Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles All-around rifle?

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.

I picked up a barrett fieldcraft this year in 6.5 CM and it has become my all around rifle. So much so that I may be selling nearly every other hunting rifle I have soon...

Of the listed choices: Tikka T-3X.......but none of the listed calibers! memtb

Memtb, It was a suggestion list, what caliber would you go with?

Handle a bunch of rifles personally and pick the one that fits you best, including stuff like safety manipulation, magazine type, etc. Then decide on the cartridge from those available in that model. Honestly, I see no need for any of the magnums in the East, even if you include Kentucky elk. Other than that, pick a cartridge and use good bullets, and you should be fine. There's all kinds of debate here on cartridge virtues, but except for very specialized usage, they're all fine, especially if you reload and aren't dependent on Walmart for your ammo. Any of the standard rounds should give you good bore-life too, important I think in one's go-to rifle.

BTW, there are caliber restrictions on those Kentucky and Pennsylvania elk, if those are on your list of possibilities.

I use a Tikka T3 lite in .270 win.

Fieldcraft in 243

Any of those would be fine. You need to handle them in short and long action,except the Tikka which is only long. If I went Tikka I would get the 7 mag. You could load it any way you want.

You just have to decide on rifle choice as to how it feels to you. That might change a few years down the road too. I just turned 50 and already like carrying my lighter rifles in lighter recoiling calibers. For me personally, a Barrett Fieldcraft either in 6.5 or 270 would be about perfect.

After over 40 years of hunting and about 35 hunting by myself and hard,I wish I had then what I have now. I would have done much better. I've missed multiple deer in one day with an old $60 Spanish 308 Mauser I picked up, which was all I could afford at the time.

Right now my favorite rifles are a Kimber Montana 7mm-08 and a early Forbes 270 that likes to shoot one hole groups. Both rifles would be very close to the current Barret Fieldcrafts in size but I feel the Fieldcrafts are superior in workmanship and design.

Of your choices I would likely pick a Tikka. I wouldn't mind a Mesa but I've heard some customers complain that their particular rifle wasn't all that ,and they had a hard time with CS. I may be totally wrong but I feel it is either hit or miss with misses being fewer currently than in the past. I would put Kimber in the same category.

I might try a Bergara if it felt and looked good. I haven't even seen one here in this hick town and I haven't needed one bad enough to go looking.

I think the key to knowing what to choose is in what you already have. You said you have several rifles. What do you like and dislike about what you have? Do you want a lighter rifle? Have you ever shot a truly light rifle? My Forbes is right at 7 lbs all up and my Kimber is 6 all up. I shoot the Forbes better and would rather carry it if I might get a longer shot,but if I am going to be in the woods,I would rather carry the Kimber. So the question becomes what do you have,and what do you want?

I've owned more than my share of rifles. I'd say I'm somewhere North of 200. Through hard times or divorce I've parted with 2 pretty big collections. I've had rifles built in 280Ack, 338-06, standard 280, and 6.5-284. At one time in the late 80's I had most of the Ruger M-77 rifles and calbers available. Tons of Remington BDL and mountain rifles. I've been on the bad end of three Kimbers including the 7mm-08 I currently own. 1.5 inches was about the best I've ever done with a Kimber out of the box. I've had this one bedded, trigger adjusted,and crown re-cut. I finally got a load to do ¾" . There service isn't the greatest either. I've had all kinds if Weatherbys from Mark V's to VGX's. I currently have mostly Sako, Tikka, and Bergara rifles. I like what I have, but nothing just jumps out as a carry me every day. I have long range stand rifles, and mostly 100yd walkers. I Like the Tikka T3X in 6.5 Creedmoor, but I'd have 2"s of barrel lopped off the 24" tube they currently have. The Mess fits and feels great, but I haven't seen too many people carrying it. The Bergara shoots great, but a tad bulky. I'm just getting some info on what opinions everyone else thinks if current manufacturers offerings and caliber choices.

Fieldcraft 7-08 will do anything you want in NA. Will be my next purchase, been playing with a pard's and I love it

You mentioned “all around”! My thoughts are one rifle/caliber for any use here in NA, should you decide to hunt “large” big game....as well as Whitetails. It’s pretty difficult to beat the .338 WM. A readily available,wide variety of factory ammo. A very capable long range caliber ( with proper bullets). Excels for elk, moose, bear....while working very well on deer/antelope sized big game! Likely “more” than what you need for eastern Whitetails and/or hogs....but it is a good “all around”, one caliber for everything in NA.

Our thoughts are similar to yours, use one rifle exclusively.....so it “fits like a glove”! This has been my wife’s “only” hunting rifle caliber, since ‘95! memtb

A 308 is about as versatile as anything, and certainly all the gun you need, especially in the lower 48. Even here in northern Canada a 308 is preferred by a lot of hunters for everything including grizzly bears. In your position I would buy a Sako, in 308, but like Col Townsend Whelen said "a 30/06 is never the wrong choice," so that would be on my list as well....also in a Sako.

Hard for a handloader to do much better.

David

All depends where one plans to hunt, but for me a rifle between 6 1/2 and 7 lbs. chambered for the 270 or 308 would be the ticket....

A Fieldcraft in .308 screams all-around rifle to me. Could spruce it up with a .338 Fed barrel if that suits you.

Of the choices you listed, I'd take the Tikka in 6.5 CM.

All three are good choices

Any of the three in 30-06 or 270 .

I swore off from 30 06 years ago but for 1 gun to do everything I think I would pick just that. I would pick 2 scopes though one a 2 to 7 the other somewhere around 4 to 12 or so. Mount the on the best Q mounts you can find. You have bullets available to hunt anything in North America. Powders are not a problem and in a pinch you can buy loaded stuff almost anywhere. I'd go with a H&S stock in a a barreled action. That said mine is a 308 which has served me well.

of your choices, bergara b14 in 270, because deer are the largest animal you're likely to hunt in the states mentioned.

While I have more than my share, my current favorite is a Stainless Vanguard S2 7mm Mag. Second choice is a Sako A7 in 270 Winchester.