Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters MD- If you had to "downsize" today...

I've heard it said the 7 mag isn't a good deer killer "'cause the bullet is going so fast it's out the far side before it does much damage".

I stated up front that it was an unfounded bias.


Definitely it was the nut pulling the trigger?

I feel the same way about my 270's and 338-06's. Irrational affection sums it up nicely.

I am down to three

30/06 Tikka T3x
270 wby Ultralight
7mm Wby Accumark

No plans to buy any other Hi Power rifle except possibly a straight case round for the midwest states that allow it and a Crossbow. I have 3 rifles and a benelli shotgun on consignment.

At seven decades, and though still able, weight when scrambling on rough ground has become a premium consideration for me also. From Iowa, any serious big game hunting for me means some travel and usually limited time which generally also means less of it. Which is fine for the stage of life I’m in.

Big game rifle-redux has left me with a custom 284 (140’s at 3100 fps) which with a Leupold 6x36 with LRD weighs in at short of 6.5 lbs. I have taken more than several trophy-to-me head of big game with it including a fine whitetail buck at a lasered 500 yds. After having used about every magnum from 7mm through 375 for years, this is a very pleasant stopping point for me.

I do have a bunch of smaller caliber rifles yet.

Relatedly, household redux in general is a good idea when one gets older. Imagine your wife (or kids) having to empty a house full of stuff if you suddenly depart. As a good friend of mine is want to say, he’s never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse. 🙂

Yea, in terms of hunting rifles I can relate.

I'm down to three now -
- 257 Bob - my pronghorn sausage rifle
- 30-06 - for the rest of NA
- 375 H&H - for the times I catch a plane ride Over There....

Finally let go of the 7x57 and 6.5x55. Awesome calibers. They're being packed around by nephews now.
Handed the .30-30 to a neighbors kid. I hadn't shot it in decades.

Now if I ever stumble across a 300 H&H I just might....

Big Game:
Ruger 77R 25-06 Teflon coated and bedded in a Brown Precision stock. More or less retired.
Kimber Montana 6.5 Creedmoor.
Kimber Montana 300WSM,

Truck Gun:
Kimber Hunter 308.

Dangerous Game:
Winchester Model 70 SS 375 H&H.

Predators:
Kimber Varmint 22-250 Ceracoted and bedded in a Wildcat stock.
Remington Model 7 Predator 17 Fireball (to be replaced by a Kimber Montana rebarreled to 17 Fireball or 17 Remington (makes no practical sense except I want to be rid of Remington rifles and want them all to be Kimbers or Winchesters))

Shotguns:
Remington 870 Express 12ga
Remington 870 SPS 12ga
Beretta A400

Rimfire:
Cooey Model 600 22LR (first gun I bought at age 14)
CZ 455 SS 22LR
CZ 455 SS 22Mag
Ruger 10/22 LR

Handguns:
Ruger
22/45 Lite
Bearcat SS with adj sights
Both Blued and Stainless Flattop Blackhawks 44 Spl
Smith & Wesson
Model 63 4"
Model 17-6
Model 19 2.5"
Model 686 4.25"
Model 41 - both Barrel lengths
M&P22
SAM
1911 9mm
Sig Sauer
1911 Tac Ops 45 ACP
1911 RCS 45 ACP

Yes. I've heard that too and not ONLY about the 7 RM but also the 270.

Jerry

Mathman, once back in the day I killed a SD whitetail buck on the run at about 250 yards (I am not claiming I can do that regularly) with a 7mm Rem Mag and 150-gr NP’s.

Upon coming up to the buck an acquaintance, noting the quarter-sized exit at the neck-shoulder juncture, opined neither the cartridge or the bullet were very good for deer

George,

I'll start by stating that I HAVE seen a U-Haul behind a hearse. A local friend of mine passed away, suddenly and too young at 59, and since he knew a heart condition would probably not allow him lots of time, had specified in writing (he was a lawyer) that certain items would be buried with him--and also made arrangements for a small U-Haul trailer to transport them, as well as making sure the local funeral home could deal with it.

