I can't believe he left the American Bison off the list of animals...

Completely agree

Until you realize that bullet construction and shot placement on animals over 400 lbs is so critical that you want more flexibility. Then you'll arrive at the 338 win mag so you don't have to wound anything else.

@@papajohnsy6659 bullet construction and shot placement are critical on any game animal! You could shoot a red tail deer with a 200 grain FMJ out of a 300 win mag and watch it run over a mile away from you into a thicket to be lost for ever if you hit it in the gut....hit any elk or moose with a properly constructed 180 grain or heavier 30 caliber bullet in the boiler room within it's designed velocity window and you will fill the freezer. Honestly I think the same can truly be said for a wide range of cartridges (i.e. 7mm mag, 270 win, etc)....the reason I suggested the 30-06 of course is because it's more versatile than just about anything else out there...100grain -220 grain, enough case capacity to cover your velocity windows, shorter and lighter action than the magnum cartridges and recoil can be managed be even smaller stature shooters. And yes....a lot of people will say the same about the other cartridges....at the end of the day. Go with what will work for you and hunt ethical. :-)

Or 270 or 243 Winchester, other fine rounds. Rounds like 30-06 are usually overkill.

@@papajohnsy6659 get closer

.243 Win for me personally. A central nervous system shot will kill anything in North America, any decent shot will kill most, ammo’s plentiful, it’s downright pleasant to shoot, it can be loaded light enough for small game, it shoots flat, is pretty good in wind, and is VERY inherently accurate. I live in the Appalachians, so more than 300-400 yards isn’t a concern for me. I’d want something better for long range if I were out west.

if you like a 4 inch hole through and through go ahead. i prefer my critters in tact

@@dariangilman7835 load it down,,,

Still the mist versatile in bullet grain and "do it all" hunting round.

@@trevorgomez3343 Yep, ground hogs to grizzlies.

Yeah, the correct answer is usually the heaviest rifle you are willing to carry and the most recoil you can handle and be accurate. For years it was a 9.5lb rifle in 7RM. I kinda like my 7.5lb rifle in 30-06 these days though.

Love the 7mm

Tried and True. It seems all these new cartridges they’re making are trying to simulate 7 mag capabilities in short action calibers.

Anyone that attempts to bag on the 7mm rem mag clearly is misdirected. I mean you wouldn't want to use it for grizzly bear hunting or similar craziness that you simply need a small cannon for, but that's about it

@@CountryBoyMakinNoise your absolutely right, took a moose this fall with my 7mag tikka, it done the job quickly

This is an excellent reply by someone who has obviously done a lot of hunting.

Has a reputation a a destroyer of meat. And 7mm Mag was the fanboy round of the 1980’s. Just like the 6.5 Creedmore. And .243 Winchester is more than adequate for caribou

@@shawnmiller4781 Choose better bullets. I am more a fan of the heavy, high SD bullets. I've had good luck with 162 gr SST, 160 gr Accubond, and 175 gr Partition. I've actually seen the 175 gr Partition penetrate lengthwise through an elk. Still a lot of fanboys of the 7mm Rem Mag. It is still one of the top ten most popular rifle cartridges in the US.

@@MTMILITIAMAN7.62 I know, I see a lot of them on the consignment and used rack at our local shops

@@shawnmiller4781 And? There is still more of them in use than most anything else. Die and ammunition sales confirm this. Backfire has a good video on it. Keep your .243 if that is what you want. It doesn't make the 7mm Rem Mag any less useful or popular.

Thank you!

Man don’t take this guys word as a end all the calibre debate. Practice with that .308 and it will kill anything in North America. The best calibre is the one you shoot comfortably. I early on got caught up in this and shot a .300 rum for years now it’s a safe Queen and I use a .308 win and it’s never let me down… if anything it’s made me a better hunter-stalker trying to get closer to the animals

Tried and true....during unnormal times I see WAY more of it than the Fad calibers mentioned here....20 years from now you'll still be able to find 30-06....and not have an obsolete rifle. You made a great choice.

It was always mucho powerful, often more than needed, which lead to .308.

