Rifles

[Tanner]

I am looking for a good all around rifle. I want a rifle that I can effectively hunt both the coast range and occasionally eastern Oregon. I was thinking about a 30-06. any suggestions. By the way, I want something that will work for both deer and elk.

[Big Smizz]

Tanner:

I hunt Oregon for deer mostly with a trusty Remington 760 semi-automatic 30-06. I love it and have no complaints. I hunt mostly Eastern Oregon and find that is versatile enough for both deer and elk. No joke, it would be hard for me to consider hunting with another caliber. I realize that other opinions may differ, but just thought I would give you my .02.

[Artwo]

Tanner,
I used a Remington 270 pump w/scope for years and loved it. I recently (2 yrs. ago) bought a Remington model 700 bolt action, black matt finish and composit stock (great in wet weather) w/scope and absolutely love this gun. It is very accurate and the thing I like most is how light it is. Most of my deer and elk hunting excursions are in walk-in units both west and east and the light weight is nice. There are a wide variety shells for this caliber as well as add-ons. What ever you buy be sure and check out the composit models, their really nice. Wood is purdy but composit is practical.

JK

[ 04-25-2002, 02:57 PM: Message edited by: Artwo ]

[Tanner]

Thanks for the replies so far guys.
This last weekend I shot a Browning Stainless Steel Composite Stock 30.06 that a friend of mine owns and absolutely loved it. I think I am going to buy one but I have to sell my .223 first. In fact it will be appearing soon in the ifish classifieds. I just need to figure out what it is worth.

[Washington Hunter]

The 30-06 is the perfect all-around cartridge. Many guys will tell you that their 7mm Magnum will shoot farther, but don't believe that. Their isn't a c*** hair's difference between the two, other than the fact that the Magnum hits YOU harder. I have a Browning A-bolt in 270, and it's extremely accurate, and lightweight too. One thing to think about, if you are planning on only using the lighter weight bullets (like 150 grain) in the 30-06, then you would be better off with a 270 or a 280.

[blacktail]

Tanner,

The 30.06 is an excellent choice. For deer, I would use either a 150 or 165 grain load and 180 grain for elk. Although there are plenty of people that use the same load for both and do fine.

I personally favor the new stainless / synthetic "classic" Winchesters with the controlled round feeding and three position saftey.

Top it with some Leupold bases / rings and a matte finish Leupold 2.5x8 or 3x9 and you are set for life.

I would also invest in having a gunsmith "tune" the trigger.

Good luck,
Mike

[Crayfin]

I rifle......man, I dont think I could pick just one (At least that is what I tell my honey)The '06 is a great choice for an all around weapon for just about anything we have here in the NW. I own a 270 M700 that I love...great gun and I also have a Browning A-Bolt in 300wsm..great gun too! I think the A-Bolt is a little handier than my 270 with the shorter throw on the bolt but Blacktail is right....tune the trigger!! For the record, I have shot nothing but handloaded 130 Partitions out of my 270 and have never had a problem with anything I have shot..elk, deer or bear. Rely on placement--not bullet mass. 270-280-'06 all great choices!

Crayfin

You need bullet weight to consistently kill elk.
I wouldn’t use anything but a 150 gr. in a .270.
A 180 gr. .30 ca is better. A light bullet hitting a large bone loosed a lot of energy when it slows down. A heavier bullet caries it’s energy much better, that is called inertia.
I am not saying that accuracy is not important but your bullet needs to punch threw to do the job quickly and humanly.

[TheRogue]

Stock...synthetic (hey, it's the wet Pacific NW!!)

Metal...24-26" bbl, stainless (see above)

Scope...Leupold 2-7 or 3x9 (hey, made in Oregon, great quality and warranty!!)

