Best all around rifle set up...

Hate to say it, but your best bet will probably be a .30-06, IMHO. I'm a .270 guy myself but have to admit that the .30-06 is much more versitile as far as bullet weights go. Others will tell you to get a magnum in this caliber or that one. I've never found a need for one myself, plus my shooting shoulder looks like it will get its second surgery very soon. I believe in getting a gun you are comfortable shooting, whether at the range or out in the field. If you hate to shoot the gun at the range how can you say you love to hunt with it? I believe in bullet placement above "knockdown" power. (putting on flame retardant suit now).

As far as a make of rifle, there are a number of great ones out there, just find one that fits you and you should be good to go. Your only limit is what your budget allows. I own a number of rifles in various calibers and makes and models. I hunt with a Rem 700 ADL in .270 with a backup Win Mod 70 in the same caliber. Works great for both deer and elk, though I'd use my .30-06 if I were to ever hunt bear.

Scopes, whole other story. I've used 3X9's for years and really see no need for a change. Others love a 4X12, 3.5X10, fixed 4, etc. Personal choice there. Again, same with rifles, many great brands and your only limit is your budget. Get the best that you can afford and you'll be happy. I've got a Ziess Conquest on the Rem and will be putting a Leupold Century on the Win. Just bought them last year but wasn't able to hunt but my brother told me the Ziess is VERY nice.

Best thing I can tell you is shoot as many different models and calibers as you can (read as bum your friends rifles and shoot them) to decide what you like. I'm sure you'll hear many different opinions as to what caliber to get as most folks are very proud of their rifles. Used to be the main debate was between a .270 vs .30-06. That was over 40 years ago. Many great calibers have come to evolution since and each with their believers. Makes choosing much tougher. Good luck to you and let us know what you end up with!

"do it all" You mean anything in NA or deer/elk/antelope?A 30-06 will do all these,there are many calibers that shoot flatter if you want to work on long distance hunting or target shooting .My main shooter is a Rem in 7mag,it doesnt kick as hard as my GFs .270 so dont let the magnum name scare you, a 300 wm is a kicker a 7mag is not.If you want the ability to shoot LONG range at game the 7rm,s and 300 wms are great choices,I have a 8mm RM for true long distance work.If you are buying new IMO why not get something that will work on anything you might hunt at any range you may have to or want to shoot.Out of all my rifles if I had to pick one,it would be the 8 mag,recoil is the last thing I consider when considering a hunting tool,and this one will do "it all" without a doubt. As far as the make of the rifle,Remingtons have never failed me and I have owned/hunted with one for 23 years and other than rimfires every new rifle I buty will be a Remington,you cant beat the quality at the price of a model 700 adl,bdl:222

7MM or 300 will do the job!!!!!!! :)

9er

I agree with everyone else, a 7mm or a 30-06 or a .270 will do the job for most anything. Personally, I shoot a .280, which I like because it's got a hair more power than the .270. I'm a Remington fan, so I'd recommend gettin the Model 700 Mountain Rifle (do they make those still?). Really, any of these options will work for you, so it's sort of a personal preference thing.

Thanks for all the help! I have a savage .243 (great little whitetail gun) and a remington .270 that I can't take with me when I leave. Looks like I got some researching to do on the 30 .06, .270, 7mm, or 300. I do have a buddy of mine who shoots a 300 mag. Ill have to give it some thought. I was kind of leanin toward the 300 to begin with because I know my buddy loves that thing and can easily shoot at the 300 yard range when doe huntin. I would probably go with a Remington, because thats what most our guns are but I dont know, because my Savage .243 is by far the best deer rifle I've ever used. Its killed dozens of deer and every year when we sight it in its always DEAD on. Great flat shooting rifle. I was extremely impressed. Does anyone else shoot a Savage? I would like to know if their other calibers have this reputation as well. Thanks again for the help guys.
-Blaine

I like my 270 although there are plenty of other great choices.

Two cents:
I love .308 Norma Mag, but it’s hard on whitetail and real hard on yotes and to hard on me in the prairie dog towns.

