Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Do I need another big game rifle? If so, what?

I've been shooting and hunting for a few years now (I didn't grow up doing either). I own two centerfire rifles - a .223 and a 6.5 creedmoor. Both are typical sporter weight rifles with 6x scopes. I've hunted coyotes and taken a few deer, and I've been happy with both rifles. I've been saving up for a new gun, and now I have enough saved up and I'm not sure what to get. I have thought about getting a second big game rifle. This year I'm hoping to draw an antlerless elk tag here in South Dakota, and I feel confident using my 6.5 creed for that, but I wonder what would happen if I had an issue with my rifle during elk season. Seems like a second rifle in a big game caliber would be useful. Plus, my wife is interested in starting to hunt with me and we could use another rifle for that.

What do you guys think? Have you ever needed a backup rifle on a hunt?

Also, I can think of two different approaches to getting another rifle. I could get another 6.5 creedmoor - that way I can use the same ammo between both rifles. Also, 6.5 creedmoor ammo is cheap and fun to shoot. I wouldn't want to get the exact same rifle, so maybe I could go in a different direction with it, but I'm still in the early stages of brainstorming.

The other approach would be to get something in a more powerful caliber - something that's a clear step up from the creedmoor like 7mm rem mag. This could be nice if I someday desire to extend my hunting range beyond my current 300 yards. Still, I don't know how often I'd actually shoot the thing. Ammo costs more, recoil is worse, and I don't have access to a 1000 yard shooting range.

Any suggestions? Any other info that would be helpful for me to provide?

Welcome to the forum. You have come to the wrong place to ask a question like that. It's like walking into a bar and asking if you need a drink.
On the serious side, if I was you and didn't have lots of rifles and reloading stuff, I would buy another Creed (this from someone who doesn't have one or want one). It is easy to shoot, doesn't cost much and is probably stupid accurate right out of the box.

Shoot a 300wm before buying one. I'm not recoil shy, but it's definitely a different level of thump from a 6.5 that you need time to get comfortable with. (Aka get over thinking about where the scope rim is...)

A 280 or 708 can shoot 170-175 grain bullets... partitions, a-frames, etc. That's a big step up from most 6.5cm ammo without going magnum. (6.5 with 129 interbond is my primary deer gun.)

Edit: CDNN had super cheap synthetic stocked M77 Hawkeyes in 280 if interested in that route.

Never needed a backup rifle. If buying another given your parameters, I'd buy another Creedmoor. Or if just wanting something different, the CDNN Ruger Hawkeye in 280 as mentioned would be quite nice. You've learned that shooting is much more fun when shooting smaller cartridges, it took me way longer to learn that.

.30-06 or 7Mag of some flavor?

Less is more. If going bigger a 7mm-08 is awesome in every way.

I prefer a bigger bore caliber. Current option include a 338 Federal, Marlin 1894SS in 44 mag, a Winchester 1886 and Springfield carbine in 45-70, and a Sharps carbine in 50-70 Govt.
Being stuck at home has lead to me watching a bunch of hunting shows. I am disappointed to see how often the shoot deer and how far off they run. I expect deer to drop where they stood and if they run out of my sight I suspect a miss. I understand that a lot of guys are recoil shy but I never even notice it when shooting at deer.
Besides, it is only one shot.
Pick the caliber based on the quarry and the distance. Still hard to beat the 30-06 with 165 grain bullets for deer.
For me a long shot is over 100 yards. The last two were both under 30 yards. In 30+ deer I only shot two over 100 yards. One at 110 with a 12 gauge Ithaca slug gun and one at 130 with an open sighted Marlin 1895 (45-70, 300 JHP reloads).

