My idea of "backup" rifle is seems different than what others are saying. I think of it as a rifle that is rock solid reliable that I can count on to work when other stuff fails. It is fully known, entirely debugged, always ready to go when the new gun in the safe that I might rather use gives me some kind of grief.
Loanable, yes, but that's not its point.
In that context, something like a Rem 700 XCR in '06 with a Leupold 4X in dual dovetail B&R loaded with 180 grain partitions would be hard to argue with. It's not a "go long" gun. It's not glamorous. But everything within 250 - 300 yards is in mortal danger.
If it was deer you were asking about, I'd swap it for a 7mm-08, otherwise the same, and say 140 grain partitions.
Tom
