Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What is your go to rifle ????

I use several firearms since I hunt different game.-These more than others. I guess I am trying to be a looney. I will stay away from getting into handguns

For blacktail, mule deer, whitetail bucks, black bear, antelope, bighorn sheep, elk. M70 SS FW All Terrain ,.30-06-180 gr NPT/Hornady I/L/TBBC, 2.5-8x36 Leupold, iron sights.
-OR 84L Montana '06, same loads, iron sights, same model of scope, Usually use for extremely steep steep/brushy country. This replaced my Bansner stocked M70 p64 '06 to my oldest son.

For bull elk, when I draw a good tag. Model 70 SS Classic in 338 WM , 225 gr NPT/Hornady IL/ TBBC, McMillan stock, irons, 2.5-8x36 Leupold.

For the "no centerfire rifle" whitetail area we have hunted the last several years: Hay-cattle ranch-Savage 220, 20 gauge rifled, 3-9x40 Leupold, 20 ga 3 inch Accu-Tip slugs. Other areas 870 or Ithaca 70 scoped pumps w-2-7 or scout Leupolds.

For Coyotes to sage rats (long range): Ruger 77 UL .223, iron sights, 3-9x40 Leupold. I use a Hornady 55gr sp w-cannelure most of the time. I have AR's but rarely use them.

For varmints-squirrels-rabbits - 10/22 more than all the others combined.

For grouse, turkeys and waterfowl - shotguns-Ithaca 37's 12 or 20 gauge. I have 870s too but the Ithacas shine for me.

Left hand Rem 700 with 20" Rock Creek Barrel in 308 Win, McMillan Compact, built by the late Robert Gradous.

It's taken it's share of big deer, plenty of hogs, and even bull elk.

Great looking rifle Buzz!

Dandy buck and bull too.

Nice one, buzz!

Yes very nice. If I owned that one I think it would be my go to as well.

For a real rifle looney, it depends on what and where I'm hunting-
For deer in thick woods in Pennsylvania, a M700 SS DM in .308 with the barrel cut to 20".
For deer on a farm where longer shots are possible, a stainless Tikka .270.
For bear over bait in Canada, a Rem 700 ADL stainless rebored from .270 to .35 Whelen.
For nostalgia hunting, a sporterized M1898 Krag .30-04 or a JC Higgins M50 in .270.
For muzzleloader seasons allowing inlines, a CVA Optima .50 cal.
For primitive muzzleloader seasons- a Jaeger style .50 cal custom flintlock where percussion not permitted (like PA) . A .54 cal custom Hawken style percussion rifle where allowed (like MD).

Oops, .30-40, not .30-04!

Giant buck there ! Did you get that in Georgia? or is that a Canadian buck?

Just a guess but I’m thinking the way that snowy forest looks that it’s slightly north of Georgia. Beautiful animals for sure.

Great photos and rifles all… mine, 308 MT:

I have not had these two rifles very long but I plan on keeping them.
Shaw MK VII 35Rem for woods hunting:

Beautiful animal Brad!

Random Q - is that electrical tape on your muzzle & a backup wrap on the barrel?

I hunted deer in thick woods for most of the season this year and relied on my Marlin 336 in 35 Remington.

Rem 700 KS Mountain rifle in .280 Rem topped with a Leupold VX-3 1.75 x 6 BC....looks like hell. It's light, short, accurate and balances well ( unlike Model Sevens). It's typically loaded with 120 TSX's, but 140 NP's have performed beautifully.


Lots of other rifles have come and gone, but that one always performs above and beyond.

More often than not I grab a Rem 700 with a SS Lilja 24” barrel. 3-9 ziess. I shoot a plain ol 130 hornady. Kills everything I’ve ever shot at.

German Mark V in 257

I don’t have a ‘go to’ per se. On November 17th I hunt with the old Marlin 336 my dad was hunting with when he died of a heart attack while carrying it. Most of the rest of the time it’s a pre 64 featherweight in either .270, .308, or .30-06. There have been others, but those get the most woods time. I have a .243 I’m having some work done on, that may be next years.

Old70

Not much love for the Rem 7mm mag in this thread....
My go to is a Win classic in 7 mag. Pac Nor bbl and Mcmillen stock. Have plenty of other choices but this one seems to be the one I grab most all the time.

Let's see, among others,

When running the traps and snares, most time it is this AR-15 in 223 Rem, with red-dot sight, and either 64 Gr. Nosler Solid base or Speer 62 Gr. TNT.





on occasion I'll play with the Merkel Double in 30-06



Daytime @ 100 yds or less, in 2021 it was this Blaser in either 30-06 or 9.3 x 62



Shooting 200 yds, plus, here lately the Browning Max Long Range in 6.5 PRC seems to make the trip.



This Browning A-Bolt Hunter in 308 Win. coupled with night vision



rules the night!

ya!

GWB

A 270 Win bolt gun of some sort for the last 25 years. There have been lots of different rifles and lots of different bullets. The chambering hasn’t changed.
Now, I am getting tempted by a 6.5 on a blown out 270 case. I have been wanting one since I was 15 yo and am finally yielding to that urge.