Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Most sensible Rifle?

First this has nothing to do with the "If you could only have one rifle" type of thread. You can have all you want. This is more of a most useful rifle you can put together thing. I'm thinking for my uses which include elk hunting, deer hunting, some target shooting, and just a keep in the truck gun a light short action in 308 with a 4 power Leupold solidly mounted and sighted in for any of the medium weight Partitions I would be good for most anything out to around 350 yards. How far off am I?

that was the first thing that came to mind, yes. next would be a 257 Roberts. enough for elk but great on deer and varmints.

You're at least 50 yards off because I am sure you can do all those things with the same setup at 400 yards . It's hard to beat a 308.

I recently bought a M-70 EW in 308 and have to say its the nicest put-together factory rifle I've had my hands on in a long time.

The only change I would make is a 3x9 scope instead of the fixed 4X even though it has a few more moving parts. It is just a little more versatile IMO.

drover

I wanted to keep weight down as close to 7.5 pounds as I could so went with a very clear 4 power. I have two of these rifles, one built on a 24/47 Mauser and the other I just got is a Marlin XS7. The Mauser is 6 ounces heavier but I like both rifles.

I have a Howa Lightweight in .308 in a Sako classic McMillan. Sight is a Leupold VX-2 2-7X33 CDS.

20" barrel, LOP is 12.5" but winter clothing helps, and is fairly light, not much longer than my M94 Winchester but much more versatile.

Not disagreeing with drover, but instead of a 3-9, I would be inclined to go 2-7. The scope is a little lighter and field of view up close is wider. That would simply be my preference.

CLR in 270 or 30-06.

The optics and mounts that you prefer.

A factory load with a bullet weight that is accurate in your rifle and is sufficient for the game you intend to shoot with it.

Handled a wood stocked version the other week. Nice rifle. $289 w/free shipping at Bud's.
http://www.mossberg.com/product/mossberg-patriot-synthetic-27864/

Palidun,

I've got a version of that very rifle, a T/C Venture Compact .308 with a 6x38 Weaver scope. (I prefer fixed 6's but that is neither here nor there.) It has a 20" barrel, weighs 7-3/4 pounds with the scope. The T/C Venture is a definite step up from some of the lower-priced rifles offered today, with a better trigger, and stiffer and block-bedded synthetic stock. This one's VERY accurate with just about any ammo--and the only reason I don't use it more is owning a lot of other rifles!

Didn't take it as a disagreement at all. Just two people from different parts of the country having different preferences. I see you are in VA so I can see why you would like a like more field of view, I am in Idaho and prefer a little more magnification since I am in more open country. Either would work just fine as would the OP's choice of a 4X.

drover

I've got the Marlin's big brother - XL7, .30-06. It wears a 4x40 Nikon Buckmaster in Talley's, and comes in at





I only bought it 'cause it was going too cheap here on 24HCF, but the darned thing shoots like this:





Given how it carries, shoots, and doesn't mind being drug through the dirt...





It just may be the most, "sensible" rifle I own.

FC

Every time I see a 308, I throw up a little in my mouth, but it IS a very sensible, logical caliber. I'd pick a Model 70 FWT 3006 w a Leopold 2.5X8X36.

Remington 700 in 308. Pick model you like best!!

I have decided to become even more sensible, sell the 308 barrel I have for my Encore so I don't have to load for it and can use reloads that work nicely for both of my bolt actions. The Encore barrel is 21 inches long and plenty accurate but it likes loads 3 grains less than either bolt gun. This will open up the possibility of a 1 in 8 twist 22-250 barrel so I can play with 75 grain AMax's. Wait, is that More sensible?

Can't fault the 30-06 for sensibility, how do you like the Nikon? Considered buying one myself.

A buddy who is now passed on cherished his Savage 99EG in .300 Savage, but was forced to sell it off to pay medical bills. He was fully set up to load for the cartridge, but lacked a rifle so chambered.

His health got better and he had a model 700 ADL .22-250 with badly worn chamber and barrel, for which he sought and found a .300 Savage barrel. A couple of years later he found a used Brown stock for it.

It always performed well for him and I'm pretty sure that having it took some sting out of losing his old Savage. He used that rifle for all of his hunting in his final years. He hunted Minnesota deer, and Wyoming deer and antelope, and he shot a number of coyotes as well when we hunted together.

I bought his place after he passed, and was surprised to find that rifle still there. Made sure that his grandson got it. Turned out the boy had used it a few years back to shoot his first antelope, too. Was pretty happy to see it.

I don't feel that a .30 cal rifle is really necessary for general hunting, but they are really versatile and useable. Sensible is as sensible does and my buddy Greg made it work like a charm.

The 308 is a thinking man's cartridge.

By my own definition I might be smart as I've currently got three

It's my favorite cartridge, and I've taken more than a couple bull elk with the round. Me, I'd do a fixed 6 over a 4, or better yet a 2.5-8, but that's a minor point.

All your choices aren't bad and while I love a nice bolt action (preferably a P64 M70) I think a AR-10 or SCAR17 is more usefull and practical for an all around rifle. It does everything all your choices does and could also be used for defense if need be.

I have many, many rifles and I find myself grabbing my SCAR17 with a Leupold 1.5-4.5 VXR Patrol scope on it more than all others combined. Folding stock so it can be stowed in a small area, lever mounts so if the scope goes to crap I can take it off and use irons.

Pre 64 FWT M70 in .270 Win could do all that.

There are also lightweight 7x57s (think NULA) that could do the same, just maybe, a little slower.

donsm70