I wonder what the second most popular cartridge is. I could check sales, but given the penchant of many here to argue ad nauseum about Creedmoors or 270s , I'd like to hear what you carry as a back up rifle when you go hunting.

I know that some live in the plains, while others hunt thick cover. But, if you couldn't use your favourite rifle, what is the second string, bench warming, last picked, second class, over the hill cartridge that you'd head out the door with?

It's probably silly to ask, but let's pretend that 270s and Creedmoors don't exist. We all know they are wonderful, but this post has to do with "also rans". Oh damn, my Lee Enfield is in the garage! I'll have to take the...

You get the picture. I carry a 30-06.

And you, is it a 30-06? a 308? 7mm Mauser? 280?, 30-30? 35 Wombley Hughes Howell Improved?

Well, my primary cartridge is the 7x57 (shock, huh?). My backup cartridge is the 7x57 in another rife with maybe a different bullet weight. And even though the bench goes deep, all the team members wear the same number. I guess that doesn't count then, does it?

I do, though, have both a .260 Remington and a .444 Marlin in the safe, but they're way in the back and haven't been shot in years.

.30-30 Marlin 336

-Jake

35 Whelen for me.

Lead hitter is a Remington 700 ADL 7mm Express vintage 1979 (a.k.a. 280 Remington). Second in the lineup is a Winchester M70 XTR purchased used in 1977 in .270 Winchester. 175 grain partitions in the .280 and 150 grain Nosler Solid Base in the .270. I have about 15 boxes of the old Solid Base bullets in the cupboard. The 175 gr partitions for the .280 are seconds from SPS.

30-30 mod. 94 with a William’s peep.

.30-06 Weatherby Van 2 SS MOA is first for big game (white tail deer & hogs), and 3 other .30-06s next, Ruger 77 in .270W next, .243W next, and if night hunting exclusively for hogs a .223/5.56 in AR15.

My bench, in order of playing time is:
6MM Remington
257 Roberts
260 Remington
7MM-08
308

6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer, the 6.5 Creedmoor of its day. If the Internet had existed back then, World War One might have started even sooner, due to arguments over the 6.5x54 M-S and OBVIOUSLY much more suitable cartridges.

I have a pair of rifles set up almost the same - very easy for me to swap from one to the other. Both are Rem 700 CDL's with 6x Leupold scopes. One in 30-06, the other in 25-06.

Some years I hunt more with the 25-06, say when mule deer and antelope are what I seek. And the bigger bore rifle plays a backup role.

Some years I hunt more with the 30-06, perhaps black bear or elk are on the schedule. And the smaller bore rifle plays the backup role.

I like 'em both and have been successful with them both. Am careful to not mix up the ammo!

Guy

Blasphemy!!!!!

My deer hunts are normally done with a .264 Win Mag while I prefer the .30-06 or even the .300 H&H for elk.....but the back up gun is almost always a .30-06 built on a VZ-24 action.

While I have eight rifles capable of big game, I have come to depend more and more on the old 30-06....It has earned my deep respect as a true big game cartridge.

Well, back before the boating accident claimed all my rifles, some hunts went like this:

Mtn Goat
Primary: Kimber 8400 .300WM, 165 TTSX
Backup: 700 Cabela's Mtn Guide, 7mm-08, 140 TTSX

Hogs
Primary: Mauser 98, 7x57, iron sights, 175 RN
Backup: 722, .300 Sav, 4x32 Conquest, 130 TTSX (accounted for all hogs)

Moose
Primary: 700 CDL, .35 Whelen, 250 SP
Backup: 700 CDL .30-06, 165 Interbond

Hogs (24HCF hunt)
Primary: RAR, .22-250, 75 BTHP
Backup: Sig P227, 230 HS

Dall Sheep
Primary: 700 Mtn Rifle, 7x57, 154 SP
Backup: 700 CDL .30-06, 165 Interbond (didn't make it onto the bush plane) Guide carried a Husqvarna mauser in .30-06

Elk:
Primary: 700 Mtn Rifle, 7x57, 173 SPCE
Backup: 700 CDL .30-06, 165 Interbond

Hogs (24HCF hunt)
Primary: Savage 99, Iron sights, 130 TTSX
Backup: Sig P245, 230 Gold Dots


Bunch o' other hunts were most likely just mixed 'n matched versions of above. Short of the iron-sighted guns, I could probably plug 'em all in interchangeably. If I'm close enough, they all work.