That said, this fall I have four rifles ready for the big game hunts planned, all local. Don't elk hunt much anymore unless we "need" the meat, but this year have to freezer space if I run into one in a convenient place. When hunting in those areas where that might happen will be carrying my semi-custom Ruger 7mm-08 with 140 TTSX's.

Good hunting!

I could quite easily get by with my 270 Win Montana and my "tweaked" (deeply fluted factory barrel cut to 22" bedded in a Brown Pound'r) SS New Haven M70 375 H&H for the rest of my hunting.

John,

Well, there you go. There’s always the exception and the one-of-a-kind. That certainly would compel one to do a double-take and watch the procession go down the street.

Yeah, the 308- and ‘ought 6- based cartridges (like my 284 which isn’t quite either but yet the same) really can almost do it all after the vim, vigor, and vinegar and testosterone of youth when bigger is always more.

I’d advise you go get an elk. While I haven’t personally taken sheep or moose, I’ve tasted some and elk is still my favorite right along with the king of upland birds, the pheasant.

This is probably where I will end up for the duration.

George,

Thanks for your elk advice. Might go for one, but a lot will depend on our annual "inventory" of our three 15-cubic-foot freezers. One is our everyday chest freezer, located just off the kitchen, with the "oldest" game meat is kept--which might have been taken 2-3 years ago, depending on species. The other two are in the basement, one an upright mostly filled with Eileen's "special project" game, from big game to birds that weren't shot up much, then plucked carefully so they'll photograph well. The third is our "filling" freezer, where we put this fall's big game.

Each year we shuffle their contents around, to make sure the oldest meat is in the everyday freezer, and see what the hell is inside filling freezer. Haven't done that yet, but more than once Eileen has been worried that we don't have enough elk meat--then discovers we have 75-100 pounds of boned elk on hand.

Personally, I have kind of returned to my earlier years, when elk were a bonus of LOTS of meat--involving considerable work. Getting one as easily as possible means I can spend more enjoyable time chasing antelope, deer and gamebirds. This may seem strange to folks who don't live in elk country, but there it is.

John, you might consider a local freezer-full donation to free it up for that elk. I do understand about the “inconvenience” of dropping one in a creek bottom but what are friends for? 🙂

George,

Good suggestions, but we generally do "donate" some meat to friends who appreciate it. Though don't see any reason to donate an elk, just to guarantee we have to pack out the next one!

Our last "creek bottom" elk was a young cow Eileen killed with one shot from a .257 Roberts--not a calf but a "heifer," born the year before, dropped cleanly with one shot from her NULA .257 Roberts, near the bottom of a sagebrush draw in the middle of typical timbered country. Atter taking a few photos, we started to reduce the cow to pieces appropriate for our Neet-Kart, a nifty game cart with in-line wheels, so it can easily follow narrow trails, and go over foot-high rocks and downed timber. The wheels have bicycle-type brakes, controlled by levers the handles on the rear of the cart.

The cart was in our pickup, a mile uphill, so I left the last of the elk-reduction to Eileen and hiked back to get it. We loaded half on the cart, then started uphill, me pushing on the handles with the brake levers, while Eileen kept the front balanced with the handles on that end. When she got tired, I'd grab the brakes, and we'd breathe a while.

In two trips, we had all the elk parts in the pickup by 10:00 at night. Not bad for a pair of "experienced" hunters whose age averaged 64 years.

John,
Have you settled on the 140-gr TTSX for general use in that rifle?

Not exactly, For general use I use the 139-grain Hornady Interlock Spire Point, whether with handloads using Ramshot Big Game, orHornady's American Whitetail factory ammo. The handloads shoot a little better, but not enough to matter. The 139's land in exactly the same place as handloads with the same charge of Big Game with the 140 TTSX, so I use whatever seems to be appropriate for the terrain and game. Which means that I mostly shoot the Hornadys.

That's funny!

If push came to shove I could live with my 25-06 and 300 H&H. Of course I would still want my CZ 22mag, Winchester Model 69 22 and ....

I totally understand.