I've seen lots of threads about which rifle to get youngsters but what about octagenarians? Have y'all in your 70s or 80s found a want for a different type of rifle? As in switching from bolts to levers or autos?

Well, I’m 72, and I have found (as my Dad did before me) that favorite rifles do put on weight as they age. His solution was a Ruger 77 Ultralight in 270 and a 2-7 Leupold scope. My solution is a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless in 260 and a Leupold VX5 3-15. Dad’s Ultralight 270 would loosen your tooth fillings with recoil, but he had no problem with that.

My Tikka has a 20” barrel, which makes it easier to handle in an enclosed deer blind. As an option, if you like the Ruger idea, is to find an Ultralight tang safety Model 77 and rebarrel it in 257 or 257 AI.

Just FYI, Dad killed his lifetime best buck at age 82, using a crossbow.

At 58, I'm pretty much done with anything bigger than a 30-06. I'm rediscovering the 308 right now and thinking of rediscovering the 243.


Okie John

Hard to argue with a 708 for young, old, and everyone in the middle.

Still using the same rifles I’ve been using for the last 40+ years, they do seem to be gaining a little weight though.

Not 70 yet, but lightweight is the way I'm going these days. My rifle is either on my shoulder, or more often carried Indian carry in the crook of my left arm. A 9-pounder gets shifted around on the 3/4 mile walk to where I usually hunt, but a 6 or 7-pounder stays in one place the whole time, and is easy to one-hand by the grip while using the other to part brush etc.

Still have a couple heavy ones, but they don't get out much. Even a .270 is a bit much for our scrawny deer.

Just use what you grew up with.

PB Jaeger by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]

I'm 61 and I don't shoot my 300 Wby as much anymore.

I’m 67, still shooting the same rifles.

First year Remington M700 Classic, 270 Win. exclusively since 1980, no need to change now.

It really is incredible what a .223 with a good bullet will do to a deer or pig.

You haven't worn out the barrel yet?

For performance vs recoil that is a very good cartridge.

Still under 70 here. I got one of the new lightweight box magazine fed bolt gun wonders last fall to see what there was to see. Familiarity breeds contempt in this case. Everything about it insults my senses. It feels junky, it looks like hell, it doesn't carry well, it's not really all that light, the magazine sucks, but I got it shooting decently under 1/2". It wouldn't break my heart if someone borrowed & never returned it. It may be a good 1st beater rifle for one of the grandkids.

I just picked up a new 700 LR from a seller on here. Nice rifle & it seems to shoot pretty good so far, but Remington's QC is in the crapper. The bolt almost binds & it leaves nasty long scratches on the brass, cause as yet undetermined. Hoping it all goes away with use. If it was test fired or at least the action cycled it must have been on a Friday at 4:55 PM. One of the newer M70s may be in my future. I still like nicely figured walnut & blued metal best of all, but am guilty of enjoying stainless & composite ownership if it's nicely done. Most of my shooting is at paper these days so weight isn't much of an issue.

My magnum calibers are gone except for 2, replacing them with .473 base cases. The newer beltless magnums are interesting & I may snag one some day, but nothing is really making my leg tingle. Wishing those 257 Roberts & 250/3000 700 Classics were still in the closet. A single shot or two might follow me home one day as well. No real use for black guns, but they're fun to ching steel with. I may have to get one if guv'nur Coonman says I cant have one. Just because M1As are way over budget anymore.

I am a bit older than the original poster but still using a rifle that I bought new in 1971. It has been re-barreled.

Admittedly I would love to try a Christensen Ridgeline.

74 here and pretty much grab the Roberts or the Swede on the way out the door.

I'll be 73 in January and still my .270 is usually my first thought to shoot deer or hogs. It just does it so well and sweetly. The recoil with my post 63 Model 70 is substantial because it's very light. But I don't care, it kills with aplumb. or is that an apple? LOL!

Not a bad plan

Not quite to 70 yet, but going back to my 700 ss sps in 7-08. Handloaded with nosler 120 gr BT at 2650 fps. Shoots little groups with light recoil and very effective for east coast whitetails. Might have it cut to 20” to make it a little easier in the stand or blind.

My FC 6mm has turned out to be one of the smartest purchases I've made. Very light, well-balanced, and accurate. Carries like a .22. Feeds so slick I have to look twice to make sure it's loaded. Have two loads for it using 95gr BTs and LRXs that hit the same place out to 200 (so far), at about .75 MOA. Have a bunch of other bullets to try as well, but going with these for now.

The remaining ones out there are worth looking for.

T3x SL in 6.5
Or something along those line
I’m only 41 but going from 270, to 06 to 9.3 and down to 6.5.
I’m Very content with it

I ain't that old!

