If you only could have one...hunting rifle?

[gaijinsamurai]

Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 in .30-06.

 

[dude young]

I vote a Savage 2400 in .308/12ga or 24-V in .30-30/20ga.

Either will take down the biggest game in North America, and also small game and birds with the shot gun barrel.

 

[samuelm16]

I REALLY WANT A b.A.R. in 7mm mag, right now my do all gun is a ruger m77 tang in 7mm mag

 

[One-Eyed Ross]

My go to is a savage 110E in the mother of all big game cartridges, .30 caliber of 1906.... (.30-06)

 

[clambo]

I like .30-06 caliber a lot, I have a couple and I IMO that would be the " best " choice but if I could only keep one hunting rifle it would be my old Remington 721 in .300 H&H. I almost picked my old Savage 99 in .300 Savage but it when I started thinking about antelope ( longer ranges generally ) and the big bears up north I had to change my vote.

 

[longcolt]

I like the Remington 700 in 30-06. But there are many other choices that are fine too, savage, ruger, weatherby, tinka, the list goes on.

The nice thing about the 06 is ammo pricing and availability. You can find it anywhere and usually at very low cost.

The 270 and 380 work pretty well also. I am not into the big mags since they kick hard and ammo cost is over the top.

 

[Hook686]

Winchester Model 70 in 30-06

 

[just dan]

for me... either an old Marlin 336 in .30-30, because damn they just work and have some soul.
Generations have been raised on the meat provided by a 30-30. hand loads or Leverevolution, which my 1950 336 seems to love.

or a Mauser 98 action in 7mm rem mag. hand loads can be as flat as a .270 or as hard as a 30-06. fine do-all rifle in my eyes.

 

[pasty63]

I kind of only have one so....that one. Older Model 70 in 300 win mag.

 

[freestoneangler]

I appreciate all the recommendations. I now have a short list of a few 30-06 rifles to keep a look out for at the forth coming WAC shows.
Thanks All!
Bill

 

[Redcap]

FAL.

 

[coop44]

Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 in .30-06.

Glad to see I am not the only classy guy here

(either the model 70 or a fn built browning safari grade)

 

[MarkAd]

If it were available. Marlin lever gun in 35 Whelan.

 

[Velzey]

I also choose the FAL, best rifle I have ever owned.

Fully adjustable gas system, and I can run anything thru it!

 

[badclam]

Model 700 in 30-06 or 7mm

 

[Thumper]

My 1973 Sako Finnwolf Lever .308, converted to a Scout rifle a few years back. One hole at 100 yds.

 

[satx78247]

freestoneangler,

I'll be the "weirdo" in the group and say that if I had to make that sad decision, I'd take a LH bolt-gun in 9.3x62MM, as that round is suitable for all medium to large game on every continent, including Africa's Big Five. - That is the rifle that I will, for sure, take to Africa in 08/15, should I be limited to one firearm.

The 9.3x62 can also be "down-loaded" with cast bullets to make a perfectly acceptable "small-game rifle".
(Shooting running jackrabbits is GREAT practice for deer/antelope/sheep/elk season & GOOD EATING, too.)

Another similar choice is the .35 Whelen.

yours, satx

 

[The B]

freestoneangler,

I'll be the "weirdo" in the group and say that if I had to make that sad decision, I'd keep my LH bolt-gun in 9.3x62MM, as that round is suitable for all medium to large game on every continent, including Africa's Big Five. - That is the rifle that I will, for sure, take to Africa in 08/15, should I be limited to one firearm.

The 9.3x62 can also be "down-loaded" with cast bullets to make a perfectly acceptable "small-game rifle".
(Shooting running jackrabbits is GREAT practice for deer/antelope/sheep/elk season & GOOD EATING, too.)

yours, satx

Do you have to save your brass and find your bullet after every shot?

 

[satx78247]

NOPE.
Brass is easily reformed from .30-06 (which I get FREE from the firing range "junk barrel". - You wouldn't believe how many .270 & '06 cases get thrown away every weekend.)

Bullets for anything (except the largest bears) in the Western Hemisphere are easily cast from "range scrap", that we "mine" from a local sheriff's range.
(I'm too cheap to buy "factory" for anything here, except if I should ever go to hunt AK for Kodiak bears.)

For Africa & Asian dangerous game, NOSLER & BARNES make great JSP & SOLIDS in 9.3, which are "as close as your phone".

Note to Ben Beckerich: I have a boarding school chum who has been a missionary to the Canadian & Alaskan tribes for 40+ years. Roy swears by his 280 grain "homebrew cast boolits" for caribou, brown bears & moose.

yours, satx

 

[Sgt Nambu]

.30/06 in a FN commercial model 98 Mauser action.