The 30-06 Springfield was the cartridge used in the M1 Garand, "The best battle implement ever devised.” According to General George S Patton. I have seen it drop a bear where it stood, on the other end, I have seen it make a red squirrel implode, leaving nothing but a bloody stump of a spine, half a rear leg, and half a tail. If you're shooting shorter range, this cartridge is a no brainer. It is perfect for deer and like the coveted 7.62x54R, it will be around forever!!! Is this a good squirrel cartidge, hell no. Is it the best bear cartridge, not quite. But for me IT'S JUST RIGHT!!!

150 grain for deer, 180 for elk, 220 for griz

Well said. I think you hit on something that people don't think about enough. Does it really have to be "the best" at whatever? Is the difference in performance between cartridge "x" and cartridge "y" worth the price of a second complete setup of rifle, optic, etc? Why are so many people fixated on "top 5" lists and so forth? If it does the job safely and reliably, can't that ever be enough?

.30-06 lost to the 300 WSM. It’s out. Good round though.

@@JohnDoe-zg6fn yeah absolutely! I know it lost to the 300 WSM by about 200 FPS, but it still performs great - it isn’t a magnum cartridge, but for 90% of hunters, it is more than adequate. There’s a reason it is still around today. The 300 WSM is a great cartridge; especially if a person is hunting suppressed and would like a short compact gun. They both have their uses and aren’t going anywhere.

This guy prefers the .308 over the 30-06. That tells you all you need to know about his knowledge and experience. The 30-06 has higher velocity and shoots flatter than a .308. And he has a prejudice against long action versus the newer milk bottle cartridges. Long action vs short action has very little consequences for gunners and in my opinion La cartridges feed better. He obviously has never shot a 25-06 because its nowhere on his radar but it is a fantastic cartridge .It's much overlooked but gaining popularity especially using some of the new higher bc bullets with faster twist rifle barrels.

@@RichardSmith-ps7qc i still wouldnt choose a 30-06. I can load a 160gr .30 cal into a .300 WM and then load it with 220gr and still be putting out far higher velocity. Its a better all around cartridge. If you already have the gun of course use it. But i wont buy a new 30-06 or .308

@@RichardSmith-ps7qc Yes but not that big of a difference. 2800ish vs 2900ish for a 150gr nosler.

I couldn't agree more.

Yep, historically has been loaded from 110gr to 240gr. Has 2000ftlb a 300yds (with hotter loads in 180gr) for those quartering elk shots. More than enough for deer. Rifle is light. Ammo is everywhere. Barrel life is solid too. Hard to go wrong!

A lot easier to suggest all these new whizbang-super-ultra calibers. When pateron and the like are buying them all.. or companies x, y, and z are all sending you scopes and the like for free. (Just make sure it's a nice review)

Yeah no. If it was the most versatile calibers like 25-06, .270, and .35 Whelen wouldnt exist. You mean the .300 Win Mag

@@darrengarcia4937 You mis-spelled 300 PRC. It is just such a sexy round. I like to load them up in Nickel Plated brass with the longest bullets I can find and seat them so far out they could never even fit in my magazine let alone my rifle chamber. Then I buff them to a super high shine and kinda just leave them out around hunting camp to make everyone jealous and ashamed of their 30-06 and 300 win mag rounds. buwahahaha.

@@majorspittle1 i do love me some RUM. But for the people who cant afford it and think recoil really matters when you're hunting .300WM is more tame

Hahahhaha 300 weatherby took care of that in 1944 if you shoot 30-06 your stuck in your wayd which is fine but dont say it is as versitile as you claim as to many others out shoot it now a days

The 06 is no where near as versatile as something like a 33 or 37 caliber.

They are fabulous. I wish the .284 Winchester would have caught on.

Yep. The 7mm is where it is at. Anything the 6.5, .277, or .30 cal can do, the 7mm can do better. And I mean that. Even on dangerous game like grizzly, I'll take a 175 gr Partition or Aframe in a 7mm Rem Mag over anything you can put in a .30-06 or .300 Win. You have to get over 200 gr in .308 cal to beat the sectional density of the 175 gr .284. WDM Bell killed hundreds of elephants with a 7x57 and 173 gr ball ammo. A 175 gr 7mm has more than enough penetration to kill anything on this planet if placed right.