I have hunted from Mexico to Alaska; the caliber that always is with me is 30-06, this caliber has never failed to do the job, even when I did my part poorly. You can always find ammo regardless of where you are, even in the gas station in Hawk Springs Wy.

As far as the type of rifle, I would take a real hard look at the CZ 550, or the Savage. I’m not sure if you can go wrong with any of the major brands, all have there good points, depending on what your likes are.
Scopes: find one that you like and fit’s your style of shooting. Most of them are of good quality, scopes don’t have to have a big name to be a great scope. Go to the local gun dealer that you trust, and then ask everyone you know.

There is no practice; it’s training for the future

M. Bird

That 300 wm will kill deer and elk at 600 and beyond,if you want range its a great option.

i'm a 30 cal. guy! but all these guns will work great and have worked great for yrs. it is truly about the shooter not whats being shot. that said though i shoot a 300 wby and dont think there is a better gun out there. it's in a weatherby Mark 5 and it great. as far as recoil goes, if it's an issue for you, take it to a gun smith and give them $150.00 and put a muzzle break on it, that make a ton of difference.
a great gun to look at would be a 300 winchest short mag- in a tikka t-3. this cal. is very competitive with a 300 wby, faster and flatter than a 300 win mag [which i like the heck out of to] and has less recoil. the tikka t-3 is an outstanding gun, garrenteed under 1" groups from the factory, i believe they are using the meuser 98 action, which has been know as the best mad for decades, completly adjustable trigger on it and is just a great gun! and it is cheap for a new gun, about 450 -500$ great bargin!
lastly-- the gun can only shoot as well as the scope thats on it. pay as much as you can afford for a scope. scopes are a great example of " you get what you pay for" at least try and get a leupold 3-9 x40 for $200, great scope- awsome warrenty from leupold. if you can buy better , say a 50 mm objective, it will gather more light, than buy better. but to spend $500 bones on a gun than $80 bones on a scope dont make sence, you'll justr have to replace it in time.
oh and i shot a 30-06 for yrs before my 300 wby it is a great gun to

My biggest problem with the magnum calibers are not at long range but inside of 75 yards. A buddy of ours carried his 300 mag during elk and deer season a few years back. He just happened to have a doe tag in addition to his elk tag. He was startled by some deer he jumped and shot the first doe he saw...at 20 yards. I walked up on him as he was dragging it out and it was a bit on the small side. I asked him to roll the deer over and he wanted to know why. Told him I wanted to see the exit wound. Well, he did, and there wasn't an exit wound because the deer was missing the entire shoulder on that side. I've never had that problem with my .270 whether from 50 yards on out to 300 yards. (flame suit on again)

yeup chalk another up on the 270 list, i shoot a rem. 700bdl, and its awesome, can choose from bullet weights ranging from 110gr to 170 gr, thats plenty of knock down for me personally i shoot 130gr, but occasionally will shoot a 150gr,

Here is another 270 lover but when I go anything larger than deer I go to at least a 30 cal. I personally really love my 300wsm but also own a couple of 300wm and a whole covey of 06's too. There are so many good choices out there anymore it is really hard to point to one and say "This is the best all around north american big game rifle". You say you have a 243 and 270 than maybe it is time to try one of the 30 cal magnums.

For me it does not hardly take any excuse to buy a new rfile because I love them all.

Use a quality bullet like the Barnes TSX and you will get the same results from 20-500 yards.These plastic tipped wonder bullets from nosler and similar makes cant handle a magnum speed(2950+) and close range shooting (150 yards and under) without exsplosive and horrible results from time to time.Its not the magnum rifle that was the problem,it was the shooters bullet choice,a barnes TSX can not fail,its going to have full penetration even if it didnt have time to expand.I shot my buck through the back of the head this year with one abd it was almost completly expanded after traveling from the back of the head to the tip of the nose.

idk i shoot remington core lok 130-150gr, at 20yrds when the bullet hits and enters the deer it goes slap all the way through him or her, if its a good bullet it should go all the way through and thus you will not be able to determine if it has had time to expand. So imo, go with what your rifle shoots best reguardless of make,