ArizonaShooting.ORG

ca',mon, pooter round like 06, go for it, go big or go home, 300 WM, 270, 7mm go get'm rounds, ugh
Rj

If you don't have a lot of hunting experience I highly recommend taking the hunter safety class. I took it because my kids were taking it. I was impressed with how much I learned about hunting. The safety stuff is in there but there is a lot of hunting info.

.375 Winchester
Welcome to the forum

DevilDocAZ wrote: ↑February 19th, 2022, 2:20 pm This thread isn’t disappointing. LOL

Truth...
1st.. No "razing" here, 1Nut1DER. Honest question deserves an honest answer. This is one of the places you should be to ask.

I'm sure most who are posting have harvested less than 10 big game animals in all their lifetime's and most of their information they have is from the internet.. viola..instant commando's.
Now.. back to the OP's question: " I’m about to start hunting and was looking for a good caliber to start with. "

.308 is a good choice. Ammo is plentiful and cost is reasonable. More $ to practice with versus most suggested rounds. The .308 will kill every animal in North America and 99% of all animals in Africa, cleanly. Recoil is moderate and their are plenty of bullet choices.

To suggest a caliber, suggesting that the OP "will be ethical" is a totally different conversation. Caliber has nothing to do with ethics.

For once, would you guys stop with the "dick measuring" contest and help answer the OP's question and leave your self serving opinion out of the conversation.

delta6

PS: DevilDocAZ ... good posts

Come in, proclaim your superiority, make some poor ASSumptions, and then claim others are having a dick measuring contest and not answering the OP. Classic.

TheAccountant wrote: ↑February 19th, 2022, 11:15 pm Come in, proclaim your superiority, make some poor ASSumptions, and then claim others are having a dick measuring contest and not answering the OP. Classic.

I rest my case...yes Sir, classic.

i'd try and hook up with a friend or someone of knowledge and perhaps go on scouting trip, and or a hunt, even if not drawn, learning the basics first hand is a boon to success, seeing how, who and what first hand is always the perscription for personal success.
Pick a caliber and stick with it, practice can win the day, sure ammos cheap, but chasing a wounded animal miles and even worse dragging that sob by hand is a killer, especially if you're and oldie.
lots of info here on calibers, everyones milage will differ, the 06 is the route or the 308, pick one and exercise your right to burn powder and share in the American experience eating game meat.
Rj

Back to your original question, If I was buying a new rifle I would lean towards 308, If I was looking at used rifles I would consider 270, 7mm mag, 308, and 30-06. Any of these will serve you well.

Depending on your budget ammo prices might be a consideration so 308 and 30-06 would probably be cheaper and you can use a cheaper range of ammo for practice, then a premium hunting round for hunting. Make sure you do enough shooting with the actual hunting round because you may have to make some small adjustment to your scope.

Do not cheap out on a scope. You don't have to go $1000 but don't go $39.95. Aside from the optics the adjusting mechanisms make a big difference when you sight it in and with it keeping adjustment and the cheap scopes have crude mechanisms.

https://www.range365.com/308-winchester-762-nato/

1Nut1DER wrote: ↑February 18th, 2022, 8:13 pm I’m sure I’ll be getting a bunch of razing on here but, I’m about to start hunting and was looking for a good caliber to start with. I’m planning on going Elk and Deer. I’ve done some research but everything I find is unhelpful.

There really shouldn't be any.
You are asking good questions in a forum of folks that should have good answers.

I haven't hunted since my teens, and don't hunt game now. All the suggestions here will hold value for more than a few of us, myself included.

When I started hunting there were not as many calibers then as there is now. I recently bought another rifle and stayed with the same .06 caliber. One reason was due to the variety of bullet weights, you can take down pretty much any game in the US. Second, was the availability of ammo (prior to all the political BS) you could find it from sporting goods to wally world and hardware stores.
I have gotten confident with it out to 400 yards and am working to push it out a bit further with hand loads.
Also, it has generally been a bit less expensive then some of the other calibers.

Might join a Predators hunting, shooting group, good way to meet some good ole boys and a few knuckleheads, too, we do not discriminate against any one in particular, just everyone. hehe
rj

Does the OP own any 308 or 30-06 semi-auto rifles currently? An M1a, HK91 or FAL with a scope will work, don't even need to find a 5 round magazine unless you want to keep the FUDs pacified. Or for that matter a .303 Enfield, 1917 30-06 Enfield or 30-06 Springfield bolt action?

Get a 30.06.
Buy a good gun in 30.06 with a good scope and you will never need anything else to hunt big game in Arizona.
A good pair of binoculars and a knife would come in handy also.
The 30.06 is probably the best all around caliber made.

No I do not own any hunting rifles currently. I really appreciate everyone help choosing the best cal. Still have made a solid choice yet. Is 6.5 a good choice??

1Nut1DER wrote: ↑February 24th, 2022, 2:29 pm No I do not own any hunting rifles currently. I really appreciate everyone help choosing the best cal. Still have made a solid choice yet. Is 6.5 a good choice??

It seems you haven't even read the responses with that post. You might just want to stay home.


Clyde