Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles The Highlander Contingency -- if you could only keep one hunting rifle...

Without a doubt, since all my future hunts will be confined to eastern whitetails (age 63 with replaced knees, and financially embarrassed), it'd be my 257 Bob built on a Ruger short action tang-safety with a Douglas ultralight barrel in a McMillan stock. Lightweight and easy on the shoulder, everything I have ever wanted in a whitetail rifle. Found it here in the classifieds, and still feeling darned lucky to have snagged it!

You must get a kick out of mind bucking us with mental exercises such as these 😆. However I am willing to participate and will go with my Winchester M70 6.5x55 or Tikka 243.

Haha no mind bucking intended... these are just the things I think about when I'm supposed to be working. 😇

My Winchester M 70 .375 H&H Stainless Steel rifle.


The only change would be is I would replace the Weaver 3x with a Leupold 2x7 scope.

Yeah, it’s fun to pause and think about once in awhile.

Practical side of me says the 7mm Mag Legend I’m having built.

My heart says keep the .270 Classic.

Either way, this is a nightmare scenario. Handguns would be even tougher.

my Tikka T3 lite .270 win

My 375H&H.

Started out as a Model 70 Classic Sporter 7mmSTW I picked up at a gunshow for a song since the stock was gouged up.

I chambered and re-barrelled it with a PacNor or Lilja (can't remember which!) barrel in a "Remington Magnum Sporter" contour.

I Ceracoated all the metal in Graphite black.

Bedded it into a late model Super Grade stock.

It shoots 270 grain whatevers over Reloader 15 and 300 grainers over H4350 into usefully small groups.

After breaking two 6x42 Schitpolds, I put a Swarovski 1.5-6x42 PH scope on it in dual dovetails and all has been well since.

Four leopards, two buffalo, a couple hippos, multiple kudu, gemsbock, zebra, yadda, yadda.

It will do.

O K. Fair enuff.

Sorry, I was a newb at one time.

It WOULD be a very difficult ? to answer because I love em all.

One rifle for 'hunting'...... A 7mm RM without much consternation.
This Tikka T3X Lite SS with identical scopes weighs 3 (THREE) oz more than my T 3 Lite SS 270.



2018 was my first season to hunt it and I've killed 4-5 WT with it.
The 7 RM shoots light --> to heavy bullet weights with decent B Cs for FLAT trajectory.
There are multiple Premium bullets available for any hunting situation where they're needed.

Powder burned is not excessive and TO ME the recoil is very manageable.

Note 1. It might not be THAT rifle but a 7 Mag is at the top of my list.

Note 2. The 30-06 is very worthy of consideration for multiple reasons. I prefer the 7s flatter trajectory.

Jerry

Easy. For the whole world excluding Africa, the 300 Weatherby. For the whole world period, the choice is even easier: 375 H&H Model 70 or Browning Safari Grade in same.

For me it would be my Beretta Mato in 30-06.

i would keep the fieldcraft in 6 creed and the .223 montana. also would keep the 77/22.

Probably my Blaser K-95 with barrels in 7 Rem Mag and 25-06.

My Ruger M77 in 7mm RM was my first centerfire. It served me very well - and exclusively as it applies to bolt rifles - for the first 20+ years of my big game hunting.

It has always been an MOA or better shooter with handloads - still is - and will be the last to go.

Same here. My M77 in 7mmRM would be the last to go. My mom bought it for my dad in the 1970's, and I rebarelled/restocked it about 10 years ago.

My Winchester Classic, 338 WM and my pre - 64 30-06. I’m good with those 2. Can’t be just one.

I agree with your statement, " all my future hunts will be... eastern whitetails "

Some of our members will be privileged to hunt Alaska, Canada, Africa, etc. and THEIR one rifle would need to be different from yours and Mine.

I plan & hope to hunt Elk, at least here in Ar. and could possibly hunt Tx, N Mx, Co, etc SO that influenced my decision on
the 7 RM. It will dependably kill any > thing I might hunt in the future.

As long as the rifle/cartridge anyone chooses fills their hunting needs, there is NO wrong answer.

Jerry

This one is growing on me (.30-06), and has been my go-to rifle of late. I love my old M70 standard grade, but this customized Ruger is accurate, reliable and fairly light (8.3 lbs, loaded) for a regular bolt rifle. I had it re-barreled with a 24 inch tube and did a bit of customization. It'll do anything I'll ever want to do with a big-game rifle. I added a red pad for a little more length and a nice oil finish to complete the job. Scope is a Leupold 2.5-8 VX 3. I guess I could do a lot worse.
Bob

RGK

S W E E T !, add LIKE !

Jerry

Mine would be my Brno ZG-47 in 9.3X62. McGowan barrel. Pacific Tool M70-style safety. Timney trigger