Caliber...300winmag (can be loaded way down, or way up, bullets from 110gr to 220gr)

Package choice?? Savage or Browning or Winchester , bolt action, 3-9x40 VX™-II Scope

My .02

kyle

[fishinbuddy]

I hunt all of my big game with a stainless synthetic savage 30.06. I have a stainless 3-9by40mm scope on it. I shoot a 165 grain bullet, which has great ballistics depending on the bullet. The trusty old 30.06 will kill anything on this continent. If I were you I would either get a .270 or stick with a 30.06. Personally I like the 30.06 because you can shoot a bigger load if you think it is necessary. I sight my gun in with a 165 grain bullet and shoot deer, elk, and target with it. Great all around gun. :grin:

[Idahobidcaller]

Tanner,
Have you sold the .223, by chance is it a lefty? Looking for a bolt lefty, or lever. will look for your reply
thanks
PJ

[Mr. Fisherman]

I'm with The Rouge,

300 Winchester Magnum, accept no substitute.

I, however, prefer a BAR. Browning baby, all the way.

This is the most versitile caliber. Check the refrences and you will see.

If I could ONLY have one rifle this would be it.

[brshooter]

It's tough to beat the combo of a Remington 700 action and Leupold optics. You pick your own caliber. Ask 10 people, get 12 answers. Stock type and barrel length will depend on what caliber you want.
I have been involved with IBS and NBRSA Bench Rest shooting for more than 15 years. If you go down the firing line at a "Hunter" class bench rest match, most likely, the only production action you will see is the remington 700. Sure you will see some Stolle and Nesika Bay custom actions, but I would doubt if you would see anyone using a ruger, winchester, or browning action. Pretty much the same story at a 1000 yard match. Outside of the custom actions, Remington will be the most popular production action. Does this tell you anything? Strength, reliability, minimal action flex, fast lock time, a factory trigger that is very easy to tune, or replace with an assortment of quality custom triggers.
Leupold scopes dominate all classes of bench rest. Hunter, varmint, and sporter. Probably on 95 percent of the bench guns out there.
If I were going to get a new hunting rifle, I would consider having one built on a Remington 700 action. Throw on a Lilja barrel, McMillan or Lee Six stock, jewel trigger, and Leupold optics.

[Big TULE]

I shoot the ruger m77 mk II in 300 win mag with the stainless barrel and laminate stock, best rifle i have ever had, load down, load up you can do whatever you want with it, and the bolt is a modified mouser action and it is great for any animal that i want to hunt any where.

[Washington Hunter]

300 Magnums are definitely great for all around big game hunting, but only if the shooter can handle the recoil. It's something to think about, and if you do consider a 300 Mag, it would be a good idea to try one out first. Take it out and shoot 20 shots, and then decide if it's the one for you. I personally don't think it would be a good idea to buy a 300 Magnum for your first big game rifle. Start out with a 30-06 and after a couple of years, go up to the 300 if you want. The 300 Mag has no practical advantage over the 30-06 until you get out past 400 yards, and very few animals will be shot at that distance.

[Tanner]

Idahobidcaller,
Sorry, It is a right handed rifle. Remington Model 700, stainless fluted bull barrell, composite stock, 6 x 24 B & L scope, and a three stage bi-pod.
I like the rifle but it is no longer practical for what I like to shoot at.

[SeanD]

Tanner, i have both a 300 win mag and a 30.06 and i used to own a 7 rem mag. I use my 300 for elk, but if i was only going to own one rifle, it would be a 30.06. no doubt about that one.

[boater]

i have a classic model 70 stainless 270, leapold 3x9, had the trigger job done and had it glass bedded, for me its a great all around gun.

[Backlash2]

I shoot a .300 WinMag Browning Stainless Composite. This gun is equipped with the B.O.S.S. system on the end. It is the most accurate gun I have ever shot.

And you can shoot it 40 times in a day if you want, without punishment. It literally kicks less than a .270 do to the muzzlebrake.

With that said, I try to never hunt without my earplugs along, it is definitely not good for the s******* ears.

However, this is partially a good thing. When I am deer or elk hunting with friends, and we are less than 3 miles apart, they KNOW when I shoot... :grin:

[EOman]

I use and have for awhile a 7mm. up close it will slaughter the deer, so pick your shot. but, in eastern oregon, you have alot of distance shots. i'm no pro though

[Small Fry]

I have shot a 270 pump for 20+ years, great gun for both elk and deer. Derr hunting I use 120 grain bullets, Elk I used 160 grain.
I felt comfortable taking shots out to 300 plus yards because the 270 shots so flat. Seems like every time I shot a deer under 100 yards the bullet went clear through.
A couple of years ago I bought a 30 06 and have dicsided it's the gun for me. The main reason I switched was easy. The 30 06 shot's almost as flat and I could use a bigger grain Bullet The last three elk I shot with the 30 06 I found that I had less meat loss. With the 270 I always had a much larger area of of torn up meat. I think the speed of the bullet has something to do with it.
Either would do you well.