Its un-American to not have a 30-06

Human pine tree: I also wish to welcome you to the CampFire.
I have literally dozens of Big Game Rifles and I am leaning toward recommending to you a Rifle in caliber 7mm Remington Magnum for your Elk Hunting and as a Rifle you can use when you need to hand off that 6.5 Creedmore to your wife!
My only hesitancy is if you ever wish to mosey on over to Montana or Wyoming for Elk then the prospects of running across a Grizzly Bear is becoming more and more frequent.
Last few years I have had three friends with dangerously close and more than one conflict with Grizzlies here in SW Montana.
I was along (unarmed!) a few years ago on a Hunt with my friend who had a Mt. Goat tag. No sooner did he harvest a Mt. Goat here in SW Montana and as we were cleaning it we looked downhill to a small clearing and therein was a large Grizzly pawing at the grass and looking up our way. He was shooting a Colt Ultra-Light Rifle in 270 Winchester. With the smell of blood and entrails upon us and around us we went in to scramble mode to get that Mt. Goat processed and into our pack frames.
I have been considering "upgrading" my 7mm Remington Magnum Elk Rifle to a 300 Magnum of some sort along with heavier bullets.
So from me its 7mm Remington Magnum or 300 Magnum of some sort for your next Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Let me be the first and probably only:

You don't NEED another rifle.

.270 Win or .30/06

Blasphemy!!!!!

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone.

I'm leaning towards another creedmoor, if you couldn't tell from my first post. But I'm open to being convinced. My current 6.5 rifle is a run of the mill Howa 1500 - maybe I could try something different. I might have a hard time justifying a complete duplicate. Maybe something with a heavier barrel that is more fun to shoot from the bench?

The 7mm-08 or 280 idea is interesting. If I reloaded, or if factory ammo was available for heavier bullets in 7-08 (maybe it is and I just don't know where to look), that would be more appealing. The ammo availability is an even bigger issue with 280. A 30-06 has the advantage of cheap and available ammo, but if I'm going to step up in recoil I sort of think I should step up to a 7mm mag.

VarmintGuy, thanks for the advice about heavier calibers. We don't have bears of any variety here in the Black Hills, so I haven't given that much thought.

Add a .30-06 and you're all set. Don't fall for the stupid advice of a .280, 7mm-08 or 7mm Rem mag. as none are more capable on bigger game than the .30-06 and they all cost way more to shoot if you don't reload, which it sounds like you don't. You can buy .30-06 ammo in several brands and bullet weghts at Wal-Mart for 19.00 a box while you'll pay 28.00 a box for 7mm-08, 28.00 - 40.00 per box for 7mm mag. and they don't carry the semi obsolete .280 ammo at all.

You are skating on thin ice with that paltry lineup.


I'm not even sure someone with just two is allowed to post here, or even lurk. You've confessed, now you need to work on your problem.

Yeah because it's such a serious step up from the 6.5 Creed.

That's like shooting yourself in the foot.

Hey, I hope everyone is doing well.

You'll be further ahead if you just get good with the rifle you have and save your money for hunting.

If your wife is interested in hunting/shooting.... get another rifle. its only money.

If you are thinking elk..... as you see above.... a 30-06 would be a reasonable choice. The 270 or 280 also.

If you do enough shooting the recoil question goes away.

I like the idea of you shooting some possible rifles before you buy. Ask people. Do the due diligence.

Having a backup rifle is not a bad idea. Good rifles usually don't need back ups. but ..............

before I hunt deer in the fall I make sure I have 2 of my rifles ready to go. The one I expect to use, and a spare... at home.
Its an excuse to shoot both of em at the range.

the crew I hunt with dumped verbal abuse on me when I switched rifles in mid week....so I asked them, 'in baseball don't you sometimes change pitchers?' 3 of the times I did that I took a deer within 2 days.

Adding another rifle is a good problem to have....

I get that. However, I drive a 94 Toyota Camry and don't go on fancy vacations (and I'm lucky enough to have steady employment right now), so for the time being my finances can handle another gun.



Yeah, my concern is that the caliber should probably be different enough to make it worth the trouble of dealing with two different kinds of ammo.