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

Let's see....

6.5 RM
.284
6.5x284
7-08
.270WSM

Ta dum ta dum ta dum

Well Campfire away! Remember this is not about the one rifle only thing! Just about a rugged, light rifle usable for a great amount of hunting. I personally shoot rifles of virtually every bore diameter except.177, .257,.277,.338 and .375 up to .458. Of these the .277 is the only one I will not build another rifle for. I would not hesitate to take an angling shot running the 200 grain Partition at 2500 fps, I just don't need deeper penetration than this load can provide. The 308 is a bit too easy to find a load that shoots well, the variety of bullets for it is just too great, brass is too easy to find and God forbid you need some factory ammo you can find it just about anywhere it is sold. And I have three of them!

Pappy

If you had read my original reply I suggested it was a matter of preference and that I am glad that there are many options. This reply to Palidan was sarcasm. I missed the sarcasm font. I prefer long actions, but also own short actions. I believe everyone can pick and choose as they wish. I'm glad there's options. My wife's rifles - one is a Marlin 39-30 the other is a short action Tikka 7mm-08.

Again people's preferences and a person's "view of Sensibility" is as different as there are number of shooters.

My view is different than others, but so what? I like what I like and you have the same opportunity.

I was just being contrary myself. No biggie.

In reality, I'm pretty sure that nothing discussed here actually makes a frog-farts worth of difference in the field. Good bullets now, that's something else altogether!

Ackley did experiment with a 308 necked down to 270, and he liked the round. The 270 has more case capacity than is optimum for efficient conversion of powder to muzzle velocity, so the MV loss wasn't much, about 50 FPS.

The diameter of a 7mm bullet is .284, vs. .277 for the 270. That gives the 7mm about 5% more area and so 5% more bullet acceleration at the same gas pressure and bullet mass.

So you could say that the 7mm-08 is very close to the 270-08, and perhaps just a little bit better. With the 7mm-08 already established in the marketplace, I think the 270-08 would probably have some tough sledding.

Palidun asked if we like his proposed setup, and I do. I have one about like it, and see little need to carry anything else in the field. If I had my 'druthers, I'd have the same rig in 7mm-08: milder recoil and more pleasant at the range, bullet and case capacity about ideally balanced, good BC bullets available, and a bit longer flatter trajectory than the 308. But do I like the 308? Heck yes. Load that puppy up with 150 TTSXs, and life is good.

A sensible rifle is one that you can talk to and won't talk back, or hurt you. If you cuss at it, you'll be ignored. It's a silent partner that anticipates your needs. A sensible rifle is one that's fun to be around and shoot. Not too pushy, and always covers your 6.

A sensible rifle is one that doesn't mind being out in the bad weather. Rain, snow, fog or blistering sun, the sensible rifle is good with all those scenarios (even if you aren't).

A sensible rifle is one that is easy to feed, and when called upon to render an opinion, is a straight shooter. Sensible rifles don't mind if things get rough, but expect that you will watch their 6 as well. Always use a sling, so you don't drop it.

But what happens if you do? A sensible rifle doesn't mind getting dirty, but be respectful and clean it regularly. First aid on the dings and scrapes is nice, once you're back at camp.

Take stock of yourself and your rifle. How should you dress when hunting? Do you wear synthetic or natural fibres? It all depends where you're going and what you're doing.

A sensible rifle follows that rule as well. If it has a tough job to do, and you cannot afford to take time away to look after it, use a synthetic stock. Wood looks great at the theatre or the range, but if you're climbing a mountain or slogging through a rocky, northern Ontario bush, polymers win.

A sensible rifle is one that works with you to get the job done. It should be a perfect marriage of fit and handling. A sensible rifle is the perfect dance partner.

That's what Christmas is about, Charlie Brown.

Dang, Stevo, maybe you and your rifle oughta get a room.😛

A Win70 Featherweight 30-06 will always get the job done. As such, it is the most sensible.

Sensible is about the middle of the road cartridges. There are special applications calling for something quite different. But in general, the .277's, .284's and .308's can handle 95% of North American big game. Long action or short is up to you.

Should work just fine.
To think that I put together my "sensible" rifle (Sako AII Hunter w/ oil finish a 4x32 Swarovski in Warne Rings)in 1987.
That being said, as true Looney that has not kept me from trying lots of other stuff.
I'm using 150Gr. NAB's with Varget or R15 in my 308's (one of JB's loads).
Of course YMMV.

StarchedCover

This one would be hard to beat for practical sensible.

Remington Model 78 Sportsman [Google it ] in 30/06 topped with a Bushnell Scopechief VI 4x.

In my case I have a definite preference for early Brno...but the most cost effective and practical quality rifle cartridge option I can think of has to be the Husqvarna 98 146 action in 30-06.

Were I starting out now I would simply hunt one of these down and use it for the rest of my life, and leave it to whoever I think deserved same when I kick the bucket.

Well there ain't any elk or grizzly bears to hunt around here. The most useful rifle you can own hereabouts is one that can reasonably be used on rabbits, squirrels, crows, woodchucks, coyotes and deer. A .308 doesn't come close to matching the "sensible" of a .223 here. I own both and the .223 gets way more use. In fact I haven't blown the dust off my .308 in years.

Well you don't get out much do you Blackheart! One can make the argument that the most sensible 2 rifle battery would include the 223. I hunt rabbits, squirrels and crows with a shotgun, don't have any woodchucks but will shoot coyotes with any rifle in hand at the time.

Yes that is a very sensible rifle, the backdrop suggests you have many options!

Don't get out much ? I've killed 12 squirrels and 5 geese in the past 3 days. Will be going hunting again this afternoon for one or the other, haven't decided yet. How about you ? No I don't travel out of state to hunt. I do hunt pretty regular like around here. I've been shooting woodchucks all summer with my .223. Next month it will be used for my predator calling rifle and in November it will go deer hunting. After that more predator calling until March. My .308 won't get out of the safe in that time. In fact the only reason I keep the .308 is because it was a Christmas gift from my parents many years ago. I haven't even shot it in probably 10 years.

I've killed deer out to almost 600 with a 223... deer ain't all that tough.

And I watched a book deer get shot with a 223 and lord forbid... 69 matchkings... extremely dead...

But 223 would be light and mostly illegal for elk and moose most places.

Generally speaking if you pick the right bullet and stay within the range of the cartridge, you'll be fine if you can shoot.

I've taken stuff way further with a 308 than most will say its capable, but so have a fair number of 308 fans... especially those that played with it for uncle sam...

223 would work for everything we have in Texas thats for sure. And I'll grab a 223 for daily use when I need somehting generally... and that includes deer and pigs around the house...

hell I kill quite a few deer with the 300/221 suppressed that has damn little energy.... 200 ish grain bullet less than 1000 fps muzzle... does the trick out to 200 yards so far...

So if the poster is happy, get after it.

Speaking of, where's the Poobs with his .223AI/McFlame, that ultimate, über cool, snookem, go to, do all, every man's setup ever...😎

DF

Depends where you live and what you hunt I suppose.

Be hard for me to pick either the 22-250 or 6mm if forced to pick "most sensible" for "MY" uses which are 90% coyotes and 10% whitetail.

As for the OP I would have to say the 7mm-08 with a fixed 6 gets my vote.

I really should do a mini flame like his one day, but my ARs are so damn good....

But my flame, is 7x300 but I like the stock colors. Amazing we chose the same pattern so many years ago...