Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Question on what (2) calibers and rifles you would buy first if starting over again

Starting all over again with a two-rifle North American battery (plus 98% of the world's big game), I'd simply invest in the best, identically set-up custom Model 70 rifles I could have built (McMillan stocks/blueprinted actions/Kreiger bbls./Leupold scopes), both 300 Win. Mags. with a 24" bbls.

Learn that cartridge, and stick with one good 180 gr. load, and there's simply nothing else to worry about, and nothing else to grapple with except for theory.

For heavy, thick-skinned dangerous game you'd need to add a good, potent 416 or 458, but in lieu of that, those 300s are all you'd ever need, and certainly all I'd ever need, or have needed..........

AD

Unless my plans were to change drastically, and plans have a way of doing that, and at my age, the smallest animal I would ever hunt with a center fire rifle would be coyotes and the largest would be elk. In between, where 80% of my hunting will be done is black bear, spot and stalk and deer, mulie and whitetail. I would also like to try calling black bear, I read about that last night in a book by Bob Robb, and it looks like a lot of fun.

There has sure been a lot of great advice on this thread for me to chew on, thank you gentleman.

I was speaking more for my own personal use, rather than what might be best for someone else. I've used the 300 Win. Mag. extensively for many years, but recently I've been hunting quite a bit with a 270 Win. and a 338 Win. Mag., so I haven't exactly been Mr. Consistent in all this!

Actually, I still think that the 270 Win., 280 Rem., and 30-06 are the best all-around cartidges choice for the vast majority of hunters, and I still think that your 280's a gun I'd be quite to hunt everything from coyotes to elk with.

One of my hunting mentors spent over 40 years hunting with just a Model 70 270 Win., and he took over 50 mule deer and 30 elk with that rifle. Some kid (ZERO elk on his resume!) got on him one time for hunting elk with a 270, and he was then abruptly asked, "just how many dead elk have you bent over, anyway?", which brought such inquiries to an end............

AD

Done over again, my first would be 30-06 (or .308) second would .223 Rem. If given a third choice it would be a 9.3X62.

I am assuming you mean centerfire, because my actual first rifle as it should be for everyone is a .22LR.

Allen:Pretty tough to beat the 270,280, 30/06 trio...

By accident,my 30/06 inventory has swollen to 3 lately,and I have been shooting the cartridge(again) a lot this winter.

Are both the mentor and the old 270 still with us? Many who taught me were M70-270 shooters as well. Most are, unfortunately, gone.....

I wish I had led a life that had allowed me 1/10th of your experiences in the field.

I look back now and wish that I hadn't abandoned hunting 30 years ago to concentrate solely on the pursuit of the dollar; think of all the experiences that I missed. But; I've gotten to the age where I have stopped lamenting lost chances and just concentrate on making the best of what I have left. That is exactly what I intend to do too, I am having as much fun as I did as a kid with my first 22.

I think the advice that I have been given, by you and others on this thread, regarding the 280 has been solid. I would be a fool to ask for advice from those who have more experience than myself and then ignore it.

30-06 and 223 and never look back

Welcome Greyhunter!



I didn't read through all the posts so maybe someone already said this: You can't change from a det mag to a floorplate.

Here's another option for which rifles to get:
Trade the current .280 in for a LSS Mnt rifle in .280. Then you get the stainless you wanted and a sturdier stock with a good pad and trigger.
Then for the second rifle, get either a good .22 LR or a .223 for plinking and varmints.

Might want to handle one of those LSS Mountain Rifles first... I had one essentially identical to the above, except in 30-06, and I have one in 7mm-08. I like them, but they are butt-heavy (or barrel-light, whichever) due to the pencil barrels combined with the heavy laminate stock.

Some people like it fine, others find it annoying.

If trading rifles is in the cards... how about trade the 280 towards a Kimber Montana in 300 WSM... and then buy a .223 of some flavor?

-jeff

Putting a TI on it would remedy that balance issue.

Yep! That's exactly what I was thinking of doing with my 7-08 MR LSS... until I thought about it and realized two things... first the damn thing SHOOTS just as it is, and second, the butt-heavy balance really does not bug me at all. But it does bug some folks a lot to hear them tell anyway. I may still put a Ti on there just for grins sometime though.

Off on a tangent... I put a sporter-weight barrel on my 30-06 MR LSS, and widened out the barrel channel on the MR stock, and I really like the combo of a "regular" barrel and that trim MR stock... just FYI..

-jeff

Are the LSS version heavier then the one I have?

I've owned just that rifle in .280. The only thing I didn't like about it was the very narrow stock. Kicked harder than I liked. I had it Magna-Ported. Should have simple had a good recoil pad put on it.
I'd do two ballistically similar rifles first. My current .280 and my .308 are good examples. I tend to like the .308 over the 30'06 simply because of all the cheap surplus ammo I've got for practice. That said, I'm seriously considering an '06.
Why ? Because on a long hunting trip, there is a chance your rifle will break down or fail no matter how well you care for it. That's why I always take two well tested rifles.
A simple, not too big a scope is all you need. I use basic 4X and 6X scopes for their reliability and ease of use. Above all, good rugged mounts. Nothing with a windage screw, for instance.
The idea to get a .22 for practice and a good binocular are excellent. I consider my binocular far more important than my rifle scope.
I wouldn't do much customizing until you are sure just what you want. I would have the barrels free floated and the triggers adjusted for starters.
Find a rifle make and model that feels good when scoped. Or close to it. Do the above. You'll be ready for any thing in what you what to do. E

The website has them listed as 6 5/8 lbs. I don't see the walnut DM listed anymore.
MNT LSS

My .338-06 is set up the same way. #3 Sporter barrel with a McM Mnt rifle stock. It's my favorite!

338-06 is very, very cool. I ever wear out the Pac-Nor 30-06 tube on my rifle now, it'll probably get 338-06 next time.

That sounds like a neat rifle, Kevin!

-jeff

[img][IMG]http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m238/Kevin_Teed/33806-1.jpg[/img][/img]

This one has a Pac-Nor tube too.

Sorry for the thread drift!

Really nice! Is that a 30mm scope, or a Compact, or what? Proportions look different...

-jeff

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a .280, but if I were starting over again I would get a 30-06 like my present Model 70 Classic Super Grade and go hunting. All the rest of the money I have spent on innumerable rifles over the years I would spend on hunting trips instead. If I did keep a second rifle it would probably be the 7mm Ultra Mag Sendero I use occasionally for some very specialized hunting.

.22 and .30-06 or .30 SAM, in whatever flavors churns your butter.

Mine would be in semi-auto and bolt, respectively, and stainless/synthetic.