Buddy wants one rifle for everything...?

[BigNate]

Some of you obviously don't read well.

 

[Barehandlineman11]

300 win mag tried trued factory ammo everywhere

 

[Onehorse]

1) All ungulates to 400 yds (deer mostly, but elk, moose, etc will almost certainly be tackled occasionally).

2) Steel and paper to 800 plus (occasionally out to 1200 just for giggles on big targets).

3) $1500 for scope and rifle.

4) Factory rifle most likely (see #3).

5) I'll load for him, perhaps indefinitely, but reasonably common factory ammo is a must.

6) He only hunts with lead free. So it needs to have a good factory option in copper (see #5). He's cool with slinging lead at paper/steel, but verboten on animals.

7) He can handle recoil, but I'd like to steer him towards "a bit more than minimum" that will get the job done, so a factory rifle with a brake is a high priority, but not a deal breaker.

So...

Rifle?

Scope?

Cartridge?

I have my own opinions, but would love to hear from the peanut gallery. Just stay in the lane. None of the above 7 points can be violated and keep him happy. He's not a high volume shooter, but I'd like to push him that direction, so keep economy in mind too.

Your criteria are are almost impossible to satisfy. .. at least extremely difficult. But I'll take a shot:
Rifle - Tikka, Browning, Mauser M18 are in the price range - the Tikka and Mauser being more accurate and less expensive.
Caliber - "standard" (usually easy to find and not way expensive), all the 30 cals., 270 Win, 280 Rem., 7mm08, 7mm Rem.
"nonstandard" (hard to find and very expensive) 6.8 western, 6.5 PRC, 300 PRC, all the new Nosler cartridges like 26 Nosler, etc.
I really don't think these or any rifle /cartridge combo will fill all of your requirements equally, so you might consider listing them in order of importance, assigning weighted points (high points from most important requirement to less for least important) then adding the points to see which rifle/combo comes out on top. Good luck!

 

[orifdoc]

Factory ammo? Occasional moose & elk? He can handle a bit of recoil? Easy.

.300 Win Mag, hands down. There are very few cartridges in this class with a wider variety of available bullets and factory ammo. I've killed everything from steenbok to moose & eland with a .300. It just works. With heavy bullets, they're great for long range too.

You can use a brake, but I wouldn't.

 

[Onehorse]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

We've got time to shop, so I think I'm going to steer him towards a Savage or Tikka in 7mm Mag. I know everything is hard to find right now, but perhaps we could even score a used rifle in the $500 range, and then his budget might accommodate a new barrel with a faster twist (X-Caliber on sale can be had for <$500. Indeed, I have a couple myself).

As for a scope, I haven't looked at the $500 range for quite awhile, but I'm sure there's something that will suit his needs. I'm thinking something in the 3-12 or 4-16 range. He's a hunter first and foremost, so as long as it's durable and reasonably clear and bright, he'll be happy.

He was ecstatic when I tuned up his old Win 670 and 30 year old Burris Signature 2-8x40 with a 166 HH going 3200 fps into 1.5 MOA at 200 yds, so he shouldn't be too hard to please.

Please check out the Mauser m18. It's a bare bones rifle that comes in a variety of calibers that will fill your needs and it shoots "lights out". Eurooptics has them for a great price. NOTHING fancy , but EVERYTHING a rifle needs to shoot superbly!

 

[Lionel Boyd Johnson]

1) All ungulates to 400 yds (deer mostly, but elk, moose, etc will almost certainly be tackled occasionally).

2) Steel and paper to 800 plus (occasionally out to 1200 just for giggles on big targets).

3) $1500 for scope and rifle.

4) Factory rifle most likely (see #3).

5) I'll load for him, perhaps indefinitely, but reasonably common factory ammo is a must.

6) He only hunts with lead free. So it needs to have a good factory option in copper (see #5). He's cool with slinging lead at paper/steel, but verboten on animals.

7) He can handle recoil, but I'd like to steer him towards "a bit more than minimum" that will get the job done, so a factory rifle with a brake is a high priority, but not a deal breaker.

So...

Rifle?

Scope?

Cartridge?

I have my own opinions, but would love to hear from the peanut gallery. Just stay in the lane. None of the above 7 points can be violated and keep him happy. He's not a high volume shooter, but I'd like to push him that direction, so keep economy in mind too.

Remington or Savage "heavy barrel"
Leupold 4.5-14X
300 Win Mag, or 7mm Rem Mag

 

[grry10]

For a one rifle option I would go with a 280 AI and a Vortex scope. That said, I don't think he will get anything new that meets his criteria for $1500.

 

[The Swedish Meathunter]

Dear all
I probably go with a 300 win mag in a Mauser M18 ( stainless steel)
But if you can change a bit in You motives I go for the 30.06 and monometal bullet ( handloafs)

 

[skipglo]

So the following options are No-Go.
6.5PRC
.270 WSM
.280AI
7RM
30-06
.308
300WSM
300WM
And we have a winner!

Wellllll....thank you Madame Secretary!....Hornady launched a new mono for 2022 ...the new CX.. check it out...available for all calibers above and more!

 

[Moondoggie]

Weatherby Vanguard 6.5 prc. I-8 twist rate will sling hammers, high bc bullets. Vortex Venom optic. Enough $$ left for rings and base and a good leather sling.
Checks all the boxes, although several not perfectly. Right bullet and load choices will come very close.

Forgot to add, Weatherby sub MOA out of box guarantee.

No brainer, IMHO…although I could never settle on just one rifle

 

[Moondoggie]

I can shoot a 6.5 creed at targets for giggles at 1200 and with a 280 AI it's that much easier. So I think he would be fine but that's my take. A 300 win is a great option as well.

^^^
Wondering how long it'd take for the 6.5 Creed to show

 

[stringman]

In my humble opinion if a person is going to use only one rifle bear in mind there is no substitute for quality. $1500 for a rifle with optics may be a bit low, my advice would be in a factory rifle a browning X bolt preferably in the pro model or Tikka better yet would be a Sako. If you wish to shoot to 1500 yards quality optics would be important. Regarding caliber 7 mm Remington magnum however if you hand load my choice would be the 280 Ackley improved. I realize that what I'm recommending is going to exceed the $1500 requirement however I have found in my 50 years that it cost more in the long run to buy a product you're not really happy with only to spend more money in the future to get what you really want.

 

[hmbleservant]

Come on 7 PRC! Can't get here soon enough.

 

[Brandon.in.parts]

Howa 1500 7mm-08. Never look back.