That looks heavy !

Jerry

67 here, and nothing bigger than a .30-06 anymore. I learned a long time ago that brutalizing my shoulder was nothing more than a macho thing. Hunting rifles have narrowed down to a Ruger 1A 6.5x55, Browning Low Wall .223, and the occasional pre-WWI Savage 1899H .303 or .22HP takedown carbine.

I am 73. The recoil doesn't seem to bother me very much yet. The rifle weight sure does. In '06's, I like my M70 FW more than my Standard grade. I like my 84L Montana too but I am noticing the recoil.

I use an '06 more than anything else but I also shoot larger rifles, often a .338 Win Mag. I do notice I don't shoot 50 rounds at a sitting with it much anymore.

In the spring and summer, I used to pack a Remington 660 in .243 or a 6.5 Swede carbine for spring bear or whatever. I switched to a 6.5 Creedmoor in an 84M Hunter a few years ago. Nice rifle. It may become my new deer gun.
It kills like a Swede but much more accurate and a better trajectory.

71 in a few weeks. I’m grooming two 7x57s for the day when I’m done shooting Weatherby magnums and .35 Whelen beasts. Already use a .257 Roberts for primary deer rifle. But I’ve sure loved my .300 and 7mm Roy’s over the years! Happy Trails

I’m 68, and wonder how much longer I can deal with heavier recoil. I will “not” be going to a brake, so, I have to “man-up”! As I’m not putting in the miles I did a few years ago, my 9 pound rifle is still at a comfortable “carry weight”! As I do minimal bench work, recoil is not much of an issue! I hope that I can maintain some semblance of decent conditioning and shoot my rifle for many more years! memtb

I am 66 and plan on going back to my 1974 Remington 760 30-06 this season. I drank the Model 70 cool-aid a few years back and got a 1951 standard weight 30-06. Darn thing feels like an anvil in my hands, hard as heck to hold for any but the closest off-hand shot. The 760 and the Renegade muzzle loader both point a great deal better. I will probably move to a reduced recoil load as I get older (assuming, and hoping, that I do get older!). If I move away from the 30-06, it will likely be to the 7-08.

Another at 67 here, I own nothing above 308 and 270 .The 308 only sees cast bullet loads and the 270 hardly ever gets any exercise. 95% of my hunting is whitetails under 200 yards with the occasional antelope trip thrown in. The Roberts and 250-3000 get the lions share of the work, but those two Rugers are getting heavy. The pair of M70 Classic Fwts in 243 and 7-08 might see a bit more use in the future.

My dad transitioned away from his .30-06 to a 7mm-08 later in life. There ain’t much a 140 Accubond at 2850 fps won’t do that a .30-06 will.




P

I spend a fair amount of time hoisting an Olympic barbell and find that substantially increases my recoil tolerance.

At seventy I am still a CrossFit addict and have been so for around 10 years. The virus has caused me to install heavy rubber mats in my house along with the associated gear. I do miss group classes!

I use the 270 or 280 for most BG hunting and have done so successfully beginning in my 20’s. I primarily use the 270 because factory ammo is available whereas I can’t rely on finding 280. Actually I believe the 280 is ever so slightly better. For NA use I’d probably pick the 280 but carefully plan my trips by shipping ammo to my destination in advance. A fully loaded 30/06 is manageable but a little “snarky”. To reduce a 270’s recoil shoot 130‘s loaded with H4895 or use the 110 TTSX. I’ve had many magnums but got over that stage in my 30’s. A big gun is either a 375 or 416.

I could get by with a 25/06 if necessary.

I have a distinct preference for an all up weight of 7# or a little less (6.75) because I have my rifle in my hands most of the time. Regardless of level of conditioning, a rifle carried in ones hands needs to be lighter.

I get a chuckle watching guys who strap their “tacticool” rifle plus wind gauge, plus multiple optics, plus shooting mat, plus electronics, and more onto a backpack which then totals over 25#. Next I expect to see a laptop and a portable charging device.

I'm 59 and am finding that I don't enjoy shooting the heavy kickers as much as I used to. I'm also finding I prefer carrying lighter rifles as I get older. I bought a Barrett Fieldcraft in 6.5 CM a couple years back and it's been the only rifle I've hunted with since. This past year I bought a Fieldcraft in 270 and think it's going to be my primary hunting rifle this year, though I will probably have to get my Ruger African 9.3x62 out some as well. The 'magnums' will probably continue to stay in the safe, though I'm getting the itch to start working with a 300 H&H again

That is my choice for anything deer on down. Bigger than deer critters get my only centerfire larger than the .223...a ,275 Rigby.

