All around Okie cartridge

[Cohiba]

Last time I hunted deer here in Oklahoma I used a 270 Weatherby. Flat shooting, long range and designed to take deer and elk. Look at specs and ballistic performance.

 

[HarryBear]

It's definitely not 5.45x39 or 7.62x39

 

[JamesB]

I am pretty happy with 7.62 x 39. Sure it isn't a reach out and touch some one round. But it works for shorter range shooting. Still happy with my mosin nagant's 7.62 x 54r for longer range shooting. But I bought a lot of both ammo when it was cheap so that could baised my opinion. But it is more of personal choice than anything else. What calibers everyone has mentioned so far are good also.

I can hit steal plates at 300 yards all day long with my AK.. that would be and will always be my go to gun .. if reach out and touch something is needed that would be my 308.

 

[Georgie 1]

I'm gonna catch some ribbing for this, since everyone is focusing on "big"(er) BUT, personally for absolute all around, I'm going with either 22lr, or 22mag. Cheap, light, easy to train someone, very easy to "hush" , no felt recoil (again for new shooter), and can provide food, protection (on a limited basis) and far easier to replace ammo and carry large amounts of ammo if needed. All that being said, my next choice would likely be a 30/30. Reasons for both these are fairly similar actually, and personally, I prefer timber to open plains when possible. This is a topic I have actually spent hours considering and tbh, I have come up with no wrong answers (as long as practicality stays in focus). I tend to look as simple as possible for all aspects and types of possibilities. And even to go a step farther, a 20ga pump would probably bee even better.. more versatile yet... shot, slugs, or buck shot. OK, fellas, book is finished. Lol

 

[BillM]

The 30-06 is as close to an all-around cartridge as has ever been made.
Especially as a handloader, as one can load from 125 grain at varmint velocities to 220+ grain bullets to handle whatever is being hunted.
My first center-fire rifle was a Savage 114 in 30-06, purchased back in the early 1990s. I still have it, but plan to send it off for threading - if I don't rebarrel it to 6.5x55 Swede.

That being said, I don't think one would be handicapped with a 270 or even a 308.

I've seen cast bullet (or boolit) loads for slugs down to 110 grain. I'm thinking you could get down in the 77 grain range with a slightly resized .32 Colt slug, and there is a 84 grain slug mold out there somewhere, too. I love me some 30-06... I've only taken one deer, and that was when I was 17, and it was a Muley. Barely not a fawn, but dressed out at 130 lbs or so. Once upon a time, I had a photo, but it was long, long ago, and far, far away, and in another universe. And before I enlisted in the USAF... My younger brother has that rifle, now, a 1903 Springfield my dad sporterized himself, back when they were dirt cheap. I don't think he carved the stock, but he did inlet and glass-bed it, and the barrel was fully floated.

 

[Wheelgun]

Luckily, we still live in a free state where we don’t have to choose just one, but…

I’d go a little different direction.

I’d pick 357 leverguns, anything from 110gr 38spl to 200gr 357s. They are cheap(ish) accurate and fun. Easy/no recoil, they are great to teach new shooters.

Can be/are “muffled” easily. With reloading it’s just slightly more expensive than a 22.

Will take care of anything in Oklahoma, 4 legged or 2, and can be paired with a revolver.

Or a 44mag or 45colt levergun.

 

[Deleted member 44750]

Has anyone mentioned .243 yet? Very capable round, great all around in Oklahoma

 

[kirk1978]

30-06 for the win!!!!

Love my .257 Weatherby magnum though.

 

[XYZ]

I’ve been all over the place on cartridges during the past roughly 50 years of hunting. But I’ve just about come to the point of 30-30 doing everything I need. Shoot almost to the point it doesn’t matter as I enjoy just getting out. I don’t need to shoot anything.

 

[DRC458]

30-06 for the win!!!!

Love my .257 Weatherby magnum though.

I would probably have to agree with the .30-06 for the win, BUT ..

I definitely love my .257 Weatherby!!!