"Normal" hunting rifles

308win and the big brother 308 Norma Mag.
And now a 358win.
This has a waaaay cool factor.
And shoots dang good too.
Going to be some gun cabinet moaning going on in the future.
 
The only animals that I have shot with factory ammo since I started hunting in the early 1980's are a couple of elk that fell to Remington 180 cor-locs in a 300 H + H magnum--everything else has been a handload even in the "standard" cartriges--.270. 257 Roberts, 300 savage, 7x57, .308, .30-06, 350 Rem mag, .35 whelen, 7-08, never did shoot a game animal with the 45-70 or .375 H + H.
 
I would say that the

303British
308 Win
8MM Mauser
6.5x55

are my normal hunting rifles. My 8MM shot 2bucks 1 bear and a moose this season. Open sight. Furthest shot was on the bear at 145Yards. It preformed good.

the 303 is another that you can buy for only 100$ and can buy ammo anywhere for it. They can take anything down.

People around my area always under estimate these calibres.
 
The 308 was a CZ550 varmint, weighed 13.5lbs and shot very well. Best group was 1.31" edges at 300m or 1.1" ctc. The big fire breathing mags are still fun, but I just don't have the time to load alot or the resources to buy ammo for the 30-378 or 338LM catagory at 100-160/box.
Worse yet, the quarter I live on has alot more houses near it than before and I am hesitant to start letting that much energy downrange. A 308 or 270 is dangerous for a long distance, how about adding another 1000fps to it??

I've sold and moved several rifles this year and figure a nice vanilla abolt or 700 sps 308 should round out my vault.

I still have a couple LR rounds, I just don't want to feel pressured to find time to load when my average month logs over 300 hrs. Plus as mentioned, a conventional round is alot safer in a semi settled area.
 
Everywhere I travel, I always check what kind of ammo is on sale and what bullet weight and type is available in stores.
Based on what I've seen in Eastern Canada and Eastern United States, I would probably buy either a 270 Win or a 30-06 if I did not reload.
The choice and availability of ammo for these cartridges trumps everything else, all the time.

Alex
 
and if you do big bears, the 338 in almost any flavor- just don't load it light - like with 30 caliber bullet weights-
 
AlexF said:
Everywhere I travel, I always check what kind of ammo is on sale and what bullet weight and type is available in stores.
Based on what I've seen in Eastern Canada and Eastern United States, I would probably buy either a 270 Win or a 30-06 if I did not reload.
The choice and availability of ammo for these cartridges trumps everything else, all the time.

Alex
Click to expand...

you should add the 308 into that mix as well- everybody has it most of the time- and typically, the 180 grain loads- all the deer hunters buy 150s
 
jtoews80 said:
The 308 was a CZ550 varmint, weighed 13.5lbs and shot very well. Best group was 1.31" edges at 300m or 1.1" ctc. The big fire breathing mags are still fun, but I just don't have the time to load alot or the resources to buy ammo for the 30-378 or 338LM catagory at 100-160/box.
Worse yet, the quarter I live on has alot more houses near it than before and I am hesitant to start letting that much energy downrange. A 308 or 270 is dangerous for a long distance, how about adding another 1000fps to it??

I've sold and moved several rifles this year and figure a nice vanilla abolt or 700 sps 308 should round out my vault.

I still have a couple LR rounds, I just don't want to feel pressured to find time to load when my average month logs over 300 hrs. Plus as mentioned, a conventional round is alot safer in a semi settled area.
Click to expand...


Maybe teach you wife how to reload............... FS
 
A lightweight, short barreled rifle in your action choice and chambered in .308Winchester will fill your vanilla role quite nicely.

I happen to like a BLR81 in .308Win, but I also like the Win M70's lightweights or FWT's as well, or a Rem MSeven or Ruger M77 UL. The BLR can handle with the slickest '94 in close in those stands of Fir when they start to yard up, or if you can shoot, laying in the road and squeezing one of at 300yds! I used to shoot beer bottles at 300 with mine with my pet load(1.25MOA, most factory loads@ 2-2.5")) at 300paces laying in the road, but that was 25 years ago and another short story made long:p.................

The .308 whammo will usually be found everywhere ammo and icecream are sold, and there are oodles of premium load choices, should you want to tune up your rig and not have to worry about bench time, both loading and shooting that is. Oh yea,....... Did I mention the .308 does it all?w:h:w:h:


I like what Timoffee said about trying to get further away from paper and much closer to game. Sounds like a good rule of thumb.:)
 
A 308 is definitely adequate for paper punching way out there. THe CZ550 I had would group 3" @ 400 yds and between 4-4.5 @ 500yds. Not as good as alot of the guys on here that compete in F class, but not bad for a 180 Grn Accubond.

I seem to remember it was 24 1/8 MOA clicks from 300-400 and another 30 to 500yds, so, 3 MOA and then 3.5 MOA I had a B&L 4000 6-24 on it, very repeatable and easy to get back and forth, just didn't gather light worth a crap at any magnification.
 
Here on the east coast it's a bit more challenging to head out to the local store to buy 8x57 and .450 Marlin, so, have a .30-06 and .303 British on-hand. I hope to add a .30-30 and a .308 to my collection at some point in order to cover my bases. Hmmm...wondering if my wife will buy the argument of the ammo practicality in order to increase my collection? I suppose I shouldn't set-up my reloading gear then. ;)
 
I have to order in ammo for my .257 Roberts, .250 Savage, .280 Rem and .444 Marlin. But I do have a .30-30, a .308 Winchester and a .300 Savage, all of which I can buy at Crappy Tire.
 
Really though, who runs out of ammo when on a hunting trip???? For the amount of space an extra box or two takes up, I am more worried about a gun breakdown.
 
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