Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters All around gun question

I am looking for "the" gun. I want an all around caliber that I can use on whitetail deer, Elk, and moose. The gun needs to be lightweight and durable for backpack style hunts. I am looking for advice on caliber, and make and model. Thanks!!

need a budget. still will offer the TI in 06' or the kimber in same.

hate the 06' but it does exactly what you are asking for and offered in most if not all platforms...

if your on a budget then the tikka t3 ss lite would shoot as good for less, just cant warm to the stock. for the $500 difference i may consider a bigger blanket though

woofer

Ruger Hawkeye stainless in 338 Fed.

SOS

I'm still looking. I've got it narrowed down to a Weatherby ULW 30-06, Remington Ti 7 saum, and Sako Finnlight in 300 WSM.

I'm thinking that the 30-06 is the best due to ammo availablity. It's not sexy but it does do everything without to much recoil. I figure if nothing else it's a good back up gun as it falls in the middle of everything else and do everything I need.
I haven't received the Sako yet but all specs are correct for what I want. Let's see what the recoil is. If it works out the Ti will either be sold or become a 25 saum.

If your on a budget, 700 or Tikka in a 30-06.

Doug ...

Just to ask (and tell at the same time) ... I think everyone 'hates' the .30-06 only because it's entirely too practical ... not because there's anything wrong with it. It might not do any one thing the best, but it does do just about everything in it's class very well ... don't you agree?

I've had but one '06, and really do like the chambering ... however, I wasn't in love with the rifle, so I moved it along. I'm sure it won't be too long before I have one, likely in an AI config ... like the .223, it's one of those chamberings that just seems to want to please, ya know?

Lightweight 30-06

how light? 7lbs all up?

Those who knock the .06 and are constantly on the look out for the optimum rifle /cartridge are sorta like the farm kid who leaves home looking for the ultimate life and travels the world over looking for it. Eventually he comes back to the farm and finds out it is the ultimate life.
Same with the.06, you can search until you are blue in the face, but when you finally get some years on you and get some common sense, you realize the .06 can do it all. That is why it has been around 100 yrs and still is about the most popular cartridge used in the US today

A 7x57 loaded to modern pressures will do what you've asked very well.

Recoil is substantially less than the 06, which leads to making a rifle that is lightweight, but is still pleasant to shoot. My 7x57 is my favorite hunting rifle, easily preferred to either of my 30-06s.

Loaded with 160/162 grain bullets at 2750 fps, the result on a large animal is going to be practically indistinguishable from a 30-06. With 140 grain bullets, it will have plenty of "reach" for pronghorn or whitetail.

Saddlesore,

So true. I've been to more exotoc places, but always came home to happiness with the '06.

I'd also say a tikka t-3 ss/syn in 06.

"The 30-06 is not the best coyote rifle or Grizzly rifle. However, It will make a pretty fair job of both." Vernon Speer

If I were forced into the unpleasant choice of having only one centerfire rifle for multiple, all around, use, it would be a variable scope sighted 30-06 weighing about 7 3/4 pounds full up.

Wayne

Rem. Model 700 XCR in 338WM. If they are as good as BDLs you will never look back.

I have a Savage 111 (Accutrigger) in .30-06, and I can't really think of anything I need to do that it won't handle.

MLIANG,
If the Sako is too much recoil for you after you get it I will give you your money back on it, just say the word. Ryan

The answer for myself (similar question) was either a 308 Win or 30-06, depending on the available platform and weight requirement. The 308 is probably close enough to the 30-06 that field performance would be indistinguishable, with a little less noise and recoil, but if not, the 308 "High Energy" loads actually exceed most factory 30-06 and usually use good bullets, to boot (Nosler Partitions in the Federal loads).

Lightest factory platforms in 308 are Kimber 84M Montana and (if you can find one) 700 Ti. Lightest 30-06 is (again, if you can find one) 700 Ti. The Kimer 8400 in 30-06 is not particularly light.

You are getting good advice. I like the 7x57, the .30-06 is just too practical for me. The 7x57 with a 160 at 2750-2800 or 175 at 2600 will surely kill anything you need and you can make it lighter as it will recoil less.

How about a ruger in the .300 WSM?

I am an unabashed 06 fan - it is the "do everything" caliber.

I would ask you to consider this in making your choice. The 06 has been around for over 100 years, the 300 WSM has been around for how long - 5 years. There is no guarantee that the 300 WSM will still be chambered in another 20 years, much less another 100.

The 06 rules!!

30-06