Looking to fill the gaps

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Adam77

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So currently I have a 270 win and 7mm-08. I am looking to add another rifle in another cartridge but I’m struggling to decide what to get.
I will be hunting everything from coyote to moose and large bears. Maybe a recommendation for the smaller game and one for the big game to fill the gaps in my safe.
 
22lr for small games and 9.3x62 for the big stuff!
I mean there is soooooooooo many options!
 
Adam77 said:
I should have mentioned I already have a 22lr. So many options is giving me paralysis by analysis. How do you like the 9.3x62?
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Well I have 2 of them and I think they are the best or one of the best caliber for bigger games in North America, if you reload, they are fairly cheap to shoot, they are easy to shoot, they have hell of knock down power with the recoil similar to a hot loaded 30-06! No belted case, you can even use 30-06 cases for brass!
That would be my choice for sure!
As for a smaller caliber well hard to beat the 223 in a good bolt gun for varmint!
 
Adam77 said:
Well I don’t really NEED another rifle but I want one, and I like trying other cartridges which could be more specific for the game I’m going for.
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Fair enough, can’t argue with that… I would always go with any of the classics such as 30-06 , 30-30 , 308 Win, including 270 as the ammo is plentiful, unless you don’t mind reloading then there is a lot of different options. Also please consider 8 mm Mauser or 6.5 Swede ( which is very close to 270 Win or so I was told )or maybe you prefer some modern cartridges?
 
kaskad said:
Fair enough, can’t argue with that… I would always go with any of the classics such as 30-06 , 30-30 , 308 Win, including 270 as the ammo is plentiful, unless you don’t mind reloading then there is a lot of different options. Also please consider 8 mm Mauser or 6.5 Swede ( which is very close to 270 Win or so I was told )or maybe you prefer some modern cartridges?
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Yeah I reload myself so I don’t mind. I’m not particularly interested in the 30-06 and 308 since I already have a 270 so there’s too much overlap for me.
 
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If a guy's already got a 270 and 7mm-08, there isn't really much of a gap on the big game end of things. Both of those cartridges are very capable of killing the animals you desire to any reasonable hunting distances.

However, if the goal here is to have something new to play with, get lots of practice/trigger time, and can be reloaded for cheap, my vote would be for a 223. A very versatile cartridge that can punch well above its weight class with the right bullet and twist rate.

But the 35 Whelen recommendation above sounds pretty rad too...
 
Dorian Gray said:
If a guy's already got a 270 and 7mm-08, there isn't really much of a gap on the big game end of things. Both of those cartridges are very capable of killing the animals you desire to any reasonable hunting distances.

However, if the goal here is to have something new to play with, get lots of practice/trigger time, and can be reloaded for cheap, my vote would be for a 223. A very versatile cartridge that can punch well above its weight class with the right bullet and twist rate.

But the 35 Whelen recommendation above sounds pretty rad too...
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Yeah I’m pretty well covered but was thinking of something that could be exclusively a big game rifle. Like 300 or 338 win mag and up. On the low side something like the 223 or 22-250. Something along those lines is what I was thinking and then see if anyone has personal experience with them.

35 Whelen and 9.3x62 are definitely cartridges to look into
 
.223 and 3030 are great suggestions for your cartridge gap. 300wm is a good suggestion too. I currently shoot 6.5x55 30/06 and 9.3x57. Currently toying with the idea of a 7mm rem mag or a PRC of some sort.
 
Hmatt said:
.223 and 3030 are great suggestions for your cartridge gap. 300wm is a good suggestion too. I currently shoot 6.5x55 30/06 and 9.3x57. Currently toying with the idea of a 7mm rem mag or a PRC of some sort.
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I like the idea of a 30-30 since I’ve always wanted a lever rifle. Something between 300 win mag and 375 h&h too
 
Adam77 said:
I like the idea of a 30-30 since I’ve always wanted a lever rifle. Something between 300 win mag and 375 h&h too
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You’re speaking my language. If I came across a 375 h&h i my price range would have a very hard time passing it up. A magnum is my next purchase it just depends on which rifle arises when the mood strikes. I’d really like something stainless as everything I have is blued.. something that will flatten anything and can be carried in any weather without worry.

I have a model 94 30/30 I carry in the truck beside me when we’re deer hunting for quick off the road shots. It’s super handy.
 
Adam77 said:
I like the idea of a 30-30 since I’ve always wanted a lever rifle. Something between 300 win mag and 375 h&h too
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Quick to load aim and fire and reload aim and fire again... repeatedly..lol great for dense forest and short range shooting. Great reloads with FTX 160grain and Leverevolution powder.
 
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A longish reply - back in the day, I "only" had a 308 Win for deer - I took many dozens deer with that and 165 grain bullets over the decades. My Dad used a 30-06 - about no difference - my hand loads versus his factory loads - until 200 grain bullets and heavier - I could not keep up with the 308 Win - although I got my first elk with that 308 Win and 165 grain bullets. His last elk was with 30-06 and 165 grain bullets. I bought a Savage 112V in 22-250 for myself, and a Remington 788 in 243 Win for my wife to hunt with - I suppose nit pickers will find a difference. I shot at many gophers with 308 Win and 110 grain hollow points - even hit some, I think. Our son (now 46) got his first whitetail with his Mom's .243 at about age 12 or 14. Our daughter got her first whitetail with it as well, several years later. No flies on a 243 Win. Or a 22-250. Or a 308 Win. My next "carefully considered" purchase was a 338 Win Mag - I got two more elk with that one - those shots were circa 100 yards and about 12 feet - so about anything would have worked for those shots - but I lugged that 338 for many miles in Saskatchewan Spruce swamps.

Currently, when I am bouncing along back roads here in Manitoba, chances good the little 16" barrel 243 Ruger 77 is beside me on the truck seat. You are like looking at a "picket" fence - one cartridge is going to overlap a lot with the next one - will be "nit picking" differences. But no doubt a .223 Rem and a 375 H&H are going to have different roles - but there are myriad of "pickets" in between those - is not cut and dried - some will talk 22-250, or 225 Winchester, some will talk .257 Roberts or 25-06 - some will talk 7x61 Sharpe and Hart or 9.3x62. Is up to you what you need or want - and then can look at 7mm-300 Weatherby, 416 Remington Magnum, 458 Win Magnum or .505 Gibbs - just more pickets, likely outside what you have already have ... Is about no end to it.

You have two of many cartridges that I have never owned or used - 7mm-08 and 270 Win. I have never used a 7mm Remington Magnum either. Not against them, at all - is just that there are many "pickets" really close to those.

If, today, I was forced to go back to "one" - it would probably be back to that 308 Win - shoot at gophers, coyotes, deer and gongs. Or the 7x57. Or similar.
 
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dan belisle said:
I'd be looking at a 338 Win Mag. Probably the best all around north American hunting rifle. Recoil isn't bad, components are easy to find. I used to load 210 gr nosler partitions over RL19. Can run them at 2900 fps, and be good to go on anything with fur. - dan
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I love the idea of having a 338 win mag. Something big that I have full confidence in taking any animal, I know shot placement is king but I’d like having a rifle that can get the job done regardless.
 
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