Best all round Australia calibre

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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Chronos » 04 Apr 2014, 11:03 am

1290 wrote:Best all round would have to take care of ALL game and pests encountered in Aus - comfortably.
Don't come to VIC without at minimum a 308 - or equal energy, yes 6.85mm x130gr is the minimum, but we are not advanced enough or intelligent enough to consider energy, apparently...

little things up to the big horn-y things, in open and in the thick stuff... I would suggest a level above the 308win


I would have to disagree. Anything capable of a clean kill on Sambar would have to be overkill on the majority of pests in Oz. That would make it a specialty caliber, not a good all around caliber. common sense could exclude all birds, rabbits, hare, foxes, wild dogs, small deer, small pigs and goats if you're carrying a .338 win mag

I would say 95% of pests and game shot in Australia would be under 100kg, I'll stick to my pick, 12g ;)

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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by bobnob » 04 Apr 2014, 3:12 pm

No such thing as an allrounder. A well thought out compromise is your best hope.

You'll all think I'm mad but I am gonna say 325 WSM.

150g SPs for small stuff like foxes, goats and even pigs of all sizes. 220g heavy hitters for scrubbers, buffs etc. 170 to 195 grainers for your large deer species.

The 150s can be loaded down near 30-30 levels if you want something mild.


Most people will be thinking something milder, but if you truly want something that can do it all you really need some decent horsepower.
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by MeccaOz » 04 Apr 2014, 3:31 pm

Hey Bobnob. I'm in the 308 crowd myself, BUT what your saying is dead on, I just have never had the chance to have a go with one. Might pay I look into the 325 a little more
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by 1290 » 04 Apr 2014, 6:28 pm

Chronos wrote:I would have to disagree. Anything capable of a clean kill on Sambar would have to be overkill on the majority of pests in Oz. That would make it a specialty caliber, not a good all around caliber. common sense could exclude all birds, rabbits, hare, foxes, wild dogs, small deer, small pigs and goats if you're carrying a .338 win mag

I would say 95% of pests and game shot in Australia would be under 100kg, I'll stick to my pick, 12g ;)


Allrounder I take to mean one gun solution.... It has to be enough for all from Rabbits to Buff... In practical terms you wont use 1 rifle for all, but....
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by teekay0 » 04 Apr 2014, 6:37 pm

I love my .260Rem, but I'd say the .243w gets my best all round vote :)
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Mick375hh » 04 Apr 2014, 7:28 pm

25/06 I've shot rabbits to red deer and every thing in between with my Ruger No 1
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Chronos » 04 Apr 2014, 7:51 pm

1290 wrote:Allrounder I take to mean one gun solution.... It has to be enough for all from Rabbits to Buff... In practical terms you wont use 1 rifle for all, but....


It's an interesting discussion. Guess it really depends on what you want to do with the snimal. Simple pest destruction, food for the table, skins, each probably has different demands

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Re: Best all round australia calibre

Post by headspace » 06 Apr 2014, 5:36 pm

Lorgar wrote:Er, should amend that to say does it all comfortably except for the heavy horned critters up north. But I'm not up north so that doesn't matter for me.

It will put down a Buff, you just have to put the bullet in the right place. I will abstain from mentioning the number of elephant shot with a 6.5 by Karamojo Bell.
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by bobnob » 06 Apr 2014, 7:26 pm

Would YOU shoot an elephant with a 6.5?
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by headspace » 06 Apr 2014, 8:15 pm

No, in fact I don't really have any ideas of shooting an elephant at all.

It's a matter of perspective, just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be.

The all round calibre doesn't exist really. However I think that 7mm you mentioned could be used on a Buffalo, there are pro's up there using 308's all the time.

My Grandpa used to shoot them from horseback with a 44/40 Winchester. But that's another story.
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by on_one_wheel » 06 Apr 2014, 8:26 pm

Would you go duck hunting with a 6.5 ? If you have answered no then its not really an all rounder.
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Warrigul » 06 Apr 2014, 9:13 pm

on_one_wheel wrote:Would you go duck hunting with a 6.5 ? If you have answered no then its not really an all rounder.


