Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles One Rifle

I enjoy my old Remington Model 30s in 257 Roberts, 117 grain, round nose. I have an old Weaver 2-7x on it.

I find myself straddling the 30-06 with a 260 and 7mmMag. 223 thrown in for fun. I'd say that covers anything that needs a hole poked in it.

10 years ago, it would have been my Ruger M77 mkII in a 300wm, now adays i find myself reaching for my Ruger M77 mkII in .257 Roberts, with 100 grain Nosler BTs.

That is a nice XCR II, did you sell her? As I remember that rifle shot Barnes Vortex factory ammo mighty good, I think that was the only load I tried...........Hb

Bought her, she's headed up the road to 'noke. Which Vortex load?

I am a little late to the game but will post just to keep the thread going -

My one rifle would be the one I use about 90% of the time anyway.

Cooper model 21 Classic Sporter with fluted barrel
223 Rem
Bullets - mostly 40 gr Nosler BT, sometimes 50's for a specialty load (wolf)
Leupold VX-2 3x9-40 with dots

Reasoning - I do not really hunt elk or bear anymore, most all of my shooting is gophers, PD's, coyotes, and hopefully someday a wolf if I our paths cross. If needed I could use it for deer or antelope but that scenario is unlikely.

Inexpensive to shoot, the rifle is light and handles great, it is inexpensive to shoot and I never have to worry about brass or other components since I have plenty laid in already and as a last case 223 ammo is readily available.

drover

I've always thought a 30-06, 260 and 223 is a dynamite trio.

I have no use for a 7mag though.

Id regret having to make the choice that fast, but without a doubt Id do what I do most years and on most elk hunts and grab the primary elk rifle I ve used, my 18 year old synthetic stock stainless ,340 wby 26" heavy barrel, that I bought too use with my very similar older blue steel version of the same rig, loaded with 250 grain hornady bullets over a 215 fed primer and a stiff load oh h4831 add a 27" harris bi-pod a sling and my leopold 3x9x scope would be the rifle Id grab if limited to a single hunting rifle.
It may not be ideal but inside of 450 or so yards I can be rather more effective than the deer and elk would like to think about, if they think about things like that.
yeah! too heavy but darn effective and ill trade mobility and easy transport for the ability to make the first shot hit where I want it too.

I probably don't either, but couldn't resist. Its the 162 Amax's fault.

Make mine a .223. Any medium weight bolt action would do, so long as it's capable of .5 MOA and has a good trigger and a safety that's convenient, quiet to operate and locks the bolt. Most of my hunting is varmints/predators and deer. A 9 twist barrel will do me fine as it'll stabilize any hunting bullet I'd ever care to use. Put a good 3-9x40 on top and I'm happy. Add an accurate .22 LR for squirrels and cottontails and a 12 gauge pump {Ithaca 37 please} for birds and I'm ready for anything I'm gonna hunt till they plant me.

If one is a slut for 7mm, the 7mm Remington Magnum sings a sweet sweet song.

I could easily grab either of my GAP rifles, and do often, but if it was down to one rifle for everything I would pick my SS lefty Model 70 in 30-06.

Great thread Sam!

Pre 64 M70 30-06 Fwt, Mcmillan stock, nosler boolits

My MRC 1999 308 Norma, it sits in a McMillian Supergrade pattern, Leupold 3.5x10. 150 TTSX for the medium stuff, 190 Hornady for the big stuff.

IF I could keep only one.

I'm pretty sure the load I tried was the 160 grain Vortex TTSX ....... ... Hb

.25-20 Winchester in a lever action with panache. It has a tang sight.



My ears like it. It's versatile. Stuff is closer when it dies so I don't have to walk a mile to get to it. It's cheap to operate. No batteries, no reticules falling apart, or glass to fog up.

So you're saying you're to sell me that 260

At this moment my M7ss 7-08 2-7x32 monarch and Talley Super lows 120 gr Barnes TTSX.

I think I bought about 500 150 Np's from you a few years back. Did you think you would never have another 270? Ouch!

IF, and only IF, I had to go down to only one rifle, yes.