OK, which of these two rifles to get? (for iron sights in the rain)

I recently purchased a CZ 550FS from Bud's and it was a toss-up between the 6.5x55 and .270. I finally opted for the .270 based on the recommendations of the many good folks on TFL. That aside, the point is that the CZ550FS is a gorgeous rifle and it is one that you won't be disappointed with.

Check on Bud's to see if they still have the 6.5s available; Their price was way cheaper than anyone else's and I was actually able to make a "best offer," which they accepted, much to my surprise.
 
I disagree on irons sights, nothing messes them up.

When I hunted I had a see through set of scope rings so I could see my irons. Up here you don't want to be trying to spot the bear coming at you through scope!

I like the CZ but add to your choice the newer 557 carbine (wood or synthetic but if its going to rain that hard synthetic would be better!)
Also lighter

I missed what you were hunting but I would go with 270 or 30-06 as ammo is always easy to find (or mostly)., Certainly if a shortage the odd calibers.

You seem fixed on the Marline, but for pure light an RA is hard to beat and pretty good accuracy.
 
Thanks; very helpful.

Well on chambering shortages, right now at Academy there is exactly 3 types of 6.5x55 in stock, ONE type of .243 win in stock (two total; one out). So the 6.5x55 has picked up a big following.

What's RA? Do you mean turnbolts> levers? I like both; love turnbolts in particular.

If I'm gonna complicate my life by adding a chambering that I don't currently shoot (used to shoot 6.5x55 but don't right now), then I'm going to simultaneously scratch another itch by getting something I really have wanted a long time, such as an FS or a shorty 336. (and selling my FS in 9.3x62mm in a money crunch, I place in the top 3 dumbest gun-related things I've ever done). That's why, much as I love CZs, a 550 or 557 American just isn't gonna cause me to buy another rifle. And homey don't play plastic stocks (fiberglass / aramid / carbon fibers, yes).

Add one dark horse to the two I mentioned previously, speaking of scratches to itch: A Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt - but kind of marginal/ sketchy on elk. What states is .45 colt legal for or not? And would you go after bull elk with a +P Buffalo Bore .45 Colt (300 gr hardcast) from a 16" barrel, or not? Ethical? Blood trail concerns?

OK, now here's another dark horse, bringing my total choices to 4 now - a Marlin 1895 SBL in .45-70, but weight is a concern with that one. Maybe ditch the SBL and get a GBL which is a full pound lighter. But I really want the SBL. If I get the SBL, can I take the rail off to get that weight savings? Surely that's a yes...

This is mostly for hills deer (which is mostly whitetails but some mulies), but very well could be elk too. I can't control the weather during any season, so I need ONE rifle to grab for inclement weather for all species up to elk & moose, and it needs to be light enough to hump in the hills..... OR I just need a better scope-clearing solution, so I'm always at the ready during stalking.

I'm moving to a Western state with lots of game in May, so that's why I'm including elk & moose (moose tags getting scarce as I understand it, so mostly elk here that I'm talking about for the "upper end" for this rifle. When I DO hunt moose, it will likely be in AK on a trip with a bow). If it helps any, my current "standard moose & elk gun" is chambered in .30-06 and has a Nikon Monarch 2-8x32, and my "standard deer and everything else smaller than elk & moose gun" is - well there's a couple - but mainly a rifle chambered in .280 rem with this 2.5-10x40 Elite 4200 Bushnell with "Rainguard", the failure of which (to work as advertised) is what brought this whole issue up.

Anyone know the weight of the 1895 SBL withOUT the rail on top? The more I think about it, the more I like that option - plenty of oomph, even for brownie charge protection (which there definitely ARE where I'll be hunting), scratches an itch, and just *may* be light enough to suit the purpose.

MarkCO, love ARs of all sorts, but a bit heavier than I like for hunting (I'm not a PC guy, so I don't mind the ridicule when used for hunting, just the practical realities of weight and keeping track of magazine, etc). If I did do a build like that as you suggest, it would be a pretty good all purpose thumper, I'm sure, though mine would be in .50 Beo.

