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I also would go with the 30.06 hands down. It is a proven cartridge, is available almost everywhere in a wide variety of weights and is accurate to 500 plus yards if the shooter can do his part. Downside is that it does have a thump so it is really not a toy to play with at the range. I faced the same question a couple of years ago and after lots of research went with the 30.06 Tikka T-3 Lite in stainless. Even with good optics I am way under $1k and I do not have to carry a heavy rifle while hunting.

Remington CDL 3006. That's what I'm using.

Ought Six!

That'd be a tough choice.

If I had to pick one out of the safe and it be my only rifle...Probably my Marlin 1895. It's round is heavy enough to take down anything in North America. The rifle itself is light enough to carry around and fun to shoot. It's not exactly flat shooting, but a 430gr hard cast slug carries it's own brand of magic downrange. Lots of sight options for it from the stock irons to vernier sights to red dots or glass. Will get the job done within 200 yards quite easily. If you're playing the range game, it can do that too with the right sights.

If I was starting over and only had $1000 and no prospect for another rifle. I'd second the savage bolt gun although a Ruger American would also fit the same bill. In either .308 or .30-06. Those 4 options are all interchangeable to me. Lots of options in ammo for both calibers. They have close enough performance that I wouldn't feel under gunned with either. Top it off with a nice medium power scope (3-9x40 to 4-16x40).

Savage 110 in .308 or 30.06, then spend the remaining $600.00 on ammo!

For a long time my only centerfire rifle was a SMLE 303. I got nice groups handloading fireformed brass.

I guess I live in a different dimension .... I still lean towards the old .30-30 (particularly the older JM 336 variety) and other lever guns. For the handloader they can cover the spectrum from gallery loads, to light small game loads, up to 200 yard deer droppers. And the .35 and .45-70 pack a pretty good wallop, as do the .44 mag and .45 Colt ..... and....

30-06 has my vote for that situation.

I don't have one, but my stepfather does. I've seen it blow huge holes through massive tree stumps as a kid, although I haven't ever hunted. To me, it's the caliber that would handle the widest variety of game without being crazy heavy or too expensive to find ammo for.

My dad has his 308, which is pretty cool too.

But I recall that 30-06 being able to reach out & touch something from a lot farther away. Could also have had something to do with the shooters - stepdad was an Army Ranger, and my dad was an Air Force accountant. :) One shot a lot more than the other. hahahahah

OF

I have a savage 111 trophy hunter xp in 30-06 with accu trigger and Nikon scope. Paid 569.00 and got a 75.00 mail in rebate. That leaves me with some extra money for plenty of ammo, sling, case, and scope cover, and a few beers.

Any commonly made bolt rifle - i.e. Remington 700, Savage 110, Winchester 70, etc. - for which parts are easy enough to find, chambered in either .30.06 or .308.

For me, the only caveat is that it must be left-handed. I refuse to buy anymore right-handed bolt rifles.

I voted for .308

Figured if it was just one caliber it should be something that can generally do anything and can be found in almost any armory throughout the world. I'm kinda looking at the question through a "prepper" type lens.

60 years ago I would've answered 30-06 for the same reason. Not that it isn't available it's just not stocked by militaries around the world anymore. The world armories should be drowning in .308 these days.

Remington 700 BDL LH in .30-06.

Well, my only "serious" hunting rifle is a Ruger American in .30-06, topped with a Redfield Revolution 3-9x40mm scope, and mounted in a Boyd's laminate stock. Its solid and hits what I'm aiming at, though I need more practice time with it to get better. The rifle will outshoot me, I'm certain of that.

I like small rifles with a large capacity. So a mossberg mvp in 270 short mag. I can't shoot over 400 yards anyway so I belive it would be a good shooter around 200 or so. Plus it would have a short action and a hell of a punch. I'm probley just crazy though.