All Around North American Big Game Rifle

[Whitewolf393]

All,

To the knowledgeable community...If I were to pick a brand (I know this will be contentious) of rifle & scope combo to have as an "all around" big game rifle for North America, which type - or brand, I should maybe say - of rifle and scope does everyone favor?

I've decided that it will be a 30-06 for me, because it's probably the largest caliber that I can fire comfortably and confidently, and 80 different loads are made for it as well. Also, a laminated stock and maybe stainless steel the rest for extra weather resistance.

So here begs my question...I'm looking for such a rifle, but wanted to get some opinions on what the community here prefers. I'm not looking to drop a mint, but less than 1000.00 for rifle and scope, if possible.

As always, any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[sure shot]

Wolf, Check out the Remington 700 LSS in 7mm Mag or 300 Win Mag. Beautiful laminated stock rifle in stainless steel. Top it off with a luppy VXII 3-9x50 or spend a 150 bucks more and get the VXIII and your set. Should be just at or a little below $1000. The big 7 will have ruffly the same amount of recoil as the 06 and will shoot flatter further. Or you can step up to the 300 for more power, add a brake and it will shoot like a ***** cat. I favor the Rem 700's they are hard to beat for out of the box accuracy. With a cheap 50 dollar trigger adjustment and a good batch of handloads you will have a tack driver on your hands. Good luck /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Whitewolf393]

Tommy,

Thanks for the info...I like the Remingtons, too, and I'll check out the combo and price it out to see what I can find. I looked on the Gunbroker website, but there wasn't anything like the configuration you specified, although there are some Rems without the scope.

 

[gonehuntingagain]

The Remington won't be in a "package" - you will need to get the scope seperate from the rifle. You may look around locally as well, around here the rifles are much less (even new rifles) than what is on gunbroker - especially when you factor in shipping and the $20 that a dealer will charge to do the transfer. With all the Christmas sales going on, you may find some great deals on scopes.

 

[sure shot]

Wolf, check out /firearms/centerfire/700lss.htm if you want to see the rifle. Look under centerfire rifle's then LSS but disregard the price they have listed that price is BS you can get it cheaper. I just got a good deal on a 3-9x50 VXII with the German #4 crosshair from Midway also /ebrowse.exe/browse .

 

[mjs3240]

Whitewolf;
I think that for the money the Winchester supershadow is hard to beat. Sure it has an ugly stock but I can live with an ugly rifle as long as it is functional. I think the supershadow goes for around $500.00 I favor the Leupold VXIV in 2.5-8 with the boone and crocket reticle. I own one that I just had smithed to 338-300 WSM. If recoil is an issue go with the 270 WSM or 7mmWSM. I sure like the 300 WSM though.
MJS

 

[Mysticplayer]

I am now a Savage convert. Just picked up their basic 110 in 270. Shot 1/4 MOA out of the box, literally.

You can always get a Boyds lam stock if you don't get one with the orig rifle. That is what I am presently doing.

I got the one with the mag because I like D mags. Only other option is blind mag.

Ruger, Win also make very nice rifles.

Jerry

 

[Dead Beat]

wolf i picked up rem. 700 lss. the picture on rem. web site doe's not do the stock justice look at one in person very nice!!! 300rum with brake recoil not bad at all getting 9/16 in. groups with factory load .found the gun on trip to Idaho in a little hole in the wall place $665 out he door

 

[sniper2]

I would reccomend the 300 RUM in the Savage weather warrior mod sak116.I have one and I have a friend who has one they both shoot great and both have muzzle brakes factory installed. Also are pillar bedded with fluted barrels, trigger comes hard but will adjust down with a little work this Savage pushes my custom rifles in accuracy, I gave $439. wholesale.

 

[sure shot]

I agree with you on that pic not doing that stock any justice on Remington's website it's much better looking in person /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I picked one about 4 years ago in 7 mag did the trigger up and addded a KDF brake.Gun has no recoil at all feels like a 243. Best group I shot with it was with a 150gr nosler BT over 67.5gr of R-22 and a rem mag primer 2 hole 5 shot group at .4in. You can't ask for much more from a factory rifle.

 

[Whitewolf393]

On that note I've looked on the Savage website and they offer rifles that come with a 3x9 scope as part of the package, for about 500.00 or a bit more. I know that some of their rifles have the accu trigger setup, and I'd probably still want to get a Leupold scope, regardless, because the scope they offer probably isn't the best choice, IMHO.

 

[Whitewolf393]

Yeah, the Super Shadow goes for 554.00 on the Winchester site, and for me it'd probably be the 7mm WSM. With a good Leupold scope it'd probably even out to about 1000.00, all told or less, I'd think.

 

[Whitewolf393]

OK, Here's what I'm thinking now, after all this...That for hunting where I live in Virginia, the Savage All Weather Warrior in 30-06 with either a Leupold or Nikon scope; The Winchester Super Shadow in 7mm WSM with a good Leupold scope for out West hunting (when I get there again soon enough); and something for predator (coyote, bobcat, fox) here where I live. I have something along the lines of a .223 or even a .204 for that with a quality scope, but I don't know which make and model yet. Has any of you shot the Remington 700 VLS with any of the varmint calibers?

 

[Guest]

I think every shooter goes through this very question at least once in their life. For me it was answered with a Browning SS A-bolt 300 Win Mag with a Leupold 3-10.5x50 scope from Premier Reticles and the RC600 dots on the reticle. I went with the browning as it has outstanding workmanship (I also own Savage and Remington). They pay attention to the little things, like a magazine that doesn't allow the tips of bullets to hit the front of the mag on recoil, etc. I went with Stainless as I hunt in all sorts of weather and I don't want to worry about rust. One hunt I was on in Alberta in the late fall an ice fog rolled in, during the day as we were stalking we had rind ice build up on the guns making them slippery to hold.

For the scope I decided on one with a good reputation and a good warranty. That left only Leupold. I went with Premier Reticles dot system as I thought it was pretty ingenous and it has sure paid off. I knocked down a whitetail buck at around 300 yards almost the moment I saw him by using the 1st come-up dot (300 yard dot) in the scope. It was a heart shot and he hit the ground dead.

To be honest today's rifles and most scopes are good, start looking for things like comfort, fit, WARRANTY!!, ruggedness, etc.

I think the more important question is what would be an all-around caliber. To me that was 300 Win Mag - then again I live in the west and hunt elk, bear, as well as deer. The 300 WM gives you another 100 yards over a 30-06 for those longer shots. But out East the bush is a little more dense and I would imagine long shots are more of a rarity.

Jay Kyle