I agree, I dropped an impala and kudu with a 308, no problem.

Moose with .308?

@@sassysilver4451 for sure! People have used 30-30 for over a century ethically. some of the most renowned moose/elk hunters in the world use the .308win.

@@sassysilver4451 yes ma'am. There are videos on KZfaq of it..but keep in mind proper range, proper bullet, proper shot placement

@@WallyMerc06 308 is no different than an 06 for the most part, just can be used in an AR. I agree. 180gr round nose in 308, 06, or 270 have killed more deer and bear in PA than anything. Guys still use them here to shoot elk as well. It just sucks we have to be drawn out of a lottery to get an elk. The elk herd is doing amazingly well. If you get a chance, go to elk state park visitors center early in the morning after frost (October) and you can hear them bugle and watch them. It's awesome.

a little over kill, I use 3006 and 6.72 x 55 for bear and elk , antelope , what ever.

I like the 300wsm and the 338 win mag, but in my book 300 RUM LA or 30-378 weatherby would be some great choices, but be prepared for the mule kick of your life, but that’s apples to oranges when you have a round that you absolutely love and can trust it will take down the game

Maine moose are big bastards. 1000-1500lb monsters with a propensity for violently protecting their young. Scary up close, beautiful at a distance. Decent meat. Never got a permit for one myself, but seen a few on deer hunts. One at no more than 25 feet away, barely saw him taking a nap in thick brush as I walked by. Had myself a good heart attack as he stood up, but we just let him look us over then he just turned around and walked off. 30/06 is very popular up here. .308 has become a lot more popular recently though.

I totally agree.

Check out Ron Spomer. Way better info.

Thank you!

.270 Winchester does the same thing when it makes contact as 3006 but doesn’t drop like a rock.

It’s interesting a few cartridges show up a lot but never get selected, like the 06 or 270. Good for everything, but maybe not “the best” for anything. He certainly likes the 6.5 PRC though ;)

@@reaganriddle 270 better for antelope deer size game. 30-06 more powerful shooting 180-220 grain bullets are much better for larger animals like elk moose ect. Just depends on what your hunting. People like the 06 cause it's good at hunting ranges for everything on the continent.

@@reaganriddle Really? 270 with Hornady 145 ELD- X when sighted at 200 yards drops 37.6 inches at 500 yards.... where a 30/06 with 150 grain SST drops 38.4 at 500. I don't think 3/4" at 500 yards is that huge of improvement. I chose those two bullets because they both come from the same Manufacture and are very close in weight.

I have used the 30-06 for 40 years and use the Nosler 180 grain partition for everything. Deer, elk, musk ox, bison, etc. I eat them and don't display them. Most of the cartridges people talk about blood shot meat and explode bones. Can't think I have ever shot an animal more than once with the load. I switched to the .308 10 years ago only because It's lighter and I'm 73. Same results with one shot kill and little meat damage.

Sako 338...sweet shooter...

My thoughts exactly. I’ve taken more deer with a .270 Weatherby. But my favorite rifle has to be the .300WSM, just not a fan of how expensive the rounds are. The furthest shot I’ve taken in Missouri was 316 yards and the tracking was zero, the .300 short mag dropped a decent size buck.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Don't forget gas stations. I grew up in Big Sky Country, and you could always find .30-30, .22LR, .30-06 and maybe 7mm Rem Mag in most quick stop stores. I really miss Montana.

Gotta love 300WSM

I do love me some 300wsm. Best all around cartridge in my opinion. Unfortunately it seems like new rifles aren't being chamber in it as much.

He under rates it

I love mine...it is a killer but the recoil has turned me over to 30-06 the last couple of years.

That sounds ominous

I wish I could find ammo for my granddaughter’s 7mm-08. No one in this area has had any.

Do you own a new truck?

I just ordered some 125gr bullets for my ‘06 today! Looking forward to working up a load.

@@69yenko65 never! New trucks suck!

