All Around Hunting Rifle

I'm with you, Art. I seem to be "lucky" with the 700/7-series rifles that, although not as good as you, I figure it's mine w/in 450 yds. ;)

Assuming proper caliber-for-TheGame, I just don't think caliber really makes any difference at all.

If one's familiar with their rifle so you can put a decent bullet where it's supposed to go - all that's left is the hard stuff (draggin' it out).

I know I've made mention of it enough times before, but until moving to CO, I used a .243 for everything - one load & it did everything in the geographic area (whitetails on down) & superbly.

Since the move out west & having much larger critters about, I switched to a .30-06 & since hunting style, etc. kinda "proved" that wasn't really "required," I switched to the lighter M7 in .308 - have yet to find this set-up a liability.

I do think that for antelope or the like, I'd again break out the .243 (& do) only because the trajectory is quite a bit flatter (longer bbl) & that's only because I don't have a range-finder (other than scope distention) - my limitation in judging distance - not of the rifle or caliber. & still, sighting, using maximum point blank range, one can toss a bullet out their pretty fair .....

No dissention here for whatever anybody wants to haul around. Beauty is we have the choices .... via la diference!

I think a 170 gr bullet at 2100 fps has killed just about everything in the world & although not the main choice for everybody, it does show the potential.

Never'll rag someone about their choice of firearm too much ;) but it does make for good conversation hereabouts & late(r) nights around the campfire.

Art, drop on by the house sometime & we'll break out The Wife's M7 7-08. I know you've got a hankerin' .... hell, can't be more'n 15 hours away ....
 
Win 70 in 30-06, Leupold VII 3-9X (agree with Art about this glass: inexpensive (relatively!), and it does the job very well). I like Ruger, Savage, Rem, etc., but Winchester 70s fit me best. As for caliber, the '06 will reliably reel in anything I care to eat.

DL
 
If you had to choose one hunting rifle to do all of your hunting what one woul it be.
make: Steyr
model: Scout Tactical
caliber: .308 Winchester
scope: 1.5-6x42 Schmidt & Bender w/ A9 reticle
reason: It's perfect
 
Wow. Some good responses. I do believe I could do almost anything I could want to do with a .30-06 with a 22" barrel. I have come to understand that there will never be a single "ideal" rifle for everything I could want to do. So, here are three dissimilar ideas...

My most recent "acquisition" was getting back a bolt-action shotgun I had customized by George Stringer. It now wears a "scout" scope mount, has a ghost ring rear and tritium front sight, has a SureFire light bolted on, and is held down by a 2x22mm pistol scope. This is one idea of an extremely versatile shoulder arm, and you'll notice that several previous posters have pointed out the majority of their shots are close range. This piece should work well on deer, turkey, hog, bear, or squirrel. (Growing up in AL, and now living in GA, I've killed more squirrel and deer than anything else- which is fine with me.)

Another idea of an ideal North American deer rifle is the .250/3000 AI George Stringer will be building for me (once I get my tax refund! :)). It will be a Mauser action, with a 20" heavy sporter weight barrel, a forward-mounted scope, and a quick-detach light. I plan on mounting a 1.5-6 or 2-7 scope on her. This will also be a great "varmint" piece for coyotes.

Even more versatile for everything medium-to-large, (except for "the big five") I have a .35 Whelen Remington 700 on layaway. It has a 1.5-5 scope, and I may just leave her the way she is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top