For both varmint and deer, I would suggest a cartridge in the 6mm/243 classification. There are many to choose, from the 243 Winchester to the big overbore wildcat's. My son and I have had great success with our 240 Weatherby Magnums, on deer and coyote's..........they sure turn a coyote inside-out.
Holes in the hunting battery! Any advice?
- Thread starter greenjeepguy100
- Start date
For both varmint and deer, I would suggest a cartridge in the 6mm/243 classification. There are many to choose, from the 243 Winchester to the big overbore wildcat's. My son and I have had great success with our 240 Weatherby Magnums, on deer and coyote's..........they sure turn a coyote inside-out.
243 is a good choice for dual purpose. I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a chambering that will best the 243 win as far as off the shelf ammo availability for both varmints and deer. Also, a 243 loaded with a 80 grain Barnes TTSX or Nosler partition will take game larger than deer, it is a versatile cartridge within its effective range.
If you don’t care about keeping hides and you hand load you could just go with a 308 and load up 110 grain varmint loads. I see you have a 30-06, but it’s a semi, I prefer manual actions for playing with loads as they (you) will cycle anything, semi’s sometimes not so much.
Since you seem to really like the manbun (creedmoor) name you could go with a 6mm manbun, just to be a little different, haha.
If you don’t care about keeping hides and you hand load you could just go with a 308 and load up 110 grain varmint loads. I see you have a 30-06, but it’s a semi, I prefer manual actions for playing with loads as they (you) will cycle anything, semi’s sometimes not so much.
Since you seem to really like the manbun (creedmoor) name you could go with a 6mm manbun, just to be a little different, haha.
Realistically, there are no holes there... not for NA. You have too many and have a few you can get rid of, if you so choose, without affecting your effectiveness.
Something like this;
Bolt's;
---------‐--------
.22 LR
.300 WM
------------------
Levers;
------------------
.30-30
.45-70
------------------
Semi's;
------------‐-----
.30-06
------------------
Shotgun's;
------------------
12 semi
Something like this;
Bolt's;
---------‐--------
.22 LR
.300 WM
------------------
Levers;
------------------
.30-30
.45-70
------------------
Semi's;
------------‐-----
.30-06
------------------
Shotgun's;
------------------
12 semi
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leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
Although this is a very practical set up. I couldn’t live without a centerfire 22 of some sort. Likely a 223 if we’re going practical and straight forward. And I’d have to have a couple more shotguns as well
Although this is a very practical set up. I couldn’t live without a centerfire 22 of some sort. Likely a 223 if we’re going practical and straight forward. And I’d have to have a couple more shotguns as well
Me either, but his .223 got spanked... I was only going off the list of what he already has... it would not be my list.
rifleman762
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
I'm also intermittently tempted by a 22 Hornet. The K-Hornet just looks cool. But then I remember that I can use one of my 223 bolt actions to shoot the same bullets at the same velocity with the added bonus of free brass for life from the range scrap bin
. Same with a 222. Why not shoot the most common centerfire rifle cartridge in the world if it does the same job?I'm also intermittently tempted by a 22 Hornet. The K-Hornet just looks cool. But then I remember that I can use one of my 223 bolt actions to shoot the same bullets at the same velocity with the added bonus of free brass for life from the range scrap bin
It usually comes down to that.
leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
I'm also intermittently tempted by a 22 Hornet. The K-Hornet just looks cool. But then I remember that I can use one of my 223 bolt actions to shoot the same bullets at the same velocity with the added bonus of free brass for life from the range scrap bin
The 223 is amazingly versatile when handloads are tailored to various needs. For people who hunt deer occasionally as the largest animal it’s arguably a perfect one cartridge/rifle battery.
The Hornet, K Hornet, Bee, Etc etc come into play, for me at least when they are chambered in unique, cool, or otherwise special rifles. Otherwise, if we’re talking synthetic production bolt action it may as well be a 223, and I’ll load it to 22 Hornet etc as needed.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
There's a certain appeal to the Hornet. In appropriate rifles or carbines it fulfills the walking around varmint rifle almost of rimfire weight and size. If you can live with its 150ish max range on coyotes it's pretty darn good. But in my heart I am a minimalist hunter.
Deer harvest with archery/30-30. And wild boar with shotgun slug is my thing.
Deer harvest with archery/30-30. And wild boar with shotgun slug is my thing.
Homesteader
CGN Regular
- Location
- In a Wallow West of Edmonton.
You really have no holes. 308 is covered by you six ways to Sunday. What I would be more inclined to say is a different rifle in a same or similar cartridge, something like a nice little Kimber Montana etc.
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- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
22 Hornet is an excellent closer range all-around varmint killer... And it does it with Zero recoil and a relatively soft report. In my experience, it is a bit finicky and each rifle seems to like a different powder and bullet combination. Reloading is a snap, with the only caveat being it's easy to crush the rims. For small pest control, I only use Trail Boss. Commercial ammo is available, but not particularly easy to find. I would like a new rifle, and have my eyes on a CZ 527, but it lacks iron sights, which I like to have. 32-20 has pretty much replaced my need for a 22 Hornet as I do so little longer range stuff.
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
GreenJeep, obviously everyone has their own bias according to their interests. As do you. Until you address the lack of sxs or o/u shotgun then we have little to talk about. In particular, a side by side is 1st (to my mind) on your missing list and I would sell whatever is required to fill the need.
How's your pudelpointer doing?
How's your pudelpointer doing?
A side x side or over-under is on the radar for sure. Part of the reason for selling the ones I didn't use was to upgrade to higher end brands and some weatherproof stuff. My old 270 was a bubba'd mauser that would not have won any beauty contests.
As for the dog, its a long story that starts with the dog jumping out a patio door at height! On the last day of our mandatory two week isolation after our return from Cancun, the dog spotted the first spring robin in the back yard. Unable to contain herself, she took a run though the patio door, clearing all steps, but failed to stick the landing. I picked her up and she could not mover her rear legs. We took her to the vet, thinking we were going to put her down. But, x-rays, an MRI, and two vets later she came out of surgery for two extruded discs and a spinal compression. She's lucky to have us. The wife and I took turns sleeping on the family room floor for a month, and carried her up and down stairs. But, by June she was swimming and back on quail. We also took her up north in late August, where she'd run ahead of the ATV along logging roads, going crazy finding Ruffies!
So at the end of the day, in order to keep the family in my corner, as they never would have forgiven me if we didn't give her any and all chances available, we spent $10,000 to fix the dog. That said, putting her down, purchasing another dog, obedience training, hunting training, NAVHDA, VET bills, and my time...would have easily been $6,000. So incrementally, not so expensive, or so I tell myself!
We posted pictures on her scars on her Instagram account:
https://www.instagram.com/tikka.the.pudelpointer/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBUVlWZgDN7/
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Oh Jeez. What an ordeal for Tikka and family.
My own battery is heavily lopsided. I keep selling rifles and buying shotguns.
.38-55 Marlin (family heirloom),
Kleingunther .243 bolt (backup gun),
and ABolt 30.06 (meat rifle).
Then lots and lots of shotguns. I use a spreadsheet to keep track of the shotguns.
My own battery is heavily lopsided. I keep selling rifles and buying shotguns.
.38-55 Marlin (family heirloom),
Kleingunther .243 bolt (backup gun),
and ABolt 30.06 (meat rifle).
Then lots and lots of shotguns. I use a spreadsheet to keep track of the shotguns.
