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This will be a suprise. How about a 35 Whelen?

Hi Jim, Finn's was indeed a 30-06 Mauser in a Garret Accurlight stock (long defunct). As I recall that pic was snapped around 1982 and sported a 2.5 Weaver. He later went to a variable.

My recipe is a SS M70 Fwt. I recontoured the floorplate to more svelt proportions and had Dave Gentry re-bead blast it. I also had him cut the barrel to 21" and install the XS Sights front base and blade and NECG Classic rear. The extractor has been replaced with a Williams. The stock is indeed a Bansner. I bought it as a blank and did all the bedding and filling and installed the 3/4" Decelerator. I sent it back to Bansner's and they painted it. The scope is a VXII 2-7 in low Burris Zee's and all-steel Leupold Weaver bases. With an Uncle Mike's Mountain Sling and five rounds it weigh's 8lbs 1oz.

Were I doing the rifle again I'd probably put it in a McMillan Edge and shave another 3 oz's. I'd also probably put a 1.75x6 on top in Leupold QR rings. I was on a budget at the time... including all the work, parts, scope, rifle, etc, I have $1200 in the rifle. It shoots nearly any bullet exceptionally well and has accounted for several antelope, deer, one black bear and three six point bull elk.

Brad,

I am having much dificulty geting my lips to form the words, glad I'm typing.

That set up is as good as it gets. I could be happy with that ......onnnnnn.....wooooo......nnnn....

NO, NO I refuse to say it.

GB <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Brad,

That�s a first class hunting machine right there�Nice job.

Thank's for the kind word's gent's! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This rifle has a "better flet than telt" "gaminess" about it that just makes you feel everything it's pointed at is gonna die!

Just don't let it play second fiddle to that Kimber Montana. That just wouldn't be fair.

I'm working on my "one rifle". I have one left to sell and I'll be back to one. It's a Sako 75 in 300WM w/ OptiLock bases/rings, I'm replacing the walnut with a synthetic stock and replacing the old B&L scope with either a Bushnell 4200 2.5-10x40 or something similar...haven't decided yet.

I've had it for 8 years but I never took the time and $ to accesorize it the way I wanted. It's been a little difficult selling the other rifles but it's kind of a breath of fresh air too. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I also follow Finn's lead. Mine is a 308 much like Brad's. I just bought a 30-06 barrel for when I shoot out the 308 barrel in 10 years or so.


Okie John

My my , that's a fine looking rifle! I'd have put a silver scope on it instead of black one, but other than that, it looks great!

This one isn't completely finished yet, but when it is I wouldn't be afraid to use this as my one and only. Remington 700 LVSF .308 in a McMillan Classic.

For the first 40 years and possibly on out to 42 or 45 I've been an eastern whitetail hunter and black bear hunter. With that in mind I've had excellent luck with a 25-06 and a .270.....and a boat load of muzzleloaders.

Looking forward to my next 40 years and the hope/desire that my hunting expands to a broader spectrum...I've contemplated this question at length but had to settle my thoughts on two rifles to cover NA big game...

1. my Sucks BDL is being rebarreled to 30-06...cause I've always wanted one and I got a fair guess I can kill something with it using TSX's <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />....and it will be my eastern go to rifle.

2. To take a bigger step and extend my range just a bit for the west and north, I considered building a 300roy but settled on a Sucks CDL 300 Ultra Mag also using TSX's. For me and what I want to hunt in the future, I feel I have my bases covered more than adequately.

Down to two, but which one of them I'd choose I'm not sure.

Win Classic Fwt SS .270win in a Mcmillan fwt stock. Shoots 140gn BT's and AB's to .75" and better, shot one 140gn TSX group to .312"during load development, haven't loaded any more to try since then. It wears a 4.5-14x40 B&C Leupie, the B&C was like it was made for my 140BT load @ 2900fps.

Win Classic ss 300 Winnie in a Winlight (factory installed McMillan from Winchester). It shoots 200gn Partitions 3020 fps and right at an inch, or 200gn TSX @ 3050 fps and .75". The 300 also wears a 4.5-14x40 Leupold W/customshop reticle that has 300, 400, and 500yd dots.

I've killed stuff with both rifles out to 400yds, and further than that with the 300. I guess I'll just have to let the jury decide, no, wait, I'll keep them both.