FC

For deer and pronghorns, primary is a .257 AI, backup is my old pre-64 '06.

For elk, the '06 is my primary, backup is an improved version of the .338-06.

Those are about all I hunt anymore...

416 Rem Mag
375 H&H
9.3x64 Brenneke
338-06
300 H&H
30-06
270 Win
6.5 Creed
22-250
222 Remington
223 Wylde

Pick and choose with the whims of emotions as the hunt turns.

So far, this highly scientific sampling has 6 30-06s of the 14 responses.

I am primarily a whitetail deer hunter.

My bench has the following:

#1 -- 30-06
#2 -- 308 WIN -- A Savage 99 loaded to 300 Savage levels

I use the Savage 99 for the stands in the woods. I use the 30-06 for the open pastures.

#3 -- 8X57 Mauser
#4 -- 35 Whelen -- loaded to 35 Rem levels
#5 -- 25-06 -- loaded to 257 Roberts levels.
#6 -- 30-30 WIN

If I can't go with my 257 imp ( 6mm rem).

I would have to go with my 350 rem mag.

For the past bunch of years, it has been a couple of M98 Husqvarna M146s chambered in 9.3x57. 250 gr AB or TSX loaded to give 2425 FPS. Pretty much a boosted metric .358 Win.

as mostly a deer hunter i have used the last 10-15 years a 257 Weatherby Mag. in a Ruger no.1 on the stand or for longer shots and now my walk around rifle for in the woods a Savage 99 - 284 Win.,if i bear hunt again a Ruger no.1 300 Win. Mag., my main coyote /critter rifle is a Ruger no.1 220 Swift. >but i keep a 556/223 AR handy which just might be the # 2 cartridge sold now days ?

We mostly hunt elk and black bear here, with the occasional mule deer tag although not so much any more.

The loaner rifle is a .30-06 zeroed for Federal 180gr Partitions. The .30-06 is about the right cartridge for the sort of people who end up using a loaner rifle

My backup is a CZ 550 Sonoran in 7mmRM. It's not as handy as the 7mm WSM, but is weatherproof.

When it comes to middle of the road second best mediocrity, the .30-06 is hard to beat

Ranting, is that you?

I was a 7 mag guy for many years, but I have a bunch now. I kinda rotate them around.

If I had to pick a back up and get down to two I would go 7 mag with a 264 Win mag backup

I have 2 270s. Setup the same...sighted in to the same load.

I do the same thing with my shotguns. I use 2 1100s setup the same for competition, waterfowl and the limited upland i do.

Carry guns...2 G19s with Ameriglow Bolds

I like consistency and familiarity

My hunting is mostly northeastern deer, with a mix of drives, still hunting and sitting out.

1st is my .308 Kimber Montana.
2nd, especially if I'm walking around, is my 30/30 Savage 99 featherweight takedown (20 in barrel, redfield receiver sight)
3rd, mainly if I sitting out, is a 300 Savage Rem 700 Classic. If I didn't have the Kimber I'd consider switching this one to a lighter synthetic stock and cutting the barrel down to 21 or 22 inches, but it is a nice rifle as is.

If I need more depth in the lineup I can go to a .250, a .280, another .308, and a .350 Rem Mag, but they don't travel to deer camp much.

I daresay you would've been better off with a .236 Navy. Extra points for a British best grade bolt gun in 6.5x53R.

gnoahhh,

Have a .236 Navy (a Winchester sporter) as back-up for the 6.5x54. Astonishingly, both have "fast twist" barrels!

Dude, believe me, you could do a lot worse. That's freaking classic as it gets.

I typically carry a Marlin 94 chambered in 45 Colt unless heavy precipitation is expected. Wet weather days I carry a Rem 700 stainless 7mm-08. I consider any chambering 25 cal and larger about equal for WT size game.

I typically bring an iron sighted Marlin lever gun either a 30-30 or 32 Sp as my back up rifle on a hunt when I am carrying either my 30-06 or 7mag.

