Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What's your most useful rifle?

Rem Model-7ss in 223. My every day rifle.

The one I happen to have in my hand at the time..........Grin

Sako 85 30-06 in a McSwirley.

point and click

Rem 700 XCR 270Win/Leupy VXII 3-9x40 LR.......it's so accurate and easy to shoot it's kinda like cheatin'.

Pre-64 M70 fwt in 30-06 in a McM compact edge stock. 6 pounds 13 oz with a VX-3 2.5-8X36 with B&C reticle in Conetrol low rings. The only load it needs is the 150TSX at a gentle 2950 fps.

Funny thing? I don't use it much.

I have more than 100 rifles in the safes so I tend to have a rifle for every use not matter how small the "niche". However, evn with a rifle for everything, some do tend to get a lot more use than others.

My main "go-to" rifle since the mid-1970's has been a Custom '98 Mauser in .30-06. It was the first "real" big game rifle I owned (as opposed to the .35 Rem, .44 Mag, and .32 Spl. rifles I'd used up to that time). It was also the firs "custom" rfle I built, starting with an action and learning (under the watchful eye of an older gunsmith) how to inlet, bolt weld, drill & tap, finish and checker. It has claimed more than 120 head of big game over the years (more than twice as many as any other rifle I own).

The second most used rifle I have is a Ruger .44 Carbine that has been putting game on the ground for me since the late 70's. It still is in hand most often when I go into the thickets after hidden bucks.

I still carry that old Mauser from time to time, but after more than 8000 rounds, the barrel doesn't show the super accuracy it did in the past so it is semi-retired.

In recent years I most often carry (when not carrying the Ruger .44) a Ruger Mannlicher carbine in .308 Win. and the Savage 99's (most often in .250-3000, .308 and .358) get a lot of woods time as well. However, since I tend to have a rifle for every job (unlike in my youth when that old mauser was "THE" rifle) no single one gets all the trigger time.

I am assuming this question was about big game rifles.....but the rifle I have used more than any other (and has taken the most game) is a Ruger 10/22 Deluxe (checkered stock) that I've had for almost 40 years.

I was thinking about the topic question before I even opened the thread, and I had to figure my 7mm-08. Yeah I've used the 340 and a 30-06 quite a bit for many things, but when it has come to a single rifle that has gone along more, whether actually hunting or not, I'd probably say my Rem Seven -08. As you also said, it's not fantastically accurate - or even nicely accurate in my serial number- but it does do what is asked.

My all around'er is an A-Bolt micro-medallion in 284win. I have a few 308's that could do it with a little less style though.

Remington Model 700 in .30-06.

i had the model 70 featherweight barreled in 25-06 for reasons of usefulness and versatility...
barring the rimfires, i can't think of any rifle more useful than a .25....

Rem 600 in 7mm-08 in an McEDGE.



RH

Kimber select classic in 257 roberts

my old ruger 10/22. it stays in my farm truck and gets shot most days. over the years it's taken snakes, beavers, hogs, deer, coons, possum, strays, and any other critter one might run across in the country.

for big game my ruger mk2, 30-06 gets the nod. but it took back seat to an identical rifle in 270 win this year.

338 Win Mag, Stainless Ruger Mark II, Pacific Research stock, and 1.5x6x42 30mm tube Kahles. - with 225 TSX -

Himmelrr - thanks for including a pix of your Rem M600 7mm-08. I've a M600 and have been looking for an after-market stock and your "McEdge" looks great. Any problems ordering it? How did it fit? Available colors...your pix appears grey/green. Regards, Homesteader.

My Ruger #1 in 6mm...with an 85gr TSX or 90gr Noslers it does all I need it to do and then some...

I usually average about 400 crows a year along with maybe 50 or 60 ground hogs and a fox or 3.

My CZ 527 in .22 Hornet sees the most action followed closely by its twin in .221 Fireball.

it seems now a days my 300 rum goes on more hunts than any rifle.

my daily carry rifle is a bushmaster v match with a 20" fluted barrel, named splattermatic.
it has accounted for more dead things than i can remember.

before that since the early/mid 80's i used a remington varminter in 243. it's killed stuff from md., pa., wv., va., and other eastern states to mo., then to nd., mt.,wy.,co.,nm., and i forgot, europe where i bought it in germany at the rod and gun club in augsburg and shot roe deer with it, and a fallow in belgium.

it's pretty much retired now, and mostly only comes out for coyote hunts with 70gr nbt.

this gets me to missing her, guess i'll dig her out of the safe, hold her, have a cup of coffee and think of the times and places we shared.

For what I hunt/where I go, my Marlin 1895 GG, .45-70 has been my go to rifle on all my big game hunts, since 2003.


maddog

Winchester M70 Classic FWT SS/Walnut in .30-06. I've harvested more edible critters with this than any other, it's pretty and I shoot it well.