As for T/Cs, love them to an extent, but I don't do break actions any more for hunting due to stuck cases (lack of powerful extraction) - due to having an issue with an Encore Prohunter messing up a hunt a few years ago. Shot once, and dropped a doe, but then had a chance later the same morning to shoot another larger doe, but could not as the case would extract and I didn't have a rod with me at the lease.
 
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*would NOT extract....

Update: Well, my decision is yes, to get another rifle (was there really any doubt?), but "none of the above" as to the choice - at least not the two choices I initially presented.

Instead I'm going with choice #4 (my 2nd "dark horse"), which is the Marlin 1895 SBL, in .45-70. Not super-light, but if I take the rail off, I believe it will be closer to 7.0 lbs than 8.0 or 7.5 lbs - not light but light *enough*... and plenty of oomph for durn near anything. A good 125-yard PBR.

But if I can find a smokin deal on an FS in 6.5x55 or a 336Y while I'm looking for one with straight sights and good wood fit, I might change course here - tough call.
 
Now that I'm older (and wiser?) I won't go hunting when it's raining or snowing hard, but if it starts when I'm out there, I'll usually bag the eyepiece, and carry the rifle upside-down with the sling on my left shoulder. That way, the action is sheltered from the rain and the scope objective is kept dry.

My rifle is a Rem 700 stainless in a Sendero stock, and the metal is further protected by auto wax. I heartily recommend that anyone who hunts in bad weather, pay the extra to get a stainless-synthetic bolt action of whatever brand that suits.
 
Regardless of the rifle, if you opt for iron sights consider installing a peep sight. I recently swapped a few rounds from my M1 for a few rounds from a Mauser. The difference in usability between the sights was stunning (may have included the effect of my aging eyes... ;))
 
Good call.

Hey the more I think about, the more I think that the CZ 550 FS is a poor "rain rifle" due to the fact that there's just a lot of room for water to get under the stock, and harder to air said water out. Not to mention that I'm not sure how one puts a put sight on the back of a 550, since the receivers are cut for CZ rings, which are clamp on rings; not drilled/tapped for a mount that will take a Williams or similar peep.

So, it's definitely between the Marlin 336Y and the Marlin 1895 SBL (not that these two are ideal, given that it's not that easy to take the wood off to air those two out either, but they're my choices, so....)


QUESTION:

If you could only have ONE chambering for deer AND elk and moose (in rain and wet snow), where it's mostly all wooded terrain, but occasional mixed woods/clearings, with a max shot needed of 200 yards, and typical shot being under 80 yards, would you choose:

-.30-30 Win

or

-.45-70 Gov't

???

In my mind, they're both perfectly adequate and then some with proper load, at least in terms of terminal ballistics, but what say you?

The 336Y definitely has the weight savings going for it, but the 1895 SBL is already stainless, so I wouldn't need to take an extra step of duracoat / ceracote or similar to it.

Obviously, the .30-30 though, is better for those rare 150-200 yard shots, Billy Dixon notwithstanding.

Maybe I should switch gears and run with the 336Y over the 1895 since it has 3 rather large advantages going for it:
-cheap & ubiquitous ammo
-better on the long shots, drop and drift wise
-significantly lighter

Such a tough call.
 
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I use the same rifle rain or shine. I used to have one nice rifle for fair weather and another for bad weather. Ended up just using the bad weather gun all the time and sold the fancy ones.

I keep the muzzle taped all hunting season to keep rain or other debris out and extra tape on the barrel to re-tape after taking a shot. The tape blows off the muzzle long before the bullet reaches it because of pressure in front of the bullet and it has zero effect on accuracy.

I use Butler Creel bikini scope covers and a quality scope. Never had an issue in the rain, snow or at any other time.

This is 7 1/4 lbs in 308. It will do it all and is cheaper to set up one rifle for everything than have 2.

 
If lens caps are a hassle and sprays don't work, what about one of these although I don't know what they are actually called:

SCOPE-EYEPIECE-CONCERTINA-34mm-PRO.jpg


That should make rain reaching the lens harder and any that goes in would sit in the pleats.
 
That's an idea...

JMR, electrical tape? Do you put one piece over the end, then wrap the overhanging sides by wrapping another piece 360 degrees around the barrel, holding the first piece on, or what, exactly?
 
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