I hunt from VA to FL and have a few rifles already in my stable, but I'm looking for that one that I'll carry 90% of the time. I used to use 3-4 different rifles during the season and want that one that I get to know like the back of my hand. I do reload. My thoughts of rifles and calibers. I'm sure this has been done a million times on here. Shots from 25-400yds depending on the state. I have good glass to put on the rifle that I finally decide on. My initial thoughts....
Rifles:
Bergara B14
Christensen Mesa
Tikka T-3X
Caliber choices:
270
6.5 Creedmoor
7mm mag
* A 280 if I could find one in the right rifle.
It's ashame the rifle business for manufacturers has gone where it's gone. Id love a 338 Federal in a Tikka or a 358 Winchester in a Ruger Hawkeye 77 for a lot of my hunting under 300yds.
All depends on where you hunt and what you hunt. For example, in Alaska where I live the most popular cartridges are the .30-06, .300WM, .338WM, 7mm Magnum, and .375H&H. There are all kinds of cartridges in between, but those calibers are the most popular.
For the type of hunting I do, the .338WM with a 225-grain TTSX is perfect, and so would be a .30-06 or .300WM with a 180-grainer, or even a .375 H&H with a 270 though 300 grainer. I chose the .338WM several years ago, simply because it falls in the middle, kicking on the hills of the outstanding .375H&H. The reasons why these calibers are popular in Alaska is because the animals we hunt tend to be very large, and some fight back. Yes, there is noting wrong with a .270 to hunt moose in bear country, but most hunters worry a little about bears. And yes, some hunters don't worry about bears, big butts, big kneecaps, and big foot, but "me chicken" does.
Your cartridge choices look great to me, and for some reason I can't explain I would pick the .270 first, and 7-08 second.
