New "All Around" Bolt Action

[GeoW]

Of your three candidates I would go with the 30-06. My personal choice would be the 308.

 

[dobegrant.45]

I have most of the calibers mentioned and have killed deer,elk,wild boar with a dozen different calibers. Two years ago we had young women maybe 25 or so who is a nurse attend one of our hunter Ed classes , after the class she told us her boyfriend hunted and had taken her several times to watch, now she wanted to hunt herself, she had many questions regarding a rifle choice (her boyfriend was pushing a 6.5) and we had several there for her to try. I had my Tikka T3x compact in .308 with me, it has a 20 inch barrel but the stock is short but comes with a number of spacers to adjust lop, mine has a Nikon 3.5x10 scope, she tried it liked it very much and bought one. We saw her almost every week at the gun club practicing with .308. That fall she shot a cow elk here in Arizona at 335 yards , one shot kill. Most important thing was how much she shot and from mostly field positions.

 

[JonVan]

I think on the 500 yards part people keep getting hung up. Let's pretend I was the most experienced shooter possible. I am asking specifically for a round capable of that much not my ability to achieve it. but during my research it seems even with western game your looking at 400 yards or less on average. I want to stick with a cartridge and not shoot 5 or so a season but I want to master the rifle. I'm wanting either a Bergara B-14 ridge or a B-14 HMR. Since this discussion and research I'm most interested in 270, 30-06, 300 WM in that order. The 300 is the one I want to know if I wanted to "Shoot all day" with a muzzle break if it is comfortable enough to fire, not too powerful to blow out the barrel prematurely.

 

[MHtractorguy]

I am a very experienced shooter. I do not want to shoot a 30-06 all day. I can shoot 30-30 all day and I am confident that I know the rifle and I know I will hit and kill what I fire it at. I shoot my '06 enough to know that it is on target at 300 yards but I RARELY hunt anything that far away. If I was looking for a nice accurate bolt action for deer, varmints and predators I would get a 243 or a 30-30.

30-30 lever guns make me smile.

 

[JonVan]

After all advice offered, videos and research I've done and after talking to the people at my local gun shop. I'm pretty set on getting a 270 Win in B-14 Ridge. The 30-06 is a close second but I think I'd prefer the faster 270. Thank you all for your advice. I have learned a lot!

 

[rugerjunkie]

After all advice offered, videos and research I've done and after talking to the people at my local gun shop. I'm pretty set on getting a 270 Win in B-14 Ridge. The 30-06 is a close second but I think I'd prefer the faster 270. Thank you all for your advice. I have learned a lot!

If you go for the ridge model , plan on spending some money on a stock. The factory ones are pretty flimsy in my opinion and that certainly isn't going to help you with your long range goals. I have 2 ridge rifles that both went into an HMR stock.

I'd rethink an HMR. The stocks are rock solid and cheaper to buy with the gun vs buying one later on. I have several and one is in a 7 mag and either the brake or suppressor makes it easy to shoot 175 grain loads. Like in I can see my hits at 500 yards easy to shoot. 40-50 at a range session is no big deal with that rifle.

I have some premiere models too and the Grayboe stocks they come with are top notch as well. Not really sure if Grayboe or Bergara make the HMR stocks.

Just more to consider.

 

[seasterl]

Ruger Alaskan 300WM or 338WM. If the rifle was offered in 7mm RemMag, I'd get that. The brake is effective for the bench, and then replace the substitute to minimize shift (but double-check before the hunt). The iron sights on it are great, and has quick-detachable scope. I bought one as my "one" bolt-action centerfire. However, I also have 22LR/22Mag in bolt-action, so there again, hard to have just one rifle. But I get you. I just posed the same question to myself and got the Alaskan model with no regrets.

As far as shooting fun, I don't like shooting from the bench and do it to sight in or for load development. I actually prefer to practice shooting off-hand standing and then also from a make-shift rest.

 

[JonVan]

Ruger Alaskan 300WM or 338WM. If the rifle was offered in 7mm RemMag, I'd get that. The brake is effective for the bench, and then replace the substitute to minimize shift (but double-check before the hunt). The iron sights on it are great, and has quick-detachable scope. I bought one as my "one" bolt-action centerfire. However, I also have 22LR/22Mag in bolt-action, so there again, hard to have just one rifle. But I get you. I just posed the same question to myself and got the Alaskan model with no regrets.

As far as shooting fun, I don't like shooting from the bench and do it to sight in or for load development. I actually prefer to practice shooting off-hand standing and then also from a make-shift rest.

Certainly there are times to use a 22 rifle, but I have a decent amount of bases covered other than a rifle. I have a 9mm Taurus G3C a 12 Remington 870 a 1979 Ruger security Six 4" 357 mag and a Ruger Wrangler 22 Lr which would be a solid varmint gun within closer range.

 

[Mobuck]

"Certainly there are times to use a 22 rifle, but I have a decent amount of bases covered other than a rifle."
Some of the best rifle shooters that ever lived used a 22 rimfire as a 'practice rifle'. A major part of my pre-season practice is with a 22lr bolt action 'understudy' rifle. For about a month prior to hunting season, I shoot 20-30 rounds of 22 daily but only 1-3 rounds from my primary hunting rifle. An accurate 22 rifle is a valuable tool for several reasons.

 

[dobegrant.45]

.270 is a good choice pick goog optics and practice

 

[RJM52]

. 308 Winchester in whatever fits you...

My favorite two are the Ruger stainless scout rifle with 19" barrel and the SIG Cross with 16.5" barrel...

Bob

 

[j p sixguns welldone]

The Howa and Weatherby vandguard are not controlled round feed.