But I really like your idea of two matching rifles with matching scopes, this makes a lot of sense. Maybe too much sense for us rifle looney's !

My primary is a .25.06 single shot. Backup is a .270 bolt action. All I hunt these days is deer and antelope so they do nicely.

Yeah, that could be a blast, literally, LOL! That's why Remington made the shoulder of the .280 Rem. (7mm Express), .050 longer than the .270 Win. to prevent chambering the .280 in the .270.

It varies.

My go to rifle is my old push feed POS Post 63 Model 70 in .270 Winchester. But after that, I could grab anything from a lowly Remington 700 ADL Synthetic .22-250 to a beautful 9.3x62 on a first generation Ruger Model 77 action with a 24 Inch Blue Carbon steel Shilen match barrel that once had a Ruger .30-06 barrel on it. But I already had a .30-06 and wanted a 9.3x62, so when I saw a nice Ruger 77 doner rifle at my Favorite LGS I knew it was what I wanted. But I am a Rifleman. I pretty much love 'em all. The only thing I don't have diameter wise is something 6.5 and I'm toying with either bulding or buying something of that diameter.

Other than that ratty ol' .270, I can't say that I have a favorite.

I do love that ol' .270, but I do love my .280 Remington also. It's an old 98 Mauser with a 26 inch E.R. Shaw Chrome Moly Barrel in a Bell and Carlson fiberglass classic Stock. I guess my favorite rifle is whatever I grab that morning.

I generally start the week in Maine carrying a Remington 760 pump in .300 Savage with genuine Weaver flip-over mount and a VXII 1.5x5. When that gets to heavy around Tuesday the 94 gets dusted off.

Steve, If I need a back-up rife, God forbid, I’ll use my wife’s .338 WM..... If she’ll let me! Though the LOP would be pretty short, if things were reversed, she’d have to use my rifle...and the LOP would be a bit too long for her! The negative for her is....she’s never shot my rifle! I don’t think she’s looking forward to an additional 19 ft/lbs of recoil. I’m sure she can handle it....at least once! memtb

It's supposed to be my model 92 38-40 but I have a strange feeling the 30-30 Marlin is going to get left behind more than the Winchester this year.

Eastern deer, I usually have a 25-06 in hand but the 7-08 is always ready.
When I'm lucky enough to get out west I take the 300wm and either a 7RM or 7-08 as back up.

Eastern whitetail, me 307 & 356 Winchester and Mrs. Shawlerbrook 7mm08. Out west, Maine moose or Alaska it’s a 300 WSM.

I forgot about the 7-08's,might as well throw them into the mix of suitable backups, or primaries for that matter.

It varies depending on the game and location, but I find that if my .30-06 is not my primary rifle for a hunt it is often the backup. This makes sense since the .30-06 will work well on about any game in North America. My .280 and 7mm RM get used as back-ups fairly often too.

I forgot all about this one: a pre-64 M94 with a Williams receiver sight.

I've killed the most deer over the past 20 years or so with a Marlin .30-30. Second place would go to my Tikka 595 chambered in .243. I do have a new 6.5 Creedmoor that is quickly becoming a favorite though so things might not be the same going forward.

My primary rifle might vary depending on what I'm after, but if I thought I needed to carry a backup rifle it would likely be a trusted Ruger 77 in 300 Winchester mag. It has been my primary rifle many times while traveling and never let me down.

Add another vote for the 30-06.

I don't have backup guns.

I used to have back up guns, but I backed up over them!

well this year 2019 i just plan on using my new to me inherited rifle by an old dear friend who was one heck of a gunsmith in Minnesota " Harold B. " a dandy Winchester pre-64 30-06 model 70. SO YA ME TOO 30-06 !

7mm RM backs up 338 WM
25-06 backs up 7mm RM
243 backs up 25-06

243 and 7mm-08 “loaners” and smaller shooters

Shhhh, fast twist and high BC bullets is a fad too...


30/30 in a Savage 99F.

These days first up is my Mauser 98 in 7x57,backup for it is usually another Mauser 98 in 257Rob.AI.

I do have another 98 that is chambered for the 35 Whelen when needed,it does treat deer bad when used out to 300 yards.

