New "All Around" Bolt Action

[hittman]

The great things this thread brings to light is the large number of options available in both gun brands and calibers.

The calibers I already have are pretty obscure by todays standards. Not a lot of guns and not much factory ammo available now for things like 222 Remington Magnum, 257 Weatherby Magnum and 340 Weatherby Magnum.

 

[Coyote56]

Had a .270 Remington ADL once. Nice rifle. Sorry I sold it. I'd love to have Browning BLR in that caliber. Maybe some day…..

 

[BBarn]

For elk or moose @500, none of your preferences are especially good. If you must have one such rifle, get a 338 Win Mag and develop some reduced H4895 loads for deer and such.

Then if you want to attempt those bigger animals quartering away @500 with stout loads, you'll have enough gun. If you don't mind passing up shots due to poor angles, you can use one of your suggested calibers.

Also get good at using a rangefinder. Big game at 500yds will be missed if your range estimation is off 40 yds or so due to bullet trajectory.

 

[jgt]

I have used a thirty caliber for fifty years. My first was a 30-06 and I chose it because I could load light bullets and match the ballistics of smaller calibers for varmints, a medium weight bullet for deer, antelope, and such, and heavy bullets for elk, moose, and the like. The idea worked for me and I had success with that. After a while, I just used a medium weight bullet for everything but the larger animals. I still used heavy bullet loads for them.
I later added a custom 300 WM with a muzzle break for long range work. The 30 caliber has so many bullet choices and loading data that I was able to get along with the 06 for one all around rifle and have less dies and components to stock for reloading good useful cartridges.
I also used a twelve gage for all my shotgun needs. For most of that time I used a 44 for a handgun round. I have since added a 45 acp because of the civil unrest. Also I fell in love with the 444 marlin rifle and justified it because like the thirty caliber rifles, It used the same bullet (although a variation) as the marlin 44 magnum and my 44 handguns. My molds are used for the same guns, only the sizing dies are different diameters.
I also swage thirty caliber and 44 caliber bullets to fit my needs for jacketed bullets.
To be completely honest, I probably still have as much reloading stuff as other people, but because I stuck with one caliber, I believe I was able to have more top quality tools and stuff to address making top quality ammunition than had I chosen many different calibers. Primers were much more simple to stock also. It is not for everybody, but I get your intention and for me it worked out just as I had hoped.

 

[MHtractorguy]

I have 30-30 lever action rifles and one 30-06 Remington 700 bolt action. 30-30 will take anything within 100-150 yards. '06 will do nice work out around 300 on a good day. both are 30 caliber and I can use some of the came components for loading both.

 

[Cal30 1906]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned a 6.5 creedmoor yet as the ultimate cartridge.
If they do don't drink the koolaid. Lol

 

[oldwolf]

I have 30-30 lever action rifles and one 30-06 Remington 700 bolt action. 30-30 will take anything within 100-150 yards. '06 will do nice work out around 300 on a good day. both are 30 caliber and I can use some of the came components for loading both.

I am pretty much the same as MH above, having a M700 30.06 and a 30-30 lever gun. Although last month I added a Ruger Hawkeye Predator 308 for a reasonable price.

 

[BearBiologist]

I've taken 1 elk and 1 deer @ 400+ yards. Passed up a LOT more! Few marksmen can hit at 300 yards, much less 500. In both cases, the animal was in the open and I knew that I could get 1 or more follow up shots. I also had someone backing me up if it didn't go down (Both only took one shot to anchor and one more to "kill")

That being said, get a good 30-06 (Howa, Weatherby Vanguard, etc. with basic Mauser controlled feed), with a QUALITY 3x9 scope (I prefer Leupold) AND LEARN TO SHOOT IT!

BTW: I shoot a 300 Win Mag almost exclusively. I am recoil tolerant and, after 20+ years of shooting everything from ground squirrels to trophy bull elk, I know where it hits. I also guided through grad school on wild pigs and deer and having to go into thick brush after a large, wounded hog because somebody said he could shoot is not fun!