Fine point. 7mm08 is awesome for deer

Yep. 7mm-08 140gr hits harder than the 308 w 150gr past 150yds. It beats the 30-06 at 250yds and beyond. With 162 gr it's a charm for larger than deer animals.

"Practice makes you deadly, not ballistic charts"......Outstanding!!!!

Some idiot labeled it a round for women and kids, and it lost steam. It’s easily one of the best, most effecting, and pleasant shooting rounds available.

Up here in Quebec Canada, people love 7mm for the balistic but it is excellent for nothing, dont even know why people buy that caliber ( balistic fantacy maybe) here 99% of the big game hunt is moose, deer and bear. Here my conclusion. Most of the hunter i know will one day or had hunt for moose and deer. We all have backup rifle when we hunt, just in case... so i dont want to have deer and moose rifle, with both back-up. Best all-around to be most ethical for those 3 is 308, 30-06 and 300wm. The only reason why they sell us other caliber is that, each time a new caliber arrive, people thinks is a better hunting tools because of better balistic. So they sell a lot, at the end of the day, custumer will be looser because ammunitions manufacturer will not produce all of the ammo or at what price? We should stop that insanity... 3 years ago we shot a moose with a 270 wssm at 200 yards, after 2 hours we found the moose alive shot in the lungs, it take another 3 shots with the 270 wssm to kill the moose. To this day the guy still have a 270 wssm for sale, nobody want it. Amazing balistic rifle, poor hunting tools. 270 or 7mm don't kill moose has efficient compare to .300 caliber and its a lots of velocity just for a deer so what is the point of this caliber here in Quebec plus 90% of shot here are close in woods, so that is why i call it BALISTIC FANTACY!!! Those youtuber does not help because they dream about balistics but in real life ethical shooter dont shoot over 400 yards so what is the point ? Target shooting ? there is almost no long range shooting range in Québec. 308, 30-06, 300 wm , best caliber for hunter in québec !!!

My best deer - taken with the 7-08 - dressed out just shy of 200 pounds. DRT. With a modern bullet it will kill anything east of the Mississippi. For out west I'd want more, but this is an easterner's dream gun.

It's the ideal Whitetail round.

In New Zealand a 7mm 08 or 270win is pretty perfect for our soft skinned deer. 7mm08 allows shorter barrel for getting through our thick scrub and ya mrs can take the shot without destroying her shoulder!!

Exactly.Unless your handloading.Some of those cartridges are harder to come by.And expensive.

How the hell are you getting that much energy out of a 50-110 cartridge? I've never shot that round but the highest muzzle energy I've seen for that is 3300.

You’re probably right

anything 338 not mention is insane such a great piece of gear

too much recoil in many rifles for many.

Well, I would argue if you cannot kill it with a 6.5Cm or other 6.5mm options, then you probably shouldn't be shooting at all. I have killed a number of elk with the 6.5CM and my 26 Nosler. They die within 30 feet of where they were hit. These shots are taken within 350 yards and most under 200. To me, the proper shot, with the weapon and ammo you have trained with does to the trick regardless of caliber.

@@mcman007 seems like this 🤡 was just try to hate on the 6.5 caliber. Out of all this info Backfire put out, that’s what this 🤡 gathered. I own multiple calibers, and the 6.5 CM is my favorite. Everything that I’ve hit dropped immediately.

Well they could have killed them with a club too, but why not use a more qualified weapon

I was about to say the same thing. It's crazy how the 6.5x55 doesn't come up in these conversations. It's track record is undeniable.

Part of the reason for the Swedes hunting successfully for such a long time with the 6.5x55mm cartridge is ….. Their government requires hunters to pass a shooting/accuracy test with the rifle and cartridge of their choice . Before being allowed to hunt . That is one of the reasons these police forces across the country decided to change back to the 9mm . They are required to pass the shooting exam for the required firearm that they intend to use .

@@Jake-mm1cz Agreed, many people here in the states are pretty much incompetent with their rifles, and rely entirely on the killing power of the cartridge they are firing. Too many older gen x folks who lie about military service out there in the woods with a rifle they only fired 3 shots from, and no idea what they are doing.