My 270 usually stays at home ever since i built these.

The 30/06 is always ready and the .270 wcf's are my carry. It has always been that way.

Never did that myself, but anything is possible.

One of my puzzles however is my flinter. I wonder sometimes if my balls are too small.

Could be. I hear that you gotta powder them. Apparently, that makes a difference.

I sometimes bring two rifles to our hunting camp, but never thought of one as "backup" - just another choice. But we do keep a "just in case" rifle in camp for anyone to use in an emergency, an ancient No. 4 Lee enfield .303. It even got used once when my brother came to camp with one rifle and left his bolt at home on the cleaning bench.

Unless rain is in the forecast, my Mariln .30-30 gets the starting spot.

The .30-06 usually bats second.

If the .35 Whelen is my primary, .30-06 alternate.

.300 Weatherby by 7mm Weatherby

7mm Weatherby by the other 7mm Weatherby

7x57 by .308 Win

.257 Roberts, why bother.

I use an 8x57 for deer, and a 350 Rem Mag for black bear. A .30-'06 is the bench warmer for both.

Neither do I. All of my rifles get taken into the field, some more than others. Factors such as woods vs fields, weather, and just how I'm feeling that day play a part in which one goes with me.

However, because I'm always tinkering with new loads, having a tried and true box of ammo sometimes is the limiting factor.....

GunLoony88, Same here for us (wife and I), we don’t carry a back-up firearm..... as we each, have “only one” hunting rifle. We always hunt together, so we could use the other’s rifle if the need arises! memtb

When I hunt for myself I never carry a back-up to camp, but I always do when I take others out. It's come in very handy 5 times too.

I never had the idea cross my mind until I started seeing hunters show up with rifles that gave them problems, and sometime in my late 20s or early 30s I started to put in an extra rifle when I took out other hunters.
I am a gunsmith so most times I am able to fix those problems in the field and get them out after their deer, sheep or elk with the rifle they brought, but in all the years I have been doing this there were 5 that were beyond the ability to repair in the field and in those cases I loaned them what I had in camp. One time it was an AR15 in 6.8. 2 times it was a Mossberg MVP in 308. One time it was a Mauser in 25-06 and one time it was a 338 Mag on a Mauser.
The failures I could not fix on the spot were 3 broken extractors, (one Marlin M7 and 2 Remington M700s) one BLR in 308 that had bad rust in the chamber and one rifle that had the bolt handle come off the bolt, also a 700.

As to my personal viewpoint, I was a US Marine and also I did work for the DOD for some years, and did independent military training for several jobs and in every one of those times I never had a "back-up" rifle. In that kind of work, the stakes of what you're gambling are much higher then what you'd loose on a deer hunt if your weapon fails you. For myself I have a tendency to choose rifles that have very low rates of failure for my personal collection.

Not everyone is so dedicated to reliability however, and it is noteworthy how many hunters are really not "gun-guys". Many times don't even know they have a problem until hunting season. That's why I always throw in a gun or two more then I'll need if I am guiding.

Any rifle that I think is likely to need a "back-up" is a rifle I'd sell off or trade off very quickly.

One tip that I like to follow myself is simply to have a new Weaver K4 scope in the box, packed in the gear. In my years of hunting and guiding I have found that scope failures are far more common then gun failures,and if the hunter has some extra ammo to re-zero, having a "one-size-fits-all scope" along is a hunt saver. Swapping out their scope for a K4 takes minutes only ,and the times I have done that made a hero out of me in the eyes of the hunters, especially those that came from many states away to have a dream hunt.

At the end of those hunts I remove the scope if they don't want to keep it and if the do want to keep it, (most have) they simply pay me the cost of it's replacement, and I order another one the day I get back.

I have a Montana in .270 that I think of as my primary rifle but now that I think about it, I never hunted it last year. I have pre-64's in .243, .264 and .300 Magnum that get to go hunting fairly often. I've got some other rifles that don't see a lot of time but I'm working on it.

Memtb - I think you misunderstood - I almost always carry an extra rifle to camp, sometimes more than one! What I meant was that I don't really have a "primary" hunting rifle. All of mine are "primary", its just that many factors play a part into which ones go with me on a hunt (as I stated above). None of them are classified as a "backup".

