What's your handy/goto rifle?

[HuskyMusky]

What's your handy or goto rifle?


1. If you had to pick a short action cartridge with a 22" barrel, what cartridge would you pick?

2. If you had to pick a long action cartridge with a 22" barrel, what cartridge would you pick?

*shorter barrels are acceptable...


In no rush but would like one of these in the future, I'm torn between 270 Win, 280 Rem(AI), and something like the 6.5 creedmoor or 260rem, 7mm-08.

 

[ivorytip]

.270 win for me

 

[kidoggy]

x2 .270 probly gonna buy a browning x-bolt soon

 

[mnhoundman]

270 for me too, I also like my wife's 257.

 

[go_deep]

.270 win. That's all I use for antelope, deer, and elk. If/when I draw a bison or moose tag that's what I'll use then too.

 

[JimP]

Of all the rifles that I have in my safe the one that would be my go to rifle no matter what would be my .340 Weatherby.

I know that it would be overkill on most animals but it works from jackrabbits on up.

Just as a example here is a picture of my springbuck that I shot at 429 yards with my .340, the 225 grain bullet weighs almost as much as the springbuck......................well, almost.

 

[rjroberts15]

My go to is a Model 70 extreme weather 270 win. I love how balanced it is.

 

[kidoggy]

My go to is a Model 70 extreme weather 270 win. I love how balanced it is.

nice. been lookin at those also.

right now it is down to choice between, win 70 extreme or browning x-bolt

 

[mntnguide]

Savage 116 in 7 Mag...Sheep, antelope, deer, elk...its done it all and taken a beating and still shoots straight. My next pick up will most likely be a .300 WSM in either a lever action browning BLR or another Savage 116

 

[DRUSS]

Short action 7mm08 long action 22" barrel 270 or 280. If willing to go to 24" then 280AI. I believe to get the advantages of the improved version it needs the little bit longer barrel. IMO

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I don't have any big game rifles that are short action. What I already have fills the bill nicely for me for all of North America.

For anything deer/sheep and smaller, my Ruger M77 (1976 vintage, tang safety) in 25-06 with my own handloads. Came from the factory with a 26" barrel, still has it.

For anything elk & larger, my custom commercial mauser in .300 Wby with my own handloads. Has a Shilen match barrel @ 23".

I have shoot both of these for 40 or so years and never felt I have the wrong caliber for what I was hunting. I also have a 30-06, .243, 45-70 & .375 H & H. When I'm hunting, the 2 I use have taken probably 100 animals and I can shoot them well.

I forgot to mention that the reason the barrel length on the .300 Wby is 23" is that when I screw on the muzzle brake it goes to 25". I usually hunt with the MB off, using it mostly at the shooting range.

 

[xtreme]

My go to for whitetail and smaller including coyote is an A-Bolt 243wssm. Shoots same ballistics as 25-06. For bear and larger I again use an A-Bolt but 7 mm. I do not reload but a 168 Berger goes 3067 at the muzzle. ii do stay ready to reload depending on what the government does. My ranch gun is a Savage 22-250 sometimes deer too.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Short action is a Model Seven in 260 Rem. caliber. Long action is a Tikka Super Liye in 7RM. I also own an A-Bolt in .308 that sees some action.

 

[Horsenhike]

Stevens 200 in .308. Selling off some other stuff to put together a Tikka 7mm and bigger scope this winter. Will probably always keep the Savage though.

 

[Slugz]

With the limiting factor being 22" barrel I think all of those are in the same baseball park and arguably on the same base when comparing it from a sheer number/data perspective. If I had to choose I'd go the 270 route with a hot hand load.

 

[300magman]

Short action 300wsm, long 300 win mag for me, Rocky Mountain rifles for brand. I prefer 24 or 26" barrels though.

 

[wa-hunter]

300 wsm all the way absolutely love the cartridge in a 22 inch barrel

 

[THelms]

Model 700 in .308 win shooting 165 grain partitions.

 

[rammont]

I like my modified M1A SOCOM rifle in .308 Win. I use 168gr TTSX handloads. Took my elk this year with a 110 yard shot using iron sights.

 

[dan maule]

I purchased a Model 700 mountain rifle in .280 for my wife about 18 years ago. I have always been a .340 wby guy but I have fallen in love with both the rifle and 280 caliber over the years. My vote would be for the 280.