Good luck on your next hunt. Be safe. :smile:

[Flatfish]

The Browning is a fine gun.The triggers are rough though, and are a thorn in my side.Remington and Winchester are great and shootable alternatives.If you go with the Browning then fine,just remember that trigger control is rifle control.As far as chamberings go buy what you want.Until you can really hit(see practice 3-5 times a week for months on end)a magnum will not buy you anything.Not trying to bash you 300 and 7mm fans, just calling it like it is.Bullet choice is like using a sharp hook.The bullet is what does the work.Not the cartridge.Stainless and synthetic are the most logical material choices.Unless you like to clean and oil guns every day of the hunt.Leupold optics are a wise choice.See ya in Tillamook on the 7nth.
Good Luck.
Mark

[TheRogue]

Well, not to bash the non-magnums but I would rather take that 150 yd, through the hole in the brush, chest-on shot with a 300mag and a premium bullet, than a 270win and a premium bullet.

But of course, the biggest part is take the comfortable shots, not the ones you think "maybe". My comfort range used to be anything inside 550yds(bottom of the heavy duplex cross, 1 ft over the top of the shoulder on an elk..but I shot 20-40 rounds, 2-3x per week. Now I'm lucky if I get out once a month, and consequently, I'm not comfortable past 300 yds.

[ 05-03-2002, 07:54 PM: Message edited by: TheRogue ]

[Flatfish]

Rogue,
sounds like we have had parallel shooting careers.As you must know I advocate smaller lighter kicking cartridges over the harder hitting magnums.I personally don't practice what I preach,338 winnie in a Rem. stainless.I figure that accuracy is more important than power.I would definately rather be hitting lungs with a little gun than legs with a big gun.If you can handle the bigger one, then more power to ya(no pun intended).But placement over power anyday.Therefore the 06 gets lots of cheers along with the other usual standard cased chamberings.If you need to ask "What do I need?",then you probably cannot hit with a long range hard recoiling wonder.Not always but most of the time.This post is not intended to put off any chamberings.I like most all of them.Just that it takes bunches of practice to hit past the capabilities of an 30-06.If you can direct a rifle at this distance then fine.But for most folks nothing is gained in a faster cartridge.
Thanks.
Mark.

[TheRogue]

I know just what you mean!! You see lots of "barely used" .338 mags for sale. Many people buy, without having a clue what they can handle! I grew up with a very obnoxious, short-barreled, hard-kicking .270. The change-over to a heavier, 26" bbl .300winmag wasn't hardly noticeable, except for the weight!

Another consideration is that most of the magnums need a 26" bbl, or longer, while the '06 will do just fine with a 22"-24". That's the one little problem I have when crashing through the west-side brush.

kyle

[Flatfish]

Rogue,
know what ya mean about the long tubes.They hang a lot steadier too.Helps on longer shots.Been wanting another Ruger #1 for deer sized critters.338 is a bit too heavy for blacktails so figure a smaller bore will do.Can stil get a long barrel and keep the legnth short too.Pretty to look at when things are slow too(eye of the beholder,right?).Putting in for tags today.By the looks of things theres gonna be a whole lotta huntin goin on!
Good Luck.
Mark.

[blacktail]

Flatfish,

I had a .270 Ruger # 1-B. With handloaded 130 grain Ballistic tips it shot tiny groups.

Even with the 26" barrel it wasn't too long because of the single shot action.

However, I found it to be heavier than I liked for most of my hunting and sold it.

It would have been a perfect rifle for hunting mulies in the sagebrush, or for pronghorn.

I mostly hunt the west side now and if I was going to purchase a # 1 it would most likely be a #1-A with the 22" barrel.