I’m 45 and do the same.

ingue,
Just curious, would you use your 223 on a Bighorn or Dall sheep hunt?

[quote=jwall][quote=szihn]Just use what you grew up with.

PB Jaeger by Steve Zihn, on [bleep] (AKA flicker)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I ain't that old!

That looks heavy !

----------------------------------------------------------

I'm 70 and don't notice recoil TILL I pull out my 8mm RM....200 gr bullet, 80 grs powder, 3100 fps <<yep it's there.
From my 300 WM on down I don't have any problems hunting any of them.

I've had this T 3 Lite SS 270 since 2003



I made this neck shot in '16 or '17 from 160 yds and no problems.

In 2018 I got it's near twin in 7mm RM, T3X Lite SS
They wear identical 4-12x40 scopes and the 7 weighs ? 3 or 6 ? oz more.



I hunted the 7 RM almost exclusively in 18 and 19 and looking forward to this season, '20 with it.


WHEN I get old.... I have a 284 Win and THEN a 6.5X55, -- if necessary I can drop all the way to a 6mm Rem.
Ain't there yet.

Jerry

A Montana in 7-08 strikes me as just about perfect. So does the same rifle in 257 Roberts. I'd go with the 7-08 though, because of the lack of availability and slim factory ammo options for the 257.

I'm 53 and sold all my big boomers over the last few years and took the path of having fewer but "built by me" rifles. I used donor actions, picked the barrels and had a gunsmith put everything together. I initially decided on a couple of mild, short action chamberings - 7mm-08 and 338Fed. Both are under 7 pounds scoped so they are easy to carry. Ammo is made by me and have plenty. I recently added a 243 just to for something different and is my loaner rifle, if needed. My kids wonder why I got rid of all the fast and loud guns. I say: I am old, I just want "easy."

My "old man" guns.
Rem700 .223
Rem700 .243
Rem600 7mm-08
Rem600 338 Fed

I am older than anyone who has posted their age so far and I have gravitated to light recoiling rounds for hunting and shooting. My most used cartridges are the 22 LR and 223 Rem.

I shot high-power competition for 40 years using 308, 7/08, 260 and 243, most matches I fired 200 or more rounds per day and I reached the point that I despise recoil. Try doing that for a week it wears on a person, I can shoot without flinching but the enjoyment of shooting higher recoil rifles is done. I truly believe that recoil has a cumulative effect over the years - I have reached mine and am not ashamed to admit it.

Heck, I have come to dread the recoil the recoil of 400-500 rounds of PD shooting out of my 223, by about 250 rounds my fun-meter is pegged. If I weren't so stocked with 223 components I would seriously consider starting to use a 17 Hornet for gopher and PD shooting.

As far as big game - the largest rifle I have left is a 243 Win and since I have the luxury of a long season and being able to hunt out my backdoor it is my elk cartridge. With good bullet placement it is entirely capable of dropping an elk as well as bigger calibers.

drover

When I started deer hunting, even our back tags had the silhouette of a Remington 742 on it. Borrowing a Winchester 64 as a 12 year old, I felt handicapped because I couldn't shoot it like a kid playing a video game. We did't hear single shots back then, we heard volleys until someone managed to get the deer down. I went through that stage with a M100 and 742, then a 141 and 760. Strangely enough I was finding that I never need more than one shot, so I graduated to better made, more accurate bolt actions. A substantially reworked scoped 7# 700 BDL 7mm RM piled up lots of deer and some elk and while the weight was right, the recoil was more than I needed. Rather than filling the safe full of okay rifles, I built up a 7# 2 ounce 7mm-08 on a 77 Mk ll action and have lived happily ever after. A 99F .300 Savage went out with me last year too, but it is my back up to that 77 7mm-08.

7x57 and 9.3x62 for me. However, I have a few fantasy guns out there, namely Mauser in 404 Jeffery, a M70 in 338-06 and a M70 in something or other. But I'm only 50.

[quote=Higginez]It really is incredible what a .223 with a good bullet will do to a deer or pig.[/quote

I intend to find that out soon.

Wise man! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If I just HAD to have a rifle bigger than a 30-06, the 9.3 would be my first choice.


Okie John

So far I'm doing fine with the bigger ones I own, but when it comes to going into the field, the 243 and 260 seem to get grabbed a lot... the other option I go with is the 7 mm Mauser in a Model 70 Featherweight...

Not mentioned, so I'll bring it up... recently picked up a 6.5 Grendal in a Ruger American Predator....

For deer and smaller, its more than adequate for most of the distances people can accurately hit an animal at...
Think of it as a 6.5 mm version of a 30/30 capacity case, with spitzer bullets..

it has a flatter trajectory and ability to penetrate armor plate at 1000 yds...

in theory that should work on an elk at sane ranges...