My wife doesn't hunt with me, but my 2 daughters do, and each of them have a "primary" rifle, mainly because my dad built them each a great rifle. Both are Mausers, one is a VZ-24 in 6.5x55 and one is a 1909 Argentine in 257 Bob. You ought to see the boys faces when they ask if either of them hunt, then they tell them what they hunt with! Most have no clue :-)

Browning Safari in 3006 w 2.5X8X36 Leupold.

GunLoony88, I was just “mess’n “ with you! You being a “GunLoony”, and us being “one gun hunters”....I couldn’t resist! We are the “anomaly” in the hunting/shooting world!

Those sound like nice rifles, practical calibers, and built by your Dad.....it just get better than that! memtb

Mr Redgwell,

A fine how do you do to you today. I hope you're well and that your Canadian brethren and sistren are not too upset that there are no Canuckian teams left in the chase for Mr Stanley's prize. Such a shame and surprise, but such is the world of sticks and pucks.

Interesting in that you posited the question of "bench warmers", as I have an out of state hunt coming up in October. I've been in a quandary since receiving the news I had drawn the tag. I have several suitable rifles for taking a cow elk, but which ones do I want to bring with me? When I'm fortunate to have a hunt "out the back door", I'm of the grab one and go class. That would include traditional bow, caplock rifle, or all original surplus military units.

So, what I'm thinking, and this was partially influenced by someone asking about our friend John's 9.3x62 loads recently, is that it's likely to be:

The CZ 9.3 for the main rig, as I have a load that was graciously provided to me by the 'fire member who sold me the rifle (Thanks again BSA, it will likely get out after game again, after such a long unplanned pause). Shots where I'll be hunting will likely be less than 250 yards or so, with suitable terrain for stalking closer.

Backup(s) will likely be:

Sig SHR970 with the 6.5x55 barrel installed, and perhaps I bring along the 30-06 barrel (add to your total Steve ) for backup to the back up. There are Leupold QD bases/rings installed and each barrel has a scope dedicated so in the event of damaged scope or barrel, I'll be good to go.

Ruger #1 in .303 Brit. It'll be easy enough for me to bring this along with the SHR as my brother lives near the unit I'll be hunting and I can leave the backups in his care while I'm out at camp. Summer will hopefully provide me with time to experiment more with JB's .303 loads for the #1 he wrote about a few years back.

.50 cal "Hawken" , just because I like to get close? Mmmmn, that could be fun, seeing as how I've been within BP range while archery hunting in that unit, under an archery tag, with traditional equipment. That extra 20-30 yards between the 25 I allow myself for bow shots vs those for the smokepole are a huge difference. I've experienced the same on a pronghorn archery hunt, sure wished it was a muzzleloader tag!

55lb Stickbow?? Depends on how much practice I get this summer. I intend to put in for deer around my place, and if lucky I can just walk out the back yard and start hunting here. The backup for that bow is a 45lb version of the same bow.

It's likely the full battle equipped Swedish Mauser, (sans bayonet, of course ) 1918 version will stay home. It hasn't been hunted in years, and likely won't make an out of state trip this year. If I get my stuff together, I have a Remington M700 in '06 that needs scoped and shot in. Although I got a recall notice from Remington that the new trigger they installed a few years back is a liability too, so I may end up looking for a Timney or such before using it.

So many options...............................it's fun living in Rifle Loony land, eh?

I hope spring has sprung there. Here in my part of sunny warm California, we're still dealing with freezing temps, snow on the last day of April, and then we get days over 70F.

I enjoy your posts, thanks. Good hunting when the time comes, too.

Geno

I always have a backup rifle when heading to camp, on a hunting trip, or even just a day in the local woods. Thinking back over 50 years of that attitude I can't remember once ever needing it. Never. I'll continue to do so though- I'm not a complete idiot.

As for a benchwarmer, my whole collection are potential benchwarmers. I have nothing designated as such, as I have no designated "go-to" rifle either. If you called me tonight to go along on an expedition for yaks, tigers, or groundhogs I could pretty much be comfy with closing my eyes and reaching in and picking a rifle and heading out the door. Same goes for the backup gun.