Prarie dogs, antelope, deer, elk, and paper? Sounds like a job for the .308!! Compact, awesome ammo selection with a broad bullet range and good magazine capacity.
A guy really needs 3 or 4 or 8 rifles though. Barrels get hot so that justifies 2-3 varmint rigs. Other animals on the continent- add 2 more rifles... Add another continent- and you have 2 more rifles... There's justification for 8 mistresses right there!

Stainless model 70 chambered in 270 WSM.

bearstalker very interesting cartridge choice.I must admit to be very fond of the chambering.

Sako 300 win mag

Right now? Rem 700 LTR in 308. Fairly light with unbelievable accuracy.

However, I'd be hard pressed to let go of my 45-70 guide gun. Perfect for Georgia woods. Strikes like lightning.

ought6

That's a great choice. I wildcatted a 8mm/.350 Rem Mag and hunted with it in Idaho, Spain, Zambia and RSA. The only reason I haven't had it in the field for a while is that I've fallen in love with the 9.3 X 62 for big stuff, and .300 Savage in a Model 99 for the medium game. I'd be perfectly content to use my 8mm mag for my only North American rifle. It shoots a 220 g slug at about 2650 fps, and a 200 Nosler partition at 2800+. This is about what the .325 WSM is all about.

So many rifles so little time... I have taken a brief survey of big game dispatched and find my go to rifle is a revolver. Here in the midlands whitetails rule in the woods at close range. Second place goes to a Reminton ADL in .308 Win. After I got fancy, I got the last classic Remington, in .308 Win. I like the effenciency of the 24 inch barrel, the oiled walnut, the classic lines. After that, I love anything necked up or down from an existing cartridge, just for the joy of creation, .35 Whelen, 9.3x62mm, .416 Taylor, one pass through the press with some exisiting brass or usually buy the factory brass if it's cheap. If bears or dangerous game are a possibility, Alaska comes to mind, the .338 Win Mag and the .375 H&H are strong choices, even if loaded down to .338 Federal, .38-55 Win or .375 Win levels, plus some six grains more of an appropriate powder. The little Ruger 6.5x55 is a joy to shoot but it's never made any inroads in the local deer population, too many bows, muzzle loaders and handguns that need trying out. One lever gun lives at my house, a Winchester 94 in .38-55, marble tang sight, 26 inch rifle barrel. The rifle name, action type and caliber you use for the one man one rifle answer depends on your background and what you enjoy. If you read this website you probably can afford more than one rifle. My ex-father-in-law hunted for 40 years with one shotgun for everything, a 16 gauge Ithaca pump with a 28 inch modified barrel, vented rib and two bead sight. He had a bow and .22 LR rifle too, as well as a .22 revolver. He fed a large family with deer and small game taken with the pump when legal and with the .22 rifle when not. He was a true subsistance hunter, wasting nothing, so I don't hold his poaching against him back then. I hunt for pleasure, for the meat I like, and to see new country. If I'd started with a .338 Win Mag and an appropriate hand loading knowledge I would have come close to the one man one rifle model. The Navy spoiled me with ammo cans of free .308 Win / 7.62 Nato brass. Now I have to take a different rifle every year for my "vacation" hunt. Save ten months, spend it in ten days, that's my motto! What happens to the other two month's savings? I buy Christmas and birthday presents for the wife and kids of course and another rifle for me.

I have a copy of the "One Gun, One Rifle, One Man" and it is a very good reference book. It unfortunatly, reinforces the fact that if you use an adequate bullet and stick it in the right spot, you can do it all with a .30/06 and that can be upsetting to riflemen who wouldn't dream of playing golf with one club.

I did a survey of SCI hunters once, to see what cartridge if any, was dominant among them for world hunting. The .338 handloaded with 250 grain Partitions won by a landslide and was used for everything from Dall sheep to African Lion.

Many had a second lighter rifle like a .270 for deer sized game locally or perhaps a heavy such as the .458 for Buffalo and elephant but the .338 ( to a lesser extent, the .340) ruled the kingdon at that time.

As a side bar, In all the years I have been reviewing rifles and handloaded for them, I found that Partitions in the heaviest weight for the given caliber, shot the most accurately overall.

You may find that interesting.

AGW