With a 3 x 9 Leupold on top, its quite carry-able for most older guys, except if they are traveling with a walker....

and with the right handloads this clunky Ruger, can get pretty darn accurate...

mine seems to really love AR Comp and 2015BR

70 here, and flip flop between a 30-06 and 308 for elk. For whitetail and hogs I use a 308. I did buy a 300 win mag for an upcoming nilgai hunt but it'll go back in the safe until the next nilgai hunt.

I'm 75 and I place more priority on the recoil pad than the various calibers I own. Much prefer being punched by soft LimbSavers, but pad performance needs to be at least a decelerator.

Still a place for your favorite rifles from the past...no reason you can't load reduced recoil loads for yourself.

I am 73, my old 300 and 7mm RM are my favorite big game rifles.. The .300 since 1971 and this 7mm since the early 90's.. I still shoot and assortment of other calibers depending on the day and whim.. I can't say getting old has caused me to shoot less powerful rifles.. I now just have more rifles to shoot!!

You go Dad. I like it.


THE reason I like the 7 RM is with 139/140 gr bullets @ 3300 fps is the FLAT trajectory.
At 400 yds there is NO holdover. When I go deer hunting I never know where I’ll see a
deer (buck or doe) I want to shoot.

I have not been in a deer stand since 2011. I move & find the deer, sometimes
they find me. Since 2012 I’ve killed several deer ON my way to an area I want to
hunt. Sometimes they’re close, sometimes they’re across a pasture or down a
fence row.

In the 80s - 90s I thot Elk & Moose required big magnums. I’ve learned since they
don’t. Since 458 Win ( Mr Phil) says the 30-06 is entirely adequate for Brown Bear
I’ve settled on the 7 mm RM as my One For All game rifle.

And yes I enjoy shooting/hunting diff rifles/cartridges too.

Good Luck in 2020.

Jerry

Yes sir. I really can't justify the need for more than a 223 down here on the Gulf Coast. I have a few others, but the 223 spends the most time with me. 60 Partitions and 64 grain bonded almost always exit on a broadside shot. They wreck the innards and leave a decent blood trail. The same can be said for the factory 62 grain fusion load.

It took many years of reloading with various calibers from 270 up to a 338 win mag and 300 Weatherby mag. At age 68 I've settled on the 358 Winchester. It leaves one heck of a blood trail and not much tracking. The 358 Win is all I need for my neck of the woods. I also still use my Ruger Mini 30 7.62x39 short carbine. 30/30 power at it's best. Killed truck loads of deer in NY apple orchards. Deer are thin skinned animals and it doesn't take a magnum to drop them dead.

Ken

At 69-1/2 I don't yet qualify of "old" and I still shoot my magnums. Have always preferred levers and bolts to semis and doubt that will ever change.

That said, I do enjoy my light recoiling rifles more than the heavier recoiling ones. Earlier this week I worked up a 150g ABLR /2899fps load for my .280 Remington. My recoil calculater says recoil is a bit under 18fpe and 12fps. At 7000 feet altitude it delivers 0ver 2100fps and 1500fpe to 630 yards, which is beyond my limit, and it shoots great. Was planning on taking my 7mm RM elk hunting this year but think the .280 Rem will go instead. A backup rifle will go as well - either my ,300WM or my ,338 WM.

Not yet, only used when chasing PA and NY bucks.

I hunted my first season with a lever action .30-30 and will carry the same in my last season.

Same could be said about the 7x57.

Well, being 82 I've come to the conclusion that the big boomers now reside in the back of the safe. I'll most likely stick to my .35 Whelen if I do another elk hunt but just may have it as the back up rifle and see just what a 7x57 can do. I've been playing quite a bit with that cartridge and like how it treats my shoulder. The big boomers from the .338 Win. Mag up to the .416 Rigby are now officially retired. Maybe I'll put them up for consignment at one of my LGS. I really have to get off the stick and go shoot. I was in a car wreck back on January 2 and the doc won't clear me to go shoot anything bigger than a .22LR. I'm beginning to think he's sandbagging me as he probably doesn't like guns or hunting but keeps his mouth shut. Frankly, I'd drop him but he's a damn good doctor so I kind of put up with him. Besides, his assistant is cuter'n a bug and loves to flirt with this old goat.
Paul B.