That's a smart plam, noahhh. I learned about carrying a back up rifle years ago. I drove 6-700 miles on a moose hunt without the proper rifle. I had to go to the local hardware store and buy a rifle.

I bought a M94 lever for $240 (oh, darn! Cause I already had one...at home). That year's meat was expensive. I took a calf (350 lb?) with an archaic 170 gr. CIL FP factory load.

I don't really think of the 2nd gun as a 'back-up'.

When I go out with my 25-06, my second rifle is a 25-06.
with the 6.5x55 as a primary, either one of the 25-06's or the 264 WM
With my 358 win primary, then the 1906-made 30 Win Model 94 w/ the 22" octagonal barrel and the Williams tang peep sight.

For Elk it's the 264 WM with the 308 as a second choice.

My 30-06 doesn't even have a scope on it.

My primary deer rifle is a .35 Whelen and back up is a .30-06.

See the one on the right? It's 900 grains and the plinker bullet for the gun in back built by a fellow named Perry IIRC. Weighs a bit over 40# and uses a 250 grain charge of powder.






It will do several things if used properly:
1. Warm the bench
2. Keep your powder supply fresh
3. Keep your lead supply scarce
4. Loosen up your shoulder
5. Keep your back strong
6. Give strangers one of those 'come to Jesus' moments when you touch it off.

PS: I do have a foul weather gun of plastic'n stainless though I don't admit it in public very often.



And a fella can do a lot worse than a Model 94 with a Williams receiver sight.

As all I hunt anymore are elk, my primary is a 338 WM. Back up is a 375 H&H. Magnums. Because I can.

My primary hunting rifle is my push feed Model 70 Featherweight 7X57 with 1980's vintage Burris 4X scope. After that, probably my Mauser action 30-06, also with a vintage Burris 4x. #3 in the line-up is a very old Remington 700 BDL in 25-06 with a Leupold 3-9X40 scope.

My 270 IS the bench warmer ready to go in at a moments notice. Im also putting together a 7mm Rem for heavier game back up. Its my array off oddballs that get the first at-bat. In my mind, the 270 makes the perfect back up

have sold some sexy-for-the-month-cartridge rifles lately. Back to the old reliable 6.5x55 (140 at 2800) and all-day-always-in-the-truck-everyday pre-64 94 30-30.
30-30 wont shoot "bug holes" but it is RELIABLE! From sitting with iron sights with variety of off the shelf OR handloads it will soot MOA @ 50 and 2 inches at 100....RELIABLY!

My starter tends to be whatever excites me at the moment and is usually somewhat niche in purpose. At present I am playing with my .257 AI and just fired my latest 6.5x280 AI for the first time today.

However, when something simply needs to die, my Ruger Boat Paddle .300 Win Mag with a 180 TTSX gets the nod. My meat and potatoes gun used to be a .30-06 (since rebarreled to .257 AI) and I kinda miss having one in the safe that is always ready to roll. Playing with a Ruger No. 1 in .30-06 that may very well fill that role.

This is a great post by someone who knows what's up and has given it some real thought, or at least listened to what experience was telling him.
I'd be interested to hear what your "low rates of failure" rifle choices are.
For such a well thought out plan, I'm a little surprised you trust a NIB Weaver K4 as opposed to a "tested" Weaver K4.

szihn, you must hunt out your back door.

When I travel 100s or 1,000s of miles to hunt, I take a second rifle. This was a lesson learned when I was younger, as mentioned above. That hunt also taught me to triple check everything that I was taking. Two rifles go with me for every hunt, and when I go to moose camp, I usually take a rimfire and a 20 ga. to fill the stew pot.

I was an armourer, both in and out of uniform for 34 yrs. What is instilled into you is the need for preparation, and what to do when the wheels fall off. The military has a supply chain, and people to repair equipment that breaks. Hunting trips do not have a supply chain or people that repair equipment that breaks. While it is nice that you have used your trng, a civilian hunt is vastly different from being in an operational theatre.

