best all-around caliber

im looking for a caliber that would be good to carry in the truck all year around something that can be banged around and not to loud, what do ya think?

 

Handgun or rifle? I'm assuming you're talking rifle and in that case I'd just get a .22 or .17 HMR. They're not really "all around" guns but would you really need anything more than a .22 or .17? If you did you'd probably be hunting, and using a caliber designed to take down the game your hunting. I'm thinking the occasional crow or varmint is what you'd most likely come across in your truck.

 

know anything about a 17 remington?

 

For hunting? Plinking?

I would say .270, .280, 7mm or 30-06 for good all around hunting calibers.

for plinking, or survival guns I would go with a .22, .17, or a .22/.410 combo

for defense I would go with a 12 ga, or a handgun in at least 9 mm, although I prefer .45 acp.

 

My experience with the round is limited to what I've read about it. Seems like there's a lot of haters and a lot of people that love it. Seems like the biggest benefit is that the round leaves only a pin prick entry hole and will not exit the animal. So if you want to preserve the pelt or stuff the animal it might be the way to go. If it were up to me I'd choose a .223 over a 17 Remington though, mainly because I already have a 17 HMR...

 

The 7mm is going to be really loud, so if you want a quieter gun dont go for that. 270 is not too loud. Maybe try a 243, that might fit your needs?

 

I personally think most 9MM's are the spot to be in.

 

My thinking is always for SHTF and TEOTWAWKI situations..........

For pistol cal, 9mm. NATO caliber. Its cheap, available all around the world and has hi-cap potential for the hand gun. May be picked up from police officers or gang bangers or soldiers and civillians.

For rifle caliiber, .308 or .223. NATO caliber. Your choice. Available from any soldier, and store, any home in a crisis situation.


My criteria is availability. The above calibers are everywhere around the world. Great US calibers like the .45 are more expensive, handguns have less capacity. Not really used outside the US.

 

A "best caliber" which isn't too loud inquiry, but with no other parameters set, is going to get a lot of responses which are all over the proverbial map.

I keep a Ruger 10/22, a really basic one with the only mod being a peep iron sight replacing the factory buckhorn, cased and behind the seat of my regular-cab for the occasional spur-of-the-moment plinking or varmint-hunting session. I don't think of it as a defense gun so much although imagine it might conceivably be used in that capacity. I don't keep it loaded, not because of legalities here in Montana, but for safety reasons. I'm aware of too many situations where people have been shot pulling long-guns which were loaded from vehicles or out of cases.

If you think you want a gun for big-game hunting or self-defense, then a .22 is obviously not a good choice.

 

9mm handgun with a 2 liter empty soda bottle. Packs a quiet punch.