At 77 I am hunting from tree stand or ground level cover. The feel and handling of rifle is more important to me than caliber. Having said that, I find anything with more recoil than a 270 Win is unpleasant and I do not care to punish my shoulder. I do shoot my guns thru the year and prefer Weatherby Vanguard in 243 Win with 24" bbl and weatherby composite compact stock. Second choice being a T/C Venture carbine in 7mm08. Both fit well and are easy to get on target. Trigger let off is crisp at 3 #. I do not take offhand shots over 100 yards. Nor will I shoot at a running deer. More important to me is the optic on the rifle. I have settled on Sightron and Minox scopes. I also use electronic muffs to protect hearing. I used to think I could hunt in heavy woods and be quiet. Ear muffs taught me how much noise I made. I also have noticed very few people can go thru the wood areas and not make noise. I have found movement alerts deer more than crunching leaves or color of clothing. Break a limb and everything in the forest is on alert.
Checking my records of deer kills (mostly smaller Whitetails in 90 to 150 Lbs) the best results for particular calibers were 270 Win with more drop dead results than any other caliber. The caliber that resulted with 100% deer retrieved with none lost was the 243 Win. This is probably due to more concentration on bullet placement, rifles that handled well and a self limitation of 200 yards with that caliber. The deer killed with 243 averaged traveling 30 to 40 yards. Blood trails were the least visible or none found with the 243. The best blood trails were produced by 120 gr Sierra ProHunter bullet in 7mm-08. This bullet also produced the most internal damage. The 120 gr Hornady soft point 6.8 bullet out of a 270 Win. at 2800 FPS was also very effective on lungs without a lot of meat damage.
The Rifle which I refused to take hunting and soon sold was a Savage model 100 in 270 in the original high come straight plastic stock with 14" length of pull .That stock beat my shoulder and blackened my check after just 5 rounds.
Several friends switched in their 60s to Remington semi automatics for reduced recoil. I tried several but missed the accuracy of a good bolt action.
The most accurate in my experience is a Savage 100 in 7mm-08 with 24"bbl. I put an older Boyds beavertail stock on the rifle. It would put 5 shots on bullseye with all holes touching. Some groups would measure .3 CENTER TO CENTER. Much too heavy to carry very long but great from log rest. Gave it to son in law for hunting elk in Wyoming.

Will be a mere 66 soon. At 63 switched from .300s to a .375R. Really like it. Braked, yes. I wear electronic muffs for all shooting/hunting. Brake or no brake. Hunt alone, unguided. No horses. Just a tractor. Tractor doesn't care about the brake. And don't shoot prone, cuz I'd hurt myself. So no issue with dust flying up.

The brake directs excess blast/noise obliquely - not straight back. Eg., no trouble shooting a Barrett 82CQ, but don't want to be at an adjacent line position. Think my recoil tolerance has gotten better over time. Maybe just get used to chronic pain as you age. Whatever.

at 67 still shoot`n my Ruger # 1 257 W.mag. but i figure if i make 75 years of age i plan on using my Ruger #1 257 Roberts Mannlicher with a 20 inch barrel tell i go to Valhalla .

I’m 75, only sold my .404J and 10 ga after shoulder surgery.

Still have and shoot my .375 H&H. Have a safe full, down to .22K-Hornet in center fire.

DF

I'm nearing 60 and still hunt with the same rifles (270, 6mm Rem, and 358 Win) that I've had for 40+ years. The 270 is a Ruger tanger and the stock feels kind of 'clunky' compared to some others so it sees less time in the woods than it used to. But it still snaps to the shoulder and the target is right there in the scope.

Then there's my 88 year old dad, he still hunts with the same Savage 99 (in 300 Savage) that he's had since about 1960 or so.

Dale

I love owning and hunting with different rifles. I do not like to be stomped upon for the purpose of killing game animals. In my Area of Operation, game animals up to the size of elk and black bear can legally be taken with the 270 WCF and larger. My favorite hunting cartridge is the 7mm/08. I have no doubt that it will cover the above application. That said, I have killed a fair amount of whitetail deer with the 243 WCF and the 6mm Rem. I Have used the 6.5 Grendel and the 257 Roberts. My favorite pig hunting cartridge is the 338 Federal, but if I had to build myself a rifle for my old age, it would be something closely resembling a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle chambered in 7mm/08. It would be threaded, so I could attach a suppressor, and other than that, I know how to keep my knife sharp.

I turned 77 a week ago. Have had a Savage Axis in .243 for a couple of years, with an old 3-9 x 32 Bushnell. A lot lighter and handier than any of my older rifles.Really like the magazine for in and out of the vehicle. With some old semi-point nosler 100 gr partitions at 3150+ with 46.5 RL26 should handle any deer, bear,coyote I will run into. Don't do much scattergun any more but my only shotgun is an 870 express 12ga. The forend looks like a chunk of 4x4 that was fitted and sanded a bit before the finish was applied. Sure miss the old corncob pattern. I think a nice trim 20 ga is in my future.