 

[Cal30 1906]

The great things this thread brings to light is the large number of options available in both gun brands and calibers.

The calibers I already have are pretty obscure by todays standards. Not a lot of guns and not much factory ammo available now for things like 222 Remington Magnum, 257 Weatherby Magnum and 340 Weatherby Magnum.

I have alot of trigger time behind the. 340 myself, it is a wicked cartridge and definitely not for the timid. Even seasoned shooters get bit in the forehead with it.

 

[noahmercy]

As a handloader, I'd have to give the nod to the 300 Win Mag cartridge. I've downloaded it to near 30 Carbine levels with Puf-Lon or Super Grex for filler and 110 grain HPs for varmints, and up to almost 300 Weatherby duplicates and all points in-between with excellent accuracy. 200+ grain low drag bullets make it a capable performer on targets at 1000 yards or farther, and it works great on big game at 500 without requiring exotic bullets if you go with 180 grain bullets.

I'm not saying any of the other choices wouldn't be as versatile, but I know from experience that Win Mag will deliver the goods.

 

[Mobuck]

Some 'cartridges' are good at putting bullets close together at long ranges and some are better at killing big game at long ranges. A very few can manage BOTH. I used to have a 300 Win mag that was one of those BUT it weighed 11+# and not something most folks would/could carry long distances. Longest elk kill with that rifle was almost 550 yards. I don't recommend or endorse shooting at game that far out unless you're capable and experienced. I shot that rifle at targets up to 1000 yards a knew precisely where it's bullets would hit.

 

[ndcowboy]

I know this is a Ruger forum and I've been here a long long time, but my favorite bolt action is a Browning X-bolt. They are absolutely fantastic.
As for caliber, I gave up on those arguments. Buy one without too much recoil and shoot it accurately.

 

[the_leper_colony]

I know this is a Ruger forum and I've been here a long long time, but my favorite bolt action is a Browning X-bolt. They are absolutely fantastic.
As for caliber, I gave up on those arguments. Buy one without too much recoil and shoot it accurately.

You can't help whatever turns out to be a "favorite" - for me, it's an 1898 Lee-Enfield cavalry carbine, with a smooth-as-butter action that cocks on closing, and 10 rounds of .303 in the magazine!

 

[Hankus]

I have been hunting all across the country for everything from Florida Whitetail to Colorado Elk using the same Remington Model 788 in .308. It's now 40+ years old and will still drive tacks at 300 yards. .308 will take pretty much any North American game. I only use it for hunting, but take it to the range every year before deer season and fire three rounds to verify zero, then fire 3-4 rounds a season while hunting.

Here's a good buy on a Ruger American;

Ruger American Rifle .308 Win Bolt Action GO Wild Camo Rifle 22" 3RD 26926

Ruger American Rifle .308 Win Bolt Action GO Wild Camo Rifle 22" 3RD 26926

www.rkguns.com

 

[jdavis]

For someone seeking their first rifle, I think that you are reaching for pretty unrealistic goals. 500 yard shots taken at game takes a lot of calculation of how your bullet will be affected by wind, terrain, and ballistics for a hit, much less a kill shot. To develop such skill and marksmanship takes much time and effort. Since Mississippi isn't a likely spot for elk, moose, or even mule deer, your use for such a rifle would be little to never. Being new to rifles, try to find someone who will let you shoot various calibers. The results may surprise and enlighten you.

 

[GunnyGene]

You've no doubt got hogs in the neighborhood in addition to various other critters, so to me a moderate concern is followup shots on any aggressive hogs. Which means something faster than a bolt action, in addition to a reasonable size caliber. I'd go with magnum Henry in .357, .41, or .44. I have one of their .41mags (scoped), and it's quite capable out to around 140 yds with a 210gr bullet (I prefer Underwood ammo for this).

