your
upcoming hunts.
Lets start with what I feel is
the smallest cartridge that should be
used for taking Western big game.
The 25-06 is the perfect choice for
antelope-sized game. It is a very flat
shooting, hard hitting cartridge with
a much larger effective range vs.