Hunt Rifle Priorities

Name a modern rifle that won't do better than 3" groups at 100yds. If you feed it the right ammo the odds of one getting worse than 2" groups are pretty low.
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I'm sure you could find one, but they are hen's teeth indeed in modern rifles. But if you did find one, it would stay within the vital zone on a deer all the way out to MPBR. I find all the hub bub about accuracy needing to be MOA a bit silly. I'm sure it's a nice confidence booster, but for most hunters bullet selection should be more important.

I may not have the shortest rifle for hunting purposes, but I've got to be awfully close with a Ruger #1 RSI at under a yard. She prints an honest 1.5" group at 100 yards, sometimes better but never worse with my selected factory hunting load. With a 1-4 power on top I think she's ready fer snap shot or out to MPBR.
 
I completely disagree!! My #1 RSI wears a 2-7x33 and anything else is crazy! (just kidding, of course!). I am in agreement with your choice, obviously, and also share most of the same opinions on the accuracy needed for big game hunting for most all popular calibers.:D
(I have seen MANY more sub 1" groups "shot" on the computer, than at the range!)
 
I completely disagree!! My #1 RSI wears a 2-7x33 and anything else is crazy! (just kidding, of course!). I am in agreement with your choice, obviously, and also share most of the same opinions on the accuracy needed for big game hunting for most all popular calibers.
(I have seen MANY more sub 1" groups "shot" on the computer, than at the range!)
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When it came time to scope the little rifle my wife lost her job (mortgage real estate; round 1). I had planned to go with that same scope VX-II for it's generous eye relief, but with the budget crunch I settled on a Banner shotgun scope with similar eye-relief. I may eventually replace that Banner with the 2-7. I want that Kepplinger trigger too. Maybe have the LOP reduced a 1" with a nice soft recoil pad (not that the 7x57 is a mule, but I have an aversion to recoil that may be a tad higher than the average shooter.)

Internet 1" groups...too funny because I suspect is very true. I put up a 1" group with my #1 at 50 yards UNSCOPED on my very first trip to the range with that said rifle. I tried to walk on water later that day and came make down to earth.
 
I have a #1A in 7x57 too and it took me about 8yrs to find what I figured to be the right scope for that one. I found an older Leupold M8 4X at a gun show in mint condition and it's additional length over the newer version,
FXII 4X, made it ideal for that slightly longer version of the #1. Some look at me kinda funny when I show, or even say that a straight 4X scope sits on one of my rifles. I choose to believe that I've finally learned they can be pretty much perfect for many rifles, still today.
 
Most rifles come in a variety of calibers from .22 centerfire on up to big game guns. For example the Stevens Model 200 isn't what you'd call a top class rifle yet it comes in ten different calibers from .223 up to .300win mag.
So in short no matter what rifle you pick it will most likely have a caliber that will do the job just fine and dandy.
Picking caliber is way down the list imho.
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Ok, then I'd like a '92 Winchester in 7mm Rem Mag, please.

Just sayin'...

;)

Daryl
 
I also hunt mountains on foot,and I am 56 ,and not an athlete.

I spend a lot more time carrying than I do shooting.Most of my rifles are under 8 lbs,scoped.

They will see crawling,weather,etc.My .257 AI is finished in bow camo paint.

I am not concerned with cosmetics,but they are built right.

Mauser type actions appeal to me,and that is what I use.My rifle battery is all built about the same,just different golf clubs.

I do envision an Encore in .405 wcf ,18 in bbl and a 4x ACOG as a rucksack rifle.

If a rifle won't shoot less than 2 in,I fix it,and most will do less than 1 1/2 that I own.

I don't focus on the 5 % fantasy shot,(Royal Bull,standing broadside @ 600 yds in the middle of an open meadow) I focus on the 90% shot,less than 300 yds,etc
I'm OK with not shooting
 
1. Cartridge - it has to be appropriate for the game at hand.
2. Reliability - it has to work right, every time.
3. Fit - like a shotgun, a rifle should be right on when it comes to your shoulder.
4. Weight - too light, and it's unsteady; too heavy, and it's a burden.
5. Accuracy - "Only accurate rifles are interesting."
6. Cost - I don't make enough money to drag a $10,000 custom rifle through the brush. A rifle satisfying 1-5 will cost much, much less.
 
Listing all the priorities you mention:

All the ones you mention and would personally list price at the bottom. If you find a rifle that can meet all those requirements, then price (within reason) should not be that important in the long run. Not long ago, I sold all the "extra" hunting rifles I had lying around, scopes, ammo, etc. I then bought exactly what I was looking for in a hunting rifle, a Blaser R93 in 6.5x55 caliber and a couple other R93 barrels (in other calibers) to go with it. I now has a nice 30mm scope mounted on top of it. I have never shot a gun that has all the qualities you mention above until I got one of these. It is so very accurate, safe, reliable and balanced. The best hunting rifle that I have ever carried in the woods.
 
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