 

[BearBiologist]

For someone seeking their first rifle, I think that you are reaching for pretty unrealistic goals. 500 yard shots taken at game takes a lot of calculation of how your bullet will be affected by wind, terrain, and ballistics for a hit, much less a kill shot. To develop such skill and marksmanship takes much time and effort. Since Mississippi isn't a likely spot for elk, moose, or even mule deer, your use for such a rifle would be little to never. Being new to rifles, try to find someone who will let you shoot various calibers. The results may surprise and enlighten you.

My favorite 300 Win Mag load drops almost 5 feet at 500 yards. Federal has the ballistics on their boxes (or used to) and I cut that out and taped it to my stock. I also used a load in my 338 Win Mag (2 elk not at long range)=the 210 gr Nosler and the 180 gr Nosler Partitions. Loaded Speers or Corelokts to match those ballistics for practice and smaller game. The 300 worked well for wild pigs with that thick gristle plate.

BTW: I shot 15 bullets per box at targets and used 5 for game each year. Two or three boxes gave me 30-45 practice shots and 10-15 to take for hunting =all the same lot number, of course. I figured with travel, out-of-state licenses, lodging, gas, etc., ammo prices were the least of my worries.

Another thing: Get a caliber where ammo is readily available in "Pop's General Store" in Nunavik, AK! You WILL leave something behind (ammo, boots, etc.) sometime if you hunt enough!

 

[CAJUNCHEF]

I have used a thirty caliber for fifty years. My first was a 30-06 and I chose it because I could load light bullets and match the ballistics of smaller calibers for varmints, a medium weight bullet for deer, antelope, and such, and heavy bullets for elk, moose, and the like. The idea worked for me and I had success with that. After a while, I just used a medium weight bullet for everything but the larger animals. I still used heavy bullet loads for them.
I later added a custom 300 WM with a muzzle break for long range work. The 30 caliber has so many bullet choices and loading data that I was able to get along with the 06 for one all around rifle and have less dies and components to stock for reloading good useful cartridges.
I also used a twelve gage for all my shotgun needs. For most of that time I used a 44 for a handgun round. I have since added a 45 acp because of the civil unrest. Also I fell in love with the 444 marlin rifle and justified it because like the thirty caliber rifles, It used the same bullet (although a variation) as the marlin 44 magnum and my 44 handguns. My molds are used for the same guns, only the sizing dies are different diameters.
I also swage thirty caliber and 44 caliber bullets to fit my needs for jacketed bullets.
To be completely honest, I probably still have as much reloading stuff as other people, but because I stuck with one caliber, I believe I was able to have more top quality tools and stuff to address making top quality ammunition than had I chosen many different calibers. Primers were much more simple to stock also. It is not for everybody, but I get your intention and for me it worked out just as I had hoped.

After 20 years of fooling around with too many cartridges from .243 to .458 Win Mag, this makes a LOT of sense.

Nowadays, for hunting, it is .270 (or 30-06), .35 Whelen (just because I like it).

 

[SnowmanP89]

I am looking to purchase my first rifle... I want to get used to one caliber that can ideally take down most game up to elk and moose at 500 yards ---

Do you know a lot of 500 yard deer hunters...?

 

[BearBiologist]

Do you know a lot of 500 yard deer hunters...?

The cartridge is often capable but is the shooter? Regarding wild hogs (having shot or seen shot over 200), in a brush/woods situation 12 GA. pump or a lever 35 Rem would be better than just about pistol round. The USFWS in AK requires qualification with a 12 ga or 375 H & H for bears (off topic). But that is too limited for the described conditions. A 41 mag rifle wouldn't be good much past 100 yards (I've shot hogs with a 44 mag at that distance=not an easy shot.) I do like the 41 mag and carried one while guiding but for "all-round" use on medium game, a 270, 30-06, 308 (I don't like but lots do), 7mm would likely be best. Any of the 30 magnums or larger would require he get used to recoil or load down to lighter loads which would be counter-productive in a magnum. The Sirius dogsled patrols use bolt action 30-06 for polar bear and muskox (granted, in open country). 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!

Great advice to get together with someone and try different rifles and loads.