@@Jake-mm1cz true here in Florida, police fire 5000 rounds from their service pistol to qualify. Fired over 2 days iirc

I agree. I totally should have mentioned it.

I agree. I own a 30 06, otherwise I would buy a 7mm 08.

7mm08 is what we got my mom for a moose rifle. Has 3 under its belt now, including my first filled tag.

there isnt much a 130 grain partition or barnes wont kill.

@@ronlowney4700 say you dont fully understand the physics behind terminal ballistics without saying you dont understand lol.

I agree and so much flatter shooting than a 30/06 all the .30 cal bandwagon guys should open a reloading manual up something and look at ballistic coefficient's, grain weights, velocities, etc.

I agree my 270 is to this day my go to for everything unless I know it’s elk or larger out past 700 yards and then it’s my .338 lapua.

This old Wyoming guy has taken well over 100 antelope, dozens of mule deer and a few dozen elk (never drew a moose tag, and would never shoot a bear) with my old Savage 110 L in 270, with a cheap 4X Tasco scope. Bought in '61. Savage, as they were the ONLY one out there with left handed bolt actions.....and the triple bolt lugs that beat the snot out of W 70. Only ONCE did it take more than one shot to drop an animal, but I never shot at one that was moving. My bony old (83) shoulder can't take it anymore....so the 243 is my new go to. This "best for each animal" stuff is........ok. But few of us can afford it.

My first deer, 11-01-2015. Went down @5:15pm, so deboning in the dark. Finally back to truck. Maybe 10:30p-11:00p ... I start heading home...on the road I'm on... it's approaching the turn where it goes thru the "flatlands" of this one place... up ahead, maybe 100yds or so I saw a critter jump into the road! Excited I speed-up to see if I can catch a glimpse. It was a yote! I ended up speeding up to getting behind him and this straight-away is lined with barbed wires on both sides and it's night so he knows he can't rapidly negotiate the barbed wire fence....so instead.. he tries just running faster in that straight line! I ran him up to 35-40mph for a little bit before backing off and he finally turns and makes a dash thru the fence-line at a more opened up spot. Was such an awesome way to end that night! Total two-fer! I was astounded at how dang fast he coudl run and more importantly for how long he kept it up!

@@TheGDizzo - That's a very cool story.I guess when they make up their minds to go fast, they can!

30.06 for dreamland, .308 for real life.

That’s a great idea. I’m on it.

@@backfire Sweet! I know you'll do great. Will be looking forward to it.

Also if you get a suppressor for a .308 will it also work on a .280 AI, provided both are threaded 5/8 x 24? Thanks. The cannel is great. You and like 3 others are really good.

@@backfire Jim, can you start with the "perfect east of the Mississippi white tail set up" including a suppressor?

@@timnichols3582 Yes, most suppressors that are .308 will do just fine for smaller stuff. Most first time buyers will just get a .308 can rated for stuff like the 300 RUM so they can use it on anything smaller like 7 mag, 6.5 prc, etc. Performance of sound suppression probably wont be as good as a dedicated 7mm can, but its so close you probably wont even notice a difference. I have used a .45 cal can on a .223 before and its still pretty decent.

A 308 is pushing 1287 fps at 1000yrs... A 357 Mag point blank is 1240 fps... A 308 is very deadly even at 1000yrs!

Most people want to shoot these target bullets at animals. Bullet selection is more important than cartridge selection and for hunting there is no better and more reliable bullet than the Barnes TTSX.

@@luthermoore4897 The Hornady ELD-X certainly give it a run for it’s money. Both wonderful bullets.

Couldn't. Agree. More. I'm usually in agreement with a lot of the content he puts out. But this is a real head scratcher. In one breath he proclaims the Aoudad a heavy bodied critter known to have a reputation for being hard to bring down, then in the next sentence he admits to using MATCH ammo as uposed to a well constructed hunting bullet. He then criticizes the 6.5 PRC for not having enough energy?!?! Huh??? A BIG aoudad will push 300 lbs. Smh...

Same

Do many hunters still use the 6.5x55?

