Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles looking for practical/mountain rifle

I don't go by the design, I go by field reports, what works, what gives issues etc is what I go by....

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that they've had their QC challenges.

Dober

Perhaps you could order an accurate rifle through Bud's.

I`d be looking at rifles approx 41"-42" long or less chambered in cartridges which would do all of that comfortably (ease when hiking, short and longer ranged shooting, in the bush, timbers, flat wide open terrain, so that you`ll be well covered in any situation.

The Tikkas which were mentioned (if you don`t mind their receiver looks and detachable magazines) are a fine choice.

The 20" barreled Ruger U/Lite chambered in the 30-06?

22" barreled Remy M7 or Browning chambered in the 300 WSM?
There are lots of choices you could go with.

But since you asked what we did? What I did and currently use more often than my other two, certainly isn`t conventional and would not be preferred by most if not all. What I wanted was a lighter, fast to target, short and handy piece, which at the same time is very capable of a 500 yard bull elk shot should that be needed in open country.

Because it isn`t a problem for me, I chose to let the cons of extra noise/blast and recoil fall by the wayside. My thinking is that when on a hunt, the actual shooting time is only a split second, but carrying and doing everything else with a rifle is many hours each day.

My little handy 35.5" OAL 300 WSM Frontier compact, is probably one of the more obnoxious, noisier rifles around. In the field, my Walker Game Ears do the job very well. At the same time however, I have 24" barreled `06 performance w/factory ammo (2800+ fps 180 gr) and can get even better velocity and accuracy results with my reloads. Like for example, a 175 gr VLD @ 2973 fps? Yep!

Regardless of terrain, it is one of the sweetest handy/carrying rifles to take on a hunt, and yet is powerful enough to take down any NA big game.

If you don`t mind the extra noise where it "wouldn`t" be a shooting hindrance (recoil and flinching) and prefer better manuverability, handiness, carrying ease etc, a similar themed powerful, short barreled rifle in another rifle brand might be your ticket. 300 WSM Ruger compacts were discontinued.

Anyway, that`s what I did. It is obvious that I and maybe a few others here and there, don`t always follow the conventional theme songs or the conventional ways of thinking......

Clearly accurate enough for you, isn't accurate enough for me.

Hey Big Squeeze that is an interesting idea. I checked out the frontier and found the barrel to be 16.5 the rilfe looked good upto that point i have a 18.5 barrel restiction (gov rules) so that won't work for me but the Ruger Haweye MKII was the selected rifle for the Search and Rescue guys so they seem to think it is a stable platform.

I to wear game walker hearing protection so muzzle blast would not be an issue.

I do see most are telling me NO brake. either because of hearing, point of aim shifts or other concerns. the Mil/LE guys i know always have brakes even on the 308's so i am fine with or without.

I would prefer low maintenance and do not have a preference for plastic or wood stocks it simple needs to handle and shoot well.

this well be a function over fashion type of gun.

Trevor

There is an incredible amount of knowledge here,I have had a-bolts, model 70's and 700's all shot good but I stopped after I got my tikka t3 lite in 30-06 easy carry/handling, smooth bolt and shoots sub sub moa.

This will be my North American Big game rifle.

I am initially looking at Tikka

Thanks
Trevor