Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles All Purpose Rifle

I know there have been countless threads on here regarding what folks would get if they were looking for one do it all rifle. I sort of did the one rifle thing for years out of necessity (poverty) and got along nicely with a Ruger Mk II in .30/06. I love that rifle, still use it, and it will be my last rifle to leave if I have to part with some. My question, however, is what to buy for my son. He has for several seasons shot a Winchester FW Classic in .257 Roberts and has had good success on whitetails. We are hoping to add pronghorn this fall. He enjoys hunting but is simply not as into rifles like I am (yes, I bought the Roberts because it is pretty and I think it is cool - he never gives that a thought). Unless his interests change, he will probably be the guy who goes out and buys a box or two of factory ammo, checks zero and goes hunting. He is a teenager now and big enough that I don’t worry about recoil and am thinking it is time to buy him a “bigger” rifle. I am thinking about his “do it all” rifle. Sure, he will have access to stuff in my safe, but a man needs his own rifle(s).

I am very partial to my old Ruger and have thought about finding him one of those. I also have considered another Winchester FW so he will basically have a set. Sometimes I think the smarter choice would be something stainless and synthetic. I have pretty much decided .30/06 is the way to go. I know there are plenty of great all around cartridges, but for a multi-purpose big game rifle that is likely to see lots of factory ammo, I think the old /06 is hard to beat.

So, I have plenty of time on this. I am thinking this rifle will be for Christmas next year and I plan to take my time looking. I am, however, trying to think this through before I start looking. I am curious what the folks on The Fire think. Ruger, Winchester, wood, synthetic . . . what would you be looking for?

The quickest way to get someone into shooting is by not parking them behind something like a 30'06... I suffered a 30'06 for years and finally realized it brought nothing to the table. Kicks the crap out of you for no reason. A lot more fun shooting medium cartridges, especially for deer. My go to gun now is a 6.5×55, and bought my son a 6.5 Creed. Flame away...

Depends what he will be hunting.

Pretty hard to beat that Roberts.

If he doesn't shoot a lot the '06 may prove to be a bit much.

I am sure he will continue to shoot the .257 Roberts. It is a wonderful round. I am just planning to pair it with a bigger cartridge so he is better prepared for elk or bear or whatever other opportunities come along.

If by "all around" you mean a big game rifle capable of taking any North American big game, then, I agree with either a .30-06 or a .308. Either one is certainly capable of killing the large brown bears, but I would want something much more powerful if a grissly or Kodiak bear was charging at me. For anything else, though, from whitetails to moose either of those is my choice.

Have you asked him if he wants another rifle? Maybe he’s good with what he has and might want say, a shotgun, or a dedicated varmint or target rifle. Might not be a bad idea to feel him out a bit on what HE wants to do.

I’m a fan of stainless, synthetics.

I think .30-06 would be perfect for a one and done rifle. The factory ammo selection alone covers everything from super light reduced loads for kids all the way up to heavies. He’ll be able to find ammo anywhere.

Ask him...you might be surprised. I have three sons..I asked before I bought..Oldest wanted a 7x57! never would have thought that..second wanted an 06, and the third wanted me to spruce up a 1909, 7.65 Argi! He still hunts and loads for it. We call it "The Mauser"

Ask..could save some headaches!

For someone who isn't a reloader/enthusiast, The time tested 270, 30-06, or 308 still make a lot of sense.

The 6.5 Creedmoor doesn't have the history, but seems like a sensible all-arounder too.

Ok,,,,,, what Nashville say's above is SPOT-ON,,,, and if you get a chance, read the Book, -[One Man-One Rifle-One Land]-, and here is my 1985 06 Mtn. Rifle...

Factory ammo in large supply would be 243 WCF (every bit as good as the Roberts (which in not common), 6.5 Creedmoor, 270 WCF, 308 WCF and 30-06 Springfield.

Out of all I’d go for 270 WCF or 308 WCF both good for 95% of worlds game animals and both easy to shoot well with a little practice. Loaded ammo found around the globe.

7mm/08 would be my recommendation unless something with sharp teeth and claws is on the menu.
Light recoil, flat shooting, effective on most game.

I aint a big guy, and was pretty short n scrawny as a kid.
150s in a .30-06 if it has a decent recoil pad aint nuthing to fuggup ones shooting.

Used to be shotgun for deer state, slug guns were pretty brutal and some way worse than others.
Im sure many shooters were ruined before transitioning to rifles.

But spending time on ranges, I think most folks suck at shooting no matter what they run.

My one and only sporter-weight boltgun is a 30-06, with a 3-9x40 scope.

Yeah I’d ask also.

I built my son a .257 Rob on a Turkish Mauser action as his first rifle and he likes that a lot with no interest in more rifle right now.

If he ever hunts anything bigger he knows he is welcome to one of my rifles and who knows; maybe he’ll want to buy one for himself?

We all value stuff we’ve earned more than what’s given freely. As much as I’ve been tempted to go the route you’re considering with my son I find it helpful to remember that.

243 Fieldcraft

First off, good on you for raising a son who hunts with you. My kids are just babies, but I daydream quite a bit about getting them out in the field... so even having him shoot a couple times a year and then just hunting is a great accomplishment.

As others have said, ask him if he prefers a specific cartridge. He might surprise you and be more interested in rifles than you think. That said, it seems like the .257 is plenty for deer, antelope, hogs, etc. I know people who hunt black bears with equally or less powerful cartridges. So you've already got him covered for that stuff (which might make needing one rifle that can do everything unnecessary?). Seems like something of the .284 variety would be a good choice. You could pretty much kill any of the same game as an 06, with less recoil, but with enough of a difference in "umpf" to consider it a clear step up from the 257. 708 is more than just a kid's cartridge if you want mainstream, 280 or 7x57 if you want to bridge mainstream and rifle nut territory, or 7x64br if you want something very unique but still utilitarian. You aren't going to find the Brenneke in a M70 FWT, but there are some very cool older Mauser clones out there just begging to be refinished... and that kind of father/son project might be what finally pulls him into the looney realm with you?

^^^^ This ^^^^^

A nice 7x57 featherweight would pair nicely with the 257 as would a 270,280 or 30-06.

This^^