Mike

[Flatfish]

I hear ya Blacktail.Had a 1-B in 25-06 that would really lay the bullets tight.At 10 pounds loaded and ready to hunt,she was heavy.Like you I will probably gravitate towares a shorter barreled gun.However if another with pretty wood(the reason I bought the 25-06)comes along,she will probably go home with me.We are talkin about a deer rifle so when I think about it it just don't see as many tough miles like an elk rig would.Therefore I just want pretty, not light, foremost.See how easy that was.Another rifle justified.Did I mention the barrel in the garage.6.5mm blank,26 inches long.Hmmmm do I see a 264 mag in my future?
Good Luck.
Mark.

[SeanD]

My 06 has a 19.5 inch barrel. I love a short barreled brush gun. Weighs about 7.5 lbs. I lose a little velocity, but still get 2850fps with 150gr partitions. Dont lose any in the accuracy department though, best three shot group so far at 100 yards and a quarter would touch all three shots. Not trying to brag because im really not a great shot, but i just love those short barreled guns.

[ 05-05-2002, 01:17 AM: Message edited by: SeanD ]

[highdesertdrifter]

one thing i havent saw mentioned about the old 30-06 is that for those that do not hand load it is handy to be able to buy over the counter 55gr. varmit loads too 220gr.brush buster loads. just my thoughts

30-06 works best with 150gr-180gr bullets. I use only 165gr in my '06. The others are a waste of rifle. If you want to shoot a 55gr or a 220gr get a centerfire .22 or a 300 or 338 mag. The 220s out of an '06 loose too much velocity.

[Firedog]

I have a .280 in the model 700 Mountain rifle and love it. Light recoil a little more bullet selection than the .270 and shoots flatter than an .06. 30.06 is a great all around caliber thought. Like some one earlier said ask 10 different people and you will get 10 different opinions.

[Perfect Drift]

Can someone tell me about the .308? What are it's good and bad points.

308 has no bad points with 150-165 gr bullets. My brother is deadly with his and he used it to harvest 4 to 6 deer a year for 14 years. Also one black bear.

[Straydog]

The '06 or 308 are both fine firearms and plenty of fire power for any critters we have around here.

I agree with Keta, if you want to shoot light loads get a smaller caliber gun. Not that the '30 Cal won't do it but what is the point unless you just can't afford another gun.

As for bullet weight, remember that velocity times weight equals energy. Energy is what matters more often than not.

You are fairly limmited with factory loads as to the powder charge so you must adjust your bullet weight to compensate.

[SeanD]

Actually it is velocity squared times weight equals energy. So velocity is more important than bullet weight in the energy department. Which is why a 22/250 and 45/70 govt have simalar energy, even when one shoots a waaaay bigger bullet than the other.

[BPAV8R]

Tanner,
If you haven't bought a rifle yet, I have a Pre-64 Winchester model 70 Featherweight in 30.06 with a 4X Leupold and leather sling. Nice wood, nice blueing, nice gun. $750.00 or I will trade for a pair of new Scotty 1106 downriggers.

SeanD
Velocity without mass (bullet weight) will not kill. You need to have sufficient bullet weight
to penetrate. With a light bullet traveling fast all of the energy can dissipate on a shoulder
bone. With a heavy bullet going at a medium velocity inertia will allow the heavier projectile to bust through heavy bone and continue to penetrate. Ideally a heavy (and well
constructed) bullet going fast and hitting the proper place is what you need.

Elk should never be shot at with a bullet lighter than 150 gr. and preferably 180 gr. or more.

The only advantage that higher velocity gives you is it will extent the range that the bullet you
are using will perform at.

When I am elk hunting I have two rifles in camp. One is a .300 Win that I use 180 gr. and 200
gr. bullets in and a .338-06 Imp. that I have loaded with 225 gr. and 250 gr. bullets. I use the .300 when I am going to hunt in open country and the .338-06 in the poles. Both stomp elk!
Both give me 100% penetration!

One is fast (3000-3100 fps) and one is slow (2300-2500 fps) but both work better than 120-150 gr bullets going 3000-3200 fps.

Now a 300 gr. bullet at 2850 fps (my 375-8mm Rem) will do almost anything, on both ends of
the rifle, and is overkill on anything we have in Oregon. :grin: It does spank big bear and moose
extremely well.

[crabbait]

Keta - Good argument for heavier bullets. I found that when I sighted in my 06 to shoot 165gr boattails dead on at 250yds my 220gr are dead on at 100yds. When i am in thick brush and need precise point-of-aim accuracy I slip in a 220gr. When longer shots are the norm I go with the 165gr. Either shoots little tiny groups.