@@NuManXplore In Sweden and Norway the 6.5 x 55 is a popular caliber. In Switzerland, every state (called "canton") has its own legislation on hunting, subordinated by the federal legislation. In most cantons, the minimum caliber is 7 mm. 6.5 is therefore prohibited for hunting.

@@Forster1973 Oh ok, very interesting, thanks for the reply.

Pretty sad, in alberta people are a little better but only a little

@@kodyshapka9696 It's really sad. We have point restrictions here as well so there's a good amount of elk not legal. But they don't care. I'd of taken alot more elk in my life if I had that mind from but ill pass if it dont feel right.

Shoot a real gun for elk and you don't have to look for blood, the elk will be laying there. 308 is sub-par for elk and one of the many rounds that cause many elk to be wounded and never found.

@@sakostwwy1903 been hunting with My 308 since 2004 its killed everything I've shot with it. I've watched deer run miles after getting hit with a 300 win mag. Your "opinion " is a joke at best.

Shooting at noises....and that's how you kill someone.

@@ronlowney4700 done!

.270 is goated. 130 grains do almost too much damage on deer. 145 grain is good for elk.

@@samrichards589 Not 270 isn't even big enough for goat.

@@twolak1972 you must’ve never shot anything with a .270 and seen the on game performance.

@@samrichards589 yup. That's why I went to a 7mm mag, too many deer running off after hitting them.in the lungs with a 270. 7 mag, watched em drop.

@@twolak1972 I drop deer with a .243 and they are heavy northern deer.

Agreed. The lack of recoil means that you are more apt to hit where you aim. It’s a necked down .308 win. I’ve taken deer with 100 grain loads. Not my first choice, but is good

The 243 is great up to 200 yards. Beyond that, the bullet drop is huge.

Yerp you can instinctively shot as far as you can see with a sling shot I can lead instinctively with a 45 Kentucky muzzle loader I've had since birth .

I'm interested in the new 6.8 bullets as well, but I think I'm going to try them in the 27 Nosler. The velocities are absolutely staggering to look at. Nosler's data claims 3404 fps for the 150 and 3237 fps for the 160/165. I can't wait to find out.

@@robertmajors1737 yeah and the manufacturer’s that make those claims are using a 30” barrel to get those velocities as well, that’s the part they don’t tell you about their velocity tests. I’ll take my Savage model 110 chambered in 7mm Remington Mag with a 28” barrel and take anything on the entire North American continent and 95% of the rest of the world. I’m an old school guy and the 7mm Remington Mag is an old favorite just for the knockdown power and very manageable recoil

@@gearhead682010 it is said to be a 26" HS Precision test barrel, but I'm always skeptical of listed velocities. I also currently shoot a 7mm rem mag, and agree with you that it's great. I also have a 300 wm, also a great cartridge. I'm just wanting to try something different that might be a bit flatter and more able to cheat the wind for my upcoming western hunts. I have no doubt either of my other magnums will do fine, I have an extra r700 magnum action laying around and I just kind of want a new caliber that isn't belted to be honest.

@Daniel Nave I’ve heard up to 30% but I haven’t seen any solid information.

It’s more like 30-50 felt recoil depending on the size of the suppressor. Best from Norway.

@@jrnbakken4348 if that’s the case then taking the recoil velocity of a 300 win mag and reducing it by 30% would be the equivalent of a 7mm-08, and a 30.06 less 30% would be just above a 30.30 in recoil velocity.

Yes. Properly designs are reducing recoil 30-50%. There are videos on the tube that cover it. Try muzzle brake search first, and you will find can styles in the search.

@@jamiepezoulas4546 I have both 300 and 7-08 and I would say even a less.. But it depends on the suppressor.

100 percent agree. I love the old 6.5x55 too. The Swede drifts less in the wind, carries more energy down range than larger calibers because of the 6.5's efficient bullets and high BC, penetrates deep because of the 6.5 high SD, and has low recoil making it a pleasure to shoot, leading to more range time and promoting shooter accuracy (no flinch). And the bullet selection from 100 gr to 160 gr making it an acceptable choice for a multitude of game animals. It is nearly the perfect cartridge when the hunter does their part regarding shot placement.