I'm 60 and I recently bought a 416 for the next africa trip. My last deer was shot with a 9.3mm. I'm saving the 6.5 m-s carbine for my 90s. Something must be wrong with me.

I approve this message! memtb

Guess i am a sucker for punishment, I still shoot them all from 450 Howell to 45-70 #1 405 Win. just not as much as I used to, mostly because I can't find an excuse to hunt with my bigger guns more than a couple of times each season, and I have been messing around with the 6.5 PRC and 6.5 Creed, But when I boil it all down to what is a handy, every day all round jeep gun it's my ar-15 .223 or one of my .243 A.I. for anything but pigs I lean heavy on my .243 A.I. I haven't found anything that will out shoot my .243 A.I. for me, but you never know what will come up in the future I am only 82. Rio7

Yeah, but, uh, that's all they had back then.

(That is truly a beautiful rifle.)

Tom

I’ll be 69 in a few days. I haven’t started hunting with a .223 yet but my .300 Win Mag is shooting 155 gr Scenars or A-max at 308 velocity instead of 180 Partitions. This may be just as much because of a torn rotator cuff as age. Waiting until after hunting season to get it repaired.

I'm 78 and believe some rifles handle recoil better than others. My 9.3x62 is a real pleasure,but I just shot a 308 that I just finished and I'm impressed. First 308 that I've owned. Anymore I don't need anything bigger, but I have them.

Good grief there's a lot of Old Farts on this board!!

And to think that at the tender young age of 59 I chose the moniker "Gun Geezer"!! I suppose I was just ahead of my time.

I'm down to a 300H&H for my "big gun" and I have it loaded down a bit. After that it down goes to a couple 308s, 280, 275Rigby, 257Rob, 6CM and a couple 22 CFs.

I did the med bore thing for 20yrs. A few 375magnums and various 35s made that list. I just got tired of of the recoil, heavy rifles and added expense. I don't live in a place where there are great bears and a moose tag is rare so what I have is more than enough.

Another 67 year old here...must have been a good model year. I got away from the big magnums a couple decades ago but I was shooting them more for the learning experience than hunting though I did kill a deer or two with the real 300 Win. Mag.....way overkill. I never drank the 308 or 30-06 Kool-Aid and doubt I ever will. I'm still hunting with one of the 40 or so cartridges I've been using the last 30 or so years. From my 45-90 Shiloh Sharps down to a 1903 Mannlicher/Schoenauer in 6.5 X 54. I have a 7 X 64 Brenneke I like and I have several 8mm, 9mm and a couple 9.3's in various guises, none of which I load remotely close to hot. Most rifles are fed a good cast bullet load ranging from around 1600 fps to 2200 fps for smokeless rounds. BP cartridges run around 1200 fps with heavy for caliber bullets. 360 grs. for my 11.15 X 60R, 410 grs. for my 40-70 and 480 grs. in the 45-90. Sooo...I guess, so far at least, I haven't changed anything. Dad always said variety is the spice of life and I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

I'm 63 and my all time favorite rifle is my push feed Model 70 Featherweight 7x57 I got in 1984 or '85. It has a 1980's vintage Burris 4X scope in 2 piece bases and rings. I find I carry it WAY more than any of my other rifles and it will always be my "go-to" hunting rifle for the rest of my hunting days. Eventually it's going to my son's oldest boy who just turned 7.

As I age, I enjoy my milder rounds more and more. .257 Roberts and 7mm-08 get out of the safe more than the .30-06 and larger rounds

I am coming onto 60 years. I never owned a magnum rifle. My "big gun" is a 30-06 bolt. Then I step down to a Marlin 336a 30-30 and a Marlin 44 mag.

I hunt squirrel (22lr), woodchuck (222 Rem) and whitetail deer ( above rifles) in Maine ( woods hunting). I don't need super-heavy , max-velocity loads.

Don't forget the option of throttling back muzzle velocity, or reducing bullet weight of any mid- bore chambering. My 30-06 bolt is really a 308 Winchester in disguise. As I get older, they may look more like a 300 Savage. No need for me to "caliber down.". I have plenty of options with what I have, for many shooting years to come. That also includes cast bullets, and a .50 caliber flinter. Bring on old age. I will be able to shoot one way or another.

I haven’t reached the point of backing-down in recoil levels .....yet! I’m getting ready to build a load for my Marlin Guide Gun, using a 430 grain cast bullet. The velocity goal is somewhere around 1800 to 1900 FPS. I’ve heard it may recoil a bit! memtb

My hunting rifle for this year is going to be my win 94 30-30.
Hunting in Eastern Washington in pine-covered hills and don’t need more rifle.