Honestly I think the idea that one calibre can do all is crap, especially a shotgun which is limited in effective range to 50 meters and is especially not an all rounder(and don't burn me as anti shotguns as I have six at the moment).

There have been plenty of ducks poached with a .22LR

But if you could only take one firearm with you around Australia it would be one of the shotgun/rifle interchangeable barrel jobs, a drilling or a Savage rifle/shotgun combo.

But I don't think that is what the OP is after.
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by on_one_wheel » 06 Apr 2014, 9:37 pm

And I guess that's why our gun collections are ever growing.
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Oldbloke » 07 Apr 2014, 10:07 pm

I look at it this way. If the polies relieved me of all my firearms bar 1, I would hang onto the 12G. Yep it is a compromise but is capable of being used for most of my hunting, with limitations.
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Hadoku » 10 Apr 2014, 9:08 pm

on_one_wheel wrote:And I guess that's why our gun collections are ever growing.


I'd love to know if anyone ever as actually stuck to the line "I'm only ever going to have the 1 gun" :lol:
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Lorgar » 10 Apr 2014, 9:09 pm

I was only ever going to have 1 rifle.

That was quite a few rifles ago :lol:
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Seik » 10 Apr 2014, 9:10 pm

Hadoku wrote:I'd love to know if anyone ever as actually stuck to the line "I'm only ever going to have the 1 gun" :lol:


I'm voting no :P
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by inspector » 10 Apr 2014, 9:11 pm

on_one_wheel wrote:And I guess that's why our gun collections are ever growing.


A big family is a happy family ;)
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by 1290 » 11 Apr 2014, 9:57 am

Lorgar wrote:I was only ever going to have 1 rifle.

That was quite a few rifles ago :lol:


That's all you'll ever need, one of each... 1 each of a 22, 223, 243,25-06, 260, 308, 300, 303, 8mm, 338, 375, 458, maybe a big boomer 50cal+

Actually, you may need a few 303s and 8mms for their historic value, and a spare 223 and 308 as you're likely to need spare, and a few 22s as they are just damn good plinkin fun...

Ah forget it, just buy at least twice the safe space you need at the time and fill....
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Lorgar » 11 Apr 2014, 11:51 am

Not that it will ever happen, but if I could add a .50 BMG to the safe that would do. (I actually meant it this time :lol:)

My .22LR for the range, 7mm-08 for hunting, .50 cal target rifle for Ohhhh Yeah!

Realistically though if I ever get a dedicated target rifle I think I'm more likely to get a .223. Not quite as exciting as the .50 but...
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Jessie » 11 Apr 2014, 11:53 am

Someone needs to come up with modular safes that you can just add on extra sections as you buy new toys :D
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Atter » 11 Apr 2014, 11:53 am

Call Browning and get on it. I'll buy one :D
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by 1290 » 11 Apr 2014, 1:10 pm

I actually meant a 500J or 505MagGibbs, 100gr vs 240gr powder per load compared to the Browning....
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Mick375hh » 12 Apr 2014, 2:01 pm

I thought the subject was Best all round Australian calibre! Not gauge!

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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by dayzmagnumhunter » 13 Apr 2014, 4:07 pm

I will have one of those safe as well
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by SendIt » 14 Apr 2014, 11:20 am

Lorgar wrote:Not that it will ever happen, but if I could add a .50 BMG to the safe that would do. (I actually meant it this time :lol:)


You'll have to go pig hunting with jthunting to get your .50 cal fix ;)
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Weepy » 14 Apr 2014, 11:22 am

Mick375hh wrote:I thought the subject was Best all round Australian calibre! Not gauge!


How bought a slug and buckshot combo shell? That would fit the bill.
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by ployer » 14 Apr 2014, 11:23 am

Do they do such a thing? That combo shell?
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Re: Best all round Australia calibre

Post by Blackened » 14 Apr 2014, 11:37 am

They do.

Winchester do a couple of different options in their PDX ammo.

I forget variety name but one is a 1oz slug with 3 large shot in it. Another is a 'defence' cartridge that's something like 12 small shot and 3 "stopping" discs.

I think they do a few others, something for you to look into if interested anyway.
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