Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters General Purpose Rifle, your recipe and why

For a do it all rifle, one man rifle, what action type, cartridge, stock style, and accessories would you have on it?

Bolt action. Most likely a M700 Mtn rifle, 6.5-7 lbs w/scope.
Classic or shadow line cheek piece style lightweight composite stock.
Lightweight, lowish profile variable scope with the low end no more than 3x.
A Safari Sling.
A STOUT hunting bullet in one of about a dozen or more chamberings. 270W would be a first choice.

Well I would say a Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless in 30-06 with the tupperware stock replaced with a McMillian. I would most likely put a 2.5-10 scope of some variety, maybe a Tract Toric. I would carry it over my shoulder with a Butler Creek Mountain Sling.

I actually had one and turned it into a 35 Whelen.

8 twist 223 bolt gun.....

Sako or Tikka

That means drop mag.....w/Xtra mags

1K plus handloads of two bullet designs on hand

53 gr varmint.....69 gr HP

Decent glass

If we are talking a rifle primarily for hunting use, it would be an Echols LX-1 in 7mm Remington Mag.

If it’s a do-it-all life or death gun, it would be the same but in .308 Winchester.

A long time ago. Ruger offered the 77 rifle in stainless with a boat paddle stock called zytel and set of rings with open sights. One chambered in 308win together with a 4x fixed power scope and military sling would likely suffice for anything anywhere forever.

My go to rifle the last 6 years has been my JC Higgins 50 in 30-06. It shoots many loads well, the Leopold holds zero well and it fills the freezer

There is no answer. Impossible question without spelling out how the rifle would be used.

The General Purpose Rifle concept has been around for a long time and its use can be all possible uses in the spectrum a rifle could be used for. A jack of all trades. Some people think the Scout rifle fits this bill, and I think it is close without the forward mounted scope option, but the range of opinions is wide and it would be interesting to see what folks think for themselves for a do it all rifle.

So many good rifles would suffice. But if we are talking regular ol hunting rifle, make mine a Tikka with a Burris FFII 3-9x40 with ballistic plex reticle. Pick your cartridge, I'm not too finicky there, as long as it works well with that reticle. A model 70 featherweight would also suffice. But then again, "general purpose", could mean a 22lr??? A mini model 70, chambered for 22lr:



Got to have one that is cheap to practice with. Notice the same scope as what I suggest for my centerfire hunting rifles.


7 pound magnums^^^^

Old (1956) Winchester model 70 featherweight, doing its thing:





If you think that set up will not work out to 500 yards, you have another thing coming.

Tikka, doing its thing:




The Tikka's weigh in at 7.2 pounds all up (scoped), and the model 70's (even the magnums shown above), weigh in at 8 pounds all up.. That's all I need, in a good hunting rifle. No need to get all fancy, to get schidt done..

Kimber Classic Select in 30-06

The one I've been using for the past 7-8 years: Kimber Montana, 308 win, Nightforce SHV, Talley Lightweights, shooting 165 gr Accubonds.

My other is a Kimber Montana, 270 win, 150 Accubonds. I'm playing with scopes on that one. Right now it has a NF SHV sitting Talley Lightweights.

There isn't much in NA those 2 can't handle, maybe with a different bullet or 2.

Looking at some variations of this idea at the moment.

#1 is a Tikka T3X Compact in 308. LOP is 12”, barrel is 20”, empty weight is 6 pounds 13.75 ounces with a 4x Leupold FX-II in Weaver rings on a Mountain Tactical rail.

#2 is a stainless Model 70 Classic in 30-06, 22” McGowen barrel with factory Sporter taper. Bansner stock, 13” LOP, empty weight is 7 pounds 9.125 ounces with steel Burris tactical bases, 3x Leupold M-8 scope, and Weaver low rings.

Build for #3 is in progress. It will be a blued Model 70 Classic Featherweight in 308. Other specs will match #2.

Most of my shots are fairly close; if I expect a long shot then I'll put a NF SHV 3-10x42 on any of them.


Okie John

I have a Tikka in 308 with the barrel chopped at 19" with a Burris FF-II 3-9X40 on it. I give up some velocity, but it sure is handy in the woods where most of my hunting is. And it's enough for any range I have the skills to shoot. Weighs 7 lbs even with the scope it.

Have had one forever they are called a bubbaed 1903 Springfields some with.just irons, some with scopes and some with both. Ball, ap and 180 soft pts do it all .anywhere anytime for over 100 years..mb

One rifle, one world?

My Tikka T3 Lite in 9.3 x 62. The most accurate BG rifle I've ever owned right out of the box! 250 ABs at 2700 fps is the most accurate at +2700 fps and sub 1/2 MOA. The 286 Partition at +2600 isn't far behind, and the 320 PP Woodleigh at +2400 isn't far behind those two in accuracy.

On the other hand my Ruger No.1H in .458 can do whatever I want done anywhere on anything using bullets from 250gr to 600gr.

Scopes are necessary and critical: a Nikon 2 - 7 x 32 on my .458 (before that it was on my Ruger No.1 in .45-70 LT) has taken a beating but keeps on ticking. For the 9.3 x 62 I like a 3 - 9 x 40mm - I have several, but perhaps what BSA 1917 hunter has chosen: Burris 11 with hash marks in 3 - 9 x 40. Plus a bipod when needed. It also has a brake and holds 8 rounds: one in chamber, 3 in clip and 4 in a stock cartridge holder. All up weight = 8 lbs. Carbon fibre stock.
Sako match grade 22.44" barrel.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Yeah but Bob 30-06 was good enough for teddy r and Stewart Edward white and a host of others the 9.3 just a bunch of German farmers huh? Only proves a guy can make a case for anything. Mb

Some fine choices here so far. I have to go along with the Tikka guys. It would be a toss up for me. My Tikka T3x Lite laminate stock in 270. It has a Leupold VX5 HD 3-15x44 fire dot on top.

Or my Tikka T3x Lite hunter wood stock in 308. It has been chopped to 20" and threaded for a can. That one has a Leupold VX3 6-18x40 on it now. I also have a Trijicon and a Burris that I swap out on that one depending on what and where I'm hunting.

I didn't say it (they) were the "best", just my choice (s) in answer to "what would you choose?" Yeah, I started out with a Brit .303, a 7 x 57 and a couple of .30-06s . . . ho hum....

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

i have 2 general purpose rifles #1 is my critter killer rifle Ruger 77 K-Hornet 33 gr. Hammer bullets ,11 1/2 grs. h110 powder , 2nd is my Deer rifle Ruger #1 257 Weatherby mag . Brux barrel using 103 gr. Hammer Hunter bullets ,Reloader 25 powder velocity is 3680 FPS average.