What 2 hunting rifles if that was all you could?

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baddarryl

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Hi all.I currently own a Marlin xl7 in .270 which is a fine gun. I am soon going to sadly inherit my dad's 700 BDL in .30-06. I will want to replace the Marlin with my dads for obvious reasons. I also have been considering a .243 as I have shoulder issues. I know the -06 has more recoil than both and I will save that for larger game, but use the .243 for most anything else from deer on down. Both are very versatile. I don't see the point of having two similar calibers such as the 270 and 30-06. That is just me. I like to keep things simple.

If you could only have 2 calibers what would they be keeping lower 48 hunting in mind? Have fun!
 
.308 and .22LR

.308 for larger game up to and including elk with the right bullet.
.22 for smaller game such as rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and birds.
 
Before you give up on that 30-06 for shoulder reasons, look into low-recoil ammunition. Remington has been making it for years. Hornady just started their Custom Lite line. Either would allow you to continue using that 30-06 even with shoulder issues.
 
Have you considered having the BDL threaded for a muzzle brake? My dad suffered a severe neck injury in the early 90's and had to have surgery. The doc's told him he couldn't do any hunting that season, he wasn't having that! He took a 788 .243 and muzzle brake installed so he could use it for the season and gave it to me the next season, I was a runt. At the end of the season he had his BDL .270 threaded for a brake, works great. A couple years ago he picked up a Savage Axis 30-06 for its light weight and had a brake installed on it. They do work and as far as I'm concerned, if I sustained a injury like that, I wouldn't hesitate to brake my rifles. The -06 will handle any animal in North America with a simple ammo change but the same goes for the .308 and .270win. As far as a second hunting rifle, a .22lr or a .223 might be up your alley depending on what your intentions are. Now a .243 makes a great deer round and predator round. Just ensure you select a good bullet for your game.
 
I think I've got the two rifles I would pick, 30-06 and 338-06, cover med to large game. Any thing smaller I would use a shotgun.

I thinking I would keep the 30-06, very versatile. For your shoulder add a nice and thick recoil pad.
 
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OP I'm sorry to hear about your father. I would definitely keep his 30-06 and use it on special occasions. I'm sure you will want to keep it in good shape so I wouldn't use it as an "everyday" rifle.

My suggestion if I could only have 2 rifles for medium game hunting would be to keep the .30-06 and pick up a 7mm-08.

The 7mm-08 is IMO the perfect varmint/deer caliber. Its recoil is definitely on the light side so your shoulder won't be an issue. Ballistically if is very similair to the .270 Win and it does it with less powder, recoil, and a smaller package. You can even get 120gr bullets that will kick even less than the standard 140gr bullets. A 7-08 can become a ".243" with lighter bullets, but can become more than that with heavier bullets. A .243 can't be anything else than a .243

Long story short a 7-08 beats a .243 in every aspect when it comes to deer hunting at 400 yards and less.
 
Do not put a muzzle brake on your Dad's rifle. Instead, put a slip-on recoil pad on it, the kind that slips on and off without altering the rifle. Lose the 270, (my favorite caliber, can't believe I said that). Get a 243 in the exact same model as your Dad's rifle. Make it a 6mm Remington if you reload. Then all you need is a 22 rimfire which you probably already have.
 
To clarify my shoulder isn't horribly bad. It is just no fun to shoot anymore than a half a box with even with the .270. All I use those for is hunting so not many shots other than sighting in. I don't want to modify his in anyway. It is from the early 80's and in mint condition.

Yes I was thinking Centerfires. Everyone either has or should have a .22 rifle.

My other consideration was a .223, but not entirely comfy with using that for bambi or hogs. That is where the .243 (and now maybe 7mm08) come into play. Varmint wise that .243 can be downloaded to do anything the .223 can as far as they go (am I right about that?). About the only ones are here that I am interested in are Yotes.
 
7mm Mag and .243 Winchester. There is nothing in the lower 48 I would not feel comfortable hunting with those.

I'm very sorry to hear about your father.
 
Thank you so much. It is quite the shock actually. A month ago he was able to walk around the mall with my kids for 3 hours. Now can barely get across the house. Thank liver cancer for that.
 
Out of what you have before you I'd take a .243 and the .30-06. To bad the .270 isn't in a Remington, so I'd take the .30-06.
 
If I were going to keep only two rifles then I already own them, I have Winchester model 70's featherweight's in several calibers, I would choose between a 270Win or a 280Rem, the 2nd would be a Winchester model 9422TD model for plinking. I've had all these rifles about 10 years or longer obviously I like both just a little more than the rest of the guns I have. It really was easy I'm getting older both of the center fire rifles have reasonable recoil and the 22LR Winchester has been a favorite for a number of years.. William
 
7mm-08 and a 223. For hunting those 2 calibers will work for anything I ever want to put in the crosshairs.

If the 06 is a older one take off that rock hard factory recoil pad and put on a Limbsaver airtech. (linked below) Make it much easier on the shoulder and no modifications needed to put it back to 100% original if ya ever wanted too.

I would not recommend a slip on unless ya take it on and off. I have seen 2 stocks where slip on pads have ruined them either by fading or taking finish off the stock.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Limbsaver-Airtech-Recoil-Pad-Remington-700-ADL-BDL-4-15-16/38251449
 
I'm going to take a different tack here. You did not state if you reloaded your ammo, or if you did I missed it. Anyway, you have a nice rifle in .270 and will inherit another nice rifle in 30-06 which you plan on using for game larger than deer. My guess it's probably elk on your game list and the 06 is a good elk rifle very usable on even larger game. Seems a trip to hunt elk or other larger game would entail some travel and that .270 with proper bullets would make a very dandy back up rifle. Also, if you reload your ammo you can make lighter level loads that would be much easier on your shoulder.
Last year on my annual elk hunt, I shot a nice cow elk at 350 yards. I aimed for the standard heart/lung area and the bullet broke her neck at the base of the skull. I'm fairly decent shot and can call my shots and I called at the heart/lung area. Later a few days after returning home, I checked that rifle at the range and it was shooting all over the place. I replaced the scope with another and the original scope was bad. If I'd not had very good luck and help from above, I would not have taken that elk. I did have two other rifles back at the motel and would have used one of those the next day.
I only bring this up because you have a nice rifle you have confidence in and stuff does happen. Personally, I would not feel comfortable hunting elk with a .243 although quite a few people do. Just something you might want to consider.
FWIW, I've had three Leupold scopes conk out on me. Fortunately two happened at the range. Only one was on a hard kicking rifle, my .35 Whelen on my elk hunt.
Paul B.
 
I hate to be a heretic, but I would pick a very different set.

Win 9422 in 22 LR for general use. Way overbuilt, raw quality, simple design.

Win 94 in 30/30. Light, reliable and can get the job done if you are a hunter enough to work your way in.

I was thinking about my 25/06's or 7/08's but they are too specific and basically overkill for most things I hunt for. A 30/30 is good enough if I do my job right.
 
Both .270 Win and 30-06 have reduced recoil rounds available from Remington and perhaps Winchester. If you or your dad already have rifles in those chamberings, consider the new rounds. They aren't under-powered for shooting deer within a couple of hundred rounds, but may need re-sighting.
 
I'm with Peter M. Eick. 22lr and .30-30 will get the job done if you do your part.

Unless you are in a weird state that doesn't allow center fire for squirrels, you can pare that down to just the .30-30 with light load cast bullets filling in for the .22 on small game.
 
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