Forgot to add, before he downsized to the Mighty -08 I turned his .30-06 into a .308 using Varget and 150 grain Accubonds.




P

Working on a load for the old custom FN .270 I picked up a while back. Have one with 130gr ABs over a mere 58gr of H4831 that'll do, but want to try some 150gr Hornady Interlocks as well. Shooting for about 2700, guestimated, with those, plenty for anything I need to do, and easier on the barrel and brass. The somewhat stylized stock on the FN makes recoil feel pretty soft. Still, one of my 6s or my Grendel, will get the majority of field time simple because they're all a lot lighter. The FN will be nice to look at while I'm sitting on a log.

I’m 69 and CAN still shoot the big stuff but don’t have any need. Can’t run up and down the hill for miles. I haven’t shot more than a 30-06 for 5 years or so

Personal preference, Phil would have no problem with a 375

7 Wby, 7 SAUM, 7 WSM, 45-70 Rolling Block, 300 WSM are all still my favorites at 62.

I shoot 350g@ 2281fps and 460g @1812fps. HUGE difference in recoil in my Marlin 1895. I recommend you shoot those 430's with irons. Have only shot the 460s once with a scope - the recoil is enough to break orbital bones, around 52 ft-lbs. The 350's are my go-to elk load for the .45-70.

I must be the contrarian in the group as I keep going bigger as I get older. My last new rifle was a 9.3x62. I am now contemplating either a 444 or a 45-70. I must admit I do enjoy carrying lighter rifles such as my MS in 9x56. It is rather lively. The recoil hasn't really started bothering me as of yet. I do still bow hunt so that does help keep my shoulders in shape. Shoot what you enjoy for as long as you enjoy it. Approaching 64 I still have a few bigger calibers to try and hopefully the time to enjoy them.

Coyote Hunter, It’s been a while since I’ve gotten a scope eyebrow.....but, managed to, a couple of days ago.

I “ bumped-up” my load on the 45-70 by one grain, pushing it to around 1820 fps. Felt recoil is still comfortable (maybe it’s the pad), but, the rifle gets pretty active ...jumps off of the rest during recoil. I think that I may have been too relaxed. It appears that I allowed my head to move forward under recoil......thankfully the scope stopped it! The groups weren’t as good as the previous load. It looks like the 1790 fps load is the keeper! memtb

MS, not being critical.

You aren’t the only one. I’ve posted earlier and some others too.
My FAVs are in ascending order,
7 RM
300 WM
8 mini mini RM

I’m 70 yo.

Jerry

We can’t let the young pups have all the fun.

At almost 67, I agree. 30-06 in my Garand, 308 in the bolt action Savage and 243 in the 700 Remington. Every thing else is .223 or .22.

kwg

At 74 my favorite elk rifle is still my .300 Weatherby. Three years ago it was also my rifle of choice for my Dagestan Tur hunt in Azerbaijan. For deer or antelope I'll use my .257 Ackley. If I suspect rainy weather, for anything from deer to moose, I'll use my stainless Remington 700 in 7 mm Rem mag. And I'm still keeping my .375 RUM for a possible hunt for a Brown bear or one of Africa's bad guys.

Both my .300 Wby and .375 RUM are braked, have internal recoil reducers and Limbsaver pads. My .300 Wby doesn't kick any harder than my .308 Win.

yessiree bub !!

I also think they don't know what they're missing.

Jerry

attaboy buffy !! Good for ya !

Jerry

Haven’t viewed all of this discussion but I’m in the 70s and my last purchase was a Highwall of about 12#. .45-70. It does what needs doin’, and I like it as much as my 5-6# guns.

I am not a fan of recoil, so I've been shooting my 300 Savage with 125 Nosler BT and Varget @ about 2825 FPS out of my 99 FW. I also have a bolt gun, Savage Weather Worrier that Savage had run of a few years ago. Works great and amazingly accurate in the 99. I think the little Savage is a great Mule Deer and Antelope. When I say 300, I mean 300 Savage.

I also have had great luck loading down my other rifles. I mostly use the Nosler load data, using the "most accurate load" shown with the lowest powder charge.

270 Win 51.0 Hunter and 140 Nosler BT get about 2850 from my 22" barrel, 7X57 performance.

25 06 46 Gr and 115 Nosler BT gets about 2800 from my 24" barrel, 257 Roberts performance


'I'm working on reduced loads for my 308 using the 125 BT.

I use a 6.5 X 55 or a 243 these days and they are mild recoiling enough. No more .534's here, except or my 300 H&H. I really don't know why, but I love that rifle, but only shoot or hunt it anymore.

I haven't shot my .338WM in over a decade. It recoils less than the other Tanger in '06, with the short bbl.