These two pictures are from a hunt several years ago. The first two days were cloudless and sunny. Then it started snowing, and it didn't stop for several days. Even though it rarely snows much where we go for moose, I made sure to bring extra gas and propane, tucked into the bed of my pickup - just in case. As a result, the six of us stayed warm and ate well. One individual on that hunt dropped his rifle and damaged the scope. It was because of the snow. He slipped and his rifle fell on a rock. Lucky for him that I had a 30-06 - a backup - so that he could continue the hunt. Lucky for me too. I got 100 lb of meat as a gift, when he filled his tag.

Three moose went home with us. It would only have been two had Jim been forced to stay in camp.

...

6.5X55 in a Tikka or 308 in a Tikka.

Main rifle is a 30-06. Current backups are 308 and 7 RM.


Okie John

Main rifle is a 270 and I have 2, but the OP said not to use 270, so my main backup would be the 336 30-30. To back it up would be a 12 ga.

1st String - 280, 7 Wby
2nd String - 308, 300 WSM

I look at it a bit differently than as a backup rifle. I usually do take two rifles just they are set up differently. One for still hunting, a light rifle topped with a low power scope with a thick post or crosshairs. This rifle will also do any night hog hunting I need to do. Today this is a Midel 7 7-08 topped with an old 3x Weaver. Second rifle is set up with a 3 to 9 power scope and a long action cartridge (currently a 30-06) to shoot the long shots with. Neither is first or second just depends on the job at hand.

Big deal...I note that just after the 7x64 was created by the lord himself WW1 ground to a halt...obviously all were simply dazzled by the excellence.

Texas:
6.5x55 CZ 550 American
Backup .270 700 ADL
Backup to the backup 30-06 Vanguard S2 Synthetic

The above is for everything but Nilgai. For Nilgai the order is reversed.

I like your set-up.
Bob

I have a hard time picturing a scenario where the custom Mod. 70 "Classic Stainless" .338 Winny of mine would fail. But, since about any thing is possible I would grab my wonderful old Mod. 70 Featherweight 30-06 that shoots the 168 grain TTSX bullets very well and dumped a caribou a couple of years ago. When I got the old ought six years ago ThI trust both rifles completely!

I recently put a 3-9 HD SWFA on a Tikka T3X Superlite in 6.5 Creed, if I like the scope as much as I think I will I may put one on the old ought six and save the 3.5-10x40 Leupy as a back up scope.

A 264 WM is my go to but I can go down to a .223 or up a 35 Whelen with several steps in between.....

Savage 11 7-08 up front
Savage 99 250 backup

Primary for many years was a .338win , secondary was a 7-08. They took turns though depending on where I was hunting. If I didn't have moose or elk tags, I took the 7-08. Primary now is a 30R Blaser, secondary is still the 7-08.

I have a Remington 721 30-06 with a leupold straight six on it. Sighted in with 180 federal premium partition factory ammo that rides the pine every year. I do usually kill a doe antelope with it every year though, just to blow the dust off of it.

Great backup for almost anything! (I have a 722 Remington .257 Roberts with a 6x that I blow the dust off every few years as well.)

Dunno how much big game I've killed here and there with the '06 and 180-grain bullets, but it's worked just fine all over the world....

For medium game (deer, antelope, etc) 243.
For coyote or smaller - 204 Ruger.
For elk - 30-06.
Hope to hunt my 375 H&H one day, and not just shoot it!

Current pecking order:

1. 8x57is(VZ-24)
2. 257 Roberts(M70)
3. 300 Win Mag(Mk.VII)
4. 270 WCF(M70)

For Elk
1st choice - Ruger M77 (tang safety) in 308 Win, 2x7 Redfield, with Nosler 165 Partitions
Backup - Ruger M77 MKII 7x57 2x7 Leopold, with 160 grain Nosler Partitions
(NOTE - I could easily reverse these choices with no concern)

Mule Deer
1st choice - Ruger M77 MKII 7x57, 2x7 Leopold, with 160 grain Nosler Partitions
Backup - Peruvian sporterized Brno made 98 Mauser 7x57, 2x7 Bushnell, 160 grain Nosler Partitions

Black Tail (in thick cover)
1st choice - Marlin 336 in 35 Rem with 200 grain Rem Corelocks or 30-30 with 170 grain Rem Corelocks
Backup - Either of my 7x57 rifles with 140 grain Partitions.

CJ