Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Your new short action rifle?

If you were to buy a new short action rifle to use for medium range whitetails in the northeast; what make, caliber, action, load and sight configuration would you choose?

It can be any choice; new or used; current production or dis-continued. Be as detailed as you like.

Stainless mountain rifle (700) synthetic stock in 7-08 with something like a 2x7 leupold vx2 on it and most any cup and core 139/140 would be a good start point.

Bought a Kimber Classic Stainless in 243 for that very purpose(except southeast). I wanted one in 7mm-08, but couldn't find one. I put what seems to have become standard glass on that rifle, a VX3 2.5-8, and I couldn't be happier. Still would have prefered a 7mm-08 , but I think a 95gr ballistic tip will do just fine.

I've been beguiled by the enchantments of a 722 in .300 Savage, wearing a VX-III 1.5-5x20 in Talleys. It likes 130 TSX's over 4895. But for the bullets, it's about as "classic" as one gets for "medium range whitetails in the northeast." A lever on the bottom, though, would surely make it "classic-er".

FC

M70 Compact Classic. Rebarreled to 257 Roberts. 2X7 Leupy.

I've never been to the North East, let alone hunted there, but here's my choice from what little white-tail hunting I've done in Oregon.

If I could find one, a blued/wood Remington Mountain Rifle .257 Roberts... the BDL style. Leupold 2.5-8x in S&K mounts. Those rifles were reported to be a little finicky as to what they liked, but if I could get a 110 AB or 80 TTSX to shoot, I'd use that.

Winchester Extreme Weather 7-08 for an out-of-the-box rifle.
Had one in 308 and twas a nice rifle�but..my semi-custom 7-08 gets all the love so I moved it down the road.

Glass is subjective and I like variables. Zeiss 3-9x40 or similar would work well in Talley LWt's.

Most factory 120-140 loads should do fine. I shoot the 120TTSX over R15 at 2985fps and the 140 NAB over I4350 at 2700fps.



Here is my current 7-08 , McM Mt rifle Edge, Ti action, Broughton tube at 22", Zeiss Diavari 2-10x42.



This was my M70EW with Zeiss 3.5-10x50

Just bought a Kimber Stainless Classic from Kimber7man in the classifieds. Caliber is the perfect 7mm-08 (for me anyway). It is shooting the 120 gr. TTSX into an inch and a quarter or less every time I try it. This one will be with me for the rest of my hunting life. Light, well balanced, and a shooter; what more could I want. Thanks K7M.

P.S. I have a hard time with pictures. I'll get help and post later.

This one.



Krylon. Ruger American. .308Win. Burris Zees holding on a Weaver 4.75X Grand Slam. Vero Vellini. 7lb-6oz w/ 4 rds on board. Sling and all but 3 rds ride in the day pack when hunting so weight in the hands is 7LB

Crazy good $20.00 Enlan F723 folder from Vince.

Mod Seven in 7-08, B&C Stock. Leupold UL 3-9X in Talleys.

This, Can only hope one would come along.

I've been beguiled by the enchantments of a 722 in .300 Savage, wearing a VX-III 1.5-5x20 in Talleys. It likes 130 TSX's over 4895. But for the bullets, it's about as "classic" as one gets for "medium range whitetails in the northeast." A lever on the bottom, though, would surely make it "classic-er".

Carl

Cooper 54 7mm-08
Leupold VX3 2.5-8

Vanguard s2 carbine or youth in .308. Just picked up 2, a 22-250 for my 7 year old and a 308 for me. Talley lw lows and leupold compact scope. A little hefty on paper but balances perfect with slim wrist and 20" barrel. First group out of both with winchester ballistic tips were 1/2" for 22-250 and 3/4" for .308. Not the least bit whippy, even with #1 contour barrel.

Cheap too!

If you and FC only rotate the 722 bolt handle 90 degrees towards the ground 'gansta style', the lever would then be on the bottom. The "classic-er" issue becomes moot .

I get it though. My primary hunting rigs for the NE are a 1957 .308W Savage 99F or a 1954 .250S 99EG. I just hate having to tear them down after getting caught out in some hard weather. The Ruger American posted above is the foul weather back-up.

Ruger Hawkeye Ultra light, 257 Roberts, Leupold FXII 4X.

Never mind, thats a long action.

This one

Model 70 Featherweight, rebarreled to 260 Rem ( 20 inch barrel length, 1 in 8 twist) synthetic stock..
1.75 x 6 Leupold.

I would use either a Savage 99F in 308,
or a Remington Seven XCR in 243 or 308.


A Leupie 4x would make me happy and deer sad.

Depending on where my quarterly bonus comes in next week, most likely putting in an order for a Kimber Classic Select in .257 Roberts. Likely topping it with a Leupy 2.5-8 of some flavor. I've got a Kimber in .308 and couldn't be happier with the little rifle.

Kimber Montana in 308 or 7mm08
Winchester M70 EW with a micky stock 308 or 7mm08
Ruger stainless MKII with boat paddle stock 308 or 7mm08


Scope would be the same for all Zeiss conquest 3-9x40 with their #4 reticle.

A savage 99 in 300 savage would be sexy as hell too