Too busy shooting '06s, and the .260... and acquired a M70XTR in 7mm last year.

I took it, my '94 in 30-30, the .260, and a 30-06 out hunting this year - the XTR and the .260 won the lottery on fired opportunities.

Just checked zero on 8 mini mini Rem Mag & 7 mm R Mag.

READY for season.

Jerry

An old friend of mine, when I wore a young mans clothes, used a 250 Savage in a 99. He never needed more power or another shot for the most part. Now I'm within a couple of years of his age then. Be Well, RZ.

An ADDENDUM ...

My 41 yo Son was with me.
He stood behind me as I shot both rifles.
He had fingers IN his ears.


I just now asked (axed) him if he could tell the difference with ears PLUGGED ?

He said, “ I could FEEL the diff in concussion “.... edit. (fat fingers)


NO joke.

Jerry

Well I am “only” 54 years old and I find myself going back to wood and blue rifles other than a Steyr Mannlicher Model M Professional .30-06 with a 6x Kahles scope for nasty weather hunts. I mostly use a Shiloh Sharps or a Winchester 71

Recoil has never been a problem for me, but, past 70 now and I am liking my 6.5 Swede these days.
I only shoot handloads, just a little more horsepower than factory.

I have a 6.5 Grendel that's a joy to shoot. May designate it as my "oldster" rifle.

Rusty, "Need" is not the subject of this thread.

We, even oldsters shoot what we like.

Be well, jwall

I have a 300 Win Mag Winchester XPR that shoots 1/2" with 165 Accubond over a reduced 58 gr. load of 4064. Mag-na-ported so kicks less than my 6.5PRC. This has become a favorite to shoot and not bad to carry. I'm thinking about 2900 out of my 26" bbl. Which seems confirmed by my Strelok + ballistic app and shooting out to 600 yds. Maybe not your cup of tea but damn this thing shoots. Oh, I'm 71 and 5'7" 140 lbs and do 300 sit-ups and other exercise every other day. If you enjoy it find a way to do it! Mac

At 67, I’m definitely in the less is more crowd.
I don’t own any magnums anymore and won’t. I just don’t see the need.
I find that I enjoy shooting the mild cartridges a lot and shoot them well because of that......
I now carry a Kimber Hunter in 6.5 CM with a SWFA 3x9 on deck - kind of an odd pairing.
Light rifle, heavy-ish scope. But the pairing works out very well.
I hunt blacktail deer and cascade elk mostly, with an occasional antelope tossed in.
It’s become my “lucky” rifle with several elk and really nice blacktails to its credit.
The milder stuff works just fine, for me......ymmv

Which bullet for elk in your 6.5 Creedmoor?

140 gr Federal Fusion on 5 cow elk. 129 Hornady IL on deer.
I killed two big cow elk with the 129 IL from a Browning Low Wall .260.

Circumstances....... where and how you hunt plays a roll in cartridge and bullet choices.

Not feeling a want for lever or auto, but do like some features of a Browning X bolt hells canyon. The only thing holding me back from buying is their weird angular trigger guard and gold trigger, why would they ruin such an otherwise great rifle?

Maybe personnel in Q & D dept. ?

Yeah, some stylist dept. exec. that may not even hunt, and I'm age gapped with him.

YOU GOT IT !!

I put together an M700 7-08 in 2007 for local deer and out of state trophy hunts. I upgraded the scope and moved from a Mcmillan mountain hunter to a fugly game hunter.

After 13 years of boringly good performance I've tried to improve with an 06. I cant shoot the 06 as well so the 7-08 will likely stay with me till I hang my boots up

72 here. The 4 rifles I carry most weigh 6.5-7 lbs. Win 94, 30-30 open sights is the lightest. It is my walk-about carry.

725 in .260, and 700 in 243 are next lightest, The RU77 30-06 ("Stub") cut down to carbine is the heaviest at just under 7 lbs. All are scoped.

I'm not adverse to carrying (just not too far!) a near 10 lb RU77 in .338WM, or the 11 lb, heavy barreled M98 in 30-06 (used this one last year on a walk-in caribou hunt- but it was only about 1 1/2 miles uphill..... ). The new to me nearly 8 lb XTR in 7x57 got the nod this year, along with the 94 (carried one day), the .260 for my son, and Stub for my wife.

Undecided for next year, but probably the '94, the "featherweight" XTR, Stub, and either the '98 or the .338. I haven't killed anything with the '94 since 1966, or the .338 in about 15 years. They need their chance again.

And we will likely be using a couple ATV's on the caribou hunt, and not more than 1/2 mile from the boat on a moose hunt if plans come together, so weight isn't really an issue. If I was backpacking in a 2-10 miles, it would be the .260.