 

[BearBiologist]

I have most of the calibers mentioned and have killed deer,elk,wild boar with a dozen different calibers. Two years ago we had young women maybe 25 or so who is a nurse attend one of our hunter Ed classes , after the class she told us her boyfriend hunted and had taken her several times to watch, now she wanted to hunt herself, she had many questions regarding a rifle choice (her boyfriend was pushing a 6.5) and we had several there for her to try. I had my Tikka T3x compact in .308 with me, it has a 20 inch barrel but the stock is short but comes with a number of spacers to adjust lop, mine has a Nikon 3.5x10 scope, she tried it liked it very much and bought one. We saw her almost every week at the gun club practicing with .308. That fall she shot a cow elk here in Arizona at 335 yards , one shot kill. Most important thing was how much she shot and from mostly field positions.

Get off the bench!! (I think it was Jack O'Connor said that?)

 

[BearBiologist]

The Howa and Weatherby vandguard are not controlled round feed.

Maybe I misspoke=but something with a classic Mauser feed.

 

[oldwolf]

Speaking of a Mauser. My Dad was very happy hunting with the 98k that he brought back for WWII. He never shot a deer with it as much as I can remember, but he was happy just to have it with him on hunts. For him it was more about getting out in the woods.

 

[Paul B]

" I particularly like the 7x57 Mauser (If you can find them, Norma made 175 gr steel jacket bear loads)=light recoil, light rifles, good accuracy and excellent killing power=after all, Karamojo Bell killed over 100 elephants with one!"

My thoughts exactly. A handloader can make that cartridge snap at the heels of a .270 or .280 Rem. with ease.

However, as the cartridges in question are the .270, .308 or 30-06 I'll just add this. Col. Townsend Whelen made this comment, "The 30-06 is never a mistake." I concur 100%. Interesting point though is a few years back I did a little test using some factory ammo for the .308 Win. and 30-06. Rifles involved were a Winchester Youth Ranger in .308 Win. and a J.C. Higgins M50 in 30-06. Both rifles had 22" barrels. Ammo was Winchester 180 gr. Power Points. Average velocity from the .308 was 30 FPS FASTER than the 30-06. Also, the 30-06 did not reach the 2700 FPS advertised. I wasn't all that surprised and ammo is loaded to a MAP or Maximum Allowed Pressure. Velocity is close up to a point but will vary from rifle to rifle. The point being you may or my not get the velocity you think you're getting. No matter, it'll be close enough.
I've hunted deer and elk for over 60 years. Killed my first deer at age 11 and am now 84. I've taken deer with everything from a .22LR to a 30-06 although I have hunted them with a .375 H&H. Just didn't see any deer that year.
I've hunted elk with the 375, 30-06, 270 Win.,280 Rem. 300 Win. Mag. and my all time favorite the .35 Whelen using the 225 gr. TSX bullet at 2710 FPS. Trajectory is virtually the same and my 180 gr. handload for the 30-06.
Longest shot made on deer, one at 426 paces with a .308. Several 300 to 350 yard shots with the 30-06. One elk at 530 yards. I knew the area so took a .300 Win. mag. and did over a period of three month practice at the range. The shot was easy at a laser ranged distance of 530 yards. As I said, I knew the area. Once a shot was fired on opening day the elk would go into these several mile wide "parks" where they could see coming from a long way off and walk away. Longest shot with the .35 Whelen FWIW was 350 yards.
I haven't used the .270 very much. It just doesn't move me. I've shot a few deer with it and they just died. I set it up for distance for my one and only guided antelope hunt and when the shot came it was all the way out at 75 yards. I could have taken that shot with my Great grandfather's old 30-30 Winchester carbine and a cast lead bullet.
So, which would be my choice of the three the OP was looking at? The .308 or 30-06 would be a tie, then the .270. Like the Col. Whelen once said, "The 30-06 is never a mistake,"
Paul B.

 

[Coyote56]

Had a BAR in .300 Win Mag.(top). Never took it out into the field; always came up short in the TN elk lottery. Replaced it with a .308 BAR.
Much more practical

 

[David Lee Valdina]

My vote for the all around rifle would be for the .30-06 for several reasons. With the wide selection of ammo, you can hunt anything on the planet. It is no longer a military cartridge and is allowed in counties that might ban you from possession of a .308, like Switzerland. A friend had his flight back from South Africa detoured through there and if he had a .308 it would have been taken away. The .30-06 was fine. Ammo is widely available in many small out of the way shops where others might not be found. It is readily reloaded and components are easy to find. My favorite.

 

[Air-cooled]

Agree on the 06 being an excellent all round (I have one), but we are in the US and the 308 seems fine for every thing but brown bear. And there are more offerings in it these days.

 

[RC44Mag]

Don't take this the wrong way but you said you shot Marksman with the M4. Don't know what branch you served it but Marksman is the lowest level of qualification in all the branches of our Military, thats just scraping by and sometimes they might even give some shooters a pass who fall short of making the cut. Not forgetting that's with an M4 which is a breeze to shoot for beginners and often times very accurate. That doesn't mean you can't handle more potent rounds but you seem to be jumping a whole mess of rounds that would suit any shooter just fine.

If I were you I'd get a .308 bolt gun. The .308/7.62 NATO is still used my our Mil and NATO countries as sniper rifles and in machine guns as well as being a very popular hunting round for citizens. You can also save money for just plinking by buying surplus military ammunition. 308 is more than sufficient for all but the brown/ polar bears on this continent and once you get proficient with the .308 you can up the ante but actually you wouldn't even need to unless you plan on an African Safari or go brown bear hunting in the near future.