[skeezer]

hey tanner your not sure what you want for the 223 , sounds like a good varmit gun !

Crabbait,

My .338-06 does the same with 225gr and 250 gr bullets and my .300 Win shoots close (1/2" lower at 100 yds with the 200gr) with 180 gr and 200gr. None of my other rifles will do this so I pick a good bullet weight and stick with it, usualy in the higher weight range.

I like to use
.22- 60gr
.243/6mm- 100gr
.264/6.5mm-140gr
.284/7mm- 145gr (.284 Win)
160gr (7mm-08)
175gr (7mm Rem)
.308 165gr (.308 Win and 30-06)
180gr (30-06 and .300 Win)
200gr (.300 Win)
.338 225gr and 250gr
.375 285gr and 300gr
.416 400gr

With the exception of the .22 and .243 it is my opinion that these bullet weights are the best.
I use a 145gr in my .284 because the magazine is short and I don't want to loose powder capacity by seating a bigger bullet deeper into the case, otherwise I would use a 160gr bullet.

This is just my opinion based on over thirty years of intensive shooting and hunting. 15 of them in Alaska where I shot 4-6 deer and 2 goats almost every year, some years 2 black bear. I also killed 3 brown bear (.338-06, 375 H&H, .375-8mm Rem) , and several moose (.338-06, .300 Win).

I was a gun dealer and tried to shoot at least 100 rounds a week at the range, weather permiting.

[ 05-18-2002, 08:34 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[Washington Hunter]

Hey Keta, good choice in bullet weights, but isn't a 165 a little on the heavy side for a 7/08? Actually I've never heard of that weight bullet in 7mm. Maybe you meant 145? That would make much more sense.

[Tanner]

Hey Skeezer,
I think I am gonna put it up for sale on the board here for around $900.00.
It will be going up for sale pretty soon.

Washington Hunter,

I should have posted 160 gr. NOT 165 gr. My 7mm-08 was built with a long throat to shoot this bullet weight. I had it built to hunt Sika blacktails in SE Alaskan rainforest. I wanted to slow the bullets down without downloading. The rifle was a 22" bbl. Ruger #1 and handled the thick brush well.

[ 05-19-2002, 10:05 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[SeanD]

Yeah i know that KETA, i was just correcting Straydog and trying to make the point that energy is not the most important factor in killing. I thought that was obvious when i compared a 22/250 and a 45/70 govt. Guess it wasnt.

I suppose i will have to say it because it isnt obvious then. A 22/250 is a fast varmit gun and is too small for elk. A 45/70 is a big game cartridge that moves slower than molassas, but is an adequete close range gun for elk. They have simalar energies, but much different killing abilities. Energy is an overrated factor in determining kill power, because velocity is more important than bullet weight in determining energy. But bullet wieght is more important than velocity in dtermining killing power.

SeanD
Velocity without mass (bullet weight) will not kill. You need to have sufficient bullet weight
to penetrate. With a light bullet traveling fast all of the energy can dissipate on a shoulder
bone. With a heavy bullet going at a medium velocity inertia will allow the heavier projectile to bust through heavy bone and continue to penetrate. Ideally a heavy (and well
constructed) bullet going fast and hitting the proper place is what you need.

Elk should never be shot at with a bullet lighter than 150 gr. and preferably 180 gr. or more.

The only advantage that higher velocity gives you is it will extent the range that the bullet you
are using will perform at.

When I am elk hunting I have two rifles in camp. One is a .300 Win that I use 180 gr. and 200
gr. bullets in and a .338-06 Imp. that I have loaded with 225 gr. and 250 gr. bullets. I use the .300 when I am going to hunt in open country and the .338-06 in the poles. Both stomp elk!
Both give me 100% penetration!

One is fast (3000-3100 fps) and one is slow (2300-2500 fps) but both work better than 120-150 gr bullets going 3000-3200 fps.

Now a 300 gr. bullet at 2850 fps (my 375-8mm Rem) will do almost anything, on both ends of
the rifle, and is overkill on anything we have in Oregon. It does spank big bear and moose
extremely well.

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[ 05-20-2002, 01:04 PM: Message edited by: SeanD ]